Who Won Best of Richmond This Year?

A photo of Back In Action speaks volumes.   Like this photo taken on July 21, 2016 at the new Peter Chang in Scotts Addition.  What is not in this photo is just as important as what is in it. 

For the past 19 years, Back In Action has been a Richmond alternative medicine landmark where many skilled massage therapists, acupuncturists and chiropractic physicians have been an integral part of the Back In Action team.  Only a few are pictured here. High standards, clinical excellence and positive outcomes continue to give Back In Action a trusted community name.  This year marks the 5^th year running, that Back In Action has won “Best of Richmond” awards in several categories.

In May of 2016, Style Weekly’s Best of Richmond issue awarded us Best Alternative Health Care Services, Best Massage Therapy and Best Doctor.  This is a tribute to our entire staff.

Dr. David Berv, Back In Action clinic director was the recipient of the “Best Doctor.” He is pictured here, standing on Peter Chang’s newly upholstered seat cushions, alongside the other two Back In Action Doctors, Sontag and Moran, both taller and a little younger than Berv.   When asked about this award, Berv stated “of all the medical specialties, I am humbled and excited that a complementary medical doctor won in this category. This clearly shows that Richmond has come of age with respect to most major US cities that embrace alternative medicine”.

Winning gives reason for celebration.  We love to celebrate. To get together as a group is a bonus. But it’s hard to take a photo of two dozen people in a crowded restaurant. So, pictured or not, cheers to all of us at Back In Action, our significant others and our families.

Thanks, Richmond for voting us “The Best”.  You should be in this photo.  Next time.

Scalp acupuncture at Back In Action

           Scalp Acupuncture at Back In Action in Richmond, VA

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are thousands of years older than Western medicine.  Yet, in Western culture, we understand very little about it. With continual advances in research and technology, it is without doubt that the more scientific and explainable a technique, the more accepted and trusted it becomes. 

Chinese scalp acupuncture is a contemporary acupuncture technique integrating Chinese needling techniques with Western medical knowledge of the brain. It is becoming more mainstream due to its east/west overlap.  It has also been proven to be very effective with central nervous system and musculoskeletal disorders, often producing remarkable results with just a few needles and usually bringing immediate improvement. 

Scalp acupuncture began in the 1950’s when various famous physicians introduced Western neurophysiology into the field of acupuncture and explored correlations between the brain and human body.  Dr. Jiao Shun-fa, a Chinese neurosurgeon is the recognized founder of scalp acupuncture. His original mapping of the brain and its affects on the nervous system, have been the cornerstone for modern day acupuncture applications, which really didn’t take place in the states until the late 70’s.

Unlike traditional acupuncture, where a needle is inserted into a single point, in scalp acupuncture, needles are painlessly threaded into sections or zones of the scalp that correspond to areas of the brain responsible for sensory and motor input, vision, speech, hearing and balance. Only a few needles are inserted, then hand stimulated by the practitioner – again, not painful.  Each needle only spans an area of about 1.5 inches beneath the scalp.  With the stimulation of the needles, one often feels sensations in a completely unrelated area, such as the arm or foot. 

Scalp acupuncture is frequently used in the rehabilitation of numbness, tingling, weakness, phantom pain, reflex sympathtic dystrophy, loss of balance, dizziness, vertigo, headache, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, pain associated with arthritis, sciatica, frozen shoulder and many other neuromuscular disorders.  There are often unintentional but welcomed other effects, such as improved mood and improved organ function.

The nervous system and study of the brain is complex and often overwhelming to practitioners other than doctors who study the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system at length.  Dr. David A. Berv, chiropractic sports physician and diplomate in acupuncture, has been involved in the study and practice of neuromusculoskeletal rehabilitation for over 20 years.  He specializes in the treatment of pain and related orthopedic and neurologic sequelae.  

In the Western medical model, there are often dead-ends and reliance upon medication, which leads to frustration and disability – seen for example in multiple sclerosis and other progressive neurological diseases. The application of scalp acupuncture can not only can improve one’s symptoms, but slow the progression of physical disability and reduce the number of relapses. Scalp acupuncture offers a new opportunity for those who have seen a lack of progress with their current regimens.

Dr. Berv has been trained and certified in advanced scalp acupuncture techniques. Scalp acupuncture is one of a number of specialty modalities that Berv has integrated into the advanced treatments available at Back In Action.

Back in Action Wins Style Weekly 2013 Best Of Richmond in 3 categories:
-Best Alternative Health Center
-Best Chiropractor
-Best Massage Therapy


For the second year running, our Back In Action team has claimed the title of "Best In Richmond".
Back In Action, established in March 1998, has consistently risen to the top each year with community accolades of some measure.  Our strong team of therapists, doctors and staff provide for a quality experience that features excellent customer service, thorough evaluations, skilled therapy and great outcomes.

We are the choice to professional and high level athletes locally and internationally. We have been the team choice for professional basketball, soccer, cycling, baseball, hockey, football, squash, golf teams, as well as and many other team and individual sports like marathon runners, ironman athletes and triathletes.  For the past 4 years we have been working with the LPGA women's professional golf tour when they make their stop in Richmond.

Getting athletes and active individuals back in action quickly is our specialty.  Our services span the spectrum from sports chiropractic to massage, acupuncture to cupping therapy.  We also have a nutritional pharmacy with alternatives for prescription and over the counter drugs.

We support the community be giving to multiple charities and we also support other practitioners in the community by referring to and communicating with many medical doctors, personal trainers, naturopathic physicians, yoga and pilates instructors, and many others.



Please visit our website:
www.feelgr8.com

or our facebook page:
www.facebook.com/getbackinaction

Jetlag acupuncture points for traveling

1-3 am

Our body can better adapt to time zone differences by stimulating points on the body that are related to  certain acupuncture points associated with particular 2 hour periods during a 24 hour period. The basic idea is that you want to stimulate the time zone points based on your destination. If it is 9 am at the airport and it is 3 pm at your destination point, you will stimulate the points for the 3-5 pm time zone.  Use a pen or your finger and tap each point only during the hours related to that point. Do both the left and right sides and continue for a 24-48 hour period, tapping 50 times on each side for each point. Sometimes you are sleeping through a 2 hour period or you don't want to take off your shoes to tap on a foot point...just skip that point and continue to the next point a few hours later. The blue tape on the pictures indicates the point.  It's ok if you are not on the exact point.  Realize that these points are typically used by healthcare practitioners who have memorized the points.  So in areas that seem harder to find, simply tap in a larger radius to ensure that the point was stimulated. You can tap more than once during the 2 hour period if you remember, or if you have the time.  Do the same procedure for your return trip, stimulating points corresponding to the time zone of your destination.

3-5am

5-7am

7-9am - (4 fingers below kneecap on outer knee and one thumb width from shin bone)

9-11am

11am-1pm

1-3pm

3-5pm

5-7pm( this is on the inner part of the knee just as it becomes the back of the knee)

7-9pm

9-11pm

11pm-1am

Cupping Therapy At Back In Action In Richmond VA

                        CUPPING THERAPY AVAILABLE AT BACK IN ACTION

Cupping therapy is one of the many healing arts therapies that one can find at Back In Action Health Resource Center in Richmond, Virginia.  Dr. David A. Berv, is the director of Back In Action is a board certified chiropractic sports physician and diplomate in acupuncture who uses cupping therapy for a variety of sports and orthopedic conditions.   

Cupping is the oldest and most globally practiced medical treatment in human history. The value and efficacy of cupping therapy has been documented through several thousand years of historical, clinical, and subjective research. Incidentally, cupping was used widely in ancient Greece, including in the Olympic games.  This gave rise to athletes and those looking to remain active, to use cupping to maintain, detoxify, recover and strengthen their bodies. 

Cupping or suction therapy has evolved from the ancient use of animal horns, stone, bones, nuts, seashells, bamboo, earthenware and glass, to a contemporary form which uses silicone and plastic cups of various sizes.  The therapy uses a “negative pressure,” rather than compression of the skin, like massage therapy. It is safe, comfortable, and remarkably effective for many health disorders.

The method is that a cup or multiple cups are suctioned over the treatment area and the suction reduces the pressure inside the cup, which stretches and pulls the underlying skin into the cup. The suction releases tight muscles, drains excess fluids and toxins, loosens adhesions, lifts connective tissue and brings blood flow to stagnant skin and muscles. The pulling action of the cups also engages the nervous system and allows a deep relaxation.

The most common misconception about cupping is the misinterpretation of the marks that are sometimes left on the skin resulting from the treatment, which last from hours to a week.  These discolorations are not bruises.  Rather, it is an indicator of sluggish or compromised circulation in an injured or diseased area of the body, and there is a local build- up of waste products.  The suction pulls toxic and stagnant fluids and blood from deep within the tissues to the skin surface.  This explains why the cups are both therapeutic and diagnostic in value. They both treat the area and demonstrate the areas that are most problematic, indicated by darker colorations. The marks usually range from a dark purple-black, to a light pink, but are usually a shade of red.  Although the marks look painful and something like a bruise, they are not. 

Here is an example of the cups, as well as them being affixed to this patient’s shoulder, and the residual marks left behind after pulling off the cups.  Incidentally, the marks on this person’s shoulder were gone in 2-3 days. This patient, as with most, describe the cupping to give an immediate sense of relief, warmth, relaxation and positive change. 

It is terrific for recovery after sporting events, athletic injuries, chronic conditions, or issues such as rotator cuff injury, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, back and neck pain, scoliosis, sciatica, bursitis, tendinitis, achilles tendon injuries, shin splints, hamstring injuries, knee injuries, strains, sprains, frozen shoulder, it band syndrome and much, much more.

Here are just some benefits of cupping:

-Improves circulation and metabolism

-Facilitates excretion of lactic acid

-Improves blood pressure

-Reduces pain

-Improves mood

-Stimulates and improves digestion

-Improves range of motion of joints

-Reduces scar tissue

Back In Action and Dr. Berv are well known for treating professional athletes of multiple sports.  Here are some testimonials from some professional golfers that Dr. Berv treated while at the Richmond Country Club when the LPGA tour made a stop in Richmond in August 2012.  Dr. Berv performed cupping therapy on many of the golfers:

Thanks Dr. Berv for volunteering at the Eagle Classic. The adjustments you made and the cupping therapy was amazing. I can't believe how much of a difference i felt, my muscles weren't as tense and my body felt so light afterwards. Thanks again and I bet a lot of the Symetra tour players hope to see you again next year!

 -Seul-Ki Park

Thanks to Dr. Berv and his magic remedies for fixing my knee with cupping therapy this week at the Eagle classic!

-Ulrica Van Niekerk

I thought I was not going to be able to golf until you worked your magic. It was my first time with acupuncture and I thought it was great. It was also my first time hearing about that cupping technique, but it worked wonders and I could really feel the difference. Thank you for taking the time to help us out. We all really appreciate it!

 -Taylor Collins

This past week I played in the Eagle Classic here in Richmond at RCC. I had the pleasure of being treated by Dr. Berv to various areas of my body that have been bothering me over the last few weeks. Dr. Berv was very helpful and knowledgeable about relieving my pain. One thing that I liked was the variety of techniques he used to work on the players other than chiropractic - (acupuncture, suction, massage). He also took time after the tournament was finished to personally email me to make sure I was doing okay after being treated, as well as suggest a few exercises that would be beneficial to my back. I would recommend anyone (especially serious athletes) to give Back In Action and Dr. Berv a visit. This is the best service we receive on tour all year long and I hope to be able to work with em' again in the future!

-Britney Choy

 Laura Kueny: Thanks for all your help this week in Richmond! Couldn't have gotten through the week without your chiropractic and cupping therapy services!

Nicole Noelle Smith: Thank you for amazing Chiropractic work, acupuncture & cupping. Couldn't have gotten through week without it.

 ‪                 

Sara Brown

: Thank You so much Dr. Berv for donating your time and skills to us girls on the Symetra Tour!!! We really appreciate the chiropractic massage and cupping work you did! Definitely needed for a better week of golf! Wish you were out with us each week... But thanks again for all your help!!!
    

         










        

         
Laura Jansone

: Thank you so much Dr. Berv for helping us out on the Symetra Tour last week! Great chiropractic and cupping services! I had tight upper back and neck from golf practices and Dr.Berv helped me a lot! I felt so much better afterwards! :)        

         
Martina Gavier

: It was fantastic being treated by Dr. Berv at the Eagle Classic golf tournament in Richmond last week. By far the best chiropractic and cupping therapy services I've ever received! His treatment was very professional and effective and really helped me feel in great condition for the tournament. I strongly recommend Back In Action and Dr. Berv's treatment to anyone with musculoskeletal issues in need of therapy. Thanks Dr. Berv for all your help in name of all the Symetra Tour golfers who benefitted from your awesome services!

        

         


Back In Action Wins Chiropractic, Acupuncture and Massage Therapy Awards in Richmond Virginia

Back In Action received significant recognition in the "BEST OF RICHMOND" issues of Style Weekly and Virginia Living magazines this past year.  We would like to thank all past and present clients who have received our chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy and cupping therapy services in order to keep you as active as possible.  Pictured here is a 47 year-old Back In Action client who recently took 2nd place in a national wakeboarding competition.  From cyclists, runners, swimmers and triathletes, to golfers, hockey, soccer, football, baseball, volleyball, tennis and basketball, we have treated multiple athletes from the weekend warrior to the seasoned professional.  Through a combination of clinical therapies and a wide referral resource, it is no wonder that Back In Action is Richmond's choice for pain management, prevention and athletic performance.  Please check out our WEBSITE for current health articles.  Become a Back In Action Facebook fan and receive periodic links to great exercises, as well as massage therapy specials.