Acupuncture Services of Central NY

Millions of women suffer from painful periods. Often the pain occurs the day before the period starts. Some women experience menstrual cramps during the period. And some feel exhausted and achy when the period is over. Chinese Medicine explains menstrual period cramps in terms of the proper flow and quantity of Qi (energy) and Blood. By asking very detailed and specific questions about the menstrual cycle a practitioner can determine the underlying cause of menstrual cramping. Both acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas are very effective to resolve the vast majority of painful period cramps.

To determine the pattern of imbalance in the body that is causing the painful period symptoms, questions must be answered as to the timing of the pain, the location of the pain, the character of the pain and whether or not it is aggravated or relieved by cold, heat or pressure. The regularity and length of the cycle, the quality of the pulse and the color of the tongue may also be significant in coming to a correct diagnosis.

Menstrual period cramps can be due to the stagnation of Qi or Blood. Pain can be due to a deficiency of Qi or Blood. Pain can be due to the presence of internal Heat or Cold. In many cases, a combination of the above will explain a painful period.

In Chinese Medicine, the energy of the Liver, or Liver Qi, is responsible for the free flow of energy in the whole body. When the Liver Qi is stuck, or stagnant, Blood will stagnate in the uterus leading to painful periods. Anger, frustration and resentment are the most common factors leading to Liver Qi stagnation. When pain is due to Liver Qi stagnation, women will have abdominal and breast distention for a few days before the period starts. The menstrual blood will be dark and may start and stop hesitantly. Irritability is common. Acupuncture is very effective to move the Liver Qi. A very famous Chinese herbal formula, Xiao Yao Wan, addresses all of the symptoms of Liver Qi stagnation.

Stagnant Liver Qi can “turn to fire”. When stagnant qi generates heat in the body, the menstrual flow will be heavier, irritability will become pronounced with actual outbursts of anger. The woman will be thirsty and actually feel warm. Constipation may become a problem. The tongue will show heat signs. It will be red, especially the sides of the tongue, and have a yellow coating. The pulse will be rapid and wiry. A modified version of Xiao Yao Wan, Dan Zhi Xiao Yao Wan is more appropriate because of the addition of heat clearing herbs.

Chronic Liver Qi stagnation often leads to stagnation of Blood. When the Blood becomes stagnant, the pain is more intense or stabbing in nature with severe menstrual cramps. The menstrual blood is dark with blood clots. The tongue may take on a purplish color and the pulse may have a wiry or choppy quality. There are several Chinese herbal formulas to address Blood stagnation in the lower abdomen. Tao Hong Si Wu Tang is one of the most commonly used and contains many herbs to nourish and invigorate Blood.

Chinese Medicine believes that excessive exposure to cold and damp weather can cause Cold to invade the uterus. This is especially true during puberty when the body is vulnerable, or in women during or shortly after the period or childbirth. Cold causes contraction and stagnation of Blood which in turn causes pain. This pain is relieved by the application of heat. The menstrual blood is scanty, bright red with small blood clots. Women with this pattern feel cold and have a sore back. The tongue has a pale blue or bluish purple cast to it. The pulse feels choppy or tight. To treat Cold stagnation, the Chinese herb moxa is used on acupuncture points to expel cold and warm the uterus. A famous Herbal formula to treat Cold obstructing the uterus is Wen Jing Tang (Warm the Menses decoction).

When pain is due to deficiency conditions, it is usually a dull pain and occurs towards the end or after the period. If there is a Qi and Blood deficiency, there will be a dragging sensation in the lower abdomen that is relieved by pressure and massage. There will be scanty bleeding. The woman may feel tired and dizzy after the period. The complexion and tongue will look pale. A famous Chinese herbal formula to nourish the Qi and Blood is Ba Zhen Tang. Ba Zhen Tang may be modified to add a few herbs to move qi and stop pain, but this basic formula will address the root of the problem by tonifying Qi and Blood.

If a woman is Yang and Blood deficient, her abdominal pain will be relieved by heat and pressure. The menstrual blood will be scanty and pale. She will feel cold and fatigued in general and may have frequent urination. The tongue will be pale and swollen. Moxa should be used in these cases to warm the Yang. A good formula to treat the root of the problem is Dang Gui Jian Zhong Tang.

The last deficiency pattern is one of Kidney and Liver Yin deficiency. A woman with this pattern will experience dull back pain towards the end of the period. She may have hot flashes or night sweats, blurry vision and ringing of the ears. The tongue will be red with cracks and no coating. A good Chinese herbal formula for this pattern is Gui Shao Di Huang Tang. This is a variation of the famous Liu Wei Di Huang Tang with the addition of two herbs that nourish Blood – Dang Gui and Bai Shao.

If there is a mixture of deficiency and excess patterns, the excess, or stagnation, may be treated for two weeks prior to the menses and the deficiency in the two weeks after the period. It usually takes a minimum of three months to fully resolve menstrual irregularities, though many women experience an improvement in symptoms soon after acupuncture and or herbal treatment starts.

About the Author:

Joyce Marley is a licensed acupuncturist serving New Hartford-Whitesboro-Clinton-Utica-Rome, NY. She writes Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) articles for alternative health solutions.

Posted by Joyce Marley at 06:36 AM | Relieve Menstrual Cramps!

Last year I was asked to speak at a monthly meeting of the local Dental Society. I decided to talk about TMJ because it is a condition that our two professions can co-treat very effectively. I had been told that very few of the members knew much about acupuncture, so I wanted to give some background on Chinese Medicine that would hopefully give some credibility to my explanation of using acupuncture points on the foot to treat jaw pain. I wanted to talk about the many micro-systems of acupuncture that are based on the knowledge that the body can be viewed as a hologram. That is, one part of the body represents the whole body.

First I showed them the model of the ear and talked about auricular acupuncture. I explained that the body is mapped on the ear by superimposing the image of the fetus. Newcomers to Chinese Medicine theory are almost always amazed when I ask them to picture the baby inverted in the womb on the ear. Once you see it (head on the ear lobe, back curled along the outer edge of the ear) it is hard to believe that you hadn't noticed it before! Then I briefly touched on Korean Hand Acupuncture where all of the meridian acupuncture points are mapped on the hand. I talked about foot reflexology, iridology, and Dr. Tan's Balance Method acupuncture. I did all of this because I wanted to lay the groundwork to tell them that the whole body is also mapped on the teeth.

There is a great acupuncture chart available from AcupunctureProducts.com – “Acupuncture Meridian Relationships Between Teeth and Body Organs”. There is a wealth of information on this chart. Each tooth has a correspondence to an acupuncture meridian. There is also a tooth organ relationship and a tooth muscle relationship. This chart also relates each tooth to specific joints, vertebrae, endocrine glands and sense organs. Chinese Medicine believes that a weakness in a particular part of the body can weaken the associated tooth and vice versa. A decayed tooth can have a systemic effect on the body.

After my talk, one of the oral surgeons pulled me aside and thanked me for discussing this topic. He told me of a woman patient that he had twelve years earlier. He performed a dental procedure on her in an area of her mouth where she had previously had dental work done. When he got into the procedure, he had to correct an issue with the tooth that he had not expected to see (I think he said that a root had regrown, but I'm not sure if I am remembering that exactly as he said it). The next day he called her to see how she was recovering. She was very excited and said, “Doc, I feel great. No problems with the tooth, and my knee feels great!” He laughed and told her that he was glad her mouth was doing well. She said, “No, really, my knee doesn't hurt. I am scheduled for knee replacement surgery next month and my knee doesn't hurt!”

I asked if he remembered which tooth it was. He did. We looked at the chart and saw that the tooth in question was related to the Stomach meridian which passes thru the front of the knee. That woman never had a knee replacement!

I myself had a patient a few years ago who came to me for acupuncture in the hopes of relieving a multitude of mysterious symptoms. She had seen over forty specialists in the year prior to coming to my office. No one could explain her intense pain and digestive issues. She had been to another acupuncturist with no relief, but with nowhere else to turn she had been convinced to try it again. In the course of taking her medical history, I noticed that all of her symptoms correlated with the Stomach and Large Intestine, or yangming meridians. Towards the end of our conversation, she started to cry and said that her luck all started to change when she had had a root canal that had gone wrong.

For decades there has been discussion on the toxic repercussions of root canals. I ordered a book for her to read co-authored by Dr. Robert Kulacz and Dr. Thomas Levy, “The Roots of Disease Connecting Dentistry & Medicine”. In this book they talk about the toxic shock type syndrome that can occur in some patients following root canal procedures. The book includes many patient testimonials detailing chronic mysterious pain and how they linked their conditions back to dental work. I asked her to read the book and decide for herself whether or not she wanted to pursue the possibility that all of her health issues related to her dental experience.

In reference to acupuncture meridian relationships with teeth, the authors of this book agree that “a high degree of clinically practical correlation with these meridian links does appear to exist”. I now ask all of my patients, especially when western medicine cannot diagnose their condition, whether or not they have had root canals or any other extensive dental work prior to the onset of their symptoms.

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

Posted by Joyce Marley at 04:19 AM | Meridian Dental Relationships

Whether you have occasional trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep or severe insomnia, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine may have help for you. Recently, I have had a few patients with severe insomnia come to me hoping for relief. Often anxiety and depression accompany sleeplessness. It becomes a vicious cycle - the more you can't sleep, the more anxious and depressed you become. And the more anxious and depressed you are, the more difficult it is to sleep peacefully. Insomnia starts to affect every aspect of your life – job, health and relationships.

One of my patients has had a history of going days without sleep, and has recently been given the Western medicine diagnosis of being bipolar. After her first traditional acupuncture treatment, she felt very relaxed and was able to get one good night's sleep. She was thrilled and jokingly said she wished she could just wear the needles home.

When she said that, a light bulb went off for me and I remembered a scalp acupuncture treatment that was taught to me by Susan Johnson. Susan is a Master Tung acupuncture practitioner and generously shares her knowledge from over 20 years of acupuncture experience. She often uses this prefrontal scalp treatment for severe insomnia, anxiety, depression and even bipolar patients. I thought it would be perfect for this patient. And for severe insomniacs, Susan does send her patients home with the needles. The longer the needles are retained, the stronger the sedating effect will have.

Susan calls this her three-head needle, or five-head needle treatment. The five needle treatment is a little stronger than the three needle treatment. The first needle is inserted subcutaneously, slightly posterior to DU23. Slide the needle towards the nose for about one inch. Then two (or 4) more needles are similarly inserted to either side of DU23, depending on whether you are doing the three-head needle treatment or the five-head needle treatment. The needles are spaced about an inch to an inch and a half apart. Being inserted subcutaneously, it is usually easy to hide the needles in the hair. I instructed my patient to leave them in all day, removing them just before bed. She agreed to return the needles to me the following appointment for proper disposal. She called the next day to say the it was the best night's sleep she had had in a long time.

I used this same treatment on another patient last week who also was going thru some emotional turmoil and walking the floors every night. I inserted the needles and had her lie on my table to rest. When I returned to the treatment room, tears were silently rolling down her cheeks. She was surprised that this was happening to her and asked if that was normal. Patients will often have an emotional release with any energy work, including acupuncture. Yes, it is very normal. She called me the day after the treatment and said that there was a noticeable improvement. She still woke up quite often during the night, but was able to fall back asleep.

Using this scalp acupuncture treatment is a very good way to jump start an insomnia treatment program. Based on the individual's constitution and other signs and symptoms, additional acupuncture points and herbal formulas may be indicated.

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

Posted by Joyce Marley at 04:50 AM | Trouble Sleeping?

Skya Gardner-Abbate devotes a whole chapter to the treatment of scars in her book, “The Art of Palpatory Diagnosis in Oriental Medicine”. In Oriental Medicine it is a well known fact that scars may disrupt the normal flow of energy (Qi) and Blood in the meridians, or energy pathways. Not all scars are problematic, but they are viewed as potential organ-meridian disturbances. Practitioners should always inquire about scars during the initial interview. Scars should be examined and evaluated during the physical exam. Scars that are the result of surgery, large scars or scars that are symptomatic – causing pain, burning or numbness should be investigated.

There is a three step process to assessing a scar. First, inspect the scar and note its relationship to the acupuncture meridians. Look at the size, shape, texture and color of the scar. If the scar is hard, raised, and dark in color it is more likely to be tender and problematic. Secondly, note the location of the scar. Scars on the neck, lower abdomen, face, head and spine can have profound implications due to the energetics of these areas. Last, palpate around the scar (never directly on top of the scar) to see if there is tenderness or a perception of weakness or emptiness that would indicate a deficiency in that area.

New scars should be left alone for a minimum of four weeks, longer for patients with a slow healing response such as those who are diabetic or have compromised immune systems.

There are many approaches to treating a scar. Scars can be “cleared” by hand. Most of Skya's book is devoted to the Japanese acupuncture technique of palpating the abdomen to determine what acupuncture points would be best treated with acupressure to release areas of tension. Much information is given to “clearing the naval”, which is interestingly considered to be the first scar that we come into the world with. The same logic to treating scars elsewhere on the body would apply. It is worth reading her book to gain this knowledge, even if you are not necessarily a practitioner of Japanese acupuncture.

Secondly, you can clear a scar with acupuncture needles. Palpate the border of the scar and find two of the most tender points. Insert the needle at an angle to go under the scar. Use the thinnest needles possible and retain for only five minutes. Energy can be trapped in these areas and releasing this energy can cause unpredictable reactions that can be considered a healing crisis. Patients should be advised that this can happen, though the symptoms are temporary. Here is a link to an article that Skya wrote for Acupuncture Today on the treatment of scars that gives a little more detail on needle placement.

Liniments can be applied daily around the scar to encourage the proper flow of Qi and Blood. Zheng Gu Shui is a popular choice because it penetrates deeply to move Blood Stasis. Ching Wan Hung is an excellent external treatment for scars from burns because the ingredients not only stop pain and cool heat, but also promote tissue growth.

Moxa is also an effective treatment modality. Patients can be instructed to use the Tiger Thermie Warmer at home to apply pressure around the entire border of a scar. The process should take about three minutes daily. The Tiger Thermie Warmer not only delivers the moxa's heat, but also acts as a mechanical tool to break up obstruction.

In the early stages of scar healing, moisturizers can reduce the size of a scar. Natural Vitamin E oil is one of the most effective oils for this purpose. Burn scars can benefit from aloe vera to reduce the inflammation.

Diet is important during the healing stages of scars. A well-rounded diet with foods rich in Vitamin C and zinc will speed the healing process. Treating new scars can promote faster healing and prevent health issues down the road. Releasing blocked energy from old scars may resolve seemingly unrelated health issues.

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

Posted by Joyce Marley at 05:14 AM | Acupuncture Treatment for Scars

I love the following article by Dr. Amaro because it illustrates the relationship of the acupuncture meridians and shows how a blockage in one part of the body can cause pain in another seemingly unrelated part of the body. Scars can cause the blockage of energy in the acupuncture meridians. This article also shows how treating that blockage without ever touching the painful part of the body can give immediate and lasting relief. I see this everyday in my acupuncture practice. I almost never use an acupuncture needle in the part of the body that has pain. By using the logic of correspondent needling technique that I learned from Master Tung's work, there are many choices of acupuncture points that can be used to relieve pain without ever doing local acupuncture needles.

Master Tung almost always used contralateral insertion of needles to relieve pain. Acupuncture would be applied to the healthy side of the body. If the problem was in the head, he would needle the foot. If the problem was in the lower part of the body, he would needle the upper. If the problem was on the left, he would needle the right. If you image the arm on the leg, the shoulder corresponds to the hip, the elbow corresponds to the knee, the wrist corresponds to the ankle, and the hand corresponds to the foot. There are six meridians that pass thru the arm and six different meridians that pass thru the leg. They are related to each other in a number of different ways. Knowing the meridian relationships will help to find the correct therapeutic acupuncture point to treat the problem.

Acupuncture Treatment of
Polar Opposites and Scar Tissue

By John A. Amaro L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.(NCCAOM), DC

A 42-year-old weekend athlete consulted my office, complaining of disabling right-wrist pain from which he'd been suffering for more than a year. He stated the pain was so intense that his three-times-a-week tennis match had been put on hold, and he had been forced to resign from his company's softball league.

Not only was this patient suffering from the effects of pain and dysfunction, but he also was suffering from the effects of anxiety, fear and uncertainty of the future. He was obviously despondent.

Two previous orthopedic surgeons had been unable to diagnose the cause of the problem, ruling out the usual: carpal tunnel syndrome, sprain, arthritis or any other plausible explanation. He had suffered no known injury to the right wrist. The pain was a complete mystery. Physical therapy had been to no avail; chiropractic care and treatment by a professional acupuncturist also had failed to provide any relief.

The patient was leery, frustrated and unenthusiastic, but still hoping for an answer. General examination of the right wrist was unremarkable, as were the X-rays from the orthopedist. Since the patient already had received eight acupuncture treatments from a licensed acupuncturist and a fellow of the International Academy of Clinical Acupuncture, I advised the patient that anything I could do would probably not be any more productive than his earlier acupuncture experience.

It was then I noticed a rather large irregular scar on the outside of his left ankle. On inquiry, I learned the scar was from an earlier skiing accident. He had fractured his ankle, requiring surgical intervention and pinning. On further questioning, I learned the skiing accident was exactly two months prior to the onset of the right wrist pain, which occurred suddenly and without incident. The pain and dysfunction he experienced in his wrist defied a logical explanation.

One of the most significant cause-and-effect relationships in healing is "what affects the top affects the bottom and what affects the right side affects the left side and vice versa." It also is understood that "the right shoulder affects the left hip, the right elbow affects the left knee, the right wrist affects the left ankle, and vice versa."

With this in mind, I stimulated the entirety of the scar tissue of the left ankle with a teishein (nonpenetrating acupressure device). On the second visit, the scar tissue of the left ankle was stimulated with an electronic acupoint stimulator. I was wondering if the patient thought I was crazy, incompetent, or both, as I had yet to touch his right wrist. On the third visit, the patient advised me the pain was remarkably improved. Following two more visits of the same treatment to the left ankle, the patient said he had played a little tennis with his wife. Three weeks following the initial treatment, the patient reported 100 percent improvement in pain and range of motion. He received a total of eight treatments, and not one time was his right wrist directly treated.

The patient's family and virtually every friend and business associate he has had have been referred to me. It has been almost nine months since I first saw him, and the pain has never returned. My file cabinets are filled with similar case histories, as are those of so many other practitioners who have learned to simply stimulate the scar tissue wherever you find it and never discount the significance of the direct opposite side of the body.

Recently, I received a letter from a prominent practitioner who attended a lecture in which I elaborated on the effects of stimulating scar tissue for various ailments. His letter reads:

"Remember our conversation about treating scar tissue? I told you of a patient who had severe, residual left-posterior scapular pain of five years duration who was resistant to any medical or chiropractic care. Having mentioned the patient had had breast reduction surgery 15 years prior, you advised me to find and treat the scar tissue around the breast. I thought to myself, "This sounds crazy ... I told him it was the left posterior shoulder, and he sends me to the front of the body!" Being a perpetual student, I decided to give your suggestion a try. The scar tissue under and around the breast was stimulated with one of my assistants in attendance. Within two hours the patient reported a complete elimination of pain that has not returned. This was six months ago."

The second case involves a patient with chronically elevated liver enzymes. He was on aggressive medical care, along with abstinence from alcohol and a fat-free diet for three months, only to have an increase in the level of his enzymes. In addition to an obvious chemical imbalance, his history revealed a procedure 14 years earlier (lymphangiogram) that required an incision on top of each foot directly over Liv 3 and 4. The scar tissue from the procedure was large and keloid. I treated the scar twice and repeated the lab work. All liver enzyme values came back within normal limits. His doctor called it "spontaneous remission"; he called it "miraculous."

The person in the third case had left lower-quadrant pain for two weeks and was told by her gynecologist that she had adhesions in her scar from a hysterectomy 10 years ago. He told her surgery to remove the adhesions was her only hope for relief, which would be doubtful at best. Stimulation of the surgical incision along with the ah-shi points in and around her right lower back brought about a complete reduction in pain. The pain is managed as long as she comes in for periodic treatment.

Want to turn some lives around? Then look for complete opposites in locating the possible cause of pain and always remember to stimulate scar tissue wherever you find it, regardless if the scar is from a brilliant life-saving surgery or from a broken glass. Scar tissue may disrupt the flow of qi in the meridian channel. A teishein is a very good modality for stimulation. Electronic stimulation is likewise effective and laser or red-light photodynamic therapy achieves results similar to the needle. Of course, needles with moderate stimulation over the scar with random stimulation achieve phenomenal response.

It is imperative in acupuncture that we remember the polar opposites of yang ming, shao yang, tai yang, shao yin, tai yin and jue yin. This goes for both musculoskeletal and somatovisceral disorders.

About the Author:
John Amaro, L.Ac, D.C. is a renowned author and teacher in the field of medical acupuncture. He is the founder of the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture. He has graciously given me permission to reprint his articles.

Posted by Joyce Marley at 06:51 AM | Acupuncture Scar Treatment

In Chinese medicine, mouth sores (whether they are sores on the lips, sores on the tongue, or sores inside the mouth) are trying to warn you that the environment in your body is out of balance. The location of these sores, the frequency that they occur and what triggers them are all clues to the nature of that imbalance. A practitioner of Chinese medicine takes all of this information, along with other signs and symptoms in the body, to correctly diagnose and treat not only the mouth sores, but also address the general constitution of the patient so that the cause of the problem is eliminated.

In Chinese Medicine, the lips are considered part of the Spleen organ system. The health of the Spleen is reflected on the lips. When the function of the Spleen is weak, the lips become vulnerable to damage either from external factors or Heat and Dampness that may lie dormant in the body. There are several patterns of body imbalances that could be the underlying cause of sores on the lips. In all cases, diet and stress reduction need to be part of the long term treatment program.

The first pattern, Wind Damp Heat, is triggered by exposure to environmental factors - sun or dry wind.
The relative influence of the Heat or the Dryness and whether or not Damp already exists in the body will be reflected in the quality of the sores on the lips. If Wind is prevalent, the lips may itch or quiver. If Heat is prevalent, they will be dry, cracked and painful. If Damp is present, there may be blisters and drainage coming from the lip sores. This pattern can be minimized by wearing a lip protecting sunblock.

When the occurrence of sores on the lips becomes chronic, it is probably because there is an underlying existence of Damp Heat in the Spleen and Stomach. This can happen when the diet has too much spicy food, sugar, dairy, alcohol, and coffee. Smoking and irregular eating habits may also create Heat. Damp Heat in the Spleen and Stomach will have other symptoms such as loose or sluggish stools, loss of appetite, nausea, sticky taste in the mouth. This person may be thirsty but not really want to drink. The tongue may be red with a greasy, yellow coating. Sores may take longer to heal.

When outbreaks are initiated by stress, the culprint is most likely related to Liver Qi Stagnation. Liver Qi stagnation occurs when we are under chronic stress or feel frustrated, depressed and angry. This type of person may suffer from migraines, neck and shoulder tension, teeth grinding and poor sleep - waking between one and three in the morning. Women may suffer from PMS. The pulse may have a very typical “guitar string” wiry quality that is associated with Liver Qi stagnation.

When the energy of the Spleen is deficient, the lips fail to be nourished. A person with Spleen Qi deficiency may have chronic swelling, cracking and bleeding of both lips. They may also have a poor appetite, sallow complexion, poor muscle tone, fatigue and a tendency to have loose stools. The tongue typically looks pale and swollen and may have tooth marks around the edges. When acupuncture and herbs are used to tonify the Spleen, all of these symptoms may improve along with the frequency of the lip sores.

Sores inside the mouth, in Chinese Medicine, may be related to pathology of the Spleen, the Stomach or the Heart. The mouth in general is the sensory organ that is related to the Spleen and in fact a branch of the Spleen meridian spreads out on the underside of the tongue. The tongue, especially the tip of the tongue, is related to the Heart. The gums and inside of the cheeks are related to the yangming meridians, the Stomach and the Large Intestine.

When diagnosing the pattern of disharmony related to these mouth sores, one must also distinguish between a condition of deficiency or excess. Excess type mouth sores are usually quite painful, red and inflamed with a thick discharge. They typically flair up and last a short time. They may be accompanied by bad breath, fever and chills, constipation, thirst and irritability. Acute excess types of mouth sores are due to Heat either contracted externally or generated internally. Internal Stomach Heat is aggravated by improper diet. Sores appear on the gums and cheeks and bad breath, hunger and constipation may accompany the sores. Internal Heart Fire is related to emotional upsets. Sores due to Heart fire are usually confined to the tongue. Insomnia and palpitations may accompany these sores.

Chronic, reoccurring sores that heal very slowly are due to a deficiency. This can be a deficiency of Yin, Yang, or Qi and Blood. A yin deficient person usually feels warm and may have hot flashes or night sweats. They may be nervous and forgetful. The tongue is classically cracked and red with no coating. These mouth ulcers are typically on the tongue and are narrow, painful and hot and may take weeks to heal. A yang deficient person is just the opposite. They feel cold and weak and the tongue is puffy and pale. They may have frequent urination and early morning diarrhea. Yang deficient mouth sores are usually found on the gums and inside the cheeks and have very little pain or color associated with them. Mouth sores associated with Qi and Blood deficiency usually show up when the person is overtired or in women following a menstrual period. Other key symptoms are dizziness, shortness of breath and pale complexion and nails.

There are many traditional acupuncture points that are useful to treat mouth sores and they should be selected based on the patterns described above. Master Tung has two acupuncture points that he used for lip sores. Those points are 77.15 (Upper Lip) and 77.16 (Lower Lip). These points are located on the lower lateral ridge of the patella, on the patellar ligament, below ST35. Master Tung would bleed these points until dark red blood appeared to treat lip problems.

Many herbal formulas are available to treat the constitution of the patient based on the Chinese Medicine diagnosis. These formulas should not be taken without the proper evaluation of a practitioner who is trained in Chinese herbology. There is one herbal product, Xi Gua Shuang, Watermelon Frost, that can be useful as a topical treatment for all acute flare-ups. This product comes in powder, spray and lozenge form. Yin-Care also has a mouth wash product that can be used for sores in the mouth. Yin-Care contains herbs that drain Damp and Damp Heat.

Chinese Medicine can help restore the balance in the body that will greatly reduce or eliminate the frequency of mouth sores. Don't ignore the warnings coming from your own mouth!

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

Posted by Joyce Marley at 02:01 PM | Mouth Sores - Causes and Treatment

In Chinese Herbal Medicine, many foods are included in the medicial literature because of their health benefits. After thousands of years of observation and recorded experience, walnuts have been shown to have very specific therapeutic effects in the human body.

Chinese herbal medicine categorizes herbs based on their taste attribute. An herb can have a taste attribute of acrid, sweet, sour, bitter, salty, bland or astringent. Walnuts fall into the sweet category. Sweet herbs often have tonifying and harmonizing properties.

Chinese herbal medicine also categorizes herbs based on their thermal property. Thermal property describes the temperature of herbs. Herbs can be categorized as cold, cool, neutral, warm and hot. Walnuts fall into the warm category. Many Chinese classic texts state that “Cold diseases must be warmed, and hot diseases must be cooled.” Therefore, appropriate herbs (and foods) are chosen to treat disorders based on their thermal category. Cold herbs would be chosen to treat disorders characterized by heat, such as sore throat and fever. Warm, or hot herbs would be chosen to treat cold conditions such as cold extremities.

Based on their therapeutic effects, herbs are said to enter one or more of the energetic meridians of the body. Walnuts are said to enter the Kidney, Lung and Large Intestine.

Walnuts tonify the Kidney and replenish the Kidney Essence. Kidney Essence controls the growth of teeth and bones and is manifested on the hair. Essence is essential for normal brain development, sexual energy and fertility. Chinese culture deducted thousands of years ago that walnuts benefit the brain. One of the oldest principals of Chinese herbal medicine is that the shape, texture or color of a plant or natural substance may mimic certain parts of the body or attributes of certain diseases and therefore suggest a therapeutic correspondence. Look closely at a walnut half. How cerebral does it look to you?

Walnuts are known to enrich the sperm. Walnuts are an important herb to strengthen the bones. Walnuts are combined with other Kidney tonifying herbs to treat soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees. Walnuts are combined with herbs like he shou wu and dang gui to treat premature gray hair.

Walnuts are said to warm the Lung and stop wheezing. The Kidneys control the reception of the Qi of the air that is breathed in by the Lung. The Lungs send this energy down to the Kidney. When the Kidney cannot hold this Qi, it creates congestion in the chest. This is a frequent cause of chronic asthma, characterized by a weak cough that gets worse with exertion. Walnuts are the perfect herb to treat this cold-type asthma, because walnuts are warm and tonify both the Lung and the Kidney. To treat chronic cough, walnuts are served with honey, another herb in Chinese herbal medicine.

Walnuts moisten the Intestines to treat constipation that is caused by lack of Essence or Blood or both. This often occurs in the elderly or following a chronic illness.

Western medicine now knows that walnuts are a rich source of calcium and omega-3 fatty acids which make them useful in the treatment of osteo and rheumatoid arthrits, bronchial asthma and other degenerative conditions involving poor immunity. But Chinese medicine has known this for centuries.

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

Posted by Joyce Marley at 01:36 PM | Benefits of Walnuts

Last year a woman called me and asked if I had ever done an acupuncture treatment for spasmodic dysphonia. At the time I had to admit that not only had I never treated it, I also had never heard of it. She told me a little about her condition and said that she had found information on the internet about acupuncture having had some success in the treatment of spasmodic dysphonia.

Spasmodic dysphonia is a chronic voice disorder. With spasmodic dysphonia, movement of the vocal cords is forced and strained, resulting in words coming out in a jerky, quivery, hoarse, tight, or groaning voice. Vocal interruptions or spasms, periods of no sound (aphonia), and periods when there is near normal voice occur. Many patients experience tension in the muscles surrounding the neck and shortness of breath. Spasmodic dysphonia can develop into a fear of speaking that can interfere with holding a job. Use of the phone may be especially difficult. In the case of my patient, a lawyer, her whispers were often misinterpreted as an effort to hide something and led to suspicion on the part of her clients. Like many people with spasmodic dysphonia, she had been misdiagnosed for months. I learned that some people may go years before a correct diagnosis is reached. I was intrigued and followed up on her research. She agreed to come in for a consultation.

The pilot study that she was referring to can be found here . The study, “Acupuncture For The Treatment of Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia”, was conducted in 2001 by Dr. Steven Scheer and Dr. Linda Lee. It was small, only 10 participants, but the results were encouraging and because the participants showed significant improvement after only eight acupuncture treatments they concluded that further studies of the use of acupuncture for spasmodic dysphonia should be considered. They suggested that future studies consider additional styles of acupuncture such as scalp acupuncture or Koryo Hand acupuncture.

The study documented above used points on the Lung and Large Intestine meridians and a local Stomach meridian point, ST9. Points were stimulated with electricity. Ear acupuncture points were added to represent the larynx. The ear points seemed to be especially effective. In my practice, my most effective acupuncture treatments are based on Dr. Richard Tan's Balance method and Master Tung acupuncture points. Very rarely are local points or electrical stimulation used. I explained to her that I would like to try treating her condition with a slightly different approach from the study she had read and she agreed to a series of treatments.

For my treatments, I used Master Tung points 77.24 Zuqianjin and 77.25 Zuwujin bilaterally on the leg. They are indicated for throat problems. These points are named after metal (jin) and are therefore related to the lung and large intestine. I did use the auricular larynx acupuncture points since they were so effective in the pilot study and did not interfere with the energetics of my treatment.

I also added three points bilaterally on the Pericardium meridian on the inner wrist. The first point is a half inch proximal to P6. The second point was a half inch distal to P6. And the third point was 1.5 inches distal to P6. I chose these points for several reasons. Holographically this image represents the throat area. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), P5 is often used for a condition called “plum pit qi”. Plum pit qi, or as western medicine calls it, globus hystericus, is the sensation that something is stuck in the throat. The condition is worse with stress, as is spasmodic dysphonia for some people. I also based my choice for these points on the Balance method theory that the Hand Jue Yin meridian (Pericardium) balances the Foot Yang Ming (Stomach) meridian which runs alongside the larynx. These two meridians also balance each other because they are opposite each other on the chinese body clock. The choice to use three points close together on the same meridian is based on the Master Tung Dao Mai or point coupling technique. Master Tung also used acupuncture points near tendons to treat tendon issues. Since spasmodic dysphonia is a rare neurologic spasm of the tendon-like vocal cords, this also reinforced my decision to use the pericardium acupuncture points.

The results for my patient were encouraging. She noticed an improvement in voice quality and a relaxation of the neck muscles making it easier to produce sound. The improvement would last several days after each treatment. At one point, I instructed her in the use of acupressure on the Korean hand acupuncture point correlating to the larynx. She used a ballpoint pen to stimulate this point on the palmer side of the distal joint of the middle finger during a phone conversation, and found that her normal voice replaced what had been a raspy whisper the whole time she applied pressure to that point!

Because she lived a distance from my office, she did not continue with treatments. She decided to pursue Western medical treatment which consists of periodic botox injections. I was surprised, as following the botox injection, she would have difficulty swallowing and the voice would be a whisper for at least a week. Then she would have a normal voice for several weeks, before her condition would again deteriorate. So, she was facing botox injection therapy every three months only to have a respite from her condition for a maximum of 6-8 weeks. Over time, the botulinum toxin may lose its effectiveness. Even worse, there is now some research that indicates there may be risk associated with these injections.

I would love to see further research done on the use of acupuncture to help those suffering from spasmodic dysphonia. Based on my own experience, I believe that acupuncture can help this condition.

About the Author
Joyce Marley is a NYS licensed acupuncturist and is trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine. She incorporates many of Master Tung's acupuncture points in her treatments.

Posted by Joyce Marley at 12:48 PM | Master Tung Acupuncture: Spasmodic Dysphonia

The rise in the incidence of autism is meteoric, and the results are devastating not only to the families whose children are affected, but also to their teachers and society in general. Western medicine still has no answer to the question of what causes autism in children or how to address the symptoms. So, when I learned of the promising results that Dr. Devi Nambudripad is having treating autistic children with her NAET allergy protocol, I felt compelled to pass that information along.

Dr. Nambudripad discovered NAET (Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique) in 1983. NAET blends elements from several medical disciplines including Western medicine, chiropractic, kinesiology, nutrition and a strong emphasis on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) including meridian theory and acupressure. Based on the testimonials given by parents, teachers and physicians of autistic children whose symptoms either improved or disappeared completely with NAET treatments, I think Dr. Nambudripad may be the angel that autism has been looking for.

With more than two decades of NAET work as an allergist, Dr. Nambudripad began to see a huge correlation between allergies and autism. She believes that autism is actually a nutritional deficiency caused by poor digestion and absorption of essential nutrients due to allergies. Without these essential nutrients the brain and nervous system do not develop properly. Toxins from allergens cause swelling that affects brain tissue and the cranial nerves responsible for the proper functioning of the five senses. This explains the inability of autistic people to see, smell, hear, think or talk normally.

According to NAET theory, when a substance is brought into the electromagnetic field of a person, there is either an attraction or repulsion that takes place between the energy of that person and the substance. If there is an attraction, the person can benefit from the substance. If there is a repulsion, there will be an adverse energetic reaction in the person's magnetic field, hence an allergic reaction. With Dr. Nambudripad's training in Traditional Chinese Medicine, she was able to see how this would cause blockages in the energetic pathways of the body (meridians) that have been mapped out by Chinese Medicine for thousands of years. She devotes an entire chapter in her book, “Say Goodbye to Allergy-Related Autism with NAET”, to the pathological changes that can occur in each of the twelve acupuncture meridians when there is an energy blockage. An understanding of Chinese Medicine and the acupuncture meridians is helpful in understanding how NAET works.

There are three steps to an NAET treatment. First, isolate the offending allergen using Neuro Muscular Sensitivity Testing (NST). Secondly, use mild acupressure on specific acupuncture points on specific acupuncture meridians. And lastly, completely avoid the treated allergen for 25 hours after the treatment. Retest the sensitivity to the allergen. Usually, it takes only one treatment to eliminate the allergy towards one allergen. Unfortunately, you can only treat one at a time, and severely autistic children may have dozens, if not over 100 allergies.

Her book discusses 65 categories of allergens. Many are quite familiar – foods such as eggs, wheat, corn, and nuts, for example. But she includes immunizations, drugs, pesticides, heavy metals, and even people in the possible list of offending agents.

NAET is a drug-free, non-invasive technique to treat allergies for all ages. When treatment is started at an early age or as soon as problems are discovered, results are seen quicker and sometimes there can be a complete resolution of the symptoms. Her book, “Say Goodbye to Allergy-Related Autism with NAET” should be read by all parents, teachers and medical professionals whose lives have been touched by the challenges of working with autistic children.

About the Author: Joyce Marley is a licensed acupuncturist who 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 08:16 AM | NAET: Allergies and Autism in Children

Several years ago, before I knew anything about acupuncture or acupressure, I was talked into taking a three day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas. Within an hour of leaving port, the ship was pitching and rolling and I was confined to my cabin so nauseous that I knew this could end up being the longest three days of my life rather than the dream vacation I had hoped for. I recently came across this article written by Dr. Amaro in 1994 and thought I would share it with you. He describes eight very famous acupuncture points that can be stimulated by acupressure to relieve motion sickness and morning sickness. Most ships now have an acupuncturist on board. If you are traveling, bring this article with you. Any acupuncturist can show you the acupuncture points that Dr. Amaro talks about. Nei Guan, P6, on the inner wrist is the acupuncture point that is stimulated by the wrist bands that are now marketed for motion sickness. Don't let your chair be the only empty one on deck!

Relieving Motion and Morning Sickness By
John A. Amaro D.C., FIAMA, Dipl.Ac. (NCCAOM)

It's summertime in the Northern Hemisphere and millions of our patients will be embarking on their long awaited holidays. Throughout Europe, North America, and Asia, countless thousands of our patients and friends, not to mention many of us, will suffer one of the most cruel scourges of the ages -- a condition which brings mighty men to their knees in front of the porcelain throne and has been the ruination of countless perfectly planned vacations. Of course I refer to "motion sickness."

Regardless of the mode of travel, plane, train, boat, bus, or auto, motion sickness strikes often without warning or worse yet, may give the victim hour upon hour of nausea before finally submitting to the will of nature.

It is the rare pregnancy indeed that does not experience a certain degree of "morning sickness" sometime during the term. As any woman who has ever experienced pregnancy can attest, morning sickness can leave an expectant mother miserable for weeks to months, turning an otherwise joyful time into a period of misery.

Fortunately there are several acupuncture points which when stimulated by the patients themselves with a firm pressure for 30-45 seconds per point, or with 20-25 firm taps with a ballpoint pen, produces a remarkable response. It has been my personal observation, that the points described here carry with it a success rate as high as 99 percent overall. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by utilizing these points.

Clip this article for future reference. Should a patient mention their upcoming vacation, inquire if the patient or any family member suffers from motion sickness. If they do, you are about to become a hero. You may be invited to pose with the family for inclusion in the vacation album.

In case of both morning and motion sickness, the patient should stimulate the points illustrated here as described above when an episode of sickness is first coming on and several times during the attack. Repeated stimulation may ward off impending attacks.

The points to treat preferably in the order described are:

TH 17 -- Yi Feng -- Shield the Wind -- directly behind the earlobe
SI 17 -- Tian Rong -- Celestial Receiving -- between earlobe and mandible

P 5 -- Jian Shi -- Intermediary -- four fingers above the palmar wrist crease

P 6 -- Nei Guan -- Inner Gate -- three fingers above the palmar wrist crease

SP 16 -- Fu Ai -- Abdomen Sorrow -- at edge of ribcage under earlobe

ST 36 -- Tsu San Li -- Leg Three Mile -- four fingers breadth below the lateral "eye of the knee" when the knee is bent, next to the tibial tuberosity

LIV 3 -- Tai Chong -- Bigger Rushing -- between the large toe and second toe

ST 45 -- Li Tui -- Severe Mouth -- Lateral aspect of nail bed of second toe

Have a great summer and remember to utilize these points on all of your motion and morning sickness patients. It will definitely be of tremendous benefit.

About the Author:
John Amaro, L.Ac, D.C. is a renowned author and teacher in the field of medical acupuncture. He is the founder of the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture. He has graciously given me permission to reprint his articles.

Posted by Joyce Marley at 06:41 AM | Acupressure for Motion Sickness and Morning Sickness