Acupuncture on Children

Just from my brief time during clinicals at Kosair Children's Hospital, I had the chance to see children undergo nurmerous types of therapies. By and large, they adapt well even if it does involve needles. I know men in their 50's who refuse to take their own blood sugerbecause they are afraid of the "stick" while a 7-year old will say "look what I can do" and lancet their fingers without a problem. It is not a far reach to believe that kids could embrace acupuncture . . . especially if it means less "yucky medicine."Dec 26, 2006 3:32 pm US/EasternUsing Acupuncture To Help Children HealDr. Mallika Marshall Reporting(CBS4) BOSTONAcupuncture is one of the oldest forms of healing. Now local doctors are using it to help treat children.Sandra Kean suffers from migraines as well as severe abdominal...

BUSTED!

Having seen more than a few examples of insurance fraud in the hospital (some doctors bribe patients with free samples of medications and then don't see them, but bill for an office visit!), it is gratifying to see people get busted. I am all for lower health care costs, and this kind of behavior is one of the major elements that keep driving it up. It is disappointing to think that an acupuncturist would be engaged in this kind fraud, but if they are guilty, then I hope the government will be able to recap its losses.2 acupuncturists charged with fraud3:52 PM December 20, 2006Star reportTwo Carmel residents have been charged with health care fraud, U.S. Attorney Susan W. Brooks announced today.Wei Chen Yang, 44, and Horng Shao, 40, were charged following an investigation by the U.S.Department...

Care can be pricey

The other day, one of my patients commented to me, "acupuncture is covered in Canada, it stinks that we don't get that." Cost often keeps people away - I have received several "Thanks, bye" from potential patients inquiring about fees. While some insurance, health savings, and flex-spending plans help defray the cost, acupuncturists are largely cash and carry. Monday, 12/18/06Integrated care more mainstream, but many patients still foot the billBy JOY BUCHANAN Staff WriterJust because people like integrated medical care, that doesn't mean insurance will cover it. Most people using complementary therapies pay out of their own pockets, and prices vary widely."My patients are consistently frustrated that the things they do with me are not covered by insurance," said Dr. Stephen Reisman, owner...

Complementary medicines are useless . . .

and dangerous, says Britain's foremost expertBy BARBARA ROWLANDS Last updated at 08:53am on 12th December 2006at least acupuncture isn't dismissed . . . totally.A lot of complementary medicine is ineffective, and some positively dangerous. Meanwhile, alternative treatments that promise to cure cancer 'are downright irresponsible, if not criminal'.These are the views not of an old-school doctor dismissive of alternative therapies, but of Professor Edzard Ernst, Britain's first professor of complementary medicine and, you would have assumed, its greatest champion.Acupuncture gets the thumbs up. It's good for pain, particularly back pain, though it has nothing to do with mysterious energy flows, as many therapists claim. 'Acupuncture works in a physical way: it's nothing to do with yin and yang,'...

My Patient Speech

One of the frustrating things about "selling" acupuncture to clients is that it does not work as quickly as taking a Lortab - you have to be patient and diligent in the treatment to see long lasting results. The good (and bad) news in complementary medicine is that people typically come to us as a last resort and willing to do almost anything for relief. Back pain is always in the top 3 of reasons why people come to see me. The inevitable question "how long until I see results" typically arises during the initial phone conversation, and it would seem that my "speech" mimics that of the one below. Thursday, December 7, 2006Alternative Medicine: Acupuncture treats low back painLow back pain is one of the most common health complaints in the country today, and acupuncture can be a very effective...

Acupuncture Point Standardization

From a scholastic standpoint, it means there will be less controversy over point location questions on the national exams, especially with non-TCM trained acupuncturists. From a research perspective, standardizing conflicting acupuncture point location was essential to decrease the amount of limitations in a study. From a practitioner standpoint, I just hope the CEU class I will doubtless be required to take will be someplace tropical.Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2006WHO CONFAB FINDS AGREEMENTAcupuncture point standard nailed downBy YUKIKO MAEDAKyodo NewsAcupuncturists from Japan, China and South Korea ironed out long-standing differences over the precise location of acu-points during a recent conference held under the auspices of the World Health Organization.With the successful results of the conference...

Everyone is a acupuncturist

I hope none of our politicians are getting any ideas from this . . .Angry Chinese acupuncturists declare war over billUpdated Thu. Nov. 23 2006 7:23 PM ETCanadian PressTORONTO -- Furious Chinese acupuncturists are threatening to mobilize half-a-million people against Ontario's Liberal government over legislation making their profession self-regulating.The bill, which passed unanimously on Thursday, entrenches "quackery'' and puts the public at risk, critics said."Bill 50 discriminates against the Chinese medicine profession and against the Chinese community and is a second head tax,'' said Stephen Liu, co-chairman of the Canadian Society of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture."We will fight to the last.''The reference to the hated tax once imposed on Chinese immigrants indicates the depth of...

Basketball and Acupuncture

For all you sports fans . . .Pacers' Harrington says he's healedBy Mark Montiethmark.montieth@indystar.comIndiana Pacers forward Al Harrington pronounced himself ready for tonight's game with Milwaukee, thanks to an acupuncture treatment.Harrington, the Pacers' leading scorer (19.2) had missed Saturday's victory at Milwaukee and Monday's practice with back spasms.Harrington had described himself as 70 percent recovered on Monday, but upgraded himself following Tuesday morning's practice at Conseco Fieldhouse."I'm 100 (percent) now," he said. "I'm ready to go."Pacers' center David Harrison said an MRI on his left shoulder Monday revealed no serious injury."Nothing's torn," he said. "They're saying I'll be back pretty soo...

Not relevant, but . . .

My fiance and I started a blog about the fun and frustrations of getting married. If you want a laugh, check it out at:http://gettingmarried.wordpress.c...

What part of the tiger is in tiger balm?

None. (Of course)I remember the contorversy over killing animals for their horns or their bile when I was in school. I don't remember ever coming across any of it. In fact, in our herbal pharmacy, the only animal specimes we would bag up and boil were things like cicada molting (Chan Tui), dried worms (Di Long), and my personal favorite, flying squril feces (Wu Ling Zhi). Yum yum.Wile we are an ocean away from this scandle, it is probably only a matter of time before the next question out a patrients mouth after "what do you do with your needles?" will be, "is there any trafficed endangered specias in this formula?."Chinese medicine interest threatens rare speciesBy Matthew Jones Fri Nov 17, 12:35 PM ETLONDON (Reuters) - Britons are embracing traditional Chinese medicine and unwittingly fuelling...

Familiarity Breeds Contempt

I remember Dr. Huo, one of my TCM instructors, telling me that when his son was sick he reached for antibiotics because it was to hard to force a cranky, ill child to drink cherry-flavored cough syrup let alone an herbal decoction. I also remember Dr. Zhong taking 45 minutes to describe the ingredients and uses of a particular herbal formula by describing the plot of a popular Chinese opera complete with periodic singing. Dr. Hou was all for intergrating into Western society and owned all of the latest technologies while Dr. Zhong intended to return to his home village and still spoke of "Great Leader Chairmen Mao" as though he would walk in the room any moment. I always enjoyed speaking to my various instructors about what China was like, what they thought about America, and how things have...

Schizophrenia, or Phlegm Misting the Heart Orifice?

As both a nurse and an acupuncturist, I specialize in the treatment of people with mental health conditions. I have always been fascinated by the western medical pathologies and the colorful descriptions of the TCM diagnosis. Unfortunately, most people know very little about what an Axis One or Axis Two disorder really means and there is a huge stigma on those who have psychiatric disorders. Just the other day I was relating a story about a patient and was asked "well if they know they are crazy, why can't they just stop being crazy?" I responded with, "if you know you have cancer, can you just stop having cancer?" The treatment of mental illnesses must be holistic to be successful. Gone are the days of the asylum where nurses and doctors routinely kept patients drugged or threw them in quiet...

Para Local Media

Even though it is a few hours away, the more professional exposure acupuncturists can garner in the local media, the better for the region in general. I must admit though, I like to take a peek into other people's practices and see not only how they do business, but also how they answer questions like "what exactly do the needles do?" or "how does acupuncture work?" Personally, the more ways of answereing the same questions I have in my memory the better. Not only does that let you tailor patient education accordingly, but it keeps you from getting tired of listening to your own speeches!A Pinpoint Cure Acupuncture offers area residents an ancient alternative to modern medsBy ALYSSA HARVEY, The Daily NewsMonday, October 30, 2006 11:20 AM CSTA little more than three years ago, David Mefford...

Top 12 Conditions

I received this information as a part of a Continuing Education opportunity which was a poor disguise for a product promotion, but the list is valid, nonetheless.The Top 12 Conditions Patients Seek Acupuncture For1. Orthopedics/Pain Management2. Facial Rejuvenation/Anti-Aging3. Fibromyalgia4. Peripheral Neuropathy5. Respiratory disorders6. Hypertension7. Headache8. Depression9. Chronic Fatigue10. Digestive Disorders11. Constipation12. Gall Stones/Kidney Sto...

Routine Treatments

The piece below is an exert from a longer article, "Prescription: acupuncture." The description of the treatment is something I have used before on Fibromyalgia patients, but do not like doing as a typical treatment. I suppose I am a bread and butter practitioner - I do an assessment, put needles in point by point and obtain Qi, manipulate the needles, let the patient have some relaxation time, then take them out. There may be some cupping, Tui Na, or other procedures performed, but that is the gist. I am not a fan of poking people more than necessary. Repeated insertion in the same point, especially if it is the same needle, does not sit well with me. I once read a Bob Flaws comment that discussed putting in the needle, getting Qi, manipulating the Qi, then withdrawing the needle and moving...

Bold Statement

Chinese acupuncture can cure 461 diseases, expert 461 diseases - I cannot wait to read the list . . . and the research paper. Sweeping claims about the effectiveness of acupuncture can be professionally dangerous as it brings us down to the trend level. However, if the claims can be backed by solid research and the diseases categorized in the way it is being proposed, then claim away. Tianjin, Oct. 14 (Xinhua): Chinese acupuncture can cure 461 diseases, said an expert with Chinese Acupuncture Clinic Research Center in north China's Tianjin city.Du Yuanhao, 43-year-old doctor, gave the conclusion after four-year's study on the acupuncture functions together with his team.According to Du's findings, most of the diseases to which acupuncture is effective are in the nervous system, the digestive...

Catch-up

Mixed feelings on this one. From a liability standpoint, it is nice to have the MD look at someone first - if they can't catch it, we can't be expected to. On the other hand, our diagnosis procedure is a totally different system from the allopaths and most of us to not treat via medical acupuncture. My question is, do the chiropractors and naturopaths have to get an MD clearance too.Philadelphia InquirerAcupuncture treatment. The Senate unanimously approved legislation to require patients to get a diagnosis from a physician, dentist or podiatrist before receiving acupuncture treatment for more than 60 days. The bill goes to the House.When I flew on Southwest Airlines this past week, I came across an article in their in-flight magazine concerning the hospital-turned-hotel trend. Expansion of...

Cooling Hot Flashes

From webmd, nonetheless!Acupuncture May Cool Night Hot FlashesAlternative Medicine Treatment May Ease Menopausal SymptomsBy Jennifer WarnerWebMD Medical NewsSept. 22, 2006 -- Acupuncture may nix nighttime hot flashes caused by menopause, according to a new study.Researchers found seven weeks of acupuncture treatment reduced the severity of nighttime hot flashes by 28% among menopausal women compared with a 6% decrease among women who had a sham acupuncture treatment.Hot flashes are a common symptom of menopause and often occur at night, which can significantly disrupt sleep and affect a woman's quality of life.Until recently, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was the most popular treatment for hot flashes. But in the wake of studies that suggested HRT use could increase a woman's risk of heart...

Celebrity Alert

Not that I am proponent of following Hollywood trends, but everything a celebrity gets press for receiving acupuncture, it raises popular awareness. While I do not think we should look to Hollywood as a guide for healthy living, I am not picky on the manner in which people come to my door.September 19, 2006Marcia's Christmas SurpriseMarcia Cross has an extra special Christmas present for her new husband, Tom Mahoney: the sex of their baby. According to the National Enquirer, the "Desperate Housewives" star has asked her doctor to write her baby’s gender on a piece of paper. She plans to keep the paper in an envelope until Tom opens it during the holidays. The envelope is said to read, “Do Not Open Until Christmas.”Cross’s pregnancy is truly a gift. At 44, she was nervous about her ability...

Relief that Lasts

While the majority of research in acupuncture focuses on effects in general, this one takes the long view and examines efficacy after 24 months.Research Shows Long-Term Benefits Of Acupuncture In Relieving Back PainSeptember 15, 2006 4:56 p.m. ESTShaveta Bansal - All Headline News Staff WriterLondon, England (AHN) - Research by scientists at University of York in England, has shown that acupuncture can be effective therapy in treating patients suffering from lower back pain and that the benefits seem to improve with time.Short-term benefits of acupuncture have been long known but to investigate the long-term effects of the therapy, Dr. Hugh MacPherson and his team studied a group of 241 back pain sufferers who underwent a short course of acupuncture.Patients were divided into two groups: one...

Doubting the Atom

Every once in a while I feel it is good to read what the skeptics have to say. There is something delightfully quaint about people who demand scientific proof that the reflection in the mirror is that of their own face, rather then trusting their own senses. They talk about scientific proof, but many cannot define basic concepts like statistical significance, independent variables, and random sampling. And the assumptions - wow - I am amazed at the lack of investigation and logic. Normally, I pay little attention to those who dismiss complementary medicine outright - I prefer to spend my time helping people, not converting them. I know of very few practitioners who shun Western Medicine as of us have a yearly check-up with a regular doctor, and many take prescription medicine. Yes, there...

Making a Difference

It is wonderful to see how giving so many fellow professional acupuncturists can be not only in the midst of tragedy, but in its aftermath.Healing hands help Katrina victimsBy Jillian Fennimore/ Staff WriterFriday, September 8, 2006 - Updated: 09:55 AM ESTKnown for their calm nature and healing hands, acupuncturists from across the country brought peace to an area still in chaos and repair one year later. Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast last August with record strength, leaving the people of New Orleans and coastal Mississippi in devastation, some homeless, and most stressed in the wake of its destruction.Licensed acupuncturist Bella Rosner, whose practice is in Watertown at the Japanese Acupuncture Center, was one of the many who joined the worthy cause of Acupuncturists Without...

Blanket Marketing

One of the woes of living in the Midwest is selling people on the success of Acupuncture and Oriental medicine treatment. Unlike the coasts, where acupuncture is an established complementary therapy, many here regard the modality with suspicion and doubt. I have had people say to me flatly, "I don't believe in any of that." I have found that explaining acupuncture is not a belief system but a medical one makes little difference. The blank stare can be most frustrating. On the up side, the majority of people who seek out treatment here have done their internet research and understand the potential and the limitations of treatment as well as the need to give ample time to allow the medicine to work. Some know very little and come because someone they know recommended it, but are eager to learn...

For Just a Little Money Down . . .

. . . you can get rid of that pain in the neck. There is nothing like a large sample size to support a point (no pun intended)!Yes, acupuncture really does have a point, study revealsBy Hannah Devlin from The Times OnlineA study has found that acupuncture not only helps to relieve pain but is a cost-effective way of doing so.More than 3,400 patients suffering from neck pain were studied over a three-month period by scientists based at the Berlin Institute of Social Medicine. About half received acupuncture in addition to routine care.The researchers, whose study is reported in the journal Pain, found that the extra cost of the acupuncture treatment resulted in health benefits that were great enough to make the treatment cost-effective.“Acupuncture isn’t controversial any more,” said Claudia...

The Woes of Research Grant Money

If one were to believe the bevy of solicitous e-mails, one would surmise that to get a grant, you just need to fill out a few pieces of paperwork and send it off to various organizations that some internet company provides you for the low cost of $59.99. For the past two years, we have been trying to get funding though the government to continue the research started by Dr. Hollifield and Nityamo Lian concerning an acupuncture treatment protocol for PTSD, and the going is rough and frustrating. We have applied for grants to "further research in several sites with several practitioners of each discipline is needed to confirm these results," but when the concerns on the part of the grant investigators are addressed and answered by our team, the investigators come up with additional concerns....

German Survey

Our Teutonic friends have been busy lately in collecting research covering a wide range of acupuncture effects and techniques. From one side of the pond to the other, a lot of great investigation is being done and I have included links to some of my favorites.Measurement of acupuncture needle grasp at acupuncture points and control pointshttp://www.akupunktur-aktuell.de/fb0112_1.htmOne of the most controversial aspects of acupuncture is whether the location of acupuncture needling sites is important, ie: does the needling of classically defined acupuncture points have an enhanced therapeutic effect as compared with the needling of any other set of points on the body. Resolving this issue is of fundamental importance, since the specificity of acupuncture points is implied in some of the most...

Editorial: What's In A Title

No matter what your opinion of western allopathic medicine, no one can deny that medical school takes a great deal of drive, personal determination, and a large chunk of one’s twenties. Doctors sweat out a large portion of their youth in the troughs of sleep deprivation, condemnation from their superiors, and rigorous study in the hopes of providing a humanitarian service . . . and paying back their student loans. Whether the M.D. becomes a virtuous practitioner, or a money-grubbing autocrat, they all had to earn those initials.Oriental Medicine training is tough. Most of us come from a western medical background and leaning TCM theories, acupuncture points, herbs, and all of the other modalities does not come easily. Those of us who have gone through the formal, master’s education route and...

Incongruity

Headlines are supposed to tell you the cut-and-chase of an article in a single phrase. I find the following one amusing because, while the headline implies that acupuncture doesn't work, the text demonstrates that the evidence is merely inconclusive due to the poor organization and follow-through of the cited studies. The headline should have read something like Efficacy of Acupuncture Uncertain in Stroke Patients or Evidence of Acupuncture Effectiveness Inconclusive for Treating Stroke. Of course, the study's intent was to find if acupuncture is the "most effective for improving stroke patients' rehabilitation" yet there was no mention of a control group or what the other "best" methods might be. Curious, no?Reported July 27, 2006Acupuncture Lacks Evidence, Say Researchers(Ivanhoe Newswire)...

Seminar Style: Mary Elizabeth Wakefield Part II

One of the shortcomings of many Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) schools is that they are often accused of teaching Traditional “Communist” Medicine. This is because, unlike 5-Element institutions, they tend to overlook the mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of acupuncture. Whereas in Western Medicine, diabetes is diabetes no matter who your physician is or what school he went to, diagnosis and treatment with acupuncture depends largely on where you studied and the modality you prefer. Although my TCM program did explore 5-element theory in addition to other systems, they were not the emphasis. That is why today’s session was such a pleasure – it was a review made new.Mary Elizabeth opened with an informative Q&A period that could have gone on all day had she allowed it. She introduced...

Seminar Style: Mary Elizabeth Wakefield Part I

From Eden Park B&B in Takoma Park, MD: It is going to take a while to assimilate all of the information I have learned in day one of Mary Elizabeth Wakefield's Constitutional Facial Acupuncture Renewal. After meeting a fellow TCM practitioner from California at the airport last night (4 hours later than expected due to monsoon style thunder and lightning), and hoofing it almost 1.5 miles in the heat and humidity to the seminar, I found myself in a room of local Tai Sopheia trained 5-Element practitioners. Needless to say, I felt a little bit out of my "element." However, that quickly changed when Mary Elizabeth introduced herself and began speaking about her acupuncture facial rejuvination techniques.Contrary to popular belief, acupuncture facial rejuvination (and don't you dare call it...

The Future of Hospital Care

Every year, many schools of Traditional Chinese Medicine offer internships to several different hospitals in China where students and practitioners can do intensive study of acupuncture, herbal therapy, Tui Na, or medical Qi Gong and Tai Chi. It is a system designed to allow doctors to find the best treatments for their patients and collaborate closely with other physicians. Imagine such an intergration in a US hospital, where patients have the option of receiving alternative therapies to augment their allopathic treatment. How useful would this be to so many lying in hospital beds who are suffering from post-of pain, undergoing cancer treatment, detoxing off alcohol or drugs, or simply having trouble going to sleep in an inherently bustling environment? It is beginning to become a reality,...

Neck Pain

One of the major limitations with most acupuncture research is the small sample size - so many of the studies just meet the minimum 30 participants to make the study statistically significant. Fortunately, there is no shortage of people suffering with neck pain and willing to volunteer. Here is a quick survey study of recent research findings.From The Scotsman Wed 19 July 2006Study proves acupuncture can aid neck pain and stiffnessACUPUNCTURE is effective in helping people suffering neck pain, a review of evidence has concluded.Some sceptics have claimed any benefit from using the technique is down to a patient's expectation that the treatment will work - a placebo effect.Now a group of researchers has analysed ten trials, with a total of 661 patients, which investigated whether acupuncture...

Today, Its Official!

I post a lot about this, but I cannot help but be excited over the validation of my profession in this state . . . especially since we, thankfully, are not the last one to pass a regulatory law!Acupuncture now regulated health care in KentuckyAssociated PressLEXINGTON, Ky. - Thousands of years after the Chinese invented the procedure and three decades after states first began overseeing its practice, Kentucky is making acupuncture a regulated form of medical care.Beginning next year acupuncturists in Kentucky who want to practice the art of sticking hairlike needles into various pressure points around the body to relieve pain will have to be certified.The law - which Gov. Ernie Fletcher signed on April 26 - went into effect on Saturday.The regulations will require acupuncturists who want to...

Verification Optional

I was ordering from an acupuncture supply company today and I was bothered by something during check-out. Unlike many herbal suppliers, such as Crane Herbs or Kan, several distributors of needle, moxabustion, and Electro Therapy products, including Acu-Market and Lhasa OMS, do not require license verification before allowing you to buy. I merely had to check boxes stating that I legally met the criteria to purchase such products, but there was no process to ensure I was who I claimed to be. By making professional products easily available to the public, it can encourage quack practitioners and lead to dangerous experimentation, particularly with those companies that sell herbal formulas. Of course they have the usual "hold-harmless-no-medical-claims-intended-the-herbs-are-just-food-supplements"...

Cupping with Fire

Since my first lesson, I have been a big fan of fire cupping. It is powerful, dramatic, and can leave marks that may have friends lifting eyebrows and inquiring if everything is okay at home. While most of the press dedicated to cupping focuses on it's use for pain management, I have to interject it is a first-rate modality for preventing the progression of a cold. At the first sniffle or scratch in the throat, I reach for the plum-blossom hammer, my fire cups, some Po sum On oil and my jade Gua Sha stone. These tools can knock out a wind-cold invasion before it has a chance to knock the client out. Not to mention, it feels really good. I have found that while they can be cumbersome, glass cupping is the most versatile as you can perform multiple techniques that are impossible with plastic...

And the Research Continues

From the Boston ChannelAcupuncture may help knee pain more than taking anti-inflammatory drugs, according to new researchers.Researchers studied 1,000 patients with osteoarthritis in the knee. Twenty-nine percent of those who had medication and physical therapy for six weeks reported less pain, compared to 53 percent of those who had acupuncture reporting less pain.Fifty-one percent of those who had a placebo form of acupuncture also said their pain had decreased. It's possible, experts said, that just thinking a treatment may work will actually alleviate pain.From the Annals of Internal MedicineWhat is the problem and what is known about it so far?Knee osteoarthritis is a common condition in which changes in the knee joints lead to pain. Treatments include drugs to decrease pain and inflammation;...