Acupuncture and Herbs for Burning Foot Pain

Chief Complaint: Severe burning foot painWestern Diagnosis: SciaticaMedical History: Patient suffered traumatic fall and damaged sciatic nerve resulting in burning foot painPulse exam: slightly rapid and wiryTongue exam: pale pink body, thin white coatOM Diagnosis: Decided not to treat root. Only treating branch, so diagnosis was channel obstruction or “blood stagnation”.Treatment Principle: Stop pain, Remove obstruction, Move bloodPoint Prescription: Ear points: shen men, occiput, brain. E-stim on shen men and occiput. GB31 opposite sideHerbal Formula: Yan Hu Suo Zhi Tong WanResults: After 10 treatments two times a week, patient could put weight...

The Treatment of Sciatica Pain with Acupuncture

Chief Complaint: sciaticaMedical History: The patient’s history included having his right femur crushed in a car accident 50 years before, and right knee replaced 3 1/2 years before.Questioning exam: A seventy-nine year old man presented with sciatic pain which had begun 6 weeks before, in the early winter. The pain began in the lumbar area and traversed down the posterior aspect of the right thigh, calf, and into the 4th and 5th toes, following the Urinary Bladder channel. In addition, pain also went into the right inguinal area and down the medial aspect of the right thing, following the Liver and Kidney meridians.OM Diagnosis: Wind...

Chief Complaint: Chronic Pelvic PainWestern Diagnosis: EndometriosisMedical History: 30y.o. female presents with main complaint of chronic lower pelvic pain. Patient states she got off of Aleese (birth control pill) approximately 6 months ago and began experience pelvic pain around ovulation and menses.Symptoms: irregular pattern of menses, occasional spotting around ovulation and pre-menses, pain during intercourse, slightly painful bowel movements, a dislike of touch around the area, large clots, thirsty, constipation. Patient has had history of dysmennorea as an adolescent and visited her family physician who began her on birth control...

Acupuncture Treatment of Ganglion Cyst

Chief Complaint: 1x1x1x inch. right wrist lumpWestern Diagnosis: Ganglion cystMedical History: Right handed computer/mouse userQuestioning exam: Cosmetic reasons:[/b] looked prominent though painless.OM Diagnosis: Phlegm accumulation based on local Qi and blood stagnationTreatment Principle: Local needlingPoint Prescription: Looking up medical acupuncture and general acupuncture websites I could not find any particularly relevant informationHerbal Formula: N/ALifestyle Prescription: Wrist support, exerciseResults: After one treatment, basically my idea was just to “puncture” the cyst and using direct moxa on site, within 24 hours the cyst fluid...

Herbs and Acupuncture for Dark Scanty Menstrual Flow

Chief Complaint: dark scanty menstrual bloodMedical History: Patient is a 35 year old pilates instructor.- very active lifestyle with a 4 year old daughter- eats irregularly and often on the run- healthy pregnancy and no surgeries or major illnessQuestioning exam: – blood dark in colour, brownish purple and scanty with some clots.-energy levels very low lately-some lower abdominal cramping first day of menstruation-fatigue worse during and just after menstrual cycle-complexion palePulse exam: thin, choppy, wiryTongue exam: pale purple tongue more pale on the sidesOM Diagnosis: Liver blood deficiency and blood stasisTreatment Principle: Tonify...

Research: Acupuncture and Moxibustion for IBS

An article examining treatment modalities for irritable bowel syndrome revealed acupuncture is promising as a stand-alone or adjunct therapy. In all of the studies below, improvement was demonstrated by adding or using acupuncture to treat IBS symptoms. Although sham groups also showed improvement, I do not agree with the authors that this means it is all an "in-your-head" placebo effect, especially as the last study cited showed the best improvement came from a combination of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy. Many "sham" controls elicit a therapeutic effect because all forms of acupuncture release endorphins, but the effect is more masking than curative. Long-term relief comparison studies between sham and true acupuncture are remarkably absent in the literature and are necessary...

Research: Acupuncture and Moxibustion for IBS

An article examining treatment modalities for irritable bowel syndrome revealed acupuncture is promising as a stand-alone or adjunct therapy. In all of the studies below, improvement was demonstrated by adding or using acupuncture to treat IBS symptoms. Although sham groups also showed improvement, I do not agree with the authors that this means it is all an "in-your-head" placebo effect, especially as the last study cited showed the best improvement came from a combination of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy. Many "sham" controls elicit a therapeutic effect because all forms of acupuncture release endorphins, but the effect is more masking than curative. Long-term relief comparison studies between sham and true acupuncture are remarkably absent in the literature and are necessary...

Another Blog Award!

Very happy to announce another blog award for Acupuncture News. While I do not bring Reiki into the writing often, both disciplines work with energy in their own way to help the body optimize functioning.Top Reiki Blogs forensicscience.net...

Another Blog Award!

Very happy to announce another blog award for Acupuncture News. While I do not bring Reiki into the writing often, both disciplines work with energy in their own way to help the body optimize functioning.Top Reiki Blogs forensicscience.net...

Symptoms Without a Diagnosis? Acupuncture Helps!

A recent study from the UK found significant improvement in patients with multiple physical symptoms after a series of five-element style acupuncture sessions. When the control group was offered the same treatment after the initial series was completed, they reported similar improvement. What I find interesting about the "mystery symptoms" moniker is the bypassing of somatoform disorder as a diagnosis. This condition tends to do well with psychotherapy, an aspect of treatment many acupuncturists include as part of their practice, whether or not it is formal or intentional. I do not downplay the significance of acupuncture as a contributing factor to recovery and improvement - as part of my current doctoral training in mental health I have been integrating auricular acupuncture as part of CBT...

Symptoms Without a Diagnosis? Acupuncture Helps!

A recent study from the UK found significant improvement in patients with multiple physical symptoms after a series of five-element style acupuncture sessions. When the control group was offered the same treatment after the initial series was completed, they reported similar improvement. What I find interesting about the "mystery symptoms" moniker is the bypassing of somatoform disorder as a diagnosis. This condition tends to do well with psychotherapy, an aspect of treatment many acupuncturists include as part of their practice, whether or not it is formal or intentional. I do not downplay the significance of acupuncture as a contributing factor to recovery and improvement - as part of my current doctoral training in mental health I have been integrating auricular acupuncture as part of CBT...