Acupuncture around the world
Photo by misscaro
I recently found an interesting article on the World Acupuncture Blog comparing Japanese style acupuncture to Chinese style acupuncture. The blog mostly discusses the advantages of Japanese style acupuncture, and even has a video treating a children!. I love the idea of using the red balloon for distraction, and I also feel it’s important to let the kids “help” and be able to see what is going on.
And on that pediatrics note, Chinese Medicine Notes wrote a great post about learning to treat children with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)- I can’t wait to hear more about this, as I feel a lot of parents are more ready that ever to treat their kids without using too many drugs.
The Acupuncture Relief Project is doing really well over in Nepal. They have posted pictures of them treating - up to 10 hours a day! They are busy, but are enjoying being able to help so many people.
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Herbs for Fall: Lung Clear lozenges
Another one of my favorite formulas for fall is Golden Lotus Botanicals Lung Clear lozenges. These little lozenges really help clear up coughs and congestion using menthol combined with Chinese herbs. It contains honey and sugar, instead of artificial sweeteners, both of which are good for the Lungs (but must be taken cautiously if diabetic).
I have used these little lozenges since I heard about them three years ago, and now several of my friends and neighbors are hooked on them as well. I usually try to buy them at the OCOM herbal dispensary, but they are usually out of stock! I have also seen Lung Clear at New Seasons, but recently they have also been often out of stock or on back order.
So if you can find them, give them a try- I’m sure they won’t disappoint!
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More herbs for Fall: Gan Mao Ling
Last week I wrote a post about Yin Qiao San, the amazing cold formula that I love. This week, it;s only fair to now discuss a formula I consider on par- Gan Mao Ling (”Miraculous Cold Pills”). I’ve personally had the best luck with this combination and give them to my friends and family whenever they are taking a plane trip or feeling under the weather (one of my family members can’t remember the name of either formula, but knows that the “black pills (Gan Mao Ling) and the white pills (Yin Qiao San with coating)” always work!).
The only brand I have experience with is the Plum Flower brand, with also comes in the same convenient travel packets (24 doses for $12.99). It hasn’t let me down yet! Wing Mings carries a lot of different brands, and it’s a well-known tablet in TCM patent formulas.
You can take these in conjunction with Yin Qiao San, but if you already have a cold with the symptoms of congestion, headache, fatigue, etc., then this is the one for you. It really helps to clear up basic cold symptoms. However, if your symptoms get worse, you may need something stronger or a more specifically tailored formula. And, as always, check in with your practitioner if you have any questions or concerns about taking herbal formulas, and for dosage recommendations.
Stay healthy!
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Veterans Day 2008
Poster from: US Dept of Veteran Affairs
Last year, my Masters project group designed the first stage of a trial to evaluate the affect of group acupuncture on veteran’s with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The community project we were most interested in is the Portland Veterans Acupuncture Project (PVAP). This non-profit, no cost clinic started up last October and has been going strong ever since.
I recently heard that they are treating more patients than ever, with numbers around 70 patients in 4 hours. PVAP treats not only veterans with PTSD, but also their families. Check out their site and spread the word- I really hope we can get more of these clinics up and running at some point. It is a drop-in service, so there is no need to make and appointment, but if you have questions, the contact e-mail is pvap3@yahoo.com
Thank you to those who have served.
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The Acupuncture Relief Project has arrived
Photo by Garret Fabian: www.acupuncturereliefproject.com
The latest news from the arrival of the acupuncturists in Nepal is online! The Acupuncture Relief Project has set up in Kathmandu and have officially started this incredible project. Go to their website to see other blog postings and subscribe to their blog. You can even donate to these wonderful OCOM grads who are making a difference in Nepal.
(From www.acupuncturereliefproject.com):
“We are adjusting well at the Gompa. The building is quite nice and
even has marble flooring throughout. They builders just added a rather
large reception desk that really puts a nice touch to the main room on
the first floor of the clinic. We live in the second floor of the
building and on the rooftop there are two spacious decks to see the
surrounding view from. Next to our building is the monastery proper
which is often filled with the groans of instruments. There is one
smaller building adjacent to the monastery which is where classes are
held and where we also eat all of our meals with the monks, or ‘mini
monks’ as we affectionately refer to them as. During meals we can
always look up to find many sets of eyes gazing at us.
Tomorrow we will be heading out into the community to meet with some
other people to answer questions they may have and to raise awareness
of our clinic. We will also spend half of the day working with the
three nuns who will be our interpreters. We gave the nuns treatments so
that they might have an idea as to what acupuncture is like much to the
chagrin of one originally very hesitant nun. Tuesday our clinic will
officially open and we’re hopeful we will see some brave patients grace
our doorstep.
The commute between Kathmandu and Chapagaon is quite a wild affair.
It might be 10-12 miles in total but it can take 60-90mins. travel
time. There are very narrow roads that have seemingly no driving laws
whatsoever. We will be coming up to Kathmandu on weekends to enjoy hot
showers and restaurants and we are very excited to have food choices
upon returning to the city! We’re gearing up to head back to Chapagaon
now, stay tuned for more.”
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Herbs for Fall: Yin Qiao San
Photo from: www.mayway.com
Yin Qiao San is an old and effective formula for cold-like symptoms which I often recommend to my friends and family, many of whom are teachers or work closely with the public on a regular basis. When Airborne came out on the market, some TCM practitioners noticed it had a lot of the same herbs as Yin Qiao San, with added vitamin C and a few extra minerals (plus added sugar and coloring). I’m sure they both work well, but I’m definitely partial to Yin Qiao.
Whats in it? You can check out the list of ingredients here, but keep in mind that though it boasts a delicious-sounding list of honeysuckle, mint, and licorice root, the uncoated form doesn’t taste so great. However, there are several of brands that offer a sugar-coated coated alternative if you have a hard time with the taste.
Where can I buy it? Uwajimaya, Fu Bonn, and Wing Mings (next to Fu Bonn on 82nd street) all carry it, but I’ve found that only Wing Mings carries it it the Plum Flower brand of convenient travel packets (24 doses for $12.99), which my family loves. They are great for travelling with as well, and have kept me from getting sick after airplane trips when combined with Gan Mao Ling.
Why would I need it? If you have a sore throat, cough, and possibly a stuff nose indicating that a cold is well on it’s way to making your life miserable. This formula is amazing in chasing it out of your body by making you “sweat it out,” somewhat, and it usually works pretty quickly. Follow the directions on the packet (there are a lot of different brands and companies who produce it- my personal favorite at the moment is Plum Flower), and prepare to feel better in the midst of this beautiful but cold fall in the great Northwest.
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Top 5 reasons to seek an acupuncture treatment
There are endless issues that acupuncture can treat, and unfortunately, a lot of people don’t know just how many acute or chronic problems acupuncture can help with.
1. Pain (includes headaches, joint pain, back, shoulder and knee pain)
2. Weight loss management (acupuncture can help with all stages with the use of body and ear acu-points. Practitioners can even use ear seeds to help curb hunger.
3. Mental/emotional health (depression, grief, anxiety, addiction, and even insomnia)
4. Menstrual cycles (PMS symptoms, cramping, early or late cycles)
5. Menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, emotional symptoms, insomnia)
…..and so much more! If anyone has any other thoughts to add onto this “Top 5 list” please leave a comment and let me know your opinions. Thanks!
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Celebrate AOM Day!
Today is the 6th anniversary of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AOM) Day. Colleges and clinics all over the nation and the world are celebrating this special day. I’m sure there are even a few clinics and practitioners honoring this day in Portland, so if you’ve never tried acupuncture or tried a Chinese herbal medicine formula, today might just be the day to set up that appointment or check out a community acupuncture treatment. Or just stop by OCOM or NCNM to see what it’s all about!
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What Can TCM Treat? Post-surgical Acupuncture and Herbs
Healing after a surgery is usually not the most pleasant time for anyone. Most people expereince some amoutn of pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lack of lucidity, and other various side effects from the pain medications. While it is necessary to manage the pain in an efficient and quick manner, it is possible in a lot of cases to do it without the use of drugs. Pain drugs, such as morphine, have to be metabolized while your body is trying to put all of it’s energy into healing.
Acupuncture helps to release endorphins, or the natural “pain killing” mechanism the body already has. It’s very safe, and contributes to the healing of the wound created by the surgery, and body acu-points that aren’t near the surgical site can be used to stop the pain. Electroacupuncture machines may also be used, as it’s easier to turn the current up or down according to the patients comfort level. The use of acupuncture and even massage can speed up the process much faster than without it.
There are a lot of great Chinese herbal medicine remedies for post-surgical trauma as well. The burn salve Ching Wan Hung, which also has skin-regenerating properties. For wounds that continue to bleed or have a lot of bruising, Yunnan Bai Yao can be used to help stop the internal bruising and external bleeding. This “secret” formula comes in many different and easy to use forms, such as plasters, powder, capsules and sprays. It is inexpensive, and can be found in most Chinese Medicine grocery stores and Asian grocery stores
It’s important to remember that movement can be key with healing (depending on the surgery, of course). Getting up and walking helps move the blood around, instead of letting it stagnate which can lead to pain. While cool foods might seem like a good idea, it’s also important to eat warm and nourishing foods to help you heal, such as soups, herbal teas, and meat broths to help build up strength.
For more information, here is another site that gives information on why acupuncture should be used after cosmetic surgical procedures, and Medscape had more on postoperative pain management.
Keep in mind that all of these tips can also be applied to animals undergoing surgery- their response to Chinese Herbal Medinice and acupuncture can be very similar to humans!
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What Can Acupuncture Treat? Anesthesia during Surgery
Acupuncture anaesthesia, Shanghai, 1977 by Quarrion (David)
Using acupuncture in addition to or instead of anesthesia during surgery is an idea that is nearly unthinkable here in the west. That being said, electroacupuncture is often used in China as surgical anesthesia, as the stimulation is often stronger and easy to adjust the strength of the current. The points that are used are often specific to whatever surgery is being done.
Patients who use this method instead of going under general anesthesia often have an easier recovery, which means less nausea and vomiting, no lack of lucidity, and much less drowsiness. It’s important that the patient be familiar with acupuncture, and also aware of any possible problems, as they will be awake during the surgery. I think the drug-free method of surgical procedures is a great idea, and a teacher of mine at OCOM took part in an acupuncture anesthesia a few years ago at OHSU.
Roger Lore, DAOM assisted with breast reconstruction surgery for a patient who had a mastectomy due to breast cancer. He describes the mood of the patient during the surgery as well has her quick recovery. He describes how the patient was lucid throughout the procedure, and that she was able to get off of the surgery table by herself after the procedure was finished. When the surgery took place at the Oregon Health Sciences University, acupuncture points were used on the arms, feet, scalp, and ears. The patient reported feeling some pain during the surgery, but refused any chemical anesthesia. She was very happy with the procedure, and felt much better than after surgeries where general anesthesia had been used.
You can read the article written by Dr. Roger Lore online at www.scalpacupuncture.org (scroll down to #6). For another great article that goes into more detail about the use of acupuncture anesthesia in China, check out www.gancao.net.
NOTE: If you want to see a video of a Cesarean section performed while the patient is only under acupuncture anesthesia, check out this link (it’s not in English, by the way). WARNING! It is a graphic video of a Cesarean birth - if you are at all queasy with blood, body fluids, or birth, then stop the video at 5:15. If not, it’s pretty cool…
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