Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy

5 years ago, I was working with a patient who had severe knee pain. We were successful with her prolotherapy treatments; so it took me by surprise when she told me she was mad at me. 

“Why didn’t I hear about you years ago!” she growled. Cautiously, I tiptoed back into decades of medical training.

“Tell me more about that,” I said.

“I’ve been limiting my activities for years when all this time you had the training to fix me!” 

At that moment, I realized, my sister was right, I really am selfish.

 

From that point on, I understood that I had both a duty and an opportunity to let people know about regenerative therapy. Online blogging is a great way to provide you with the level of understanding you may need to make the best choice for your health prior to making an appointment.

 

I hope you find this resource useful and helpful to you in the weeks to come! 

Until Next Time, 

Dr. Amy Haynes 

Nutritional Counseling

Nutritional Counseling

  As naturopathic doctors, we believe that proper nutrition is essential to maximize health. What we put into our bodies has a direct effect on the way we feel. We are experts in nutritional counseling and always incorporate this into our treatment plans. We offer guidelines on general healthy eating habits, as well as specific dietary recommendations to address dysfunction. While it might be obvious that dietary changes can affect our digestion and bowel habits. Diet optimization is also crucial in treating hormone dysfunction, mood irregularities, energy levels, autoimmune disease, chronic pain, allergies, and so much more. One of the first things that we do as naturopathic doctors is remove obstacles to cure. Dietary factors are often a major obstacle that must be addressed.

  When we ask you to make dietary changes we will also educate you on why we are doing so. Learning about healthy eating habits and food hygiene can be empowering, and enable you to take charge of your own healing journey. We recognize that change can be difficult. We work to consistently steer you towards better health, in steps that feel achievable. We find that proper support and education make a significant difference in success when attempting these kinds of lifestyle changes.

 

 

Physical Medicine

Physical Medicine

Physical medicine is a broad term that encompasses everything from chiropractic-style manipulations to gentle massage. While you might guess from the title, physical medicine can be great at addressing physical complaints, such as headaches and back pain. However, proper alignment of the body is also essential to our overall well being. We believe that hands-on medicine can give us great insight into a patient’s health – the body has its own story to tell, and can give us information that hasn’t been illuminated from talking to patients.

What Does Physical Medicine Treat? 

We offer Cranialsacral Therapy, Visceral Manipulation, Active Isolated Stretching and Myofascial Release. These are all gentle types of physical medicine that can help treat gastrointestinal dysfunction, stress/anxiety, brain fog, post-concussive syndrome, headaches, physical pain, and much more.

What is Pelvic Floor Therapy?

 We also offer Holistic Pelvic Floor Therapy, which is a type of internal massage that addresses urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, pelvic pain, pelvic organ prolapse, back pain, coccyx pain, hemorrhoids, and constipation. Pelvic Floor Therapy is regularly prescribed in other countries following childbirth and can help foster a greater connection to self.

Dr. Amy Haynes

Dr. Amy Haynes

Who is Dr. Amy  Haynes?

Dr. Amy Haynes is a naturopathic doctor who has been practicing holistic medicine in Missoula, Montana for over 35 years. Using natural means to treat the whole body, rather than simply masking symptoms, Dr. Amy is able to determine the root cause of an ailment and help her patients heal from the inside out and experience a better quality of life. 

Dr. Amy grew up in a suburb of Detroit and was inflicted with numerous health issues. Her own conditions drove her to pursue a career in medicine. After attending the University of Michigan and realizing that traditional western medicine wasn’t the right place for her, she transitioned the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, in Portland Oregon. Upon graduation, she moved to Montana and started her practice, where she has been working towards helping the community with their health since 1984.

Dr. Amy is passionate about utilizing methods and natural substances to minimize the risk of harmful effects and apply the least possible force or intervention necessary to diagnose illness and restore health. With long term patients, Dr. Amy focuses on preventative care so her patients to obtain their optimal health.

What does Dr. Amy Haynes believe?

Naturopathic medicine is centered on treating the whole person, including body, mind, and spirit. In alignment with this philosophy, Dr. Amy practices holistic care, attending to the body’s needs in order to support the mind and the spirit. 

She holds a belief that the gift of life gives us the opportunity to become more than what we were born to be, to expand our potential beyond our birthright. For that to happen, health has to be a number one priority. Wholesomeness and integrity bring us into alignment with our place in this beautiful web of nature. When we live in alignment, when our body and mind are nourished, we can become our best, healthiest selves. Ideally, we want to flow quickly and effortlessly.

 

Dr. Amy believes we are as healthy as our relationships with each other, with the land, and with our creator.
Dr. Amy believes that some answers live outside of the box of our beliefs, our opinions, and our feelings.
Dr. Amy believes that clarity happens when we shift our paradigms.
Dr. Amy believes that fixing cellular inflammation is the key to relief from chronic disease.
Dr. Amy believes that for her to help you, she needs to know you.
Dr. Amy believes that there is a reason for pain and suffering.
Dr. Amy believes that the story needs to make sense.
Dr. Amy believes that all living beings possess an intelligent, divine spark called the Vital Force, which gives us an innate ability to heal.

How Can Dr. Amy Haynes Help You?

Dr. Amy is highly skilled in a wide array of natural healthcare treatments. Some of the ones she is most passionate about are:

Ozone Therapy

Dr. Amy loves providing ozone therapy for her patients. It seems so simple, such an obvious treatment because it uses oxygen, an essential element to life! Ozone works beautifully—killing microbes and stimulating healing. Because it can’t be patented, it’s available to everyone. The applications of ozone therapy are endless—from treating bacterial infections to enhancing anti-aging. It can insufflate into an orifice, be injected into a joint or sinus, and be infused into the blood. 

Prolotherapy

Chronic Pain is horrible. It alters the course of lives by limiting our decision-making abilities.  Like a thief, it steals our ability to feel pleasure in our lives. Patients come to us broken and in pain and, using prolotherapy, Dr. Amy enables their bodies to heal themselves. A month or so after treatment, they are better, without the use of drugs or surgery. Dr. Amy uses and loves prolotherapy as a means of treating chronic pain because it proves that our bodies are designed to heal. 

Other Services Provided By Dr. Amy

Dr. Amy is experienced in everything from acupuncture to labor and delivery. She is capable and experienced in full body healthcare, including every service offered in our clinic. See the full list of services here. 

 

Acupuncture

Acupuncture

  Acupuncture is an ancient system of medicine, which relies on the stimulation and sedation of access points to harmonize and balance our bodies. Acupuncture has the ability to successfully treat most disease processes. Using tiny filaments (about the width of three hairs) magnets, electricity and heat, acupuncture can shift our bodies into balance. Acupuncture can remove inflammation and infection, while addressing the hypo (less) and hyper (more) function.

  Full Circle Natural Medical Clinic has been practicing acupuncture since 1984 as a means to aid in the treatment of pain, gastrointestinal issues, and much more.

Learn more. Read:
 The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medical – by Ted J. Kaptchuk

 

 

Homeopathy

Homeopathy

The directive of homeopathy tells us that whatever the problem may be, the solution lies within the puzzle. When our bodies are diseased, they are disorganized. Whether acute or chronic, our bodies can recognize the solution or homeopathic remedy, and find the organization in the diseased chaos.  

Prior to the inception of Full Circle Natural Medicine, Dr. Amy Haynes began exploring homeopathy and has been practicing it ever since!

She has trained with world-renowned homeopathic leaders, such as Dr. Francisco Eiziyaga, Dr. Lou Klein, Ananda Zaran, and Dr. Robin Murhpy. 

What Is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is essentially physics at its most refined. It uses highly diluted, potentized substances, such as plants and minerals, to promote healing in a disorganized or diseased system. 

How Is Homeopathy Used?

Homeopathy uses a variety of diluted substances to allow the body to heal itself. Among the most prevalent conditions homeopathic substances are capable of treating are:  migraines, bruising, allergies, asthma, pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, depression, and more!

 

 

Botanical Medicine

Botanical Medicine

For every disease and disorder that we may encounter in our lifetimes, at least 10 biological plants were put on this planet to serve us. Plants are little chemical factories able to utilize the nutritional essence of rock, water and sunlight to make food and medicine for us. We individualize compound tinctures, powders, capsules and teas in our dispensary.

Learn more. Read: Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth – by Sharol Marie Tilgner, M.D.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement

In our culture, thyroid, adrenal and the sex hormones (estrogens, progesterone, and testosterone) are the most common hormones to fall out of balance. With Bioidentical Hormone Replacement, a hormonally balanced individual has the best opportunity for a strong, productive and healthy lifestyle. Bioidentical hormone replacement uses hormones that are identical with what our bodies produce.

What are Hormones

Hormones are a network of chemical messengers, created by our endocrine system (, that travel through our bloodstream.) They notify the individual parts of our bodies of how they should behave. When there is a hormonal imbalance, health issues begin to arise and they can range from slight annoyances to extreme dysfunction. Our providers are specialized in hormone balancing through natural means and holistic care as opposed to using synthetic stand-ins that merely mask symptoms.

Who Is Affected By Hormonal Imbalance?

Hormonal imbalance does not only occur in menopausal and post-menopausal women. Hormones are the chemical messengers found in every person, animal, and even plant on this earth. When hormones are imbalanced, even to the slightest degree, the entire system can be affected. Regardless of age, gender identification, or symptoms, our providers can help find the root of the problem and promote stability of your endocrine system and entire body.

What Issues Are Caused by Hormone Imbalances?

There are many different hormones that act as chemical messengers to relay information across the body. Because of the diversity among hormones, and the many body systems they act on, the issues caused by a hormone imbalance span a significant range. The most common issues are:

 

  • Thyroid dysfunction
  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Inability to regulate blood sugar
  • Weight loss or weight gain
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
  • Thinning hair
  • Loss of libido, sexual discomfort, vaginal dryness
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Osteoporosis
  • Blurred vision
  • Infertility
  • Acne
  • Sleep difficulties
  • Headaches
  • Excessive thirst

 … and the list goes on

Learn more. Read:

Women’s Encylcopedia or Natural Medicine: Alternative Therapies and Integrative Medicine for Total Health and Wellness – by Tori Hudson, N.D.

Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing – by Christiane Northrup, M.D.

Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Horomones – by Suzanne Somers

Are your hormones imbalanced? Schedule with one of our providers to find out.

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)

Platelet Rich Plasma is another form of Proliferative Therapy. The PRP process utilizes a person’s own blood to stimulate the body to repair ligament and tendon fibers, as well as bones and muscles. Healing components, extracted from the blood, are injected into an area of injury (joints, ligaments and tendons). Once injected, the solution  stimulates the body to initiate its own healing process.

Soft tissue injuries treated with PRP include:

  • Tendinopathy “torn or ripped tendons”
  • Tendinosis – tendons weakened
  • Acute and chronic muscle strain
  • Muscle Fibrosis – a type of injury cause by over training or extensive strain
  • Ligament sprains
  • Joint capsular laxity – the loosening of joints due to weakened muscles
  • Intra-articular cartilage problems
  • Mensical injury – a type of knee joint tear or sprain
  • Chronic synovitis or joint inflammation

Platelet Rich therapy is revolutionary new technique that has achieved dramatic results in difficult orthopedic situations.  PRP has been hailed in many publications as a remarkably effective healing process that works where other healing techniques fall short. It is being used more frequently in sports and injury-related healing with increasing effectiveness.

Learn more. Read:

Free Yourself from Chronic Pain and Sports Injuries – by Donna Alderman D.O.

Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain – by Pete Egoscue

Prolozone Therapy

Prolozone Therapy

Like prolotherapy, prolozone  is a regenerative therapy (using oxygen) to promote that body’s natural ability to repair itself. Our Naturopathic Doctors utilize prolozone therapy as a non-surgical means of treating pain. The goal with prolozone, as with all of our treatments for pain, is to end discomfort so the patient can get back to doing the activities they enjoy.

What is Prolozone Therapy?

The oxygen in the air we breath is in the form of O2, whereas Ozone is O3. When ozone is used medically it adjusts itself to O2 + O1. The singlet oxygen, O1, is absorbed by damaged tissues and immediately used for healing.

Prolozone is a type of proliferative therapy, which uses a combination of vitamins and ozone, to encourage self-healing. Used to treat pain and inflammation in and around the tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints, it can effectively resolve injury and repair damaged tissues.

What Can Prolozone Therapy Be Used For?

Prolozone therapy has been used to treat a variety of symptoms revolving around pain and inflammation, including: low back pain, sports injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, sprains/strains, rotator cuff injuries, plantar fasciitis, and much more. Ozone can also act as a powerful disinfectant, eliminating bacteria, yeast, virus, and fungi that are hiding in the body.

How Does Prolozone Work?

Damaged cells absorb the oxygen and use it to up-regulate cellular healing and stimulate the growth of new, healthy tissue.

The Process is Simple

Our doctors combine B vitamins, ozone, and a numbing agent and slowly inject it into the treatment area. Because ozone is absorbed quickly and easily by damaged cells, it triggers a natural healing response.

Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy

What Is Prolotherapy?

Proliferative therapy, more commonly referred to as prolotherapy, is a type of regenerative therapy used to naturally heal, strengthen, and repair ligaments, joints, and tendons without surgery. 

Though it has been gaining popularity amongst the medical community and illustriousness with press in recent years, it is one of the oldest methods of healing. Prolotherapy actually dates back to ancient medical practices, with its roots in Chinese acupuncture.

How Does Prolotherapy Work? 

Prolotherapy stimulates a process that speeds up healing and enables the body to strengthen tendons, ligaments, and joints. It can reduce or even eliminate pain and inflammation naturally, without NSAIDS or surgery. 

Prolotherapy is performed by injecting a solution of dextrose (sugar) and procaine (a local anesthetic) into and onto joints, ligaments, and tendons. The ligament and tendon cells absorb the solution, stimulating the body to send healing blood components to the injection site. Proteins that serve as connective tissue, called collagen, are then stimulated, which signals the body’s natural process to strengthen and restore joint function. 

What Is Prolotherapy Used For?

Prolotherapy is a natural, effective, and incredibly useful therapy for many different types of musculoskeletal pain, including:

Old injuries to knees, ankles, hips, elbows, wrists, shoulders, fingers, and feet

Back, neck, and rib pain of ligament and tendon origin

Chronic tendonitis or inflammation of tendons

Sports injuries of many kinds, including leg, arm, back, and shoulder injuries

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ) causing jaw, facial, and shoulder pain

Carpal tunnel syndrome, causing numbness and muscle weakness

Arthritis

Degenerative Disk Disease

..and more

WhyDoes Prolotherapy Work?

Ligaments are the structural “hinges” that hold our bones together to create a joint. When ligaments become weak or injured they may not heal back to their original strength or endurance. Because ligaments have so many nerve endings, ligament injuries can become extremely painful. Tendons attach muscles to bones. When they are injured they can become very painful and can be very difficult to heal due to continued usage.

Luckily, our bodies are incredibly intuitive. They recognize inflammation and irritation as signs to send healing cells to the troubled area and repair it. Continued uses and NSAIDs used to reduce inflammation inhibit that function. 

The solution injected during the prolotherapy treatment acts as an irritant, triggering the body’s healing response. The injected area becomes stronger and more stable and the patient can experience permanent relief since the body is being healed rather than simply masking the symptoms.

Regenerative Therapy

Regenerative Therapy

What is Regenerative Medicine?

Regenerative Medicine is an exciting new field of therapy that specializes in rejuvunating body function and tissues. It includes therapies such as:

What are Stem Cells?

Stem cells are a type of cell found in every human body and in many areas of those bodies. Like other cells, stem cells are capable of dividing and becoming new cells but they differ in that the new cells created when a stem cell divides, have the ability of becoming either new stem cells or any other cell—think blood cells, skin cells, muscle cells, bone cells, nerve cells, and more.

Though stem cells are found in many different areas of the body, most stem cells used in stem cell therapy are harvested from cord blood at the time of birth (upon the approval of the person giving birth), from bone marrow, or from an individual’s circulating blood.

What is Stem Cell Therapy?

Stem Cell therapy is a type of regenerative medicine that, as the name suggests, uses stem cells to allow the body to regenerate tissues and heal itself.

Stem cell therapy is a relatively new type of treatment and has only been practiced outside of scientific studies in recent years. Many scientists and physicians believe stem cells show great promise for curing diseases and could change medicine as we know it. Imagine being able to replace damaged heart and brain tissue, regenerate new bone and cartilage tissues, and yes, cure many types of cancer. These are just some of the things that stem cell therapy could make possible.

What are Placental Allographs and Second Generation Step Cells?

Second Generation Stem Cell Therapy is the most advanced regenerative therapy used today. Using advanced technology, cells harvested from the afterbirth of a birthed baby, are incubated on a special medium. The cytokines, growth factors, and other healing components are extracted, leaving behind the DNA and the cell membranes. The mothers who donate their placentas and umbilical cords are heavily screen, via a blood draw, for all risk factors associated with blood transfusions and organ transplants.

Feminine Revitalization

Feminine Revitalization

Feminine Revitalization is a non-surgical means of treating sexual pain and displeasure, urinary incontinence, and a variety of other disorders, such as vaginal dryness and lichen sclerosis. This method uses growth factors naturally found in the blood to promote healing for long-term rejuvenation.

How Does Feminine Revitalization Work?

Feminine Revitalization is a 30-minute procedure that starts with a blood draw. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is extracted from the blood and injected back into the patient’s urethral area. The PRP aids the body to rejuvenate the local tissue immediately. It stimulates multipotent stem cells, calling on them to heal the area. Blood flow is increased and new blood vessels and nerves begin to form.

How Can Feminine Revitalization Help Me?

The Feminine Revitalization decreases distress caused by sexual dysfunction and enables a more intense orgasm. Specifically, the O-shot has been successful at treating the following:

  • Decreased Libido
  • Urinary Incontinence and Bladder Leakage
  • Vaginal Dryness
  • Pain During Intercourse
  • Inability or Decreased Ability to Orgasm
  • Lichen Sclerosus and Lichen Planus
  • Pain Related to Childbirth Trauma and Scars
  • Interstitial Cystitis

 

 

Facial Rejuvenation

Facial Rejuvenation

Our providers are highly-experienced in providing facial rejuvenation treatments through the microneedling technique. In doing so, they have helped restore confidence for many men and women.

What is Microneedling?

Microneedling is a minimally invasive technique used in facial treatments to rejuvenate the skin and improve wrinkles, acne, scarring, and much more. Superfine needles are used to pierce the surface layer of the skin and inject it with substances to stimulate collagen production and the body’s natural healing process.

Types of Facial Rejuvenation:

Hyaluronic Acid Facials

Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the dermis of the skin and many other tissues in the body. It is an important contributor to the youthful and healthy appearance of the skin. It is biocompatible and safe for every skin type.

Platelet Rich Plasma Facials

Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP, is a natural healing agent derived from your own blood. It contains a multitude of growth factors, cell adhesion molecules, and cytokines that work together to initiate your body’s natural healing mechanisms. These agents act to increase the extracellular matrix, collagen growth and dermal fibroblasts. Through a simple blood draw, your provider will obtain the blood needed for your procedure. The blood is then centrifuged, using advanced extraction technology, to separate the platelet rich plasma, which will be injected back into your dermis using micro-thin needles.

Second Generation Stem Cell Therapy (Stem Cell Allografts) are the most advanced facial available today. Using advanced technology, cells harvested from the afterbirth of a birthed baby, are incubated on a special medium. The healing components of the stem cells are used in regenerating clear healthy skin.

 

 

Full Circle Blog

GMOs: A Primer

GMOs: A Primer

Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are living organisms that have been genetically engineered. Learn why they are reeking havoc on our foods and our bodies.

read more

Low Dose Allergy Treatment (LDA)

Low Dose Allergy Treatment (LDA)

Our immune systems haven’t yet adapted to this ever-changing chemical world we now live in. The result of an immune system “on the edge” is a body that attacks itself. It sees enemies all around and gets stuck in a post-traumatic response that won’t turn off.  Many people are sensitive to environmental antigens, pollens, molds, chemicals, inhalants, mites, fungi, animal dander, certain foods, etc. Our cells can react to these antigens and cause a variety of allergic responses such as skin rash, hayfever, eczema, headaches, asthma, hives and more. Standard medical diagnostics require exhaustive and expensive testing to determine the cause of allergies. These tests are often inaccurate and misleading. Testing most often is followed by costly drugs treatments that mask symptoms but have little or no effect on primary causes.

How Does LDA Work?

LDA is a form of immunotherapy that stimulates production of T-Regulator cells which “switch off” helper cells that are mounting the attack on substances it erroneously interprets as dangerous invaders. In a healthy immune system, these T-Reg cells are a critical component in keeping the body strong. But when immunity is impaired, the war never ends as the immune cells never stop overeating-resulting in a body in a state of constant, extreme inflammation. This causes a multitude of symptoms and illnesses, and puts patients with even milder forms of immune dys-regulation on the fast track toward autoimmune disease.

LDA does not affect a normal healthy immune system. 

 

What Should You Expect?

LDA Therapy requires a small subcutaneous injection (like a mosquito bite) and a restricted diet for 3 days around each treatment. Most conditions require a minimum of 608 treatments, scheduled 2 months apart. 

Hay Fever or Seasonal Allergy

We treat twice before the pollen season begins:
once at 3-4 months prior and again at 2-3 weeks prior.
This is followed with booster treatments once a year.

Food and Chemical Sensitivity

We treat every 8-12 weeks for a total of 6-8 treatments.

Full Circle offers LDA therapy for patients suffering from:
  • Rhinitis and  Sinusitis
  • Seasonal Allergies and Hives
  • Eczema and Psoriasis
  • Headaches and Migraines
  • ADD/ADHD
  • Autism
  • Asthma
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Digestive Diseases: IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis)
  • Food allergies
  • Candida
  • Mold
  • Pollen
  • Dust mites
  • Animal dander

Naturopathic Hydrotherapy

Naturopathic Hydrotherapy

As naturopathic physicians, we are trained in naturopathic hydrotherapy and have learned techniques to address specific health conditions. These treatments are often tailored to the individual patient to achieve the appropriate level of stimulation. While certain hydrotherapy treatments must be performed in the clinic, we also instruct patients on how to perform some hydrotherapy treatments at home.

What is Hydrotherapy?

Hydrotherapy is a modality that uses water as treatment. Hydrotherapy has a rich history in medicine, with some of the first written treatments dating back to the 1600’s. Benedict Lust and Henry Lindlahr, known as the fathers of naturopathic medicine in the United States, expanded upon these early ideas to develop a system called naturopathic hydrotherapy. This system was further developed by other prominent naturopaths and remains a foundational treatment of naturopathic medicine today. “The working hypothesis of naturopathic hydrotherapy is that health, and therefore healing, is proportional to normal flow of healthy blood…the hydrotherapist seeks to improve the quality of blood in circulation” (Boyle & Saine, 1988). To achieve this, hot and/or cold applications can be applied to the patient to help direct circulation.

What Can Hydrotherapy Treat?

Examples of common illness that can be helped with hydrotherapy include sore throats, ear infections, headaches, common cold, influenza, pneumonia, bronchitis, strains and sprains, adrenal dysfunction and chronic fatigue. As you can see, hydrotherapy can treat a wide array of conditions. One specific in-office treatment that we offer, Constitutional Hydrotherapy, “enhances the immune response, improves overall nutrition, promotes detoxification and helps restore nervous equilibrium” (Boyle & Saine, 1988). When it comes down to it, hydrotherapy can help stimulate the healing response in all individuals!