What Acupuncture Can Teach Us About Science

 This is a great article from Huffington Post I wanted to share with everyone... Enjoy
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It turns out acupuncture works. It's not a placebo, and it's not a scam. It's a technique with documented efficacy.

I have little to say about the evidence involved, as I do not conduct such studies, but I do have two questions that I think need answering: Why did it take us so long to "discover" this, and why was there so much hostility among scientists toward even conducting these experiments?

A headline from The Atlantic tells the story: "Biological Implausibility Aside, Acupuncture Works."
The hostility came from the fact that acupuncture has no known causal mechanism, leading to an assumption that "we don't know how it would work; therefore it must not."

To an extent, this is a sensible approach to take. Given the thousands of potential hypotheses out there that don't conform to the way we believe the world works, why would we spend time investigating them instead of other more likely ideas? As a time management strategy, going with what you expect to work makes sense. The trouble is that, taken past a certain point, the notion of being hostile to an experiment because of your preconceived notions about the way the world works is as anti-scientific an approach as can be imagined.

This becomes particularly pernicious when the issues in question are championed by people outside the realm of what is socially acceptable in science -- a category that isn't supposed to exist but that self-evidently does. Even after we've read our Thomas Kuhn (and have sighed at how many active scientists refuse to think philosophy has anything to offer them), how do we make it easier for experiments with acupuncture to proceed while keeping climate change skeptics from tying up our labs and resources with endless experiments designed only to serve a political end?

This is a problem the scholars at Saybrook University know well. The faculty who founded the College of Mind-Body Medicine (now the School of Mind-Body Medicine) were some of the first researchers to get prestigious grants to study phenomena that, for decades, medical science refused to acknowledge existed. The techniques they are pioneering -- from using guided imagery to help cancer survivors to using biofeedback and meditation to reduce high blood pressure -- received the same kind of hostility acupuncture did (and still does) from the "respectable" scientific community, only to be even more clearly validated when the data were finally collected and examined.

The good news is that there is a culture change sweeping through Western medicine: recognition that the mind and body are connected in ways that the last generation's textbooks refused to acknowledge, and that better patient care requires integrative approaches to health.

The bad news is that the basic hostility to techniques that don't fit the old conceptual model is still very active and entrenched. I believe it begins all too often in our graduate curricula, where scientific imagination is frequently seen as an attack on received wisdom.

The solution, I think, comes from having humility in the face of our theories, and from giving our students a little more room to graze off the ranch, where they are likely to be wrong in useful ways and have the potential to teach us something truly new. The world is still a more interesting and undiscovered country than we have yet realized, and there is still plenty of room for it to surprise us. To the extent that this gives some shelter to opponents of climate change and evolution, we must be cautious, but it is also essential to conducting good science -- science able to ask questions that don't fit with its preconceptions.

If we want science to advance, we need to give it room to grow, and that means room to conduct experiments that are rigorous and well-developed but on the cutting edge. The benefits outweigh the inconvenience, and the truth itself may often prove inconvenient.

 Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-schulman/what-acupuncture-can-teach-us-about-science_b_1982479.html



By:

Mark Schulman

President, Saybrook University

Acupuncture Reverses Plantar Fasciitis - New Research

So many people suffer from mild to moderate plantar fasciitis with pain ranging from the arch just below the ball of the foot to pain in the bottom/back of the heel. Often times it can be reduced with proper stretching, strengthening, and shoe choices; however, this isn't enough for everybody and in those cases acupuncture and herbal medicine can be an amazing relief. The article below demonstrates just one treatment protocol for this condition and it's great success in relieving symptoms.  
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New research concludes that acupuncture is effective for treating plantar fasciitis, a painful inflammatory foot condition. Plantar fasciitis typically presents with pain on the underside of the foot and heel. The pain is often most severe when first stepping out of bed onto the floor in the morning. Another telltale sign of plantar fasciitis is pain upon dorsiflexion, lifting the foot towards the shin.
HealthCMi News 
In this controlled clinical investigation, the acupuncture group demonstrated a significant reduction in foot pain while the control group showed only minimal changes. The control group received five weeks of analgesic medications, stretching exercises and shoe modifications. The acupuncture group received the same therapies plus electro-acupuncture treatments. The researchers concluded that, “Electro-acupuncture coupled with conventional treatments provided a success rate of 80% in chronic planar fasciitis which was more effective than conventional treatments alone.”

Another recent study demonstrates that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of plantar heel pain. The researchers note that acupuncture has more significant improvements in both pain relief and the restoration of function than a standard regime of care that includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. Based on these findings, the researchers formally recommend acupuncture for the treatment of plantar heel pain.

In yet another study, investigators concluded that acupuncture at acupoint P7 (Daling, “Big Tomb”) relieves the pain of plantar fasciitis. P7 is located in the middle of the transverse crease of the wrist. P7 is a Shu-Stream point and Yuan (Primary) acupuncture point that is known for the treatment of Heart and Spirit related issues including myocarditis, palpitations, insomnia, mental illness, irritability, and cardiac pain. P7 is also used for Stomach related conditions, however, nearby point P6 is a more common point for the treatment of Stomach issues such as stomachache, nausea, and vomiting.

According to Chinese medicine and acupuncture theory, Shu-Stream points treat a heavy sensation of the of the body and painful joints. P7 is therefore a common point for the treatment of wrist pain because it is a Shu-Stream point located at the wrist . However, the researchers have chosen P7 for the wrist’s distal relationship to the ankle and heel region. At a six month follow-up examination, the P7 acupuncture group showed a significant improvement over the control group.

Plantar fasciitis affects approximately 2 million US citizens annually. These findings demonstrate that acupuncture is an important treatment modality for inflammation of the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot. Advantages to acupuncture treatment are that it is both safe, acupuncture is nontoxic and is nonsurgical, and effective.

References:
The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, An International Journal of Comparative Medicine East and West. Efficacy of Electro-Acupuncture in Chronic Plantar Fasciitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Wipoo Kumnerddee and Nitsara Pattapong. Volume 40, Issue 06, 2012.
Shi Ping Zhang, Tsui-Pik Yip, and Qiu-Shi Li.  Acupuncture Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Six Months Follow-Up. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative, Medicine, Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 154108.

Acupunct Med. doi:10.1136/acupmed-2012-010183. The effectiveness of acupuncture for plantar heel pain: a systematic review. Richard James Clark, Maria Tighe.\

Link: http://www.healthcmi.com/index.php/acupuncturist-news-online/661-acupunctureceusplantarfasciitisea

AARP: Acupuncture Does Help With Pain

"Overall, those treated with real acupuncture had their pain symptoms reduced by 50 percent."

Not to beat a dead horse over the head, but acupuncture works! It's great! 

Sweeping new study finds it helps more than standard treatments

Millions of Americans who use acupuncture can take heart from a new study that provides evidence that the ancient Chinese healing therapy can help reduce chronic pain by as much as 50 percent — welcome news for sufferers of back pain, arthritis, headaches and other painful conditions.

Acupuncture can be quite effective in pain management. — Chris Crisman/Corbis

A rigorous review of 29 randomized controlled trials, involving nearly 18,000 patients, shows that acupuncture was better at relieving pain than over-the-counter medicines and other common treatments, says Andrew Vickers, a researcher at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, who led the multinational study.

"What this study provides is fairly strong evidence that acupuncture is an effective treatment for chronic pain," Vickers says, adding that about 3 million Americans use acupuncture each year.

In these trials, some people suffering from back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, chronic headache and shoulder pain received standard acupuncture treatment, in which tiny needles are inserted into traditionally specified points on the skin. Others received fake acupuncture treatments, in which the needles were inserted at random points on the skin, or they were "treated" with needles that retracted into handles instead of entering the skin. Additional participants received no needle-based treatment at all.

Overall, those treated with real acupuncture had their pain symptoms reduced by 50 percent. Those who received sham needling saw a 43 percent drop in pain, while the no-acupuncture group reported their pain was reduced by 30 percent. A placebo effect — the strong psychological belief in a treatment's effectiveness — likely accounts for the greater improvements seen with sham therapy than no therapy. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, drew on the work of dozens of researchers across the United States and Europe. Vickers says he and his collaborators painstakingly checked the original patient data as part of their review.

"It's a potentially very important article," says Edgar L. Ross, M.D., director of the Pain Management Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. Ross, who works with an acupuncturist at his center, says he sees similar benefits, although the average 50 percent pain reduction reported in the study was greater than that experienced by his patients. In his practice, "it's closer to 25 or 30 percent reduction in pain scores."

Western-trained doctors are increasingly willing to recommend acupuncture to their patients, but there's still no clear scientific explanation for why it works, Ross says. One theory is that acupuncture triggers the release of endorphins, natural painkilling compounds in the brain. Another is that it affects neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers that help brain cells communicate pain.

"It's very safe in trained hands," Ross says, though he also believes in a pain management plan that uses a mixture of techniques. Acupuncture "is certainly a very viable therapy," but it should be considered as one part of a whole pain treatment plan, he adds.

Link: http://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-10-2012/acupuncture-helps-with-chronic-pain.html

New Landmark California Acupuncture Health Insurance Law

Having Acupuncture included in the health care reform could transform lives. The legislation isn't perfect, but it's a great start. Let's hope California makes it happen!

Best wishes to your health,

Brenda

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New landmark legislation establishes acupuncture health insurance benefits for California citizens. California Governor Jerry Brown signed California State Legislature Assembly Bill AB 1453 into law on September 30th. The bill, authored by Assembly member Bill Monning (D-Carmel), establishes the details for California’s essential health benefits and takes effect in 2014.

Acupuncture CareEssential health benefits were defined in the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), often referred to as Obamacare. It is up to individual states to determine the precise details of the essential health benefits that are broadly outlined in the federal law. This new California law defines and enacts provisions for California essential health benefits and includes acupuncture for the treatment of pain and nausea. Other services defined as essential health benefits include ambulatory patient services, hospitalization, maternity care, newborn care, vision screening and tobacco cessation.

This new law and its acupuncture provisions apply to all individual health insurance policies and small group policies including all HMOs and PPOs. Small group policies are all policies written for companies with 50 or less employees. In 2016, the definition of small group policies changes and the new California law will apply to all companies with 100 or less employees.

The new California law does not apply to self-insured plans, grandfathered plans and large employers. Grandfathered plans are those plans officially designated as a grandfathered plan as of March 2010. Any grandfathered plan that has either a change in benefits or cost structure will no longer be considered a grandfathered plan and will no longer be exempt from the new law’s provisions. As a result, the impact of grandfathered plans is expected to be minimal.

The new California health insurance law defines and establishes essential healthcare benefits for California citizens. It does not cover payment issues such as copays, deductibles and payments to providers. As a result, copays and other payment issues may fluctuate up or down from the Kaiser Permanente $30 copay plan from which the new law has been modeled upon. Although this California law does not apply to payment issues, limitations on cost sharing and actuarial value have been implemented in the new federal health reform law. Regulations for the federal law have not been written yet. As a result, upcoming federal regulations have the opportunity to help ease affordability issues for the insured.

The definition of essential health benefits as stated in this new California law was formulated using the Kaiser Permanente Small Group Agreement Plan 1637 Plan 3-N as a basis for determining standard medical provisions for health insurance policies originating in California. Medical treatment limitations can be no greater than those imposed in the Kaiser plan. As a result, no cap on the maximum number of acupuncture office visits per year may be imposed although a physician’s referral may be required by some health insurance plans.

The new law does not have language regarding network limitations such as participation in provider networks. As a result, insurance companies may allow only limited numbers of acupuncturists within a given network to provide acupuncture care. Also, medical necessity limitations may be imposed by insurance providers wherein a service will only be covered if it is deemed medically necessary. Despite these limitations, the new California law establishes a baseline of treatment coverage provided by health insurance policies and is likely to prevent many unwanted surprises when patients get their medical bills.

“With the passage of AB 1453, California is one step closer to the full implementation of federal health care reform," stated Assembly member Monning. “For many, this action is transformative. This law will prioritize prevention, health and wellness while offering individuals and small businesses comprehensive and affordable healthcare coverage.”

Link: http://www.healthcmi.com/index.php/acupuncturist-news-online/625-californiaacupunctureceushealthinsurancemonning

New scientific breakthrough proves why acupuncture works

FASCINATING!

P.S.

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New groundbreaking research shows that the insertion of an acupuncture needle into the skin disrupts the branching point of nerves called C fibres. These C fibres transmit low-grade sensory information over very long distances by using Merkel cells as intermediaries. Dr. Morry Silberstein of the Curtin University of Technology will publish his research in the Journal of Theoretical Biology later this year.

We have never really had a scientific explanation for how acupuncture actually works,” he said. In the absence of a scientific rationale, acupuncture has not been widely used in the mainstream medical community. If we can explain the process scientifically, we can open it to full scientific scrutiny and develop ways to use it as a part of medical treatments.”

Dr. Silberstein mentions that they have known, for some time, that the acupuncture points show lower electrical resistance than other nearby areas of the skin. His research specifically pinpoints that the C fibres actually branch exactly at acupuncture points. Scientists don’t know exactly what role C fibres play in the nervous system, but Dr. Silverstein theorizes that the bundle of nerves exists to maintain arousal or wakefulness. The insertion of the acupuncture needle disrupts this circuit and numbs our sensitivity to pain.”

Acupuncture for pain relief is actually being taught to American Air Force physicians deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan (2009) by Dr. Richard Niemtzow MD, PhD, MPH and editor of Medical Acupuncture. His technique called “Battlefield Acupuncture” relieves severe pain for several days and is a variation of acupuncture, which inserts very tiny semi-permanent needles at specific acupoints on the skin of the ear that blocks pain signals from reaching the brain.

"This is one of the fastest pain attenuators in existence," said Dr. Niemtzow, who is the Consultant for complementary and alternative medicine for the Surgeon General of the Air Force, and is affiliated with Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda. "The pain can be gone in five minutes."

It has taken quite a long time for Western medicine to embrace acupuncture even though it was introduced in the early 1970’s after contacts with China improved.

Professor Tsuei mentions: “In 1972 the respected New York Times columnist James Reston underwent an emergency appendectomy while in China. He later wrote about acupuncture treatment for post-operative pain that was very successful. This report attracted attention and many American physicians and researchers went to China to observe and learn acupuncture techniques.”

Since then, only a few controlled studies were done in the West. Yale researchers proved its effectiveness for cocaine addiction in 2000 and published their findings in the August 14 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

A North Korean researcher, Kim Bonghan, published papers in the early 1960’s and his research was confirmed by the Japanese researchers Fujiwara and Yu in 1967. Unfortunately his research took almost 40 years to be confirmed through studies done on rats, rabbit and pigs with Stereo-microscope photographs and electron microsopy.

The amazing photo shows the stereomicroscopic image of acupuncture meridians:

“Assemblies of tubular structures 30 to 100 micro-meters wide (red blood cells are 6-8 micro-meters in diameter). Apparently these structures have remained undiscovered for so long because they are almost transparent and so thin that they are barely visible with low-magnification surgical microscopes. They are also easily confused with fibrin, which coagulates and obscures these structures when there is bleeding in dissected tissues. Now that they have been rediscovered, researchers are investigating their composition and function. The tubular structures that make up Bonghan channels contain a flowing liquid that includes abundant hyaluronic acid, a substance that cushions and lubricates the joints, eyes, skin and even heart valves. Also visible in the photographs are small granules of DNA or microcells about 1-2 micro-meters in diameter that contain chromosomal material highly reactive to stem-cell antibody stains. When these cells were isolated and then induced to differentiate, they grew into cells of all three germ layers. These may be our body's natural source of pluripotent adult stem cells, with the potential to develop into any cell in the body”

Russian researchers in 1991 at The Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine in Novosibirsk, USSR, in a research project lasting several years, discovered how the human body conducts light. They found that the light conducting ability of the human body exists only along the meridians, and can enter and exit only along the acupuncture points. Dr. Kaznachejew, a professor of physics said:

“This seems to prove that we have a light transferal system in our body somewhat like optical fiber. It appears that the light can even travel when the light canal is bent, or totally twisted. The light appears to be reflected from the inner surface, appearing to go in some sort of zigzag track. You can explain this through traditional electromagnetic light theory as it is used in optical fiber communications.”

This finding has been confirmed by a 1992 study in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicineand a 2005 study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine where moxibustion and infrared thermography were used to trace meridian pathways.

There might be a “light body” after all.

Read more of Tima Vlasto's articles

Resources:

Studies:

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Auricular Acupuncture for Cocaine Dependence.S. Kelly Avants, PhD; Arthur Margolin, PhD; Theodore R. Holford, PhD; Thomas R. Kosten, MD Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:2305-2312.

Immunomodulatory Effects of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Allergic Asthma: A Randomized Controlled Study.Stefanie Joos, M.D. Department of Anaesthetics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.

Research:

Meridians conduct light by Dr. Sergei Pankratov, Moskow, Published by Raum and Zeit, Germany,1991.Translated from the German by Wolfgang Mitschrich

Bonghan Channels in Acupuncture By David Milbradt, LAc, Acupunture Today

Bonghan Duct and Acupuncture Meridian as Optical Channel of Biophoton

Curtin University of Technology These C fibres transmit low-grade sensory information over very long distances by using Merkel cells as intermediaries.

Scientific Evidence in Support of Acupuncture and Meridian Theory  Professor Julia J. Tsuei M.D., F.A.C.O.G.

Medical acupuncture gaining acceptance by the US Air Force

Acupuncture is promising treatment for cocaine addiction, Yale researchers find

Photo Credit: Acupuncture Today: A stereomicroscopic image of the lymphatic vessel around the caudal vena cava of a rat. The photograph (left) and its illustration (right) show the novel threadlike structure (solid arrow) that passes throw the lymphatic valve (open arrow). The photograph was taken in vivo and in situ, and a piece of black paper was put under the lymphatic vessel to exhibit the target clearly. The scale bar is 100 micro-meters.. 

Wikimedia Commons: Physican inserting needle

Link: http://www.examiner.com/article/new-scientific-breakthrough-proves-why-acupuncture-works

TCM For Hip Internal Rotation Injuries in Athletes

This is a very interesting and detailed article about internal rotation injuries of the hip-- a common sports injury. It's rather jargon heavy, but still a great read if you're interested in the more technical side of TCM treatments. Enjoy! 

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http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32612
By Ronda Wimmer, PhD, MS, LAc, ATC, CSCS, CSMS, SPS

Over the years I have been privileged enough to work with professional and Olympic teams. One of the sports I work with is professional hockey. The common areas I treat are hip, knee and low back compensation patterns.

I would like to address compensation patterns dealing with internal rotators of the hip joint increasing the athlete's career longevity.

It is important to understand the anatomy, movement and biomechanics of the hip joint to understand how the compensation patterns are triggered. The hip joint includes the articulation of the two bones the ilium and femur. The muscles involved with hip joint internal rotation includes both primary and secondary movers. The primary movers are the anterior gluteus medius, TFL and pectineus. The secondary movers include the gracilis, adductor longus, brevis and magnus and the semitendinosis and semimembranosis. The degree of limitation of this range of motion (ROM) depends on the compensation pattern with which it stems from. So it is important to assess the synergistic muscles surrounding the area for imbalances. It is important to understand the sport and position, the player plays to understand the mechanics. It is very helpful to watch video of these athletes playing their sport to understand the movement patterns and identify compensation patterns specific to the individual player. The compensation patterns are associated with muscle overuse and in many cases tendonitis due to the nature of the athletes training and playing regimen. Typically discomfort and/or pain triggers a compensation pattern either at the origin, insertion or in the belly of the particular muscle affected. What typically ends up happening is the treatment focuses on the painful area rather than what is causing the pain, which is a compensation pattern typically stemming from other surrounding areas.

It is necessary to compare normal hip internal rotation mechanics to abnormal mechanics with these overuse compensation patterns and identify the limitations of the surrounding tissues involved. The basic treatment protocol focuses on accurately assessing of joint function, increasing range of motion by identifying the compensation patterns and releasing the muscles involved, thus preventing long-term injuries from occurring, increasing the athlete's career longevity.

Mechanical and function compensation patterns occur through overuse compensation patterns. Mechanical compensations include degenerative changes over time; pathological laxity within the hip joint and pubic symphysis ends up in vulnerable positions during functional activities; arthrokinematic restrictions that include compensation patterns dealing with excessive range of motion or decreased ROM; and lastly synovial changes that identifies impinged or hypertrophied synovial tissue.

Function compensation patterns include impaired postural control that identifies the balance of synergistic muscle tissues; impaired neuromuscular function that identifies muscular recruitment patterns are diminished; impaired proprioception that identifies synergetic ability of nerve conduction velocity becomes diminished; and strength deficits that identifies decreased muscle strength of the surrounding muscle tissues.

The standard protocol treatment focuses treating this either as a strain in most cases or tendonitis. Depending upon the philosophy of the certified athletic trainer, chiropractor, physical therapist, massage therapist implementing the treatment of R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, elevation) is the key concept here so as to manage the edema, which can last up to three weeks. Focus then moves to restoring ligament stability by correcting subluxation and treating accessory motion restriction using joint mobilization. Exercises (closed and open chain) are then implemented to restore range of motion then we add resistance to restore strength. Once strength is restored, and we have established normal gait with normal joint mobility, the focus shifts to neuromuscular control in order to maximize dynamic and reflexive stability of the surrounding tissues. If the therapist is treating tendonitis then rest and heat would be applied rather than cold over the belly of the muscle rather than the insertion of origin site. In either case NSAIDs would be used for managing inflammation.

Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment uses the same assessment procedures, the focus here is multi-faceted depending upon the compensation pattern. The mechanism of injury is due to overuse so pre-existing factors that contribute to the internal rotators includes the consuming of the qi and Blood (creating LV and K deficiency), accumulation of dampness, invasion of external pathogens (Wind, Cold, Damp), and, of course, Blood and qi stagnation. Thus, pre-existing patterns allow external pathogens to invade more easily, disrupting qi and Blood at the specific location of pain and/or discomfort.

Qi/Blood Stagnation

This is to maintain the flow of qi and Blood circulation throughout the body. By maintaining this circulation of qi/Blood, the physiological manifestation of injuries and pain are non-existent. However, if this qi/Blood become stagnant, the flow within the channels around the affected joint becomes blocked and impaired creating pain along the affected joint. The main physiological manifestation includes pain that is stabbing and fixed for Blood stagnation and wandering and distended pain for qi stagnation.

LV/K Deficiency

The LV supports the tendons by nourishing them through LV Blood, and the K nourishes the bones. Over years of overstraining, working long hours (standing all the time), constitutional weakness and/or prolonged illness, the qi and Blood depletes/consumes specifically the qi and Blood of the LV and K. In either case, the lack of nourishment of both the tendons and bones gives rise to ankle joint injuries. Once again, age is a factor. As we get older the LV/K functions decline and the K Jing and LV Blood are unable to nourish the tendons and bones sufficiently.

Wind, Cold, Damp Invasion

Wind, Cold and Damp pathogens are able to invade through the joints because that is where qienters and exits. Wind characteristics tend to be always moving and changing, and present with pain moving. Cold characteristics create qi and Blood stagnation due to the contracting nature within the channels and tendons; and thus present with severe ankle pain. Damp characteristics create obstructions within the channels, due to the accumulation creating heaviness leading to stagnation, thus present with fixed ankle pain, swelling with a heavy sensation and possible numbness.

Pre-existing conditions that allow these external pathogens to invade include Yang and/or Yin Deficiency. Heat is another factor that can be a result of Wind, Cold Damp invasion. If an athlete has had long term W-C-D invasion and has accumulated sitting stagnation, this will generate heat. This also disrupts the qi and Blood circulation in the channels causing accumulation, and progresses to stagnation in the channels around the affected joint. In TCM, this is referred to as Damp Heat. Heat presents with redness, feeling of heat around the joint and swelling.

The internal rotators can vary depending upon individual presentation, however for the sake of simplicity we will focus on the association with the Kidney channel. When addressing the Kidney channel, points that can be used would follow bleeding K1, along with the following points following include K3 (same side), R3, HT7 (opposite side), K6/LG7 , pick points for Zang/Fu organ imbalances and qi and Blood relationships and see if Ah Shi points are still present of so then puncture.

If using electroacupuncture for the internal rotators then using Kidney channel setup unilateral leads with (+) lead on UB23 to the (-) lead on SP11 or K9 for 2 Hz continuous for 20-30 minutes. Usually I use homeopathic remedies like Arnica Montana 30c internal and topical rather than herbal formulas because the athletes get drug tested for banned substances. For those athletes/patients without drug testing then appropriate formulas (these are just examples there are many different combinations depending upon the company formulas are ordered from): Blood and qi Stagnation - Die Da Wan; Qi/Blood Stagnation plus Wind/Dampness (excess) – Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang; Deficiency – Ren Shen Yang Ying Wan; LV/K Deficiency as well as Wind & Dampness – Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang; Clear Heat – Jiang Huang Wan. Again these are just examples.

Use The Right Points

Using acupuncture points for treating underlying conditions - pick points that you feel are appropriate for your patient. Here are a few examples of traditional points that can be used.

Qi and Blood Stagnation

Ah Shi points – regulates circulation of Qi and Blood in channels
SP10 – disperses Blood stagnation.
LI4 – Source point, dispels Blood stagnation, promotes circulation of Qi in the channels
LV3 – Source point, dispels Blood stagnation, promotes circulation of Qi in the channels
GB34 – Sea point, harmonizes movement of affected joints and strengthens tendons
SP6 – crossing point of the Three Yin Channels of the Foot
UB17 – gathering point of the Blood.
Sedating method all points

LV/K Deficiency

K3 – Source point, strengthens bones and tonifies K. Tonify method
LV3 – Source point, strengthens tendons and tonifies LV. Even method
GB34 – Gathering point for Marrow. Even method
GB39 – Gathering point for tendons and reinforces tendons and bones. Tonify method
ST36 – Sea point of ST channel, promotes production of Blood and tonifies SP/ST. Tonify method
SP6 – crossing point three yin channels of the foot, tonifies Blood and strengthens SP/LV and K. Even method

Wind Invasion

Sedating method
LI4 – relieve external Wind and symptoms
SJ5 - relieve external Wind and symptoms
UB12 - relieve external Wind and symptoms
SP6 – crossing point LV/SP/K channels, eliminates wind by regulating Qi/Blood
SP10 – improves circulation of Blood and is able to eliminate Wind through increasing Blood circulation
Ah Shi – regulating local circulation of Qi/Blood
GB40 - regulating local circulation of Qi/Blood
GB41 - regulating local circulation of Qi/Blood.

Cold Invasion

Moxibustion *
LI4 – relieve external Wind and symptoms. Sedate *
SJ5 - relieve external Wind and symptoms. Sedate *
ST36 – Sea point, dispels cold, warms channels, and tonifies Qi. Tonify *
UB60 – local point, regulate Qi/Blood circulation Sedate *
GB40 - local point, regulate Qi/Blood circulation. Sedate *

Damp Invasion

SJ6 – resolve damp, eliminate wind, eliminate cold
SP6 – Crossing point three yn channels, eliminate damp, activate SP/ST
SP9 – Sea point, eliminate damp, activate SP/ST
ST40 – Connecting point, eliminate damp, activate SP/ST
GB40 – Source point, local point, regulate circulation Qi/Blood, eliminate damp
UB63 – Accumulation point, local point, regulate circulation Qi/Blood, eliminate damp
UB64 – Source point, local point, regulate circulation Qi/Blood, eliminate damp
Sedating method

Damp Heat Invasion

ST44 – eliminate Damp Heat
SP6 – crossing point three yin channels of foot, clear heat, eliminate damp in channels
SP9 – Sea point, clear heat, eliminate damp in channels
GB34 – Sea point, clear heat, eliminate damp in channels
GB40 – clear heat, eliminate damp in channels
UB60 – eliminate damp, promote urination, dispels external pathogenic factors
SJ6 – promotes circulation Qi in channels, reduces eat, eliminates damp, dispels external pathogens

The success in assessing compensation patterns for the prevention and treatment of internal rotators of the hip joint in elite hockey players is to understand the associated anatomical, biomechanical, physiological, neurological implications. It is also important to be familiar with the player's position within the sport, which provides information as to what muscles are primarily used. In addition to understanding the individual biomechanical compensation patterns of the athlete while skating fresh versus when fatigued. These interrelated components are very important with a TCM diagnosis. It is important to understand that each athlete is different and TCM treatment strategies constantly vary among these individual athletes. It is also important to note that protocol based treatment strategies are not as effective and athletes may get short-term relief and ultimately end up injured mid to late season due to this approach especially in the use of electroacupuncture treatments.

The "thought process" used with elite athletes is no different than the "thought process" used with the general population. Where I see the main distinction tends to be when the individual patient comes in for treatment. Elite athletes tend to come in much earlier in the process of overuse compensation patterns then the general population. Thus, the ability to prevent more serious tendonitis compensation patterns are greater with the elite athletes because the sooner a compensation pattern is treated the quicker the athlete can return to play because the compensation was counterbalanced. Typically the general population waits until it is so bad before they get treated that there are numerous compensation patterns present; therefore, it takes longer to counterbalance the condition/s. So it is paramount that a go assessment is done to identify what compensation patterns are present and follow movement to look for the root of the problem so you have the whole picture rather than treating symptom based. This makes a big difference in the time and treatment outcome. This is called field expedience at its finest.

References

1. Arnheim, Daniel and William Prentice. Principles of Athletic Training 14 ed. St.Louis: Mosby Year Book, 2010.
2. Mellion, B. Sports Injuries and Athletic Problems. Hanley and Belfus Inc., 1988.
3. Baechle. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. NSCA, Human Kinetics, 1994.
4. Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Ed. Zhang Enqin. Publishing House of Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1990.
5. Power, Howley. Exercise Physiology, Brown, Benchmark, 1997.
6. Prentice, W. E. Rehabilitation Techniques in Sports Medicine, 5th ed., WCB Saunders, 2010.
7. Prentice, W. E. Therapeutic Modalities in Sports Medicine, 6th ed., WCB Saunders, 2008.
8. Webb, G. Sports Injuries: Diagnosis and Management. W.B. Saunders Company, 1990.
9. Reaves, W., Bong, C. The Acupuncture Handbook of Sports Injuries and Pain. Hidden Needle Press, 2009.

Acupuncture Can Increase Weight Loss

7 Jun 2012

Yes, it's true! Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been utilized in China for centuries to manage weight and overall health. As stated below, acupuncture is not a "quick fix" that will help you shed pounds after one 20 minute session. Instead, it addresses your underlying causes of that weight gain and helps to increase metabolism and regulate the imbalances in your body for a more sustainable and healthy weight loss. There are a myriad of causes for putting on the pounds ranging from poor lifestyle choices and stress to thyroid imbalances and menopause.

From a TCM perspective, weight gain can often be attributed to a dysfunction in the Spleen and Liver. The Spleen is responsible for our digestion and transformation of food into Qi, the vital energy in our bodies. If the Spleen is out of balance, it can lead to “Dampness”, producing symptoms like fatigue, poor digestion, a heaviness feeling, and weight gain. The Liver is our mood regulator--it is responsible for the smooth flow of QI and Blood in our whole body. When we feel stressed, anxious, angry, or unhappy there will most often be a Liver Qi stagnation, meaning the Qi and Blood in our bodies is not flowing properly.

Regular acupuncture treatments and herbal supplements are some of the best ways to keep your Liver “smooth” and your Spleen “dry”, but for the busiest among us, another great option is attending an ear acupuncture clinic! Ear clinics are quick (usually about 20-30 minutes per session) and very affordable, many offering treatments on a sliding scale from $5-$15.

Spot of Qi Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine is now in the process of setting up an ear clinic, so if you are interested in trying it out, stay tuned!

Here's to your health,
Brenda Hatley, L.Ac, Dipl.OM

______________________________________________________________________________________

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese traditional medicine (TCM) that goes back thousands of years. Traditional acupuncturists believe that illness occurs when the body’s vital energy cannot flow freely.

If one of the energy points (chakras) becomes blocked, this can result in problems.

By using tiny needles and placing them at various different acupuncture points, any blocked energy can be released, restoring the body’s overall physical, mental and emotional balance.

Often, a person who is overweight is blamed for eating too much but this may not be the case. Being overweight or obese can be caused by underlying illnesses such as thyroid dysfunction, polycystic ovaries or diabetes, to name just a few.

Acupuncture isn’t a magic instant fix where you stick a few needles in and suddenly begin to lose weight, but it can be used to address any underlying health issues that are causing weight gain and thus help to correct the problem.

Is There Scientific Evidence for Acupuncture?

Yes! Acupuncture for weight loss is used widely in China and there are many published scientific papers showing that it can help.

For instance, a study at Nanjing College of TCM found that acupuncture affected the sympathetic adrenal system and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system and helped them to function better, resulting in weight loss.

A study in Poland looking at post-menopausal obesity in women who qualified for hormone replacement therapy, found that acupuncture with a low calorie diet was more successful at treating menopausal obesity than the low calorie diet alone.

The authors concluded, "Acupuncture seems to be an additional useful healing method in treatment of menopausal obesity."

A more recent study held at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical Center in Taiwan in 2010 found that a new method of acupuncture, laser acupuncture, had a therapeutic effect on people with obesity.

Researchers recorded the patient’s body weights and body mass index before treatment and four weeks after treatment, and found that acupuncture resulted in a mean reduction in body weight of 3.17kgs and in a body mass index reduction of 1.22kgs.

The authors concluded, "Acupuncture was found to exert a therapeutic effect on simple obesity by reducing both body weight and body mass index."

Acupuncture Can Suppress Appetite!

Acupuncture has also been shown to help you lose weight by suppressing your appetite and lessening those urges to snack on unhealthy foods. Researchers from the University of Adelaide in Australia found that if they attached a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation device called an AcuSlim to acupuncture points on the ear and stomach, they could help the patient lose weight.

Sixty overweight patients were put on a slimming diet. One group was then given the AcuSlim stimulation of their ear and stomach acupuncture points, and the other group was given the AcuSlim stimulation on their thumb (where there are no acupuncture points).

Only four of the patients in the thumb group managed to lose any weight, whereas the number of people losing weight in the ear and stomach group was significantly higher and 95 percent of them noticed a reduction in appetite.

The authors concluded, "Frequent stimulation of specific auricular acupuncture points is an effective method of appetite suppression which leads to weight loss."

These are just a few examples of the scientific evidence that is available showing acupuncture assisting in weight loss.

A Word of Warning

If you see any Chinese herbalists advertising weight loss pills in their window or on a website, DON’T take these pills. They are diuretics. They make you lose water.

While this may help you to lose weight initially, it is actually dangerous and may affect your metabolism and actually increase your weight in the long term.

Acupuncture on its own or with a sensible diet is perfectly good enough at treating weight problems and you do not need to take diuretic pills.

If you wish to find a reputable acupuncturist, please go to the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture to find an acupuncture physician near you: http://medicalacupuncture.org/

Sources:

1. Acupuncture for Weight Loss, The London Acupuncture Clinic. Web. 6 June 2012. http://www.londonacupuncture.co.uk/showCondition.asp?ArticleID=46

2. What is Traditional Acupuncture? Acupuncture.org.uk. Web. 6 June 2012.

http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=i...

3. Effect of acupuncture on weight loss evaluated by adrenal function, J Tradit Chin Med. 1993 Sep;13(3):169-73.

Abstract:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8246584?dopt=Abstract

4. [The effectiveness of low-calorie diet or diet with acupuncture treatment in obese peri- and postmenopausal women], Ginekol Pol. 2003 Feb;74(2):102-7.

Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12715418?dopt=Abstract

5. Clinical observations on laser acupuncture in simple obesitytherapy, Am J Chin Med. 2010;38(5):861-7.

Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20821818

6. Stimulation of auricular acupuncture points in weight loss, Aust Fam Physician. 1998 Jul;27 Suppl 2:S73-7.

Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9679359?dopt=Abstract

Joanna is a freelance health writer for The Mother magazine and Suite 101 with a column on infertility, http://infertility.suite101.com/ She is the mother of five children and practices natural childbirth, delayed cord clamping, full term breastfeeding and organic food diet.

Reviewed June 6, 2012

by Michele Blacksberg RN

Edited by Jody Smith

By Joanna Karpasea-Jones HERWriterJune 6, 2012 - 4:14am

Acupuncture Points to Different Sides – New Research

4 Jun 2012

New research investigated the effects of needling the same acupuncture point on the left-side versus the effects of needling the acupoint on the right-side to determine if there were any physiological differences. Researchers measured the mean blood flux (MBF) in the acupuncture point LI4 (Hegu) using a Moor full-field laser perfusion imager. The study measured the results of needling LI4 on 120 human volunteers.

Methodology
The acupuncture group received acupuncture at LI4 with a 0.25 X 25mm needle to a depth of 15mm. Manual stimulation to the needle was applied with the rotation method every five minutes for a total of 30 minutes. In the control group, subjects did not receive acupuncture.

Acupuncture Affects Opposite Side
Acupuncture stimulation of right-sided LI4 caused strong amplification of the mean blood flux on the left-sided LI4. However, needling of left-sided LI4 only caused moderate amplification on both sides. The researchers concluded that the acupuncture point LI4 has lateralized specificity.

More Specificity Research
Acupuncture at LI4Researchers from the University of California, School of Medicine in Irvine, California concluded, “Recent evidence shows that stimulation of different points on the body causes distinct responses in hemodynamic, fMRI and central neural electrophysiological responses.” MRI results showed that “stimulation of different sets of acupoints leads to disease-specific neuronal responses, even when acupoints are located within the same spinal segment.”

 New MRI research demonstrates that acupuncture “induce(s) different cerebral glucose metabolism changes in pain-related brain regions and reduce(s) intensity of pain” for patients with migraines. The choice of acupuncture points determined specific changes in brain glycometabolism, indicating point specificity.

 New research published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine concludes that acupuncture at acupoint SP9 (Yinlingquan) increases blood flow/perfusion to the spleen and acupuncture at acupoint LV8 (Ququan) increases blood flow/perfusion to the liver. The researchers concluded, “These results provide scientific evidence of the specificity of meridians.”

A recent MRI study compared brain activity from needling acupoint SP6 with a sham point. SP6 increased activity in the inferior parietal lobe, fusiform temporal gyrus and medial frontal gyrus. The sham point did not activate the areas but instead enhanced activity in the precuneus, a part of the superior parietal lobe. The researchers concluded that true acupuncture affects brain activity differently than needle stimulation at non-acupuncture points.

 A recent study concludes, “Acupuncture is effective in the treatment of functional dyspepsia, and is superior to non-acupoint puncture. The benefit of acupuncture relies on acupoint specificity.” The control group sham points were ineffective in the treatment of dyspepsia whereas the use of Stomach channel acupoints had over a 70 percent success rate.

New research published in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging demonstrates the point specific neurophysiological effects of acupuncture using MRI technology. Stimulation of acupuncture point GB40 (Qixu) enhanced “connectivity between the superior temporal gyrus (STG) and anterior insula.” Acupuncture point K3 (Taixi) increased the connection strength between the STG and the postcentral gyrus. The researchers concluded that, “The current study demonstrates that acupuncture at different acupoints could exert different modulatory effects on RSNs (brain Resting State Networks). Our findings may help to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture specificity.”

References:
1. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 951928, 7 pages. doi:10.1155/2012/951928. Identification Algorithm Analysis of Acupuncture Effect on Mean Blood Flux of Contralateral Hegu Acupoint. Guangjun Wang, Jianguo Han, Gerhard Litscher, and Weibo Zhang.

2. Point specificity in acupuncture. Chinese Medicine 2012, 7:4 doi:10.1186/1749-8546-7-4. Emma M Choi, Fang Jiang, John C Longhurst. Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine CA. Medical Science, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine. Medical Science, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA.

 3. A PET-CT study on specificity of acupoints through acupuncture treatment on migraine patients. Jie Yang1, Fang Zeng1, Yue Feng1,Li Fang1, Wei Qin2, Xuguang Liu1, Wenzhong Song3, Hongjun Xie3 , Ji Chen1, Fanrong Liang1.

 4. American Journal of Chinese Medicine, V40, 1, 1-10. 2012 World Scientific Publishing Company. Institute for Advanced Research in Asian Science and Medicine. DOI: 10.1142/S0192415X12009610 . 2 Hz Electro-Acupuncture at Yinlingquan (SP9) and Ququan (LR8) Acupoints Induces Changes in Blood Flow in the Liver and Spleen. Wen-Cheng Chou, Hsu-Jan Liu, Yi-Wen Lin, Chin-Yi Cheng, Tsai-Chung Li, Nou-Ying Tang and Ching-Liang Hsieh. China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.

5. Ma, T. T., Yu, S. Y., Li, Y., Liang, F. R., Tian, X. P., Zheng, H., Yan, J., Sun, G. J., Chang, X. R., Zhao, L., Wu, X. and Zeng, F. (2012), Randomised clinical trial: an assessment of acupuncture on specific meridian or specific acupoint vs. sham acupuncture for treating functional dyspepsia. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 35: 552–561. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2011.04979.x

6. Zhong, C., Bai, L., Dai, R., Xue, T., Wang, H., Feng, Y., Liu, Z., You, Y., Chen, S. and Tian, J. (2011), Modulatory effects of acupuncture on resting-state networks: A functional MRI study combining independent component analysis and multivariate granger causality analysis. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.