Acupuncture Services of Central NY

Meniere's disease is usually characterized by a sudden onset of severe vertigo that can last for several hours accompanied by nausea and vomiting, tinnitus, loss of hearing and a feeling of pressure in the ear. It is typically one-sided. The etiology of Meniere's disease in Western medicine is unknown and treatment is usually focused on symptomatic relief by prescribing various drugs such as antihistamines and valium.

Chinese medicine diagnosis will determine one of four possible underlying patterns of imbalance that could be the cause of the symptoms of Meniere's:

If the patient has a red complexion, red tongue with yellow coating, a wiry, rapid pulse, bitter taste in the mouth, loud tinnitus and is easily angered – this would be a case of Liver Yang flaring up. If the patient has a white or sallow complexion, a fat, pale tongue that has a scalloped edge, a thin, weak pulse, dizziness that is worse when the patient is fatigued, and tinnitus that is not loud, but continuous – this would be a case of Qi and Blood deficiency. If the patient is plagued by low back and knee pain, low sex drive, impaired memory, and a marked decrease in hearing during the attacks – this person may be diagnosed with a Kidney Essence deficincy. And lastly, if the patient has a slimey, white tongue coating, soggy, slow pulse, poor appetite, tinnitus with a low sound, and nausea and vomiting predominate – this person could have a diagnosis of phlegm obstruction.

Treatment for each of these patterns with acupuncture and herbs would be slightly different to address both the symptoms and the underlying cause. But, here is one moxa treatment that could benefit all patterns. There is an acupuncture point on top of the head, the most yang part of the body, called “hundred meetings”, or DU-20. This point has a powerful effect to regulate the yang of the body, and to strenghthen the Qi, Blood and Kidney Essence.

Have the patient sit in a chair and cut the hair about one centimeter around the DU-20 point. Use a piece of foil to protect the hair, cutting out a hole in the center to expose Du-20. Smooth an ointment over the point to protect the skin and to provide a sticky surface to place the small moxa cones on end. Burn 50 moxa cones the size of a grain of rice one at a time over the point. I light the tip of the cone with an incense stick. When it gets down to the end and becomes too hot, be prepared to scoop the remainder of the cone off the point. A scab may form and fall off within one month, but this is meant to be a direct non-scarring moxa treatment. One treatment should be enough. Studies have shown that this treatment is 98% effective to relieve the symptoms of meniere's!

I use Ching Wan Hung as my ointment of choice. Ching Wan Hung is one of China's major herbal medicines for burns – first, second and even third degree burns. It is also great for sunburns, psoriasis, eczema and festering sores. It is a good product for every acupuncturist to have on hand for use in the office or to provide to their patients.

About the Author:
Joyce Marley is a licensed acupuncturist with a practice in New Hartford, NY. She writes alternative health articles about acupuncture and Oriental medicine.

Posted by Joyce Marley at 08:33 AM | Magic Moxa Treatment for Menieres

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is holographic in nature. The human body is seen as a microcosm of the world around us. And, more importantly from the perspective of an acupuncturist, each part of the body is also a microcosm, representing the whole body. Many acupuncture micro-systems have evolved around this concept. Auricular acupuncture is probably the best known micro-system. The whole body is mapped on the ear by superimposing the inverted fetus in the womb. Other micro-systems have been identified on the foot, hand, nose, lips, iris, tongue, scalp, teeth and every long bone of the body. My most successful acupuncture treatments have been the result of applying this knowledge. So I was thrilled to come across information on the Abdominal Acupuncture (AA) system – a relatively new Chinese micro-system developed about 25 years ago in China by Dr. Bo Zhiyun.

Abdominal Acupuncture believes that all parts of the body can be treated by focusing a gentle acupuncture treatment on the abdomen. Standard meridian points are used in conjunction with newly identified points. Needling is very superficial and painless. Therapeutic points are mapped on the abdomen by superimposing the image of a turtle over the abdomen with its center on the naval (Ren 8), its head at the epigastrium (Ren 12) and its tail or coccyx at Ren 3. Kidney meridian points are added to treat spinal problems. ST-24 treats disorders of the shoulder and arm. ST-26 treats disorders of the hip and leg. And new points are mapped in relation to these points to treat knee, elbow, hand and foot problems.

Some of the new points are mapped as follows:
Guan Yuan Xia - .3 cun below Ren 4 for lumbosacral and leg pain, swelling, numbness and weakness
Qi Pang - .5 cun lateral to Ren 6 for low back pain and swelling and weakness of legs
Xia Wan Shang - .5 cun above Ren 10 for neck pain and upper limb limited range of motion
Xia Feng Shi Dian – 2.5 cun lateral to Ren 6 for knee pain
Xia Feng Shi Nei Dian – 1.5 cun lateral to Ren 6 for medial knee pain
Xia Feng Shi Xia Dian – 3 cun lateral to Ren 5 for ankle and foot
Shang Feng Shi Dian - .5 cun lateral and superior to St 24 for elbow pain
Shang Feng Wai Dian – 1 cun lateral to ST 24 for wrist joint pain
Shang Feng Shang Dian – 3 cun lateral to Ren 10 for wrist and finger swelling, stiffness and numbness

Most of my information on this system was gleaned from two excellent articles from the Journal of Chinese medicine. “ Abdominal Acupuncture: A Practical Introduction” in the February 2007 issue and “Abdominal Acupuncture: Energetics and Clinical Applications” in the June 2008 issue . Another good article appeared in the August 2009 issue of Acupuncture Today, "A Comprehensive Introduction to Abdominal Acupuncture".

After reading these articles, I applied the theory to some of my patients with amazing results. In many cases, relief from neck and back pain surpassed other approaches I had used for these people. I was not surprised, as my training with Dr. Richard Tan and the teachings of Master Tung have taught me that the Ren meridian can be used to treat the Du meridian based on the concept of using the front of the body to treat the back. The Kidney meridian will balance the Bladder meridian based on the internal-external relationship of these two organs. But the Abdominal Acupuncture micro-system takes these concepts to a new level.

If you are an acupuncturist looking for another approach to use acupuncture for back pain or acupuncture for neck pain, I highly recommend reading the above articles and using abdominal acupuncture in your clinic!

About the Author:
Joyce Marley is a licensed acupuncturist with a practice in New Hartford, NY. She writes alternative health articles about acupuncture and Oriental medicine.

Posted by Joyce Marley at 07:57 AM | Abdominal Acupuncture for Back Pain

The fastest growing and most satisfying segment of my acupuncture practice has been in the area of fertility and helping couples conceive and have a successful pregnancy. Some women have come to me for acupuncture to address problems such as irregular periods, PCOS, or endometriosis pain and conceived without any intervention from Western medicine after trying unsuccessfully on their own for several years. Many others have been in the process of assisted reproduction techniques such as IUI's or IVF and have incorporated acupuncture treatments on the recommendation of their fertility specialist. Some women have sought my help, not because they have trouble conceiving, but because they have suffered multiple miscarriages.

In all cases, my patients are amazed when they see how Chinese medicine looks at the body and may see signs of a barrier to getting pregnant when all of the Western tests have come back normal. A big part of my job is educating my patients on how stress management, and diet and lifestyle changes along with acupuncture can make a big difference in a successful pregnancy.

I have several good books on Chinese medicine and how to improve your parenting potential. One of my favorites is a book that was published in August of 2009, “Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility”. I recommend this book to all of my fertility patients. The book was co-written by Dr. Sami David, a western doctor who was the first doctor to successfully perform IVF in New York in the 1980's and Jill Blakeway, a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese medicine practitioner.

Both authors believe that the best prognosis for a successful pregnancy is taking three months to get the body as healthy and balanced as possible. And herein lies the strength of Chinese medicine. Often, by the end of the three months, couples will conceive on their own. If not, then the high technology of Western medicine may be called upon. Even then, Chinese medicine can be an important factor in many ways. Research has shown that acupuncture can double the success rate of Western medicine intervention. Acupuncture can alleviate the side effects of the fertility medications that may be prescribed. And certainly, acupuncture can ease the stress and frustration that often results from what seems like a lengthy and costly road to conception.

There is a ton of practical advice in this book and sometimes even the simplest of changes can make the difference! For example, the use of sexual lubricants. A study done by the Cleveland Clinic, published in the journal “Fertility and Sterility”, found that the lubricant Pre-Seed was the only commercially available vaginal lubricant that did not decrease sperm motility or compromise sperm DNA. The chemical makeup of this lubricant is identical to fertile cervical mucous, whereas others (even water!) can kill sperm on contact.

A large part of the book is devoted to getting to know your body from a Chinese medicine point of view. There is a questionnaire for both men and women. Based on your answers, you will see how you may fall into a category of Stuck, Pale, Tired, Waterlogged or Dry. These descriptions are consistent with how Chinese medicine views the human body. Once you identify your type, there are many things you can do to help yourself. Suggestions are made for the proper form of exercise (some women will need more and some will need less), suggestions for diet changes and important supplements to enhance fertility, self massage techniques to encourage blood flow to the pelvic area, and lifestyle changes necessary for proper sleep and stress management.

Taking the basal body temperature (BBT) can also provide valuable information to your acupuncturist. This will show when you are ovulating and the length of the luteal and follicular phases. Herbal formulas and different acupuncture protocols can be used to correct each phase of the cycle based on your readings. It is best to use a special digital BBT thermometer, which will be more accurate at measuring smaller increments of temperature than a regular thermometer.

If you or your partner have been diagnosed with structural, anatomical or immune system issues such as blocked tubes, fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, sperm abnormalities, varicoceles or antisperm antibodies, this book offers suggestions on how Western medicine can help, how Chinese medicine can help and how you can help yourself.

If you are among the one in eight couples in the United States who is having trouble conceiving or staying pregnant, you owe it to yourself to learn more about Chinese medicine and how it can help you!

About the Author:
Joyce Marley is a licensed acupuncturist with a practice in New Hartford, NY. She writes alternative health articles about acupuncture and Oriental medicine.

Posted by Joyce Marley at 06:54 AM | Acupuncture And Fertility: Improve Your Parenting Potential

When I was about 35 years old I began feeling extreme fatigue with generalized aches and pains, kind of like the feeling you get before you get flu. I visited a few doctors and the answers were always the same, “You are a single mother with full time job what do you expect, of course you are tired.” Blah, blah it was not an answer and there was never any relief.

I finally found a doctor who gave me an answer and diagnosed me with fibromyalgia.

This syndrome answered my questions and put a name to my complaints. Unfortunately, there was really no treatment that helped. I tried many different medications and exercise programs, even a support group. The medications did not help and I was too tired to do the exercises and go to the support group.

After talking with a friend of my daughter’s at a wedding I decided to try acupuncture. As we all have become accustomed to in this day and age I started surfing the internet. I came to Joyce’s web site and gave her a call. I started treating in January of 09. After about 2-3 weeks I noticed an improvement in the pain. As I continued with my treatment I began having more energy, and noticed an improvement in my overall health.

Words can not express how grateful I am to Joyce for helping me. When I try to explain to my family and friends how much better I feel I express it this way, I feel about 75-80% better. I know I will never feel like I am 20 years old again, but since I am 53 do I really want to? Thanks to Joyce and acupuncture I am now looking forward to a more active less painful life.

Thanks Joyce,
Laura

Posted by Joyce Marley at 06:04 AM | Acupuncture For Fibromyalgia Testimonial

For practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine in North America, one of the most significant obstacles has been patient compliance. While it is possible to initially convince patients to take water-extracted decoctions, enthusiasm wanes dramatically after three weeks. There are three main reasons for this: 1) The taste is not agreeable. 2) The patient does not like the effort and time that it takes to boil down herbs on a daily basis; also, the smell in the house is often objectionable. 3) The price is excessive, often costing the patient $3 - 7 per bag per day, or $60 to $140 per month. In America, we often use 100 grams of herb per bag, and try to get three doses out of it, lasting one and a half days. In China, one bag might be two to three times the dosage, and meant to last one day. Which is to say that this approach, when practiced in North America, is often less strong (and effective) as is practiced in China.

So, compliance is affected by hassle and cost. Practitioners, many of whom recognize this problem, have tried to circumvent it by using ready made Chinese herbal products. This, of course, inhibits the herbalist's effectiveness in customizing an individual formula. For those herbalists wishing to individualize patient's prescriptions, there are three methods for reducing the cost and increasing compliance on the part of the patient.

The first method is to combine individual herbs as extracted granules, from such companies as Sun Ten-Brion, Mintong, and Qualiherb. These are applied in 2-3 gram dosages either directly on the tongue and swallowed with water, or stirred in water and drunken. The advantages of this approach is good compliance by the patient, and easy shelving of the two to three hundred herbs the herbalist will wish to keep in stock. The disadvantage is cost: it will cost the practitioner quite a lot of money to initially invest in these herbs ($2000-$6000), and the cost to the patient is at least $2.00 per day, or $60 per month.

The second method was recommended to me by my original teacher, Dr. Guo, Zhen-gang, who practices in Chicago. This method requires the herbalist to carry in stock all of his herbs in the raw form. A prescription is made, using between 6 and 9 grams for the daily dose. The herbal prescription is reduced to a fine powder by electrical grinder. The powder is given to the patient, who is instructed to take one large teaspoon (about 3 grams), add one cup of boiling water, cover and wait ten minutes, then strain. Two to three doses are taken per day. Dr. Guo believes this method to be as effective as decocting herbs (most of whose medicinal value goes up in steamy smoke). Patient compliance is good, because there is no real effort in preparing the decoction, but there is still the issue of tasting and drinking a cup of Chinese herbs. Cost is very effective to the patient, where the herbalist can charge less that a dollar for a daily dose, or $30 for a month's supply.

A variation on this theme is to have the herbalist or the patient put the powdered herbs into capsules. A patient would need to take six to nine capsules, twice a day. There are now convenient capsule makers (available from TCM, Spring Wind, and Frontier Herbs, among other sources) for the herbalist or the patient. I should point out, from a practitioner's point of view, that it takes about 20 minutes to make one hundred capsules, and one should give some thought to this use of one's time.

The third method involves making a customized herbal formula into an alcohol-extracted tincture. This is the method I use, and the one I would like to talk about in detail. The advantages of an alcohol-extracted tincture include the following: 1) the herbalist retains the ability to customized the formula. 2) The herbalist continues to work with raw herbs, and thereby can gauge the quality of the herb, and also keep his/her hands in raw herbs (which I think appeals to all Chinese herbalists). 3) Compliance by the patient is excellent. The patient takes four squirts with one inch of boiling water, waits ten minutes, and drinks, doing this two times per day. In many cases, the patient can even take it without using boiling water. 4) The cost to the patient is about $1.40 per day ($42 per month) at the recommended dosage. Of course, for children, it is less.

I have been using this method since 1988 (6 years), and I truly believe that the efficacy is as strong as water decoction. I have seen ovarian cysts reduced within four weeks, and successful results for a wide variety of complaints including yin deficiency cough, phlegm-damp cough, dysmenorrhea, intestinal inflammation, asthma, traumatic bone injury, etc., etc. Initially, I encountered resistance to this idea from traditional practitioners, mainly because it was new and unproved. The main valid concern was that the energetic aspects of the Chinese materia medica were described based on water extraction, and that alcohol extraction might distort or change the energetic properties of the herbs. This may be so, but in my experience (six years of prescribing traditional water extracted decoction, followed by six years of giving alcohol/water extracted tinctures), I believe that the effects are very much the same. Bear in mind that the method I describe below is based on a very strong herb to alcohol ratio (3-4 x as strong as many commercially available alcohol extracted herbal tinctures). Also, the liquid solution is not just alcohol: fifty percent is alcohol and fifty percent is water, allowing for the necessary polysaccharide extraction which is best done in water.

A water extraction requires a minimum of 100 grams for a day and half's dosage. By comparison, I use 100 grams of herbs for a 4 oz solution, which will last 21 days. The minimizing of stocking and buying herbs should be appreciated. The alcohol-water extraction, working from powdered herbs, is therefore thirteen times more efficient than water extraction of bulk, unpowdered herbs.

Although initially derided by herbalists, I am now receiving many requests asking about this method, not only from long established American practitioners, but also from Chinese herbalists living in this country. Their motivation is consistent: how can one provide individualized Chinese herbal formulas that are inexpensive, that the patient will take over a long period of time, and that are as effective as water decoctions? In response to these requests, I am detailing the steps here.

Equipment needed.
1 - Commercial herb grinder ($450-$650*), or a Oster industrial bartender blender ($125).
5 gal. - Grain alcohol (95%) ($150.) McCormick Grain, (800) 825-0377 Good quality water
1 - 1/2 gallon glass bottle and cap (for alcohol-water stock solution)
1 - High-quality garden shears
1 - Brass mortar and pestle
4-8 - Plastic soda bottles, 2 liters, or 2 quarts with screw-on caps; or industrial chemical plastic (Nalgene) 1/2 gallon bottles; or industrial glass 1/2 gallon bottles
4-8 - Stainless steel bowls
4-8 - Bell ball jars
4-8 - Dinner plates (to cover steel bowls; plastic is okay)
4-8 - Shallow plastic cups (e.g. for potato salad) or hard plastic bowls (Rubbermaid-K Mart)
1 - Long wooden spoon
1 - Flat wooden rice spatula
1 - Small plastic funnel (for the 2 oz. or 4 oz. bottles)
1 - Large plastic funnel, 1/2 gallon (to make stock solution), Cotton balls, Unbleached coffee filters, number #6
1 case - 2 oz brown dropper bottles,
1 case - 4 oz brown dropper bottles
(Industrial Container, (801) 972-1561) Pad of Post-Its ®, Individual labels (customized at a printer),

Method:

1. Prepare raw herb prescription. For a 10 day supply (2 oz. bottle), make a formula of 50 grams. For a 21 day supply (4 oz. bottle), make a formula of 100 grams.

2. Grind the herbs into a fine powder. Use a commercial herb grinder, or an Oster industrial bartender blender. Certain herbs need to be cut into smaller pieces with the garden shears prior to grinding, e.g.: Astragalus Huang Qi. Other herbs may need to be crushed, such as shells, with a brass mortar and pestle. If possible, certain herbs can be bought in a powder state: e.g. Ginseng Ren Shen, Codonopsis Dang Shen, Ostrea Mu Li.

3. Pour the powder in a stainless steel bowl. Mix the powder with the stock solution that is 50% good quality water, and 50% grain alcohol (95%). This stock should be kept as a pre-mixed solution, and stored in the 1/2 gallon glass bottle. The mixture should make the powder the consistency of a wet sawdust - not too wet, and not too dry. Cover well with a plate. Let sit for 18-24 hours. Mark on Post-It ® with name, date, time, and quantity (4 oz or 2 oz).

4. Use plastic soda bottles, chemical naprene bottles, or glass bottles that are 2 liters (2 quarts). Cut off base, retaining neck. Place two cotton balls into mouth, and ram down with a long wooden spoon, using the handle. Screw on cap loosely. Take two unbleached coffee filters, number #6, placing one within the other. Place the filters into the upside down bottle; use your fingers to carefully widen the filters to receive the herbs. Place the upside down bottle into the Bell ball jar.

5. Using a flat wooden rice spatula, scoop up the herb and pack it into the filter. Cover with the water-alcohol solution from the stock bottle: for two week supply, use exactly 2 oz. of solution; for a four week supply, use exactly 4 oz. of solution. Cover the open end of the bottles with the shallow plastic insert (the potato salad plastic cup, or the Rubbermaid plastic bowl). Place the Post-It ® label with name, time, date, and quantity on top of the plastic insert.

6. Allow the solution to drip through. This will take 30 minutes to 2 hrs, depending on how loose or tight the screw-on cap is. When completely dripped, repeat by pouring the now dark solution through the top again, a second time. You are doing two complete pourings. I recommend letting them slow drip for one to two hours.

7. Funnel liquid into 2 oz or 4 oz brown dropper bottles. Label with name of patient, date given, and instructions. Patient takes one teaspoon (5 squirts), 2 times per day. Children take 2-5 squirts, 2 x day. Cover with one inch of boiling water to drive off the alcohol, wait ten minutes, then drink alone. Some patients may take with one inch of regular water (for better compliance). Do not take directly into the mouth. Advise not to take with meals (up to 20 minutes before, or starting one hour later).

Herb Grinders. The RT grinder (Rong Tsong Iron Works, Taipei; @$450) is very fast (thousands of rotations per minute). It can grind from 3 grams to one pound. For 105 g., I recommend 30 seconds. Replace blades when dull. The blades may be difficult to remove. TCM, INC. offers a $650 grinder, from Taiwan, that is the equal of the RT, and with easy to replace blades. They also offer the RT unit. Heavy duty industrial herb grinders can be bought from the following distributors:

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE, INC. 2746 N. Durfee Ave, #K
El Monte, CA 91732
(626) 401-3737
FAX: (626) 401-1968

MAYWAY USA
1338 Cypress St
Oakland, CA 94607
(800) 262-9929
FAX: (800) 909-2828

SPRING WIND HERB COMPANY 2315 Fourth St
Berkeley, CA 94710
(800) 588-4883
FAX: (510) 849-4886

It is important to encourage the patient to use the small amount of boiling water to drive off the alcohol. This is essential in all heat conditions, and it also makes the formula more palatable. If the patient is less inclined to take the trouble, then have them add to regular water. Take without food, except in cases where taking the herbs causes nausea.

Formulas are made in two steps. In step one, the prescription is ground into powder, and mixed with stock solution. This takes about 15 minutes, once you are up to speed. I have an assistant do this part for me.

The second step is done the next day (18-24 hrs later). In this step, the wet herb mass is stuffed into the bottles prepared with cotton balls and filters. We pour and drip three times, which will require three hours.

I am indebted to Charlie Jordan of Dragon River Herbals, New Mexico, and Clarissa Smith, formerly of Wyoming Wildcrafters, for teaching me this method. Again, I believe it is an excellent and economical approach for providing individualized herbal formulas to your patients.

About the Author:
Jake Fratkin, OMD Lac is a renowned author and teacher in the field of Chinese herbal medicine and has graciously given me permission to reprint his articles. He is author of Chinese Herbal Patent Medicines: The Clinical Desk Reference, 1999 Acupuncturist Of The Year, AAAOM (American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine), and 2006 Teacher Of The Year, AATAOM (American Association for Teachers of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine).

Posted by Joyce Marley at 09:37 AM | Making Chinese Herbal Formulas into Alcohol Extracts by Jake Paul Fratkin, OMD

Here is a book published by Beijing Science and Technology Press that students and practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) may find interesting and useful. Culturally, herbal tinctures have been an integral part of Chinese medicinal therapy for thousands of years. This book discusses hundreds of prescriptions. Some are meant to be taken short term for acute conditions like the common cold. Some of the recipes, like those for diminishing eyesight, are meant to be taken long term as a tonic for the Liver and Kidney. Some of the recipes are meant to be applied externally for conditions such as alopecia and vitiligo.

When I was a student at the International Institute of Chinese Medicine, I clearly remember an herbal medicine lecture where my Chinese professor was discussing the herb Bai Hua She (white patterned snake). He told us how to prepare a powerful tonic for post stroke complications such as deviation of the face and hemiplegia. He went into great detail, telling us to dry the snake first and cut off the head. Then you soak the snake in 80-100 proof alcohol for several weeks. Enough to cover the snake in a glass jar. This preparation could be kept at room temperature for two years. The patient was to take two or three spoonfuls a day.

The benefits of this preparation sounded so wonderful, I raised my hand to ask if it was available in a ready to use product. I will never forget his response. He looked at me like I was nuts and said, “Yes, but why would you.... it is so easy to prepare!” Obviously, he did not understand that our culture was very different from his and I would not be hunting down a white snake to soak in alcohol any time soon.

Last year I had the pleasure of visiting China. At one of our dinner stops, I was reminded of this lecture when I saw a waitress pushing a cart and approaching each table in the dining room. On the cart was a large glass jar. Inside was a coiled snake covered with liquid. She was offering a small shot sized drink to the patrons for three dollars!

Some of the recipes in this book remind me of that snake story. I will not be killing a soft shelled turtle to get the blood for my menopausal ladies with hot flashes. But I just might suggest one of the tinctures to apply topically for alopecia.

About the Author:
Joyce Marley is a licensed acupuncturist with a practice in New Hartford, NY. She writes alternative health articles about acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

Posted by Joyce Marley at 06:31 PM | Chinese Herbal Remedies and Medicated Liquors

If you were going to see your physician for a problem with irritable bowel syndrome, you would certainly expect some questions about the state of your bowels. But Chinese medicine diagnosis will always include questions about bowel function, regardless of the purpose of your visit. You would be surprised how the functioning of the bowels is related to so many other issues with your health.

Chinese medicine diagnosis describes disease in terms of an imbalance in the body of heat and cold, dampness and dryness, yin and yang. By questioning the state of all bodily functions, both physical and emotional, and looking at both the tongue and the pulse, a pattern of disharmony evolves. Everything about the stools can be diagnostic – the size, color, consistency, frequency, odor and even the time of day that a bowel movement occurs.

Let's talk about constipation. If chronic constipation is accompanied with heat signs, such as a yellow tongue coating and a rapid pulse, the diagnosis might be Heat in the Stomach or Intestine, or Heat in the Yangming channel. This constipation is made worse with a diet of spicy foods and the consumption of alcohol. This patient may also have acne on the face and chest and bad breath or bleeding gums. Chronic heat in the Liver will also cause constipation and may be accompanied by irritability, red eyes, hypertension and headaches. Liver Heat constipation is aggravated by stress and frustration. The stool associated with internal heat in the body is hard and dry and looks like small pellets.

Internal Heat may be combined with Phlegm or Damp in some people whose Spleen functioning has been compromised. Bowel movements associated with this pattern are very sluggish and often feel incomplete. Mucous may be visible in the stool. This type of person may also have abdominal distention and feel lethargic in the afternoon.

Constipation in elderly patients or postpartum women is often due to a deficiency of Blood. There is just not enough lubrication for the stool to pass. There is a Chinese expression “if the river is dry, the boat can't go”. There could be other dry signs with this diagnosis such as dry skin, eyes and mouth. Blood deficiency is characterized by paleness of the tongue, lips and nails. The pulse is fine and weak. Often these people have trouble falling asleep and are forgetful or feel anxious. New mothers may have a problem with sufficient lactation.

Constipation due to Yin deficiency is due to a more deep seated lack of bodily fluids and may develop with the aging process. If there is Yin deficiency, the tongue would be red and cracked with no coating and the pulse thin and rapid. Other Yin deficient symptoms are night sweats, tinnitus and low back pain.

The elderly or those suffering a chronic illness may also be Qi deficient. Qi, the vital energy of the body, is just not strong enough to push the stool out and often this patient is exhausted just trying. The stool tends to be soft, large and thick. The tongue may look swollen and pale. The pulse is very weak. Patients who are Qi deficient may speak softly and suffer from shortness of breath.

Infrequent or thin stools can accompany a diagnosis of Qi stagnation. Other Qi stagnation symptoms are depression, neck and shoulder tension, frequent sighing, PMS and irregular menstrual cycles. This type of constipation is aggravated by stress, changes in routine or simply a sedentary lifestyle. Exercise and gentle clockwise abdominal massage can be helpful for this pattern.

Diarrhea also has many differentiating patterns. Dampness in the body is often key and evident by a thick tongue coating. Cold Damp would exhibit a thick white tongue coating. The stool would be watery and explosive and may be accompanied with colicky pain and nausea. Cold Damp patterns are aggravated by eating cold or raw foods. Damp Heat would exhibit a thick yellow tongue coating. The bowel movements would be burning and explosive with a foul smell.

Diarrhea that occurs following a meal is an indication of Spleen Qi deficiency. One might also feel tired after eating, tend to worry and have a poor appetite. The tongue may be pale with toothmarks around the edge. Attacks are aggravated by a diet of excess cold or sweet foods or may occur when one is overtired.

Spleen and Kidney Yang deficiency can develop from Spleen Qi deficiency. Patients who are Yang deficient often wake early in the morning with urgent diarrhea. There may even be fecal incontinence. Pressure and warmth applied to the abdomen is comforting to these patients as they tend to be very intolerant to cold. These people often just want to sleep all day.

Alternating constipation and diarrhea is usually explained by chronic Liver Qi stagnation that gradually weakens Spleen Qi. This pattern has a name in Chinese medicine diagnosis – Liver Qi invading the Spleen. This pattern may be diagnosed in Western medicine as IBS or ulcerative colitis. This pattern responds well to a treatment of acupuncture, herbs and stress management.

I strongly believe that treating bowel issues is one area where Western and Chinese medicine can work well together. See your physician and have a colonoscopy to rule out serious issues. And then consider Chinese medicine. Incorporate acupuncture, lifestyle changes and possibly herbal preparations to restore balance in the body. Treatment for each of the patterns above will address not only the problem of constipation or diarrhea, but also the underlying cause. Bowel habits will improve, and so will many of the accompanying symptoms.

About the Author:
Joyce Marley is a licensed acupuncturist that provides acupuncture therapy in New Hartford, NY. She writes Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) health articles about acupuncture and Oriental medicine.

Posted by Joyce Marley at 04:36 PM | Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and The Scoop on Poop