Acupuncture Health Blog

We’ve all been there, hunkered down over the toilet with an upset stomach.  Whether from the stomach flu, something you ate, or a few too many cocktails, an upset stomach is no fun.  Most of us have almost funny stories of vomiting in inappropriate places or at the wrong time.  This includes my kid, who has never been able to make it to the toilet in time.  The one time he made it to the toilet; he failed to lift the lid, so it doesn’t count as a home run.

There is nothing funny, however, about chronic nausea, whether due to morning sickness or as the result of chemotherapy treatments.  It can result in dehydration, exhaustion, weight loss, and may aggravate already existing health conditions.

In Chinese medicine, nausea and vomiting are the result of something called counterflow Qi, or energy moving in the wrong direction.  Ideally, stomach energy moves downward, but under certain circumstances, it can move in the wrong direction.  Other examples of counterflow Qi include the hiccups, heartburn, coughing, and in some instances, diarrhea.  Nausea and vomiting can have a number of underlying causes in Chinese medicine, including a Liver/Stomach disharmony, food stagnation, an external pathogen (the flu), and even phlegm and dampness.

Chinese medicine has much to offer to relieve nausea and vomiting.  One of the best known remedies for nausea is ginger root.  Ginger was found to be effective in relieving chemotherapy related nausea in a recent study at the University of Rochester.  The results of the study indicated that ginger capsules taken prior to the administration of chemotherapy drugs were effective in decreasing nausea in cancer patients.  Ginger can also be taken in the form of tea, or can be grated into food or taken with hot water.  In addition to ginger, there are a number of Chinese herbal formulas that effectively calm an upset stomach. 

Acupuncture treatments can also successfully treat nausea and vomiting.  An acupuncturist would determine the underlying pattern causing your nausea, and develop a treatment to relieve the symptoms and deal with the cause.  One point that you can use at home with acupressure is called Pericardium 6.  It’s found on the palm side of your wrist about two inches from your wrist crease (in the direction of your elbow), right between the tendons.  Feel around in the area for a slightly tender spot, and stimulate that point by applying pressure for a few minutes with your finger or thumb.

The following is a guest blog from Catriona Boyle who works with an online counseling and hypnotherapy directory in the UK.  Clearly, the effects of our economic problems are worldwide!

As the credit crunch bites down harder, more stress is being put onto already weary shoulders, as people struggle with money, holding down jobs, and having financial security. Stress and all the problems associated with it is one of the less obvious effects of the economic downturn. Experts predict that the mental strain and drain is only truly starting to show, and could be one of the most long-lasting effects of the recession.

Stress can lead to many other problems, both mental and physical. People suffering from stress may go on to develop further long-term mental health illnesses, such as depression or anxiety. Physical ailments can include aches and pains, digestive issues, and even heart problems.

So, in such testing times, relaxation is paramount. There are many ways to aid relaxation - much more than just taking a few deep breaths. Alternative therapies lend themselves well to this - by their very nature they bring a calming, tranquil influence, treating the body and mind as a whole and dealing with a range of issues.

For treating stress as well as physical and emotional conditions, acupuncture can be the perfect treatment. Stress can often induce tension headaches, for which acupuncture has proved hugely effective. Acupuncture is now becoming widely available, and many patients in the UK are now given acupuncture as part of treatment on the National Health Service as an alternative to prescribing medication.

Hypnotherapy is also becoming increasingly popular as a form of relaxation. Being induced into a trance-like state leaves the client more open to thoughts and suggestions, and can help change behavioural patterns. This means that the sufferer can learn how to respond differently in situations that would normally cause them stress, and help turn a negative situation into a positive one.

A recently launched UK website, Hypnotherapy Directory (http://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/) aims to make the process of finding a hypnotherapist much easier, and most helpfully, stress free. There is a comprehensive search tool allowing the user to search a specific location which then brings up a list of hypnotherapists. Each hypnotherapist has their own profile, including information about which areas they cover, their fees and experience and qualification, allowing an informed choice to be made.

So don’t suffer in silence. Help is available, and most importantly it’s available in a simple, easy to find way.

As a complementary therapy, acupuncture is the subject of misinformation, myths, and stereotypes, especially from those people who have never had an acupuncture treatment.  In this blog (and probably several others to come), I’d like to address some common misconceptions about acupuncture.

Myth:  It hurts.  This is frequently the topic that is on everyone’s mind before they have their first acupuncture treatment. However, anyone who has ever had acupuncture will tell you that it feels nothing like getting a shot or having blood drawn. There may be some sensation when a needle is inserted, but for the most part, acupuncture doesn’t hurt. 

I have seen children and apprehensive adults in my clinic, who were concerned about having needles inserted into them.  I have always let a needle shy patient try just one needle before they agree to treatment.  In every single case, once I have inserted the single needle, their hesitation disappears.  Most people say something like “That’s it?  That’s nothing!”  It really doesn’t hurt.

Myth:  Acupuncture is just folk medicine that doesn’t really work.  The truth is that acupuncture is far more than folk medicine.  Folk medicine is a style of healing that is very regional in nature, is practiced informally, usually by lay members of a region or a culture.  Its healing practices are usually not written, but instead passed on by word of mouth.

Acupuncture, on the other hand, is the subject of thousands of written works, some of them over a thousand years old.  In addition, rather than being regional, acupuncture is practiced all over the world, with many countries developing their own distinctive style.  This includes Korean Hand Acupuncture, Japanese style acupuncture, Vietnamese acupuncture, and Five Phase acupuncture that have become popular in the West.

The effects of acupuncture have been the subject of thousands of studies throughout the world.  Many prestigious institutions, including the World Health Organization, the Mayo Clinic, and the National Institute of Health recognize the effectiveness of acupuncture on a variety of conditions.

Myth:  Acupuncture is only good for pain.  Okay, this is only a half-myth, because acupuncture is really effective in treating all kinds of pain conditions. However, acupuncture’s effectiveness goes far beyond just treating pain conditions.  The World Health Organization (WHO) in cooperation with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has compiled a list of conditions and diseases for which acupuncture has been shown to be effective.  The list is extensive (and keeps growing) and includes conditions from allergies and insomnia to obesity, morning sickness, and whooping cough.  Acupuncture is good for pain and much, much more.

Myth:  If I have acupuncture, it should be performed by a doctor.  There are some Western doctors who are trained to perform acupuncture.  They typically have about 50 to 100 hours of specific training in acupuncture.  You could also get an acupuncture treatment from your chiropractor, but that would be a little like having your acupuncturist perform a chiropractic manipulation after a few weekend classes.  Chiropractors have about 100-200 hours of training in acupuncture (105 hours here in Minnesota).  If you want acupuncture performed by someone who is proficient in acupuncture, go to a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac.).  Licensed acupuncturists are nationally certified and have roughly 3,000 hours of training in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, including about 650 hours in a clinic setting.

The following is an excerpt from the book, Simple Steps: The Chinese Way to Better Health:

Think of your Chinese Spleen as the organ system that takes in nourishment and turns it into energy.  It turns food and liquid into Qi and Blood.  Your Spleen also receives emotional nourishment in the form of ideas and possibilities and turns them into opportunities and action.

Your Spleen accomplishes the process of digestion by sorting and separating, transforming, and nourishing.  After its paired organ, your Stomach, has broken down what you have eaten, your Spleen separates the solids from liquids and the nutrients from waste.  It then transforms the nutrients into Qi and Blood, which are sent on to the rest of your body.  The strength of your energy and the nourishing quality of your Blood depend on the healthy functioning of your Spleen.

Another job of your Spleen is to hold things up, or hold things in place.  It is your Spleen that keeps blood within the vessels, holds up organs, and keeps substances in their proper place.  A weakening of this function might result in easy bruising, prolapsed organs (organs sinking downward), heavy menstrual periods, or chronic diarrhea.

Your Spleen nourishes your whole body, but it nourishes your muscles directly.  If you have strong, flexible muscles with good tone, you can thank the health of your Spleen.

The sense associated with your Spleen is taste, which is the first step in the digestive process.  As such, your tongue is the outward manifestation of the health of your digestion.  The appearance of your tongue offers your practitioner of Chinese medicine a great deal of information not only about the state of your digestion, but also your overall health.

Your Spleen corresponds to the element of Earth and the season of late summer.  The Earth in the context of a farmer’s field is the source of food that your Spleen digests, and harvest time, typically late summer, is the most nourishing time of the year.  Your Spleen is also associated with the color yellow, which is the color of the Earth in many parts of China as well as the color of many of the nutritious fruits and vegetables that are harvested at the end of summer.

The emotional function of your Spleen is similar to the process of digestion. The emotional aspect of your Spleen is responsible for receiving and processing information, experiences and ideas.   The ideas are “digested” or sorted and transformed into actions, intentions, plans, or goals.  Other ideas are stored for later consideration, and the less useful ones are forgotten.  Clear thought and acting with focus are signs that the emotional aspect of your Spleen is healthy.

When the process of sifting and sorting of ideas becomes overactive, worry is the result.  Just like a cow in the pasture chewing its cud, worriers tend to ruminate over the same idea again and again.  For some people excess worry has the potential to become anxiety, in which the sorting of ideas spins out of control, causing insomnia, fuzzy thinking, or even panic attacks.

Spleen pathology on the physical level is mostly related to poor digestion and its effects.  Gas, bloating, rumbling, nausea, or the sensation of food not moving are all associated with a weak Spleen.  Loose stools, diarrhea or in some cases constipation are also related to poor digestive function of your Spleen.

Fatigue is one of the results of a weak Spleen, as food transformed into Qi by your Spleen is the source of energy in your body.  Feeling tired after eating, widely fluctuating energy levels, shortness of breath and poor energy in general can be indications that your Spleen isn’t up to par.

If the transforming function becomes impaired, your Spleen may not metabolize liquids very well, and dampness may accumulate.  In a farmer’s field after a heavy rainstorm, the fallen rain should soak into the ground and nourish the crops.  However, if the field is saturated, the rain will sit on the surface, make puddles and get boggy.  In your body,  the poor transformation of liquids creates dampness that can manifest as overall heaviness, fluid retention, diarrhea or loose stools, bladder or vaginal infections, and excessive weight gain.

While your Spleen is prone to dampness, its paired digestive organ, your Stomach, is prone to dryness and heat.  When your Stomach heats up, it acts a little like an engine in overdrive.  An insatiable appetite is the primary symptom of heat in your Stomach, but other symptoms of Stomach heat may include heartburn and sores in your mouth.

We’ve all heard the figurative term that something is a pain in the neck, but the reality of neck pain can cause sleepless nights, limited range of motion, and make your life miserable in general. There are a number of causes of neck pain, including trauma, turning and reaching at the same time, drafts, and bad ergonomics.

The most common cause of neck pain, however, is stress. Most people who are overwhelmed and under a lot of stress will tell you that they physically carry that stress in their neck. This has been the case since caveman times, when our furry ancestors raised the hackles on their neck in threatening situations. While a cranky boss, looming deadline, or a failing relationship isn’t the same as the threat of being eaten, your body still reacts in the same way, resulting in a tight, stiff neck.

In Chinese medicine, your stiff neck is a classic case of stagnation. The tightness in your upper back and neck create a slowdown in the circulation (stagnation) of blood and energy in the area. In addition, as that area becomes tight, it can move upward causing headaches, tooth grinding, and jaw pain; or move downward and cause back pain and tightness.

The antidote to neck pain in Chinese medicine is acupuncture, which works on two levels. It can help relieve the pain and tightness in your neck, and it can also help relieve stress.

You should check with your Western doc if your neck pain is accompanied by confusion, fever, or drowsiness. Also, if your neck pain radiates into your arms or hands, or if you feel numbness or tingling, it may be the sign of disk involvement and should also be checked out.

Some things you can do on your own to relieve neck pain include:

-Get some heat on it. Take a warm shower, use a heating pad, warm rice bag, or a towel soaked in hot water. By putting heat on your neck, you are increasing the circulation, loosening tight muscles, and enhancing your range of motion.

-Increase your flexibility. After you have warmed up your stiff neck, move your head up and down as if you were nodding yes. Then slowly move your head from side to side as if you were saying no. Tilt your head, moving your ear toward your shoulder on each side. These stretches will help increase your range of motion, but remember, don’t do anything that is intensely painful.

-Sleep on it. Sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees. This helps you maintain the natural curvature of your spine, and will help you avoid sleeping on your side, which can aggravate a stiff neck.

-Hold the phone. Keep the phone off of your shoulder. If you’re on the phone a lot at work, get a headset or hold the phone with your hand.

-Take a break. If you’re on your computer all day, make sure you take regular breaks to get up, stretch, and walk around.

-Eyes forward. Make sure that your work station is ergonomically correct. This means that you shouldn’t have to look sideways to see your computer screen, look downward all day long, or be sitting in an uncomfortable position.

-Stay away from drafts. Cold air blowing on your neck can be an underlying cause of a stiff neck. Avoid sleeping in a draft, and be sure to wear a scarf on cool, cold and windy days.

-Get some acupuncture. In most cases, your stiff neck will be gone in a few days. However, acupuncture can be extremely helpful in speeding up the healing process.

We know acupuncture works, but what exactly is going on that makes it work? This question is confounding for many members of the Western medical establishment, and because it can’t be explained, it is difficult for some doctors to recommend acupuncture to their patients as an effective alternative.

More and more studies are being conducted and concluding that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for a variety of conditions. The World Health Organization recognizes the effectiveness of acupuncture for dozens of illnesses, the Mayo Clinic has documented that acupuncture can relieve arthritic pain, and researchers continue to look at the positive role of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic back pain.

As a practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, I believe that acupuncture is a system of healing that is energetic in nature. My understanding is that every cell in our body produces energy, and that energy moves in pathways throughout the body. The energy surfaces at certain points, which are considered acupuncture points. Through the needling or manipulation of those points, a practitioner can stimulate the body to heal itself.

Western scientists, however, propose several theories that can explain the biomechanical mechanism through which acupuncture works. Most agree that during an acupuncture treatment, the central nervous system is stimulated, which releases chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals may affect the body’s experience of pain, stimulate the body’s healing systems, and promote the sensation of well-being.

Some theories that may explain acupuncture’s effects include:

-Increases in the rate of electromagnetic signals which stimulate the flow of endorphins, or natural opiates in the brain, which decrease pain and induce sleep. These chemicals may also boost the body’s immune system.

-Stimulation of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which affect the nervous system, hormones, and functions such as sleep, body temperature and appetite.

-Involvement in the release of neurotransmitters, which stimulate or inhibit nerve impulses, which can have a direct impact on pain.

Until the results are definitive, researchers will continue to study the impact of acupuncture on the body. I look forward to the continued research, and in the meantime, I will continue to treat patients who know that acupuncture works for them and don’t care why.

There was an article in my local paper last week about the relationship between stress and weight gain.  The gist of the article was that during the current economic crisis many people who are stressed about their financial situation turn to food as a way to cope.

Medical experts know that stress and other strong negative emotions have an impact on your body’s hormonal balance, specifically the balance of adrenaline, cortisol, and insulin.  In addition, it’s known that hormonal changes caused by stress can be responsible for weight gain around your middle, and can increase your risk for certain cardiovascular health problems.  Your doctor may describe this phenomenon as the difference between being pear shaped (good) versus apple shaped (not so good).

In Chinese medicine, this same phenomenon would be described as a Liver/Spleen disharmony, or a case of your emotions upsetting your digestion.  Your Chinese Liver is the organ system that regulates the smooth movement of everything in your body, including your emotions, circulation, menstrual cycles, and digestion.  The function of the Spleen system is to efficiently turn food into nutrients, energy, and blood—in other words, all aspects of digestion.  You know your Spleen isn’t up to par when you have signs or symptoms related to your digestion, including food cravings or a loss of appetite, constipation or loose stools, stomachaches, nausea, and weight gain.  You might think that if you’re gaining weight your digestion is just fine, thank you very much, but in reality, weight gain is a signal that your digestion is impaired in some way.

How can acupuncture or Chinese medicine help?  There are a couple of answers.  First, acupuncture is an excellent way to soothe your emotions.  It can effectively help people who are feeling stressed, anxious or depressed.  It seems odd that the insertion of a couple of needles can affect your emotions or mood, but research has in fact documented that acupuncture alters brain chemistry in a good way.

Secondly, using a combination of acupuncture, herbs, and food therapy, a practitioner of Chinese medicine can help you get your weight under control.  Not only can it help you with food cravings, but Chinese medicine is an incredibly effective treatment for digestive problems.

If stress is impacting your health or causing weight gain, think about acupuncture.  It’s safe, effective, and organic.

Are you the kind of person who can bump a corner of the coffee table and know that you’ll have a whopper of a bruise tomorrow?  Are you afraid of your neighbor’s dog jumping on you because you’ll have to marks to show for it?  Do you frequently sport some big bruises and don’t know where they came from?  If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then you’re an easy bruiser.

Bruising at the drop of a hat is the result of fragile blood vessels, and can come from a number of underlying causes.  In Chinese medicine, easy bruising is a sign that your body’s holding function is weak. 

Your Chinese Spleen is responsible for digesting the food you eat and converting it into energy, blood, and nutrients.  A secondary function of your Spleen is to hold things in place, including holding blood in the vessels.  Other signs that your body isn’t holding things well are chronic diarrhea, frequent miscarriages, heavy menstrual periods and prolapsed (falling) organs, like your uterus or bladder.  From a Chinese perspective, strengthening your Spleen can be accomplished through acupuncture, herbal formulas, and dietary modifications.

From a more Western viewpoint, easy bruising may be due to a vitamin or mineral deficiency.  The most common deficiencies involved in weak or fragile blood vessels are Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and copper.

One of the functions of Vitamin C is to help build collagen, which is important in holding body structures together, including connective tissue, tendons, and ligaments.  If you are deficient in Vitamin C, the ability of collagen to hold the connective tissue around your blood vessels may be impaired, allowing them to rupture and bruise more easily.  Good food sources of Vitamin C include most dark vegetables such as broccoli, kale, collard or turnip greens, and red or green peppers.

Another nutrient that plays a role in the synthesis of collagen is the copper.  Copper is a trace mineral found in oysters, most nuts and legumes (peas and beans).  A deficiency in copper can also be an underlying cause of easy bruising.

Vitamin K can also be a player if you’re a bruiser, however it’s role is different than that of copper or Vitamin C.  Vitamin K is important in making clotting factors, which are components necessary to stop bleeding and facilitate clotting.  Like Vitamin C, Vitamin K is found abundantly in dark leafy vegetables.  One word of caution, however, Vitamin K can alter the affects of Coumadin or Warfarin, so if you’re taking either of those anti clotting medications, steer clear of supplementing Vitamin K or taking any herbal formulas.

Many over the counter pain relievers, such as Ibuprofen (Advil), Naproxen (Alleve), and aspirin (but not Tylenol), can also have an affect on bleeding. These medications make your platelets (necessary in clotting, too) less sticky and therefore less prone to clotting.  This is a good thing if you are at risk for cardiovascular disease or stroke, but taking these pain relievers for a period of time can make you more likely to bruise.  

You’ve got what feels like a three-alarm fire under your ribcage or at the top of your chest.  Maybe you just overindulged in a gourmet meal or knocked down a chili dog with the works.  You belch; maybe drink a little water, but the fire burns on.  That after-dinner hell you’re experiencing is most likely heartburn.

What causes heartburn is actually a muscle in your lower esophagus falling down on the job.  That muscle, your esophageal sphincter, usually opens to let food you’ve eaten pass to your stomach, then closes to prevent food and stomach acid from flowing back upward. However, in the case of heartburn, or esophageal reflux, the sphincter hasn’t closed properly, allowing the contents of your stomach to irritate your esophagus causing that burning sensation.

There are a number of causes of heartburn, including eating the wrong foods, stress, overeating, and obesity.  In addition, the esophageal sphincter tends to get weaker with age, so just being on the wrong side of 40 can make you more prone to episodes of heartburn.

In Chinese medicine, heartburn is frequently caused by damage from emotions (stress and anger!), erratic or unhealthy eating or drinking, and overall depletion due to aging.  In most cases, a Chinese diagnosis of a Liver/Spleen disharmony will be evident. 

The Liver is the organ system that is responsible for the smooth and uninhibited movement of everything in your body.  However, the Liver system is that which is most damaged by anger, stress, and unfulfilled desires.  Damage to the Liver causes stagnation, and almost always overflows and affects digestion; in this case causing heartburn.

The good news, however, is that there are a number of things you can do to naturally quench the fires of heartburn.  Also good news is that the irritation and damage to our esophagus can heal within a month or two, once the symptoms have subsided.

Some natural suggestions to help cool down heartburn include:

-Determine which foods are likely to cause heartburn and eliminate them from your diet.  Some common offenders include onions (especially raw), coffee, spicy meals, alcohol, citrus fruits and strawberries, mint, chocolate, and fried or fatty foods.

-Eat smaller meals so your esophageal sphincter doesn’t have to work overtime.

-Respect the laws of gravity and sit up for a couple of hours after eating.

-If your heartburn symptoms seem to be worse at night, try sleeping with your head elevated.  You can do this by placing the head of your bed on blocks that are four to six inches high.

-Try 1/8 of a teaspoon of baking soda mixed in a few tablespoons of water to quickly neutralize stomach acid.

It is also important to know when to check with your M.D.  If you have heartburn symptoms daily, suffer from a lot of belching or bloating, or if symptoms seem to be worse when your stomach is empty, get it checked out by your doc.  Also, if you have what feels like heartburn accompanied by difficulty or pain swallowing, chest pain or pain radiating to the neck and/or shoulder, vomiting, bloody or black stools, shortness of breath, or lightheadedness, get to your doctor right away.  Your symptoms may be more than simple heartburn and need to be evaluated by a doctor.

I know this has happened to you at one time or another: you’ve been cozied up all night to the toilet with a bout of the stomach flu or you’ve eaten something that really doesn’t agree with you, or maybe you’ve have the cold from hell.

At a certain point you recover. You begin to feel a little better and want to eat something, but what? Should you go for the leftover pizza in the refrigerator? Maybe a scrambled egg? It’s hard to tell what’s going to sit well and not make you feel worse.

My answer would be to make a simple congee. A congee is a kind of a thick rice soup or porridge that is easy on the stomach and a good place to start when you’re recovering from an illness. Rice is easy to digest, and is one of the foods least likely to cause food allergies, so almost anyone can eat it.

Congees are a common meal in many Asian countries. It can be sweetened and eaten for breakfast or cooked with broth for an evening meal. Congees are served everywhere from rural China to the Red 8 Asian Restaurant at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.

Here’s my recipe from Simple Steps: The Chinese Way to Better Health:

Combine one part rice (white or brown) with seven parts water and simmer over a low heat until the rice is tender. For a complete meal, you can add broth and protein (chicken, shrimp, tofu or egg), vegetables, sesame oil and herbs to suit your taste and health needs.

Most herbs used in cooking tend to be warming in nature, especially ginger and scallions, so if you’re running a temperature or feeling hot, you may want to use them in limited amounts or balance warm herbs with cooling vegetables. For example, you can offset the warming effects of ginger by adding mung bean sprouts to your congee.

My favorite is congee mixed with broth, ginger, scallions, sesame oil and cilantro. For protein, I’ll add some cubed tofu if I have it , otherwise I’ll beat an egg and mix it in while the congee is still simmering. Yum!