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Seasonal Affective Disorder alleviate by Acupuncture and light box therapy

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Seasonal Affective Disorder alleviate by Acupuncture and light box therapy

Acupuncture can help with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Now that the hours of daylight are becoming so few, it is time for us to get our acupuncture treatment and SAD lights going. Yes. SAD stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder. These lights that help reduce the effects of the shortened daylight hours. You may have noticed that you begin feeling “blue” or depressed sometime in December or January. This is commonly the result of the reduced hours of light during our day. Using a 10,000 lux daylight bulb light for 20 minutes upon getting up in the morning is one of the best ways to alleviate SAD before it happens. NOW is the time to begin doing this, because by the time you have symptoms, it will not work as well. The light that I use is the Sun Touch Plus from the Nature Bright company. It is a lightweight box that I can place next to me in the morning while I read or do emails first thing. You can even use it during meditation. Just point it toward yourself even with eyes closed, at about 2 feet away. It really helps.

The other thing that can really help is acupuncture. I’m now using an approach called Sa’am acupuncture that is very powerful with just 4 needles. WE can bring you energy, help with conditions worsened by cold damp, assist with craving sweets (holidays are coming up), and help with insomnia. A few sessions of acupuncture at this time in the year can help us get back into balance as the seasons change around us.

Our body is very sensitive to seasons, outdoor temperatures and humidity. However, we can do a lot to optimize our health and comfort during these changes.

Call for your appointment today. 319-341-0031

Acupuncture Plus Herbs Alleviate Pediatric Insomnia

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Acupuncture and herbs improve sleep for children with intractable insomnia. Kaifeng Pediatric Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers find that the An Hun herbal formula combined with acupuncture applied to a single acupoint is effective for the relief of intractable pediatric insomnia. In a randomized controlled investigation, a total of 104 children were recruited for the study and were randomly assigned to a treatment group or a control group. The cured, markedly effective, and effective scores were added together to determine the total effective rate. In the acupuncture plus herbs treatment group, there were 20 cured, 25 markedly effective, 4 effective, and 3 ineffective cases, yielding a total effective rate of 94.2%. [1]

 

Acupuncture and Herbs
Participants in both groups were offered guidance in the areas of sleep hygiene, family sleep management, and diet. In addition, participants in the treatment group were prescribed the An Hun herbal formula.

Acupuncture was administered to a single acupoint: Yintang.

The results of this study indicate that a combined protocol of acupuncture and herbs provide effective relief from intractable insomnia in children. The use of a single acupoint proved effective, making this treatment suitable for young children that may have difficulty sitting still.

Retrieved from HealthCMi

Reference:
1. Zhu Bao (2018) “Clinical research on acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine for children with intractable sleep disorders” Chinese Integrative Medicine Pediatrics Vol. 10 (5) pp. 400-403.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Topical Acne Treatment

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Qing Dai and acupuncture help to clear the skin from acne.

External pastes for the treatment of acne complement internal herbal medicine and acupuncture. A great external paste for the treatment of acne is comprised of Qing Dai (Indigo Naturalis) mixed with either fresh bitter melon or cucumber juice.

Qing Dai enters the Lung, Liver and Stomach channels. Qing Dai clears heat and toxins, cools the blood and stops bleeding. Order Qing Dai in the powdered raw herb form. It is best to avoid raw herbs that have been processed with sulfur and phosphates, please check with your supplier.

The patient takes the paste and generously applies it to the areas where the acne is located. It is best to leave the paste on the affected regions for at least twenty minutes but longer periods are preferred. Next, the patient carefully washes off the paste. It is best to repeat this process everyday until the acne resolves.

Qing Dai imparts a temporary green color to the skin, which is not permanent. The patient should be prepared to wash thoroughly in order to remove all of the green coloring. In addition, the patient needs to know that Qing Dai stains clothing and that it is often best to wear an old shirt when applying the paste. To learn more about Traditional Chinese Medicine dietetics and the treatment of acne, visit the blog item on that topic.

Health CMI

Acupuncture Beats Drug for Post-Stroke Constipation Relief

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Acupuncture outperforms lactulose for the alleviation of post-stroke constipation and the regulation of gastrointestinal hormones. Qujing First People’s Hospital researchers investigated the benefits of a liver-soothing and qi-regulating acupuncture protocol and a drug for the treatment of post-stroke constipation. Acupuncture provided superior short and long-term relief from post-stroke constipation and improvements in relevant gastrointestinal hormone levels.

The treatment group received conventional acupuncture. The control group was given lactulose oral solutions. Both groups underwent treatment for 6 weeks with a 4-week follow-up examination.

One acupuncture session was applied every day, for a grand total of 6 weeks.

Summary
Objective and subjective data indicates that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of post-stroke constipation.

Looking at the point selection made by the research team, they chose traditional acupoints often used for the treatment of constipation and then tested it with a modern scientific method. Essentially, the clinical study attempted to adhere to traditional acupuncture techniques within the parameters of a controlled investigation seeking to limit variables.

 

References:
[1] Gao YH, Li JM, Su M, Li YL. Acupuncture with smoothing liver and regulating qi for post-stroke slow transit constipation and its gastrointestinal hormone level [J]. Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion, 2017,37(02):125-129.
[2] Hutson JM, Chow CW, Borg J. Intractable constipation with a decrease in substance P-immunoreactive fibres: is it a variant of intestinal neuronal dysplasia? [J]. J Pediatr Surg. 1996 Apr;31(4):580-3.
[3] Fahrenkrug J. Transmitter role of vasoactive intestinal peptide [J]. Pharmacol Toxicol. 1993 Jun;72(6):354-63.
[4] Koch TR, Carney JA, Go L, Go VL. Idiopathic chronic constipation is associated with decreased colonic vasoactive intestinal peptide [J]. Gastroenterology. 1988 Feb;94(2):300-10.
[5] Chinese Neuroscience Society, Chinese Neurosurgical Society. Diagnostic criteria for various cerebrovascular diseases[J]. Chinese Journal of Neurology, 1996, 29 (6): 379-381.
[6] The Anorectal Surgery Group of Surgery Branch of Chinese Medical Association. Constipation symptoms and evaluation of curative effects[J]. Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2005, 8(4): 355-356.

Retrieved from Health CMI

Acupuncture: Effective Test Anxiety Relief Confirmed

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Acupuncture: Effective Test Anxiety Relief Confirmed by Research

Acupuncture alleviates test anxiety. Changchun University of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers conducted a clinical trial consisting of undergraduate students with test anxiety, a type of performance anxiety. The results demonstrate that acupuncture reduces pre-examination anxiety and reduces sleep disturbances. [1]

Outcomes
After one week,  scores in all groups reduced slightly. After two weeks, scores in the non-treatment control group remained relatively stable, while scores in the traditional and scalp acupuncture groups fell further. After four weeks, scores in the control group were close to starting values, while the traditional and scalp acupuncture groups fell to about 1/4 of starting values respectively. One week post-treatment, respective HAMA scores for the three groups were sustained. The results indicate that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of test anxiety.

Reference:
Guo-juan Dong, Di Cao, Yue Dong, Jing Zhang, Fu-chun Wang (2018). “Scalp acupuncture for sleep disorder induced by pre-examination anxiety in undergraduates,” World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, vol. 28, pp. 156-160.

Source: HealthCMi

Saam Acupuncture, Acupuncture of Wandering Monks

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I have recently been studying a new method of acupuncture, called Sa’am acupuncture. My teacher is Toby Daly LAc from Northern California, and he calls it “The Acupuncture of Wandering Monks”. He learned this style while traveling in the far east and meeting one such wandering monk, named Doam. Toby traveled and studies with this man for several months, then returned to the US and went to acupuncture school, and then pursued  a doctoral degree in Chinese medicine and has now been in practice for over 20 years. He has learned a great deal about the Sa’am system and is now teaching it to acupuncturists such as myself. I was in the first ever class in the US in Seattle in late January of this year.

This style of acupuncture is deceptively simple, using just 4 needles to achieve profound results. For example, this week in my Community Acupuncture clinic I had a young woman seek help for severe cramping pain on the left side of her neck and top of her shoulder. I placed 4 needles on the right side of her body and the pain disappeared. She and I were both very happy to see that.

I’ve been using primarily Sa’am in the clinic since about December of 2018, and am experimenting with how to best apply it, and learning a lot more about what works and what does not.

One of the interesting things about this system is that it treats both “root” and “branch”. I like to call them “the problem that underlies all your issues” and “the pain or other issue that brought you here today”. They also can be called “foundational disharmony” and “presenting problem or symptom”. In a lot of acupuncture systems we treat root and branch in the same treatment, but we’ll do some points for root and some for branch. Here they are the same. Those four points get it all.

Another interesting aspect of this type of acupuncture is that it is based on the use of the 5 Elements or 5 Phases: Wood, Earth, Metal, Water, Fire. Many readers have heard of this. But in Sa’am, this is combined with the 6 conformations or the 6 channels. Those are Tai Yang, Yang Ming, Shao Yang, Jue Yin, Shao Yin, and Tai Yin. No other acupuncture system that I know of is based on the 6 channel theory. We mostly use that theory for the prescription of herbs. And Sa’am acupuncture superimposes these two systems to provide a powerful rubric for the diagnosis and treatment of a patient.

Another interesting thing about Sa’am is that the most powerful treatments will only use needles on one side of the body. Traditionally it is the right side for women and the left side for men. We westerners might think this is kind of old fashioned thinking, but I’ve chosen to practice as I was taught, since that is what works. The idea of only needles on one side, or even just 4 needles is counter-intuitive for our Western minds as well, because most of us subscribe to the “more is better” theory of treatment. However, Sa’am is so powerful and accurate in targeting the best way to balance a problem, that adding more needles actually makes it less effective.

I think this Sa’am acupuncture system is the first one I’ve ever seen that really does the magic that I always I assumed acupuncture could do before I went to school for it. I know that many of my patients are hoping for a miracle, and I’ve tried a number of very prominent systems of acupuncture, testing each one for a few years before moving on to the next. The Sa’am system is the most powerful system I have ever used. And the simplest for me to use. So it will now become my main approach for most patients. There will still be times that I might do some other things, depending on the case, but I’ll use Sa’am as much as I can to help as many people as I can.

I continue to study with Toby in webinars and personal trainings, and I hope to continue to develop my expertise in this powerful system.

The wandering monk, Doam, belonged to a group of Korean monks who wander all the time, helping people using acupuncture. Doam has no monastery where he lives, he moves about all the time, finding people to help at every point along the journey. It was his wish that we use this method to help the most people as possible, and I am honored to find myself in his lineage. As long as I practice acupuncture I’ll use Sa’am to help as many people as I can.

Acupuncture Reduces Post-Stroke Depression, Restores Function

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Acupuncture Reduces Post-Stroke Depression, Restores Function

Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers find acupuncture effective for the alleviation of post-stroke depression and the restoration of neurological functions. The research, conducted at the university’s Shuguang Affiliated Hospital, compared outcomes from two groups: acupuncture and control. Both groups received treatment according to the China Guidelines for Prevention and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease. This included medications to control blood pressure, improve cerebral circulation, reduce inflammation, promote neuronal regeneration, and for secondary complications such as respiratory infections and pressure sores. In addition, the acupuncture group received a pre-selected set of acupuncture points.

The incidence of depression in each group was also taken into consideration. At baseline, 22 patients in the acupuncture group and 24 in the control group were classified as suffering from depression. After one week of treatment, these figures fell to 17 and 22 respectively. After four weeks of treatment, just seven patients in the acupuncture group were classified as depressed compared with 20 patients in the control group (p<0.05).

Discussion
The outcomes of this study indicate that acupuncture reduces both the incidence and severity of post-stroke depression while simultaneously improving neurological recovery, and is more effective than usual care alone. Treatment may be more effective when administered as early as possible once cerebral bleeding has stopped and the patient is in a stable condition.

 

Reference:
Chen Aiwen, Gao Yuan, Wang Guantao, Li Jia, Shen Weidong (2018) “Effect of early acupuncture on post-stroke depression: a randomized controlled trial” Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion Vol.38 (11) pp. 1141-1144.

Source: HealthCMi

 

Acupuncture And Herbs Beat Hormones For Menstrual Irregularity

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Acupuncture And Herbs Beat Hormones For Menstrual Irregularity

Research demonstrates that acupuncture plus herbs outperform hormone drugs for the treatment of irregular menstruation. A study conducted at the People’s Hospital of Zhangwu County (Liaoning) tested the efficacy of a modified version of the herbal formula Xiao Yao San combined with acupuncture. In a controlled clinical trial, the results of the combined acupuncture and herbal medicine therapy were compared with patients receiving hormonal medications.

The drug therapy group achieved an 80% total effective rate. The acupuncture plus herbs group achieved a 92% total effective rate. Women in the acupuncture plus herbs group experienced significantly fewer adverse effects than those in the hormone medication group,  indicating that the Chinese medicine treatment protocol has a high efficacy rate and is also well-tolerated by patients.

Summary
The results of this study indicate that acupuncture and herbs offer significantly greater relief from menstrual irregularity and its associated symptoms when compared with conventional oral hormonal treatments. The treatment is well-tolerated and has a low risk of adverse effects. For more information, contact your local, licensed acupuncturist.

Reference:
1. Peng Dan, Du Anyang (2018) “Therapeutic effect of Xiao Yao San combined with acupuncture on patients with menstrual irregularity due to liver depression and spleen deficiency” World’s Latest Medical Information Digest Vol. 18 (82) pp. 145.

Source: HealthCMi

Acupuncture For Autism Found Effective

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Acupuncture For Autism Found Effective

 

Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, University of Hong Kong researchers reveal that electroacupuncture improves core functions in children with ASD, especially language comprehension and self-care ability. True acupuncture was compared with sham acupuncture and only true acupuncture provided significant clinical outcomes. Based on the evidence, University of Hong Kong researchers conclude that “acupuncture might be a useful adjunctive therapy in early interventional programs for children with ASD.” [1]

The research is among the first double-blind randomized clinical trials investigating the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture for the treatment of ASD.

Design
A total of 55 patients participated in the study and underwent post-treatment assessment. The treatment group received electroacupuncture on acupoints upon the scalp.

For the sham acupuncture group, the total number of needles, electroacupuncture settings, and duration of treatment time were identical to those of the true acupuncture group; however, sham acupuncture patients received needling at non-meridian sites that were 3–5 cm lateral to the selected acupoints for the true acupuncture group. Both groups received conventional intervention or educational programs for ASD. Two patients from the EA group also received neuroleptic drugs during the study.

Evaluations
Multiple instruments were used to measure patient outcomes.  The researchers add that the measurement tools were chosen based on the researchers’ 25 years of experience with ASD interventions. In addition, assessment tools were applied by parents and professional assessors that were blind to the allocation of groupings. Parents were instructed on how to properly use the assessment tools.

The researchers conclude, “A short, four-week (12 sessions) course of electroacupuncture is useful to improve core functions in children with ASD, especially for language comprehension and self-care ability.”

Results
The researchers reference a report noting that “About 40% of ASD children have used complementary and alternative medicine, with acupuncture being the most common modality.” [3] The results of the current investigation showed significant changes in favor of true acupuncture treatment, including improvements in language comprehension, self-care assistance, social initiation, receptive language, motor skills, coordination, and attention span. They add that most patients demonstrated good compliance with very limited side effects.

 

Notes
[1] Wong V, Chen W X, Liu W L. Randomized Controlled Trial of Electro-Acupuncture for Autism Spectrum Disorder [J]. Alternative Medicine Review, 2010, 15( 2) :136－146.
[2] Chen W X, Liu W L, Wong V. Electroacupuncture for children with autism spectrum disorder: pilot study of 2 cases [J]. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine， 2008, 14(8) :1057－1065.
[3] Wong VC. Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD): comparison of Chinese and Western culture (Part A). J Autism Dev Disord 2009;39:454-463.

Source: HealthCMi

Acupuncture Plus Herbs Beat Ibuprofen For Menstrual Pain

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Acupuncture Plus Herbs Beat Ibuprofen For Menstrual Pain

 

Acupuncture and herbs outperform ibuprofen for menstrual pain relief. Jiangxi Maternal Health Hospital researchers conducted a controlled clinical trial comparing the effects of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine versus ibuprofen for the relief of menstrual related abdominal and lumbosacral pain. Acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medicine produced a 91.7% total effective rate. Herbal medicine monotherapy produced an 86.7% total effective rate. Ibuprofen monotherapy produced a 73.3% total effective rate. The findings indicate that acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medicine is more effective than ibuprofen for the relief of dysmenorrhea. [1]

Dysmenorrhea
Diagnostic criteria for the study were abdominal or lumbosacral pain before, during, or after menstruation. Pain was described as dull, distending, or stabbing in nature, and was accompanied by nausea, vomiting, cold limbs, or cold sweats. The symptoms were cyclic in nature and, in some cases, so severe that they led to fainting.

The women were required to be ages 15–35 years, have a regular menstrual cycle lasting 25–34 days, and have received no related treatment in the month prior to the study. All women were approved by the hospital ethics committee and gave voluntary, informed consent to participate.

Exclusion criteria included secondary dysmenorrhea due to uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), recent analgesic treatment, damaged skin at acupoint sites, concurrent heart, liver, kidney, or hematologic diseases, psychiatric disorders, pregnancy, or lactation. Women having previously given birth were also excluded, as were those currently taking part in other clinical trials.

Outcomes
The women were asked to rate their menstrual pain using the numeric rating scale (NRS) and were given a dysmenorrhea severity score according to official Chinese medicine gynecology research guidelines. In the acupuncture plus herbs treatment group, there were 44 cured, 11 effective, and 5 ineffective cases, yielding a total effective rate of 91.7%. In control group 1, there were 39 cured, 13 effective, and 8 ineffective cases, yielding a total effective rate of 86.7%. In control group 2, there were 36 cured, 8 effective, and 16 ineffective cases, yielding a total effective rate of 73.3%. The results indicate significantly greater improvements in the acupuncture plus herbs treatment group compared with the two controls (p<0.05).

The results of this study indicate that the combination of acupuncture and herbs significantly reduces the severity of dysmenorrhea and performs better than ibuprofen or herbal medicine alone. The researchers determined that the acupuncture and herbal medicine treatment is safe and is not associated with adverse effects.

 

Reference
1. Peng Yao (2018) “Clinical Study on the Treatment of Primary Dysmenorrhea with Acupuncture Combined with Huo Xue Hua Yu Decoction” Jiangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Vol.49 (430) pp.53-55.

Source: HealthCMi

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