This is what the patient has to say:
"After enduring over 12 months of chronic pain, and experiencing a severely reduced amount of range of motion with a torn rotator cuff, Josh Zimmer has produced amazing results within only seven weeks and eight treatments. By utilizing Tuina massage, acupuncture, and electro-acupuncture, he has reduced my chronic pain from the previous continual level of a "7", down to a "2." I actually go through whole days without any pain in the affected arm. I have also achieved almost 80% of a full range of motion.
"As an avid yoga enthusiast, golfer, and arm-weight lifter, I look forward to the remaining treatments that I know will restore my full range of motion and alleviate my pain. Josh also took the time to investigate the myriad reasons for this injury and suggested exercises that went beyond my physical therapy routine of several months ago. I also found the acupuncture treatments helpful in relieving stress and I noticed I enjoyed a more sound sleep. I commend Josh Zimmer at Harmony Health for his dedication in finding relief for my health crisis and my chronic pain management."
C.H. Sarasota, FL
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Rotator Cuff Problems - Try This First
Don't accept an underperforming rotator cuff as a fact of life.
There's a lot that Chinese Medicine can do to restore your motion and sense of independence. My recent experience with an active, healthy 48-year-old female patient is a case in point.
This patient hurt her shoulder last year while sailing. She's still not sure how - or why - it happened. But like a lot of people who suffer unpredictable motion injuries, she was enjoying life one minute and all of a sudden found herself in excruciating pain. Over the coming months, the problem in her right shoulder didn't get any better. Everyday tasks like putting on a bra and shaving her underarms became unwelcome challenges. A natural righty, she began using her left arm in new ways. She had no choice.
Coincidentally, she said many women suffer from rotator cuff issues. Maybe she's hit on something that deserves a further look.
The rotator cuff consists of four muscles, commonly referred to as "SITS". They are the:
Supraspinalus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
Together, they connect the shoulder bones, form a shield around them and enable joint movement. Problems in this muscle group make regular movements difficult and painful, such as placing one's hand behind their back, moving one's arm to the side and raising it above parallel and crossing one's upper chest with full extension.
In a world of pain killers, surgery, physical therapy and chiropracty, what can Chinese Medicine do then?
The answer is a lot.
I began by checking this patient's range of motion, which was severely restricted - not just in the shoulder joint but in the shoulder and neck muscles, as well. So there was an obvious connection between all the muscle groups in that area. It immediately told me that massage would be key to breaking through all the tightness and stagnation that had built up over time. I already knew acupuncture would help loosen up all aspects of the joint by improving blood circulation, reducing inflammation and lowering the pain threshhold through the release of natural opioids that I felt optimistic about improving her condition in a major way.
That's what happened in fairly rapid fashion.
Over 6-8 weeks, we managed to improve her range of motion and decrease her pain. Sometimes I added electro-acupuncture and moxibustion to the treatments. Now she believes her overall function is up to 80%. That's still not 100%, but she's patient enough to see just how much better she can get. Already, life has changed for the better. She feels more like her old self and is more optimistic.
That's what chronic pain does to people. It chips away at their happiness.
The good news is there's no reason these techniques, with minor variations, can't work for a wide variety of shoulder issues.
There's a lot that Chinese Medicine can do to restore your motion and sense of independence. My recent experience with an active, healthy 48-year-old female patient is a case in point.
This patient hurt her shoulder last year while sailing. She's still not sure how - or why - it happened. But like a lot of people who suffer unpredictable motion injuries, she was enjoying life one minute and all of a sudden found herself in excruciating pain. Over the coming months, the problem in her right shoulder didn't get any better. Everyday tasks like putting on a bra and shaving her underarms became unwelcome challenges. A natural righty, she began using her left arm in new ways. She had no choice.
Coincidentally, she said many women suffer from rotator cuff issues. Maybe she's hit on something that deserves a further look.
The rotator cuff consists of four muscles, commonly referred to as "SITS". They are the:
Supraspinalus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
Together, they connect the shoulder bones, form a shield around them and enable joint movement. Problems in this muscle group make regular movements difficult and painful, such as placing one's hand behind their back, moving one's arm to the side and raising it above parallel and crossing one's upper chest with full extension.
In a world of pain killers, surgery, physical therapy and chiropracty, what can Chinese Medicine do then?
The answer is a lot.
I began by checking this patient's range of motion, which was severely restricted - not just in the shoulder joint but in the shoulder and neck muscles, as well. So there was an obvious connection between all the muscle groups in that area. It immediately told me that massage would be key to breaking through all the tightness and stagnation that had built up over time. I already knew acupuncture would help loosen up all aspects of the joint by improving blood circulation, reducing inflammation and lowering the pain threshhold through the release of natural opioids that I felt optimistic about improving her condition in a major way.
That's what happened in fairly rapid fashion.
Over 6-8 weeks, we managed to improve her range of motion and decrease her pain. Sometimes I added electro-acupuncture and moxibustion to the treatments. Now she believes her overall function is up to 80%. That's still not 100%, but she's patient enough to see just how much better she can get. Already, life has changed for the better. She feels more like her old self and is more optimistic.
That's what chronic pain does to people. It chips away at their happiness.
The good news is there's no reason these techniques, with minor variations, can't work for a wide variety of shoulder issues.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Mapping Acupuncture's Effects On The Brain
Just how does acupuncture work?
Modern brain imaging techniques are helping us understand the science behind this ancient practice.
The work, much of it out of Harvard University, involves a variety of technologies, including functional MRIs and Positron Emission Tomography. The results are considered the first step in determining why acupuncture is so effective.
An early - and logical - focus of this research is the nervous system, according to Vitaly Napadow, PhD. Napadow, a licensed acupuncturist and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, wrote about this hot field in a recent article for The American Acupuncturist, the official publication of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. I would be glad to e-mail copies of this fascinating article.
Studies, he says, show acupuncture acts upon many areas of the brain. Not surprisingly, it stimulates somatosensory regions that pertain to our ability to consciously sense and respond
to environmental stimuli. However, studies make clear that acupuncture stimulates unconscious parts of the brain located in the brain stem, limbic system and cerebellum.
Acupuncture - Chinese Medicine in general - attempts to bring balance and harmony to the body. A modern medical term for this homeostasis. The nervous system is responsible for maintaining homeostasis throughout the body by maintaining hormonal levels, gaseous diffusion, water balance and nutrient absorption.
Writes Napadow:
"From the very early days of acupuncuture research, the brain was a prime target of investigators ... Since acupuncture has been applied to many different disorders, it is tempting (and logical) to think that acupuncture somehow taps into an overarching system in the body, which holistically mediates and regulates proper homeostasis in all the body's different organs. Thus when disease subverts this homeostasis, acupuncture can be used to restore proper bodily function. From decades of scientific research, the leading (but, of course, not only) candidate for such an overarching system of homeostasis is in fact the nervous system, which permeates or influences every organ and tissue in our body."
[In the article, Napadow says some of the best acupuncture have been achieved when the needler obtains the "deqi" sensation. This is the Chinese term for the zone - the moment - in which the Qi is accessed through acupuncture. It's different in every person. The reluctance of many American students and practitioners to access a real Qi sensation for fear of scaring patients is a pet peeve of mine. We must be careful not to cause pain. This takes practice. But if we are using Qi to treat people we have to learn to activate it for maximum results.]
Napadow himself points out that this research may be purely academic if it is not somehow compared to real life clinical outcomes.
He seems to be saying that through technology we can learn how the brain responds to acupuncture. What's most important, however, is understanding how the patient responds to the acupuncture and how this knowledge can be used to achieve results.
"Unfortunately, the relationship of this brain response to clinical outcome measures has been less readily studied, an important questions future studies need to address," he writes.
On a promising note, he says preliminary studies are already looking at acupuncture's neurological impact on stroke, fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel syndrome patients.
Modern brain imaging techniques are helping us understand the science behind this ancient practice.
The work, much of it out of Harvard University, involves a variety of technologies, including functional MRIs and Positron Emission Tomography. The results are considered the first step in determining why acupuncture is so effective.
An early - and logical - focus of this research is the nervous system, according to Vitaly Napadow, PhD. Napadow, a licensed acupuncturist and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, wrote about this hot field in a recent article for The American Acupuncturist, the official publication of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. I would be glad to e-mail copies of this fascinating article.
Studies, he says, show acupuncture acts upon many areas of the brain. Not surprisingly, it stimulates somatosensory regions that pertain to our ability to consciously sense and respond
to environmental stimuli. However, studies make clear that acupuncture stimulates unconscious parts of the brain located in the brain stem, limbic system and cerebellum.
Acupuncture - Chinese Medicine in general - attempts to bring balance and harmony to the body. A modern medical term for this homeostasis. The nervous system is responsible for maintaining homeostasis throughout the body by maintaining hormonal levels, gaseous diffusion, water balance and nutrient absorption.
Writes Napadow:
"From the very early days of acupuncuture research, the brain was a prime target of investigators ... Since acupuncture has been applied to many different disorders, it is tempting (and logical) to think that acupuncture somehow taps into an overarching system in the body, which holistically mediates and regulates proper homeostasis in all the body's different organs. Thus when disease subverts this homeostasis, acupuncture can be used to restore proper bodily function. From decades of scientific research, the leading (but, of course, not only) candidate for such an overarching system of homeostasis is in fact the nervous system, which permeates or influences every organ and tissue in our body."
[In the article, Napadow says some of the best acupuncture have been achieved when the needler obtains the "deqi" sensation. This is the Chinese term for the zone - the moment - in which the Qi is accessed through acupuncture. It's different in every person. The reluctance of many American students and practitioners to access a real Qi sensation for fear of scaring patients is a pet peeve of mine. We must be careful not to cause pain. This takes practice. But if we are using Qi to treat people we have to learn to activate it for maximum results.]
Napadow himself points out that this research may be purely academic if it is not somehow compared to real life clinical outcomes.
He seems to be saying that through technology we can learn how the brain responds to acupuncture. What's most important, however, is understanding how the patient responds to the acupuncture and how this knowledge can be used to achieve results.
"Unfortunately, the relationship of this brain response to clinical outcome measures has been less readily studied, an important questions future studies need to address," he writes.
On a promising note, he says preliminary studies are already looking at acupuncture's neurological impact on stroke, fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel syndrome patients.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Knee Pain? Try This First ...
Knee pain is one of the most common complaints to send people to the doctor.
The most frequent response in our health system is to operate and/or medicate. Considering the costs involved, the percentage of unsuccessful surgeries and the way many people become hooked on pain killers, it's not necessarily the best way to go.
Think about effective alternatives first, such as physical therapy, proper exercise, changes in eating habits and the application of traditional Chinese Medicine techniques, such as acupuncture, herbs and massage.
The World Health Organization webiste lists knee pain on a long directory of conditions acupuncture has been shown to treat through clinical trials and experience [http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4926e/5.html]. Acupuncture, by stimulation of Qi and blood, improves circulation and reduces inflammation. This not only reduces joint pain but also puts the healing process in motion.
Healthy blood circulation is important for several reasons.
Bone is not static; like every other part of the body it requires a constant blood supply to grow, adapt and regenerate. Secondly, joints contain synovial fluid, a viscous substance that cushions these high-pressure areas and benefits from good blood flow.
Tuina is also effective at improving Qi and blood circulation. Developed over the centuries and inspired by martial artists who needed to repair their tired muscles and bones every day, tuina is a combination of bodywork techniques that have the ability to restore function to any part of the body.
Electro-acupuncture is another powerful tool. Herbal formulas can address underlying patterns that in many cases created the foundation for the knee problem. Licensed Acupuncturists certified in acupoint injections, as I am, can make effective use of anti-inflammatory homeopathics to reduce pain and increase function.
Either alone or in combination, acupuncture and other traditional modalities work on all kinds of knee issues, including:
sore bone
inflamed mensci and bursa
torn or stretched tendons and ligaments.
You also can help yourself by gearing exercise to your body's ability and eating a low-inflammatory diet. Try eating lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and water, while cutting down on processed foods and sugars.
If you've been overcompensating for years in response to structural issues, a good physical therapist can put your joints back into proper alignment.
Don't feel locked in to standard treatment for knee pain. Before going to the orthopedic surgeon or pain management doctor for your bad knee, give alternative medicine a try.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Open House
Thanks to everyone who made it to our open house last weekend.
We had a steady, happy bunch of people coming through the doors, taking advantage of the different practitioners we managed to bring together for the day. There was massage therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy and more. What people may have noticed for the first time is how versatile massage therapists are. Just ask the people who received foot scrubs and a restful nap on one of special guest Jim Gabriel's warm, crystal-laden mats. I'll vouch for it myself. Lying on that mat, perched upon a massage table, was the perfect end to a busy day.
Some stayed around longer than the usual open house. You could see them going from one treatment room to the next, including mine. Never underestimate the power of relaxation! We live overly stressful lives, often for no better reason than our go-go society doesn't allow our brains to rest. A busy head is a busy body. Stress throws off our hormones and neurotransmitters, as well our metabolism.
All in all, it's great to see so much interest in natural medicine. Modalities like massage and Chinese should not be considered "extras" but an integral part national health care system. The same holds for exercise systems, such as Qi Gong and Tai Qi. This is just scratching the surface. These techniques not only treat people when they're sick, but perhaps more importantly they are preventative. If we made a stronger committment to keeping people healthy we'd all be happier and have more money in our pockets.
We had a steady, happy bunch of people coming through the doors, taking advantage of the different practitioners we managed to bring together for the day. There was massage therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy and more. What people may have noticed for the first time is how versatile massage therapists are. Just ask the people who received foot scrubs and a restful nap on one of special guest Jim Gabriel's warm, crystal-laden mats. I'll vouch for it myself. Lying on that mat, perched upon a massage table, was the perfect end to a busy day.
Some stayed around longer than the usual open house. You could see them going from one treatment room to the next, including mine. Never underestimate the power of relaxation! We live overly stressful lives, often for no better reason than our go-go society doesn't allow our brains to rest. A busy head is a busy body. Stress throws off our hormones and neurotransmitters, as well our metabolism.
All in all, it's great to see so much interest in natural medicine. Modalities like massage and Chinese should not be considered "extras" but an integral part national health care system. The same holds for exercise systems, such as Qi Gong and Tai Qi. This is just scratching the surface. These techniques not only treat people when they're sick, but perhaps more importantly they are preventative. If we made a stronger committment to keeping people healthy we'd all be happier and have more money in our pockets.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Word of the Day
Normally I don't eat "raw". Just a lot of vegetables ... in cooked form most of the time.
Chinese Medicine doesn't do the raw food thing. Uncooked vegetables are considered cold in nature, which in turn cools the metabolism. In Chinese Medicine, you always need to guard your warmer Yang energy.
But for dinner tonight, I decided to give the raw menu a whirl. Polenta with a mushroom ragout seemed like a good option. Both are delicious.
When the plate arrived, there were a few extras - a salad, a slice of "pizza" and a couple of dark-brown felafel-sized pieces smothered in sauce over a bed of zucchini spaghetti (a creative bunch, those raw foodies).
My waiter came over to explain. The balls, she said with a smile, were "rawsage".
Yes, rawsage. Or is it spelled "rausage" for a truer metaphorical food experience? Not sure and she didn't volunteer. How does one define accuracy in a raw food world that tries to mimic many mainstream dishes using uncooked food.
For the record, they tasted fine. But I couldn't resist text messaging some friends about it. The comments came back sharp and quick:
"Oh dear ..."
"Wash it down with some raw sewage."
"Anything like snausages ... the dog version?"
"Mmmmm."
Sense the sarcasm from these dedicated meat eaters (of which I'm one)?
Raw foodies ... you've got an uphill battle. But don't fret; you're not alone.
It's tough being an acupuncturist, too.
Chinese Medicine doesn't do the raw food thing. Uncooked vegetables are considered cold in nature, which in turn cools the metabolism. In Chinese Medicine, you always need to guard your warmer Yang energy.
But for dinner tonight, I decided to give the raw menu a whirl. Polenta with a mushroom ragout seemed like a good option. Both are delicious.
When the plate arrived, there were a few extras - a salad, a slice of "pizza" and a couple of dark-brown felafel-sized pieces smothered in sauce over a bed of zucchini spaghetti (a creative bunch, those raw foodies).
My waiter came over to explain. The balls, she said with a smile, were "rawsage".
Yes, rawsage. Or is it spelled "rausage" for a truer metaphorical food experience? Not sure and she didn't volunteer. How does one define accuracy in a raw food world that tries to mimic many mainstream dishes using uncooked food.
For the record, they tasted fine. But I couldn't resist text messaging some friends about it. The comments came back sharp and quick:
"Oh dear ..."
"Wash it down with some raw sewage."
"Anything like snausages ... the dog version?"
"Mmmmm."
Sense the sarcasm from these dedicated meat eaters (of which I'm one)?
Raw foodies ... you've got an uphill battle. But don't fret; you're not alone.
It's tough being an acupuncturist, too.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Alzheimer's Research: Acupuncture Helps With Depression and Anxiety
Call me a miner.
I admit it: I’m always plumbing the Internet for scientific research that supports the effectiveness of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. I know how hard it is for many people to take acupuncture and Chinese Medicine seriously, so when there’s a “find” I have a “Eureka!” moment. Very satisfying.
In this case, the issue was acpuncture's role in treating the anxiety and depression that often accompany Alzheimer's Disease.
The background.
In one of his recent newsletters, which I read all the time, Dr. Joseph Mercola publicized the results of a long-term Alzheimer’s study showing how a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables – basically a Mediterranean Diet – lowered the chances of coming down with this debilitating disease. Conversely, according to the collaborative German study with Italian and American researchers www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909064910.htm, people who ate less healthy food were more likely to experience Alzheimer’s.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s are an insidious mix of physical and mental decline. Early signs are confusion, loss of memory and inability to understand a joke. As it progresses, victims lose more memory, cognitive function, ability to relate and general bodily independence.
Rates in the United States, which has one of the worst national diets in the Western world, are on the upswing. Already, as many as 2.4- to 4.5-million people are living with Alzheimers, according to the National Institute on Aging.
But I’ll mention at least two ways in which acupuncture and Chinese Medicine enter the picture.
One, it’s now very clear from extensive research that the same lifestyle and dietary habits that contribute to heart disease also increase one’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s. Although China is adopting many of our unhealthy eating habits as it modernizes, the classic Chinese diet is very heart friendly – low in fatty animal protein and high in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Chinese medicine practitioners recognized long ago the dangers of greasy, fatty meals.
Chinese Medicine's sensitivity to the whole person can help practitioners spot long-term threats to the heart and mind. Acupuncture, especially when combined with herbal formulas and Qi Gong exercises, can help keep both healthy.
Secondly, research supports the use of acupuncture for the anxiety and depression. My source this time was the first World Conference on Alzheimer’s in July 2000 in Washington, D.C., where attendees heard about research from a pair of studies, including one by the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=27681
The World Health Organization long ago deemed acupuncture an effective treatment for depression. The Wellesley study focused specifically on dementia. It took 11 elderly patients – average age 76 – with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s or Vascular Dementia. For three months, they received acupuncture two to three times a week. They also continued using their prescribed medication.
At the end of three months, researchers concluded that acupuncture reduced anxiety and depression. Not only that, the patients had less pain and more energy.
“Acupuncture appears to be very helpful in relieving anxiety, improving mood, increasing energy, improving some aspects of well-being and decreasing mood-related behaviors,” the study said.
The results underscored what Chinese Medicine practitioners already know: that acupuncture improves neurological function. In recent years, neurological mapping by Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor of Radiology Vitaly Napadow has begun to demonstrate just how acupuncture acts on the nervous system, the ultimate arbiter of mental and physical homeostasis in the body. In addition, by keeping the patients on their current medication, the study once again showed that acupuncture need not replace a patient’s existing care.
Typical of holistic practitioners, Chinese Medicine physicians believe they can reduce many peoples’ drug loads. But they also know that, except in rare cases, acupuncture doesn’t interfere with Western medical care. In fact, as this study once again proves, it only makes Western Medicine better.
I admit it: I’m always plumbing the Internet for scientific research that supports the effectiveness of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. I know how hard it is for many people to take acupuncture and Chinese Medicine seriously, so when there’s a “find” I have a “Eureka!” moment. Very satisfying.
In this case, the issue was acpuncture's role in treating the anxiety and depression that often accompany Alzheimer's Disease.
The background.
In one of his recent newsletters, which I read all the time, Dr. Joseph Mercola publicized the results of a long-term Alzheimer’s study showing how a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables – basically a Mediterranean Diet – lowered the chances of coming down with this debilitating disease. Conversely, according to the collaborative German study with Italian and American researchers www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909064910.htm, people who ate less healthy food were more likely to experience Alzheimer’s.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s are an insidious mix of physical and mental decline. Early signs are confusion, loss of memory and inability to understand a joke. As it progresses, victims lose more memory, cognitive function, ability to relate and general bodily independence.
Rates in the United States, which has one of the worst national diets in the Western world, are on the upswing. Already, as many as 2.4- to 4.5-million people are living with Alzheimers, according to the National Institute on Aging.
But I’ll mention at least two ways in which acupuncture and Chinese Medicine enter the picture.
One, it’s now very clear from extensive research that the same lifestyle and dietary habits that contribute to heart disease also increase one’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s. Although China is adopting many of our unhealthy eating habits as it modernizes, the classic Chinese diet is very heart friendly – low in fatty animal protein and high in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Chinese medicine practitioners recognized long ago the dangers of greasy, fatty meals.
Chinese Medicine's sensitivity to the whole person can help practitioners spot long-term threats to the heart and mind. Acupuncture, especially when combined with herbal formulas and Qi Gong exercises, can help keep both healthy.
Secondly, research supports the use of acupuncture for the anxiety and depression. My source this time was the first World Conference on Alzheimer’s in July 2000 in Washington, D.C., where attendees heard about research from a pair of studies, including one by the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=27681
The World Health Organization long ago deemed acupuncture an effective treatment for depression. The Wellesley study focused specifically on dementia. It took 11 elderly patients – average age 76 – with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s or Vascular Dementia. For three months, they received acupuncture two to three times a week. They also continued using their prescribed medication.
At the end of three months, researchers concluded that acupuncture reduced anxiety and depression. Not only that, the patients had less pain and more energy.
“Acupuncture appears to be very helpful in relieving anxiety, improving mood, increasing energy, improving some aspects of well-being and decreasing mood-related behaviors,” the study said.
The results underscored what Chinese Medicine practitioners already know: that acupuncture improves neurological function. In recent years, neurological mapping by Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor of Radiology Vitaly Napadow has begun to demonstrate just how acupuncture acts on the nervous system, the ultimate arbiter of mental and physical homeostasis in the body. In addition, by keeping the patients on their current medication, the study once again showed that acupuncture need not replace a patient’s existing care.
Typical of holistic practitioners, Chinese Medicine physicians believe they can reduce many peoples’ drug loads. But they also know that, except in rare cases, acupuncture doesn’t interfere with Western medical care. In fact, as this study once again proves, it only makes Western Medicine better.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
More On Treating The Flu With Chinese Medicine
With colds and flu, you often have two obstacles to overcome.
First, there's the cold or the actual flu virus. Then, there's the hyper-inflammatory reaction to them.
Some sick, unhappy patients have visited my office lately. I was glad to see how Chinese Medicine - in my first flu season as a practitioner - was able to help. The combination of acupuncture and herbs (along with some classic cupping) addressed the initial symptoms of fever, chills, sore throat, aches, fatigue, lack of appetite. And once those dissipated, they helped treat both the reduced viral symptoms and the hyper-inflammatory response to the virus characteried by lung and nasal congestion.
I relied on several classic herbal formulas: Yin Qiao San, Gan Mao Ling and Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan.
Patient names are changed to protect the innocent.
Achieving steady results was crucial because both patients work. They're school teachers. As you'll see, monitoring the patient is crucial because taking the right herbal formula for too long can make things worse.
Yin Qiao San appeared in a previous blog entry regarding flu. It's a classic sore throat formula with anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities that make it ideal for treating the flu. Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan addresses breathing difficulties and chest oppression that come with the accumulation of thick yellow or green mucous in the lungs. Normally, it's hard to cough up.
In early September, Diana came in with cold symptoms that added up to a probable flu diagnosis. She was achy, feverish with chills, sported a headache in the back, had low energy, was making weak, little coughs and felt nauseous. You're never sure if the immunity-boosting formul I recommended two to three weeks before would have prevented the flu, but chances are her odds would have been better. But since paying for herbs is a sometime issue, I treated her with a series of classic acupuncture points (mostly located on the arms and hands) designed to clear heat from the body. We agreed to review the situation when I returned from a long seminar weekend.
As it turned out, Diana couldn't fend off the inevitable. After feeling better for a day or two, she got deathly ill over the weekend. I was left kicking myself because I didn't insist she take the Yin Qiao San. She rushed to the emergency room that Saturday night, took her Tamiflu and returned home to suffer through a bad case of the flu. In fact, she was so achy the western doctors gave her a pain killer, which didn't make me happy at all. You want to boost the body's natural immune system during colds, not suppress it!
My bad for not being there to treat her. However, once her course of Tamiflu was over, she remained far from 100 percent. But we were able to bring her around using acupuncture, along with Yin Qiao San and Gan Mao Ling.
The Yin Qiao San addressed the most acute stage. Once she began to feel better and the congestion in her body was clear - and not green in the chest - we changed to Gan Mao Ling, which is a classic early-cold stage formula. Many of the points remained the same: the lungs are considered the first line of defense against cold and environmental disease, so I treated the channel without the heat points. There are really effective points. We continued to cup the back with a combination of moving cupping, which opens the pores to release heat and achiness from the upper back, as well as stationary cupping over the back lung points for sustained relief.
I only see Diana once a week, but two weeks after her flu outbreak she felt much better. In the course of two treatments and a steady protocol of herbs, she'd overcome the worst symptoms. She was feeling more energetic, had an appetite and was sleeping better. She looked healthier in general. We began talking about other issues again.
Joe hung on longer than Diana, though both shared similar fatigue and pathogen exposure in their daily interaction with students. Much to Joe's chagrin, many students weren't staying home despite their own depleted immune symptoms! Like Diana he was loath to miss class, though that's eventually what he had to do too.
In mid-September, Joe said he felt fine, though a little bit tired. It was hard to tell where that came from because being a teacher is so demanding. But by the end of the month, just as Diane was getting over her bout of flu, Joe came down with a likely case of his own.
He didn't have all the symptoms - no achiness or nausea - but enough fever and chills, sore throat, coughing, sneezing and congestion to diagnose a serious cold with the possibility of flu. His lack of energy was not a good sign either.
This would be a challenge. After the first treatment, Joe didn't feel much better. That could have been due to continuing with the Yu Ping Feng San. While an excellent immune system builder, it also contains herbs classified as warming, which may have reinforced the heat already brewing inside his body.
We slowly got back on track during an emergency treatment two days later. In retrospect, that may have prevented him from feeling worse. Meanwhile, his chest had grown tight and his nasal passages were filled with yellow phlegm. Once again, workplace pressures hadn't helped as he's reported feeling better after the last treatment. This time, we began treating lung congestion as well.
In addition to cupping and some new acupuncture points, I prescribed Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan to loosen up the hard-to-cough-up phlegm that was causing so much discomfort in his chest. I also used a heated moxibustion stick to both loosen the dry out the phlegm.
A day later, he said he was resting and could feel the phlegm loosening in his chest.
That was good news. Serious colds - or the flu - take time to overcome. Frequent treatments is the best approach. But my patients can't always do that. Even when spaced out, success is still possible.
First, there's the cold or the actual flu virus. Then, there's the hyper-inflammatory reaction to them.
Some sick, unhappy patients have visited my office lately. I was glad to see how Chinese Medicine - in my first flu season as a practitioner - was able to help. The combination of acupuncture and herbs (along with some classic cupping) addressed the initial symptoms of fever, chills, sore throat, aches, fatigue, lack of appetite. And once those dissipated, they helped treat both the reduced viral symptoms and the hyper-inflammatory response to the virus characteried by lung and nasal congestion.
I relied on several classic herbal formulas: Yin Qiao San, Gan Mao Ling and Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan.
Patient names are changed to protect the innocent.
Achieving steady results was crucial because both patients work. They're school teachers. As you'll see, monitoring the patient is crucial because taking the right herbal formula for too long can make things worse.
Yin Qiao San appeared in a previous blog entry regarding flu. It's a classic sore throat formula with anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities that make it ideal for treating the flu. Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan addresses breathing difficulties and chest oppression that come with the accumulation of thick yellow or green mucous in the lungs. Normally, it's hard to cough up.
In early September, Diana came in with cold symptoms that added up to a probable flu diagnosis. She was achy, feverish with chills, sported a headache in the back, had low energy, was making weak, little coughs and felt nauseous. You're never sure if the immunity-boosting formul I recommended two to three weeks before would have prevented the flu, but chances are her odds would have been better. But since paying for herbs is a sometime issue, I treated her with a series of classic acupuncture points (mostly located on the arms and hands) designed to clear heat from the body. We agreed to review the situation when I returned from a long seminar weekend.
As it turned out, Diana couldn't fend off the inevitable. After feeling better for a day or two, she got deathly ill over the weekend. I was left kicking myself because I didn't insist she take the Yin Qiao San. She rushed to the emergency room that Saturday night, took her Tamiflu and returned home to suffer through a bad case of the flu. In fact, she was so achy the western doctors gave her a pain killer, which didn't make me happy at all. You want to boost the body's natural immune system during colds, not suppress it!
My bad for not being there to treat her. However, once her course of Tamiflu was over, she remained far from 100 percent. But we were able to bring her around using acupuncture, along with Yin Qiao San and Gan Mao Ling.
The Yin Qiao San addressed the most acute stage. Once she began to feel better and the congestion in her body was clear - and not green in the chest - we changed to Gan Mao Ling, which is a classic early-cold stage formula. Many of the points remained the same: the lungs are considered the first line of defense against cold and environmental disease, so I treated the channel without the heat points. There are really effective points. We continued to cup the back with a combination of moving cupping, which opens the pores to release heat and achiness from the upper back, as well as stationary cupping over the back lung points for sustained relief.
I only see Diana once a week, but two weeks after her flu outbreak she felt much better. In the course of two treatments and a steady protocol of herbs, she'd overcome the worst symptoms. She was feeling more energetic, had an appetite and was sleeping better. She looked healthier in general. We began talking about other issues again.
Joe hung on longer than Diana, though both shared similar fatigue and pathogen exposure in their daily interaction with students. Much to Joe's chagrin, many students weren't staying home despite their own depleted immune symptoms! Like Diana he was loath to miss class, though that's eventually what he had to do too.
In mid-September, Joe said he felt fine, though a little bit tired. It was hard to tell where that came from because being a teacher is so demanding. But by the end of the month, just as Diane was getting over her bout of flu, Joe came down with a likely case of his own.
He didn't have all the symptoms - no achiness or nausea - but enough fever and chills, sore throat, coughing, sneezing and congestion to diagnose a serious cold with the possibility of flu. His lack of energy was not a good sign either.
This would be a challenge. After the first treatment, Joe didn't feel much better. That could have been due to continuing with the Yu Ping Feng San. While an excellent immune system builder, it also contains herbs classified as warming, which may have reinforced the heat already brewing inside his body.
We slowly got back on track during an emergency treatment two days later. In retrospect, that may have prevented him from feeling worse. Meanwhile, his chest had grown tight and his nasal passages were filled with yellow phlegm. Once again, workplace pressures hadn't helped as he's reported feeling better after the last treatment. This time, we began treating lung congestion as well.
In addition to cupping and some new acupuncture points, I prescribed Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan to loosen up the hard-to-cough-up phlegm that was causing so much discomfort in his chest. I also used a heated moxibustion stick to both loosen the dry out the phlegm.
A day later, he said he was resting and could feel the phlegm loosening in his chest.
That was good news. Serious colds - or the flu - take time to overcome. Frequent treatments is the best approach. But my patients can't always do that. Even when spaced out, success is still possible.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Women Legislators Endorse Acupuncture
Good news for the acupuncture profession - and the American public - as it seeks a voice in the debate over our country's health care system.
At its annual conference held just outside of Albuquerque, NM earlier this month, the National Foundation of Women Legislators passed a resolution demanding the inclusion of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in any new health care legislation. See below.
www.aaaomonline.info/Inclusion_of_Acupuncturists_Access_to_Care_Resolution_passed_Sept_2009.pdf
To those in the profession, Chinese Medicine already is legitimate and proven. You won't find a safer, long-lasting way to optimize your health than this holistic medicine. National Institutes of Health statistics also show that more people are choosing alternative medicine, and that acupuncture is one of the most common choices.
No one knows the fate of Obama's health insurance expansion effort. But it is encouraging to see such a studied show of support by some of the nation's most prominent leaders. They certainly heard fom experts before signing on to such a strongly-worded public statement. Progress in advancing this natural, holistic medicine is a self-energizing machine: education leads to more attention which leads to more public education and so on.
It also was heartening to see our leading professional organization's committment to the event. The American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine reports spending $35,000 toward the event's total cost. We need to be involved in every way if we're going to have a voice at the table.
All these developments are signs that Chinese Medicine won't sit back and be ignored. Despite efforts by some to write off or belittle acupuncture and related modalities, the medicine continues to survive. It keeps garnering attention both inside and outside the medical field.
Why? Because it works.
At its annual conference held just outside of Albuquerque, NM earlier this month, the National Foundation of Women Legislators passed a resolution demanding the inclusion of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in any new health care legislation. See below.
www.aaaomonline.info/Inclusion_of_Acupuncturists_Access_to_Care_Resolution_passed_Sept_2009.pdf
To those in the profession, Chinese Medicine already is legitimate and proven. You won't find a safer, long-lasting way to optimize your health than this holistic medicine. National Institutes of Health statistics also show that more people are choosing alternative medicine, and that acupuncture is one of the most common choices.
No one knows the fate of Obama's health insurance expansion effort. But it is encouraging to see such a studied show of support by some of the nation's most prominent leaders. They certainly heard fom experts before signing on to such a strongly-worded public statement. Progress in advancing this natural, holistic medicine is a self-energizing machine: education leads to more attention which leads to more public education and so on.
It also was heartening to see our leading professional organization's committment to the event. The American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine reports spending $35,000 toward the event's total cost. We need to be involved in every way if we're going to have a voice at the table.
All these developments are signs that Chinese Medicine won't sit back and be ignored. Despite efforts by some to write off or belittle acupuncture and related modalities, the medicine continues to survive. It keeps garnering attention both inside and outside the medical field.
Why? Because it works.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
The Flu: Natural Solutions
We've been relatively lucky so far: the H1N1 virus that rippled through the world health community this spring causing thousands of deaths didn't mutate into a virus of mass killer dimensions. But it remains the flu, and therefore continues to be a concern, especially to the elderly and those with weak immune systems.
Major symptoms:
fever
cough
sore throat
fatigue
achy muscles and bones
poor appetite/nausea
You've got plenty of alternative medicine options at your fingertips if you decide not to get a flu shot, including Chinese Medicine modalities that have been used for centuries. Make acupuncture and herbs additions to an alternative health toolkit that may already include homeopathics and supplements, such as Vitamin C, L-Glycine, Zinc, Bromelain and Quercetin.
ACUPUNCTURE: A variety of commonly-used points clear out the lungs, ease headaches, relieve pain and stiffness and improve digestion.
HERBS: Different formulas aid in prevention and treatment. If you feel well but want to boost your immune system, try Yu Ping Feng San (Jade Windscreen Powder). At the first hint of symptoms, look to Sang Ju Yin with predominating cough or Yin Qiao San when there's sore throat. Formulas exist for more serious cases.
According to research:
Yu Ping Feng San acts as an immune-stimulant and anti-viral.
Sang Ju Yin is an anti-inflammatory that controls fever.
Yin Qiao San controls inflammation and fever, while acting as an anti-biotic and pain-relieving analgesic.
source: Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications - Pharmacological Effects & Clinical Research - John K. Chen and Tina T. Chen - Art of Medicine Press (2009)
CUPPING: A glass cup that's been inserted with a lit, alcohol-laded cotton ball to remove the oxygen and create suction is placed upon the back. It can be rubbed across the shoulders, neck and upper back to improve blood circulation and relieve stiffness. They also can be placed directly over special acupuncture points that remove pathogens from the body, basically by "sucking" them out.
Eating a healthy diet that includes lots of fruit and vegetables is one of the best ways to stay healthy. The phytochemicals in vegetables and bioflavanoids in fruit provide anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories that help build a balanced immune response. Pineapple is the best-known source of Bromelain. Quercetin, which is getting significant attention from researchers as a potential cancer fighter, is prominent in apples, tea, onions, tomatoes and leafy green vegetables. It's no surprise that experts advise people to load up on many of these same foods when they do get sick.
In case of the flu, avoid heavy foods and coffee until the symptoms subside. Concentrate on simpler foods, such as thin broths made with minimal amounts of chicken and vegetables. Try cooking them with ginger. As you begin to feel better, try heartier versions of your dishes until nausea or upset stomach is not longer an issue.
Another option to acupuncture, herbs and supplements is modern homeopathics. Produced by Heel, Guna and other companies, they can be used with any of the above treatments. In fact, you can co-mingle all these options. Finding natural solutions to the flu season involves some experimentation and common sense. Remember ...
Get plenty of rest
Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water
Avoid sick people and large groups as much as possible
Good luck!
Major symptoms:
fever
cough
sore throat
fatigue
achy muscles and bones
poor appetite/nausea
You've got plenty of alternative medicine options at your fingertips if you decide not to get a flu shot, including Chinese Medicine modalities that have been used for centuries. Make acupuncture and herbs additions to an alternative health toolkit that may already include homeopathics and supplements, such as Vitamin C, L-Glycine, Zinc, Bromelain and Quercetin.
ACUPUNCTURE: A variety of commonly-used points clear out the lungs, ease headaches, relieve pain and stiffness and improve digestion.
HERBS: Different formulas aid in prevention and treatment. If you feel well but want to boost your immune system, try Yu Ping Feng San (Jade Windscreen Powder). At the first hint of symptoms, look to Sang Ju Yin with predominating cough or Yin Qiao San when there's sore throat. Formulas exist for more serious cases.
According to research:
Yu Ping Feng San acts as an immune-stimulant and anti-viral.
Sang Ju Yin is an anti-inflammatory that controls fever.
Yin Qiao San controls inflammation and fever, while acting as an anti-biotic and pain-relieving analgesic.
source: Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications - Pharmacological Effects & Clinical Research - John K. Chen and Tina T. Chen - Art of Medicine Press (2009)
CUPPING: A glass cup that's been inserted with a lit, alcohol-laded cotton ball to remove the oxygen and create suction is placed upon the back. It can be rubbed across the shoulders, neck and upper back to improve blood circulation and relieve stiffness. They also can be placed directly over special acupuncture points that remove pathogens from the body, basically by "sucking" them out.
Eating a healthy diet that includes lots of fruit and vegetables is one of the best ways to stay healthy. The phytochemicals in vegetables and bioflavanoids in fruit provide anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories that help build a balanced immune response. Pineapple is the best-known source of Bromelain. Quercetin, which is getting significant attention from researchers as a potential cancer fighter, is prominent in apples, tea, onions, tomatoes and leafy green vegetables. It's no surprise that experts advise people to load up on many of these same foods when they do get sick.
In case of the flu, avoid heavy foods and coffee until the symptoms subside. Concentrate on simpler foods, such as thin broths made with minimal amounts of chicken and vegetables. Try cooking them with ginger. As you begin to feel better, try heartier versions of your dishes until nausea or upset stomach is not longer an issue.
Another option to acupuncture, herbs and supplements is modern homeopathics. Produced by Heel, Guna and other companies, they can be used with any of the above treatments. In fact, you can co-mingle all these options. Finding natural solutions to the flu season involves some experimentation and common sense. Remember ...
Get plenty of rest
Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water
Avoid sick people and large groups as much as possible
Good luck!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Cancer: Ginger Treats Chemotherapy-Related Nausea
Chemotherapy is the treatment of choice for many cancers. The alternative/holistic medicine field tends to believe chemotherapy is overused and, at times, is so heavy-handed it causes more harm than good. However, it is one of the mainstream tools for addressing a cancer diagnosis.
Nausea is a common side effect, but could be relegated to minor nuisance thanks to current research. A study involving 644 breast cancer patients shows there's a simple supplement that helps alleviate this major distraction.
Ginger.
Patients in the study were given ginger in addition to standard anti-nausea medication. Their symptoms declined when administered this gloried East Asian root. People from those parts have long used fragrant ginger for taste and medicinal purposes, including to relieve abdominal discomfort. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, ginger is characterized as a warming herb that treats the spleen, stomach and lungs, making it an effective weapon at relieve colds.
Read about the chemotherapy study at the American Society of Clinical Oncology:
www.asco.org/ASCOv2/Meetings/Abstracts?&vmview=abst_detail_view&confID=65&abstractID=35351
as well as the website for the group Living Beyond Breast Cancer:
www.lbbc.org/content/news/ginger-helps-ease-chemotherapy-related-nausea.asp?section_tag=G
Chemotherapy patients regularly suffer from a plethora of life-changing symptoms, from anemia and bleeding to constipation and rabid thirst. You can read more about managing them at the National Cancer Institute website: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/chemo-side-effects.
Know that researchers are beginning to pay more attention to acupuncture's beneficial role in treating pain and discomfort. Integrative cancer care has been around for years in China. Let's hope for the benefit of all cancer patients that mainstream medicine begins to play catchup.
Nausea is a common side effect, but could be relegated to minor nuisance thanks to current research. A study involving 644 breast cancer patients shows there's a simple supplement that helps alleviate this major distraction.
Ginger.
Patients in the study were given ginger in addition to standard anti-nausea medication. Their symptoms declined when administered this gloried East Asian root. People from those parts have long used fragrant ginger for taste and medicinal purposes, including to relieve abdominal discomfort. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, ginger is characterized as a warming herb that treats the spleen, stomach and lungs, making it an effective weapon at relieve colds.
Read about the chemotherapy study at the American Society of Clinical Oncology:
www.asco.org/ASCOv2/Meetings/Abstracts?&vmview=abst_detail_view&confID=65&abstractID=35351
as well as the website for the group Living Beyond Breast Cancer:
www.lbbc.org/content/news/ginger-helps-ease-chemotherapy-related-nausea.asp?section_tag=G
Chemotherapy patients regularly suffer from a plethora of life-changing symptoms, from anemia and bleeding to constipation and rabid thirst. You can read more about managing them at the National Cancer Institute website: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/chemo-side-effects.
Know that researchers are beginning to pay more attention to acupuncture's beneficial role in treating pain and discomfort. Integrative cancer care has been around for years in China. Let's hope for the benefit of all cancer patients that mainstream medicine begins to play catchup.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Acupuncture For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Acupuncture has the ability to improve both blood flow and neurological function. One common ailments it addresses without the use of medication is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. That's what researchers confirmed in the results of a 77-patient study published in a recent edition of the Clinical Journal Of Pain.
Because of the discomfort it causes, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome leads to lost work productivity and a decline in quality of life. Compared to surgery and steroids, acupuncture held its own. By some measurements, it performed even better than the oral steroid prednisolone:
http://journals.lww.com/clinicalpain/Abstract/2009/05000/Acupuncture_in_Patients_With_Carpal_Tunnel.11.aspx
The study measured 5 main symptoms scores: pain, numbness, paresthesia, weakness/clumsiness and nocturnal awakening.
After four weeks, acupuncture registered major decreases with nocturnal awakeng and distal motor latency.
"Acupuncture was well tolerated with minimal adverse effects," the researchers concluded. They added:
"Short-term acupuncture treatment is as effective as short-term low-dose prednisolone for mild-to-moderate CTS. For those who do have an intolerance or contraindication for oral steroid or for those who do not opt for early surgery, acupuncture treatment provides an alternative choice."
Because of the discomfort it causes, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome leads to lost work productivity and a decline in quality of life. Compared to surgery and steroids, acupuncture held its own. By some measurements, it performed even better than the oral steroid prednisolone:
http://journals.lww.com/clinicalpain/Abstract/2009/05000/Acupuncture_in_Patients_With_Carpal_Tunnel.11.aspx
The study measured 5 main symptoms scores: pain, numbness, paresthesia, weakness/clumsiness and nocturnal awakening.
After four weeks, acupuncture registered major decreases with nocturnal awakeng and distal motor latency.
"Acupuncture was well tolerated with minimal adverse effects," the researchers concluded. They added:
"Short-term acupuncture treatment is as effective as short-term low-dose prednisolone for mild-to-moderate CTS. For those who do have an intolerance or contraindication for oral steroid or for those who do not opt for early surgery, acupuncture treatment provides an alternative choice."
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
What To Expect From An Acupuncture treatment?
Hi: Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend.
Convincing people to try acupuncture is a challenge. But convince is the wrong word ... the wrong attitude. As I wrote in my last blog, the idea of using needles to improve one's health strikes many as odd. Not only that, practitioners of Chinese Medicine have the audacity to tell you they're sticking those needles in particular spots for a reason! That's it's all part of a well-thought-out system of natural medicine!
I wasn't sure what would happen during my first acupuncture treatment, which took place, by the way, when I visited my school for the first time in the summer of 2005. It made me feel a little heavy and drained. Not a ringing endorsement, except that in my case I was extremely open to giving it a chance.
There wasn't much wrong with me; I was just feeling the effects of the endorphins, opiods and the overall rebalancing that acupuncture generates.
Let me make a few observations.
1. Acupuncture Works!
Don't doubt it. Given the right circumstances, the right amount of patience and the right patient-practitioner relationship, you can achieve excellent results. For starters, visit this World Health Organization webpage: www.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4926e/5.html. You also can find a lot of information on the Internet.
2. Acupuncture should not hurt.
You'll feel a little something, even a slight sting, as the needles enter the skin. But that's where the nerve endings are. After 10-15 seconds, if you continue to feel anything like pain, the needle is probably in the wrong place. That's rare. You should begin a sense a certain heaviness, numbness or tingling around the point. That means your energy - your Qi - has been stimulated and has begun to move.
Acupuncture releases endorphins and opiods. Those body chemicals are one major reason acupuncture is so relaxing.
A good practitioner talks with the patient on the table. They should be aware of how you're feeling, and readjust needles or take them out when necessary.
3. The acupuncture points are there for a reason.
One reason acupuncture shouldn't hurt is that the points are functional. It wouldn't make any sense to design a medical system for daily use that causes constant pain!
Where are the points then and where would you be likely to be needled?
Since the energy channels run all across the body, there are points everywhere, too. But practitioners - the ones you'll run into here, at least - avoid points around the genitalia. There's never any nudity or unwanted exposure. True, many back issues, sciatica issues, hip issues, urinary issues and some reproductive issues involve some exposure as the patient lies on their stomach, that's far from nudity.
4. The needles ...
They're extremely thin, flexible and solid. Right there, that tells you they're not the big, hollow needles many got scared of in the doctor's office long ago. I like to show people an acupuncture needle if they're coming in for a first treatment or just have the desire to see one. I'll glide it over their hand and let them do the same to me if they like. It helps break the fear and mystery of the acupuncture needle. You can see the surprise and sense of relief on their faces!
Needles these days are packaged individually and administered through a plastic tube. Place it over the point and tap ... the needle goes in. Once they're used, they get thrown into a sharps box where they'll be disposed of eventually as hazardous waste.
5. What kind of results should you expect from a treatment?
The goal always is to make the patient feel better than they did when they first arrived. After 20-30 minutes, the needles have had enough time to cycle the Qi through the body at least once. You want people to come back, of course. That's because, as a practitioner, you know that 9 times out of 10, it's going to take more than one treatment to correct an issue.
Acute or short-term issues, such as a cold or a recently injured back, can usually be improved in fewer treatments. The condition is fresh and hasn't had an opportunity yet to entrench itself in the body.
Chronic issues are another issue altogether. They took root further in the past, and it very likely was a combination of imbalances that created the problem in the first place. Fibromyalgia always comes to mind in this conversation. Asthma is another example, just as long-term asthma and Irritable Bowel Syndrome are too. Any Chinese Medicine practitioner is going to need more time to make a difference.
Acupuncture is the kind of treatment that often creeps up on a patient. By that, I mean it works so subtly yet determinedly that a patient might not notice they're feeling better. Incremental improvements are very common with this medicine. Unlike the reaction you get to many Western medicine, the benefits of acupuncture not only come without side effects, they accumulate treatment after treatment, week after week.
That's why it's very helpful to make an honest committment to see if it's the right thing for you. Most often, you'll be glad that you did.
Convincing people to try acupuncture is a challenge. But convince is the wrong word ... the wrong attitude. As I wrote in my last blog, the idea of using needles to improve one's health strikes many as odd. Not only that, practitioners of Chinese Medicine have the audacity to tell you they're sticking those needles in particular spots for a reason! That's it's all part of a well-thought-out system of natural medicine!
I wasn't sure what would happen during my first acupuncture treatment, which took place, by the way, when I visited my school for the first time in the summer of 2005. It made me feel a little heavy and drained. Not a ringing endorsement, except that in my case I was extremely open to giving it a chance.
There wasn't much wrong with me; I was just feeling the effects of the endorphins, opiods and the overall rebalancing that acupuncture generates.
Let me make a few observations.
1. Acupuncture Works!
Don't doubt it. Given the right circumstances, the right amount of patience and the right patient-practitioner relationship, you can achieve excellent results. For starters, visit this World Health Organization webpage: www.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4926e/5.html. You also can find a lot of information on the Internet.
2. Acupuncture should not hurt.
You'll feel a little something, even a slight sting, as the needles enter the skin. But that's where the nerve endings are. After 10-15 seconds, if you continue to feel anything like pain, the needle is probably in the wrong place. That's rare. You should begin a sense a certain heaviness, numbness or tingling around the point. That means your energy - your Qi - has been stimulated and has begun to move.
Acupuncture releases endorphins and opiods. Those body chemicals are one major reason acupuncture is so relaxing.
A good practitioner talks with the patient on the table. They should be aware of how you're feeling, and readjust needles or take them out when necessary.
3. The acupuncture points are there for a reason.
One reason acupuncture shouldn't hurt is that the points are functional. It wouldn't make any sense to design a medical system for daily use that causes constant pain!
Where are the points then and where would you be likely to be needled?
Since the energy channels run all across the body, there are points everywhere, too. But practitioners - the ones you'll run into here, at least - avoid points around the genitalia. There's never any nudity or unwanted exposure. True, many back issues, sciatica issues, hip issues, urinary issues and some reproductive issues involve some exposure as the patient lies on their stomach, that's far from nudity.
4. The needles ...
They're extremely thin, flexible and solid. Right there, that tells you they're not the big, hollow needles many got scared of in the doctor's office long ago. I like to show people an acupuncture needle if they're coming in for a first treatment or just have the desire to see one. I'll glide it over their hand and let them do the same to me if they like. It helps break the fear and mystery of the acupuncture needle. You can see the surprise and sense of relief on their faces!
Needles these days are packaged individually and administered through a plastic tube. Place it over the point and tap ... the needle goes in. Once they're used, they get thrown into a sharps box where they'll be disposed of eventually as hazardous waste.
5. What kind of results should you expect from a treatment?
The goal always is to make the patient feel better than they did when they first arrived. After 20-30 minutes, the needles have had enough time to cycle the Qi through the body at least once. You want people to come back, of course. That's because, as a practitioner, you know that 9 times out of 10, it's going to take more than one treatment to correct an issue.
Acute or short-term issues, such as a cold or a recently injured back, can usually be improved in fewer treatments. The condition is fresh and hasn't had an opportunity yet to entrench itself in the body.
Chronic issues are another issue altogether. They took root further in the past, and it very likely was a combination of imbalances that created the problem in the first place. Fibromyalgia always comes to mind in this conversation. Asthma is another example, just as long-term asthma and Irritable Bowel Syndrome are too. Any Chinese Medicine practitioner is going to need more time to make a difference.
Acupuncture is the kind of treatment that often creeps up on a patient. By that, I mean it works so subtly yet determinedly that a patient might not notice they're feeling better. Incremental improvements are very common with this medicine. Unlike the reaction you get to many Western medicine, the benefits of acupuncture not only come without side effects, they accumulate treatment after treatment, week after week.
That's why it's very helpful to make an honest committment to see if it's the right thing for you. Most often, you'll be glad that you did.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
What is Acupuncture?
As our Chinese instructors often reminded us, we learn just enough in school to stick our toes in the vast waters of Chinese Medicine. But as a "newbie", I think I can honestly say that struggling to survive has imparted some perspective on what people really know about acupuncture.
That happens when you're not just trying to heal people but also bring them into your office!
It's odd to fall into an educator's role. You have to, however. Acupuncture - not to mention the rest of Chinese Medicine - remains a mystery to most people.
In general, they've heard of it. That's about all. Some decide right away that they want nothing to do with a bunch of needles. Their stubborness is as firm as the faces on Mount Rushmore. But that still leaves a lot of people who are curious enough to have a chat, listen to an off-hand remark about acupuncture's benefits or on the rare occasion, engage in an extended conversation about Chinese Medicine. So here goes. I'll likely be revisiting this subject a lot, especially what it's like to actually get needled:
For starters, acupuncture is unique way of accessing the body.
When you stick needles in a person, you're trying to access their personal energy. Doing so allows us to treat ANY part of the body.
That sounds a bit freaky to many people. But if you hang on there's a scientific side to all this.
Thousands of years ago, the ancient Chinese began noticing that the body reacted in profound ways when touched in specific point on the arms, legs, hips, abdomen, chest and head. They developed a system of energy channels connecting every part of us - from organs and muscles to skin.
Acupuncture taps into all that. And since the ancient Chinese believed the world operated by an infinite energy force they called "Qi", the goal of acupuncture and the rest of Chinese Medicine became an effort to balance this universal energy. Nothing in the annals of western science changes the fact that the body is a natural entity that's interconnected with everything else. Just look at how we catch colds - an immune system breakdown - or develop diseases from contact with pollution - an overwhelming attack on the immune system. It gets more complicated than this, but from a basic Chinese Medicine perspective, they're dangerous energetic imbalances.
What may surprise many is that as the second half of the last century rolled around, the Chinese began testing their medicine scientifically. Over the years, they and counterparts in the Western world - including the United States - discovered many fascinating qualities about acupuncture. Like the fact that it releases endorphins, serotonin and opioids. It's a major reason acupuncture helps treat pain and emotions. Brain research is showing how acupuncture stimulates various parts of our nervous system, the part of our body that determines how we respond to the world around us through the regulation of hormones, gasses and enzymes. With a little patience, you can find it all on the Internet.
In other words, science does not conflict with Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture is just another approach. It works differently than modern medication and surgery. As a quick fix for many issues, especially the complicated ones that have been around for months and years, you'll be disappointed. Think fibromyalgia. But one of the major benefits is that it works naturally. More and more people these days have seen the drawbacks of viewing the body as a machine that can be tweaked with surgery and pharmaceuticals. They want natural healing. Acupuncture, herbs and other aspects of Chinese Medicine offer that alternative.
That happens when you're not just trying to heal people but also bring them into your office!
It's odd to fall into an educator's role. You have to, however. Acupuncture - not to mention the rest of Chinese Medicine - remains a mystery to most people.
In general, they've heard of it. That's about all. Some decide right away that they want nothing to do with a bunch of needles. Their stubborness is as firm as the faces on Mount Rushmore. But that still leaves a lot of people who are curious enough to have a chat, listen to an off-hand remark about acupuncture's benefits or on the rare occasion, engage in an extended conversation about Chinese Medicine. So here goes. I'll likely be revisiting this subject a lot, especially what it's like to actually get needled:
For starters, acupuncture is unique way of accessing the body.
When you stick needles in a person, you're trying to access their personal energy. Doing so allows us to treat ANY part of the body.
That sounds a bit freaky to many people. But if you hang on there's a scientific side to all this.
Thousands of years ago, the ancient Chinese began noticing that the body reacted in profound ways when touched in specific point on the arms, legs, hips, abdomen, chest and head. They developed a system of energy channels connecting every part of us - from organs and muscles to skin.
Acupuncture taps into all that. And since the ancient Chinese believed the world operated by an infinite energy force they called "Qi", the goal of acupuncture and the rest of Chinese Medicine became an effort to balance this universal energy. Nothing in the annals of western science changes the fact that the body is a natural entity that's interconnected with everything else. Just look at how we catch colds - an immune system breakdown - or develop diseases from contact with pollution - an overwhelming attack on the immune system. It gets more complicated than this, but from a basic Chinese Medicine perspective, they're dangerous energetic imbalances.
What may surprise many is that as the second half of the last century rolled around, the Chinese began testing their medicine scientifically. Over the years, they and counterparts in the Western world - including the United States - discovered many fascinating qualities about acupuncture. Like the fact that it releases endorphins, serotonin and opioids. It's a major reason acupuncture helps treat pain and emotions. Brain research is showing how acupuncture stimulates various parts of our nervous system, the part of our body that determines how we respond to the world around us through the regulation of hormones, gasses and enzymes. With a little patience, you can find it all on the Internet.
In other words, science does not conflict with Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture is just another approach. It works differently than modern medication and surgery. As a quick fix for many issues, especially the complicated ones that have been around for months and years, you'll be disappointed. Think fibromyalgia. But one of the major benefits is that it works naturally. More and more people these days have seen the drawbacks of viewing the body as a machine that can be tweaked with surgery and pharmaceuticals. They want natural healing. Acupuncture, herbs and other aspects of Chinese Medicine offer that alternative.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Another Perspective On "Anti-Aging" Medicine
Thought I'd pick a topic from one of my recent newsletters - Harmony Healthwatch - to start things off. You'll see that I've got positive things to say about the "anti-aging medicine" movement. But in important ways it's just a smart packaging of a healthy living regimen, with some bells and whistles thrown in. I'm referring to the emphasis on such things as supplements and hormone replacement for men and women. In that respect, I'm no different because I offer high-quality supplements and can order hormone testing.
What prompted me to write was a degree of aggravation with the excitement anti-aging medicine generates when, in fact, a person can live an extremely long, healthy life following the basic tenets of Chinese Medicine. Diet, exercise, positive mental state ... it's all there. So are the tools - acupuncture, herbs etc ... - to keep all those factors in balance. Although I get a lot of satisfaction from treating people's pressing issues, I'd like nothing more than the opportunity to keep them from getting sick in the first place. Here's the article (font was different in newsletter):
In many ways, Chinese Medicine seeks to mine the infinite.
Practitioners of this ancient healing art, like myself, enter a dynamic concept of universal energy called “Qi” every time we treat a patient. It’s an amazing force that suffuses our bodies and our natural surroundings. It’s what we’re attempting to balance with needles and herbs, along with doses of exercise, diet and meditation.
It sounds like a medicine of unlimited possibilities for our health. In a sense it is, except that we can’t live forever. These days, a movement toward “Anti-Aging Medicine” is taking hold among alternative physicians, including Western-trained doctors who adopt holistic medicine. That’s great. It should help all of us live longer, healthier lives. But it’s also true that Chinese Medicine has practiced preventative and rejuvenative healing for thousands of years. At the core, it is longevity medicine. You just have to follow the ancient roadmap.
The Anti-Aging/Longevity Medicine movement puts a decidedly modern spin on ancient concepts of clean living. Along with advice on exercise, healthy eating and maintaining a positive mental outlook, it adds an in-depth knowledge of human physiology and supplementation on matters like vitamin use and hormone replacement. You might also find specialized techniques, such as kinesiology, which are designed to energetically measure your mental and physical states of being.
Chinese Medicine, too, has become more modern. Practitioners are embracing science in order to expand their knowledge and ability to treat today’s patient. We test for hormonal and nutritional deficiencies, prescribe supplements and rely on an increasingly large body of research that lends evidence to the profound physiological impact traditional acupuncture and herbs have on the human body.
While putting a price tag on good healthcare is a touchy issue, visiting a Chinese Medicine practitioner can cost much less than a modern Anti-Aging regimen.—even with the lack of insurance coverage for acupuncture.
So, once again, here are the basics of Chinese Medicine or, for our purposes, Chinese Longevity Medicine. Implementing them does take commitment.
Diet
Exercise
Moderation in eating habits, lifestyle and emotions, with an avoidance of overwork
Stress control and meditation
When following these habits proves difficult—as it is for most of us—and we feel less than optimal, acupuncture, herbs and Tuina massage can help bring you back into balance.
Like other licensed acupuncture physicians, I can order all the tests you need and offer many of the supplements to address any deficiencies. I cannot, however, prescribe hormones and pharmaceuticals. That would require the cooperation of a Western-trained physician.
But before you turn to turn to an Anti-Aging/Longevity specialist, consider the simplicity and time-tested values of Chinese Medicine. And the next time a practitioner offers to read your energy on a machine, let someone like me feel your pulse, observe your tongue and read your face first.
It’s an energy that speaks volumes.
What prompted me to write was a degree of aggravation with the excitement anti-aging medicine generates when, in fact, a person can live an extremely long, healthy life following the basic tenets of Chinese Medicine. Diet, exercise, positive mental state ... it's all there. So are the tools - acupuncture, herbs etc ... - to keep all those factors in balance. Although I get a lot of satisfaction from treating people's pressing issues, I'd like nothing more than the opportunity to keep them from getting sick in the first place. Here's the article (font was different in newsletter):
___________________________________________________________
In many ways, Chinese Medicine seeks to mine the infinite.
Practitioners of this ancient healing art, like myself, enter a dynamic concept of universal energy called “Qi” every time we treat a patient. It’s an amazing force that suffuses our bodies and our natural surroundings. It’s what we’re attempting to balance with needles and herbs, along with doses of exercise, diet and meditation.
It sounds like a medicine of unlimited possibilities for our health. In a sense it is, except that we can’t live forever. These days, a movement toward “Anti-Aging Medicine” is taking hold among alternative physicians, including Western-trained doctors who adopt holistic medicine. That’s great. It should help all of us live longer, healthier lives. But it’s also true that Chinese Medicine has practiced preventative and rejuvenative healing for thousands of years. At the core, it is longevity medicine. You just have to follow the ancient roadmap.
The Anti-Aging/Longevity Medicine movement puts a decidedly modern spin on ancient concepts of clean living. Along with advice on exercise, healthy eating and maintaining a positive mental outlook, it adds an in-depth knowledge of human physiology and supplementation on matters like vitamin use and hormone replacement. You might also find specialized techniques, such as kinesiology, which are designed to energetically measure your mental and physical states of being.
Chinese Medicine, too, has become more modern. Practitioners are embracing science in order to expand their knowledge and ability to treat today’s patient. We test for hormonal and nutritional deficiencies, prescribe supplements and rely on an increasingly large body of research that lends evidence to the profound physiological impact traditional acupuncture and herbs have on the human body.
While putting a price tag on good healthcare is a touchy issue, visiting a Chinese Medicine practitioner can cost much less than a modern Anti-Aging regimen.—even with the lack of insurance coverage for acupuncture.
So, once again, here are the basics of Chinese Medicine or, for our purposes, Chinese Longevity Medicine. Implementing them does take commitment.
Diet
Exercise
Moderation in eating habits, lifestyle and emotions, with an avoidance of overwork
Stress control and meditation
When following these habits proves difficult—as it is for most of us—and we feel less than optimal, acupuncture, herbs and Tuina massage can help bring you back into balance.
Like other licensed acupuncture physicians, I can order all the tests you need and offer many of the supplements to address any deficiencies. I cannot, however, prescribe hormones and pharmaceuticals. That would require the cooperation of a Western-trained physician.
But before you turn to turn to an Anti-Aging/Longevity specialist, consider the simplicity and time-tested values of Chinese Medicine. And the next time a practitioner offers to read your energy on a machine, let someone like me feel your pulse, observe your tongue and read your face first.
It’s an energy that speaks volumes.
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