Articles

Magic Moxa Treatment for Menieres

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:

Abdominal Acupuncture for Back Pain

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.

Acupuncture And Fertility: Improve Your Parenting Potential

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.

Acupuncture For Fibromyalgia Testimonial

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.

Making Chinese Herbal Formulas into Alcohol Extracts by Jake Paul Fratkin, OMD

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.

Chinese Herbal Remedies and Medicated Liquors

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.
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Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and The Scoop on Poop

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.

Acupuncture Treats Frozen Shoulder – A Testimonial

Acupuncture has been treating frozen shoulder syndrome for thousands of years. It is a condition that I commonly see in my practice. Quickest results are seen when acupuncture treatment is sought soon after the onset of pain and limited range of motion.

The Heart in Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine, like Western medicine, believes that the Heart is responsible for the circulation of Blood and the health of the blood vessels. If the Heart is strong, circulation will be good, all of the body’s tissues will be well nourished, and the pulse will be full and regular. Physiologically, both believe that a weak Heart can lead to palpitations and chest pain – even heart attack. Chinese medicine believes that the Heart controls sweating. So, it is no surprise that one of the main symptoms of a heart attack is breaking out in a cold sweat.

Chinese medicine also believes that the Heart “houses the mind”. This may be a difficult concept to grasp, but according to Chinese medicine, the health of the Heart energy has a lot to do with our mental activity – even consciousness. The Heart governs our ability to sleep soundly, think clearly and have a good memory. A healthy Heart plays a big role in our emotional health and our ability to have meaningful relationships. When the Heart energy is weak and Blood is deficient, we may suffer from anxiety, insomnia, forgetfulness, inability to concentrate, and in extreme cases manic behavior or coma.

Plum Blossom Treatment For Depression

Here is a treatment that I learned from Bob Flaws, author of “Curing Depression Naturally”, that I often incorporate into a treatment plan for my patients suffering from depression. I do this in my office, but it is also something that can be taught to a partner and done at home. It is done with an instrument called a plum blossom, or seven star hammer. This is an inexpensive plastic tool with seven small needles embedded on the head. The hammer is used to stimulate specific acupuncture points that are known to have a beneficial effect to move stagnant energy in the body or to calm the mind.