Acupuncture is widely accepted as an effective tool for pain control with none of the side effects of narcotic drugs. Oddly, many folks never think of using acupuncture for cancer pain, post-operative pain, radiation therapy support or cancer after-care support. These are actually ideal situations to employ acupuncture for an immediate amelioration of symptoms.
The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture writes about the specific uses of acupuncture in cancer therapy in the following article: http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/acu_info/articles/cancertreatment.html
My patients have reported their frustration that their oncologist never recommended acupuncture as a complementary therapy to support their treatment. It is not clear why doctors do not think to mention this time honored and research proven therapy. This is so unfortunate because patients may suffer needlessly from pain due to the after-care drugs that they need to be on for extended periods of time post radiation or surgery. These drugs can be prescribed for five years and frequently cause debilitating joint and muscle pain and other unwanted side-effects. In my practice I have seen this pain go away after one treatment and the patient may only need weekly treatments for a few months or bi—monthly treatments to be totally pain-free.
It is also widely known that acupuncture speeds healing and is a valuable tool in hastening recovery from surgeries. Patients also report a generalized sense of well being as a result of having acupuncture. Side-effects from cancer therapies include severe, painful nausea and vomiting which is also easily ameliorated by acupuncture. If you have a loved one suffering unwanted side effects, consider recommending acupuncture.
Another tool helping cancer patients is Qi Gong meditation. This is a simple moving meditation similar to Tai Chi which is taught at our center every other Friday evening. Qi Gong has benefits for anyone but can be particularly valuable in chronic illness because it resets the meridians from the inside in addition to building “qi” (bio-electric energy) for increased energy, better blood circulation and stronger immunity.
There is so much that people can do to help themselves, no matter how chronic the illness. Folks only need support and good information to help them on their healing journey. Help spread the word – Acupuncture works!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Menopause and Chinese Medicine
Menopause and Chinese Medicine
The Chinese medicine conception of menopause falls into a greater philosophy of the natural processes of life. During menopause, changes occur in which the female body preserves blood and energy to sustain life. Menstruation and pregnancy actually takes a great toll on the woman’s body and nature recognizes the need to conserve once a healthy conception is no longer likely.
Chinese medicine holds the belief that the blood and energy is actually redirected toward nourishing the spirit and development of wisdom. This theme is found in qi gong practice and the principles of lifestyle which promote longevity according to ancient Chinese wisdom.
During menopause, unpleasant symptoms occur when lifestyle, constitution, degree of stress and diet have been or are unhealthful or inappropriate for the patient’s body constitution. When the body is already somewhat out of balance and then there is a major shift, of course there will be signs and symptoms. The most significant tenant of Chinese medicine is to treat the patient preventatively, before they have symptoms, rather than wait until the energy of treatment has to be devoted to managing symptoms. It is much easier to restore balance when the disharmony is at its beginning. As a Chinese medicine practitioner, I recommend getting the body prepared for menopause with herbs and acupuncture before symptoms arise.
Let’s look at what happens during menopause from the Chinese medicine perspective. There are meridians which go directly to the uterus. These meridians carry qi and blood to the uterus to provide nourishment to the fetus and to store blood for menstruation. During menopause the woman’s body stops filling up these meridians because they are no longer necessary for the production and nourishment of a fetus. That qi and blood can be better utilized elsewhere in the body. This is the body’s way of conserving the life force.
Problems arise when there is deficiency or excess or other imbalances in other areas of the body. This transition of menopause can be affected in many ways. Particularly, hot flashes rise up because there is a deficiency of yin. Yin and yang are the opposite forces in life which need to keep each other in check. Lifestyles, overwork, stress and chemicals damage yin which leaves the yang unchecked. The tendency of yang is to rise up and that is called a hot flash. The cold which follows that is a result of yang which has been lost through the surging. If treated with herbal medicine and acupuncture, these symptoms subside and the longevity of the patient is preserved. Ideally, the patient who wants to prevent these affects will come in for balancing before the unpleasant symptoms occur.
Anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia are other common symptom of menopause. Again heat can rise up and can be exacerbated by excessive sweating, blood loss from a history of heavy periods, a smoking habit or other yin damaging substances. This is treatable with herbal substances which nourish yin and balance yin, blood, qi and yang as appropriate for each individual patient. The main thing to understand is that every person is different and there are different factors involved which influence how the symptoms prevent. These differences are well understood in Chinese medicine and all are treatable.
Nancy Brem L. Ac
The Chinese medicine conception of menopause falls into a greater philosophy of the natural processes of life. During menopause, changes occur in which the female body preserves blood and energy to sustain life. Menstruation and pregnancy actually takes a great toll on the woman’s body and nature recognizes the need to conserve once a healthy conception is no longer likely.
Chinese medicine holds the belief that the blood and energy is actually redirected toward nourishing the spirit and development of wisdom. This theme is found in qi gong practice and the principles of lifestyle which promote longevity according to ancient Chinese wisdom.
During menopause, unpleasant symptoms occur when lifestyle, constitution, degree of stress and diet have been or are unhealthful or inappropriate for the patient’s body constitution. When the body is already somewhat out of balance and then there is a major shift, of course there will be signs and symptoms. The most significant tenant of Chinese medicine is to treat the patient preventatively, before they have symptoms, rather than wait until the energy of treatment has to be devoted to managing symptoms. It is much easier to restore balance when the disharmony is at its beginning. As a Chinese medicine practitioner, I recommend getting the body prepared for menopause with herbs and acupuncture before symptoms arise.
Let’s look at what happens during menopause from the Chinese medicine perspective. There are meridians which go directly to the uterus. These meridians carry qi and blood to the uterus to provide nourishment to the fetus and to store blood for menstruation. During menopause the woman’s body stops filling up these meridians because they are no longer necessary for the production and nourishment of a fetus. That qi and blood can be better utilized elsewhere in the body. This is the body’s way of conserving the life force.
Problems arise when there is deficiency or excess or other imbalances in other areas of the body. This transition of menopause can be affected in many ways. Particularly, hot flashes rise up because there is a deficiency of yin. Yin and yang are the opposite forces in life which need to keep each other in check. Lifestyles, overwork, stress and chemicals damage yin which leaves the yang unchecked. The tendency of yang is to rise up and that is called a hot flash. The cold which follows that is a result of yang which has been lost through the surging. If treated with herbal medicine and acupuncture, these symptoms subside and the longevity of the patient is preserved. Ideally, the patient who wants to prevent these affects will come in for balancing before the unpleasant symptoms occur.
Anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia are other common symptom of menopause. Again heat can rise up and can be exacerbated by excessive sweating, blood loss from a history of heavy periods, a smoking habit or other yin damaging substances. This is treatable with herbal substances which nourish yin and balance yin, blood, qi and yang as appropriate for each individual patient. The main thing to understand is that every person is different and there are different factors involved which influence how the symptoms prevent. These differences are well understood in Chinese medicine and all are treatable.
Nancy Brem L. Ac
Monday, February 22, 2010
Treating Medial Epicondylitis (aka Golfer’s Elbow) with Acupuncture
Treating Medial Epicondylitis (aka Golfer’s Elbow) with AcupunctureWhat is it?
Medial Epicondylitis is a sports injury incurred by golfers involving elbow pain resulting from inflammation and/or tears of the muscles and tendons surrounding the medial epicondyle (inside elbow). These are the tendons that connect to the humerus which can become damaged from the repeated twisting that occurs when playing golf. This is the most common repetitive use injury suffered by golfers and is similar to the lateral epicondylitis suffered by tennis players. These injuries so often become chronic and the traditional western therapies have little success in resolving the pain permanently. Acupuncture, however, has been shown to do just that.
What can acupuncture do for Golfer’s Elbow?
A research has shown that regardless of how long the patient has suffered from the pain, acupuncture provides immediate and enduring relief. As an acupuncturist who specializes in pain, I can account for this because of the simple logic that acupuncture can literally penetrate to the source of the problem and physically release the muscle tension surrounding the injury and provide increased circulation through the specific channels that are inflamed, damaged, and obstructed. There has been a good deal of research that acupuncture has the ability to speed healing of damaged tissue, reduce inflammation, and release natural opiates to alleviate pain during the recovery phase. What some people do not realize is that it actually brings blood to the area and smoothes the flow of blood circulation in a specific area. This is why acupuncture can treat virtually any physical pain in the body.
How many treatments does it take?
The course of therapy always depends on how long the condition has existed. Generally, most patients are resolved of pain in 2 to 10 treatments. The shorter course of treatment is appropriate for patients who are just recently injured.
What this shows is that acupuncture is a safe and highly effective therapy that exceeds the benefits of most standard therapies. There is a simple logic to how it works and yet the majority of patients who participate in studies have tried everything else before they are willing to try acupuncture. We have a long way to go in showing the public that acupuncture is a perfectly logical, well reasoned form of treatment that is incredibly effective. Please spread the word.
Nancy Brem
Medial Epicondylitis is a sports injury incurred by golfers involving elbow pain resulting from inflammation and/or tears of the muscles and tendons surrounding the medial epicondyle (inside elbow). These are the tendons that connect to the humerus which can become damaged from the repeated twisting that occurs when playing golf. This is the most common repetitive use injury suffered by golfers and is similar to the lateral epicondylitis suffered by tennis players. These injuries so often become chronic and the traditional western therapies have little success in resolving the pain permanently. Acupuncture, however, has been shown to do just that.
What can acupuncture do for Golfer’s Elbow?
A research has shown that regardless of how long the patient has suffered from the pain, acupuncture provides immediate and enduring relief. As an acupuncturist who specializes in pain, I can account for this because of the simple logic that acupuncture can literally penetrate to the source of the problem and physically release the muscle tension surrounding the injury and provide increased circulation through the specific channels that are inflamed, damaged, and obstructed. There has been a good deal of research that acupuncture has the ability to speed healing of damaged tissue, reduce inflammation, and release natural opiates to alleviate pain during the recovery phase. What some people do not realize is that it actually brings blood to the area and smoothes the flow of blood circulation in a specific area. This is why acupuncture can treat virtually any physical pain in the body.
How many treatments does it take?
The course of therapy always depends on how long the condition has existed. Generally, most patients are resolved of pain in 2 to 10 treatments. The shorter course of treatment is appropriate for patients who are just recently injured.
What this shows is that acupuncture is a safe and highly effective therapy that exceeds the benefits of most standard therapies. There is a simple logic to how it works and yet the majority of patients who participate in studies have tried everything else before they are willing to try acupuncture. We have a long way to go in showing the public that acupuncture is a perfectly logical, well reasoned form of treatment that is incredibly effective. Please spread the word.
Nancy Brem
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