Peripheral neuropathy is described as damage that has been done to the peripheral nervous system.  It usually is caused by conditions such as diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, alcoholism, nutritional deficiencies, AIDS and various medications and drugs.

Other causes include direct physical injury to a nerve caused by fractures, dislocated bones, pressure from a prolonged use of crutches or prolonged position.  Tumors, hemorrhage, exposure to cold and compression (such as carpal tunnel syndrome) can also cause this.

Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may include:

• numbness or insensitivity to pain or temperature
• 
burning, tingling, or prickling sensation
• sharp or burning pain
• 
cramps
• 
extreme sensitivity to touch
• loss of balance and coordination
• muscle weakness
• muscle wasting
• paralysis

Oriental medicine teaches that peripheral neuropathy is due to dampness moving to the limbs, where it obstructs the flow of Qi (energy) and blood within them. The treatment is twofold, to treat the underlying factor that is causing this dampness to accumulate and to directly facilitate the circulation of Qi and blood in the affected area. By improving circulation, the nerve tissues of the affected area can be nourished to repair function and reduce pain.

Peripheral neuropathy is a symptom for many different patterns of disharmony within the body. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine aims to treat each individual uniquely depending on what caused the neuropathy and how it manifests.

I’m here to help, contact me today and we can discuss the treatment options that are open to you with acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.

-Qi Mail by Acufinder

Many folks who come into my office are surprised at the number of ailments that Acupuncture can treat.  At the top of the list that people don’t know about are neurological disorders.

A neurological disorder refers to a problem with the nervous system, which is a complex, sophisticated system that regulates and coordinates the body’s activities. Nerve pain can arise from trauma, inflammation, stroke, disease, infection, nerve degeneration, exposure to toxic chemicals, and nutrient deficiencies.

Nerve pain is usually a sharp shooting pain or a constant burning sensation. Typically occurring in the same location with each episode, it can often be traced along the nerve pathway. Sometimes weakness or impaired function in the affected area occurs and the skin may be either overly sensitive or numb.

Some common neurological disorders acupuncture treats include:

Peripheral Neuropathy – damage to the peripheral nervous system, which transmits information from the brain and spinal cord to every other part of the body. Neuropathy caused by diabetes often affects the feet.

Trigeminal Neuralgia – facial pain, sometimes called Tic Douloureux, affects the trigeminal nerve which is responsible for impulses of touch, pain, pressure and temperature sent to the brain from the face, jaw, and gums.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – also known as median nerve entrapment, it occurs when swelling or irritation of the nerve or tendons in the carpal tunnel results in pressure on the median nerve.

Headaches – Headaches that can be treated with acupuncture include migraines, tension headaches, headaches occurring around the menstrual cycle, sinus headaches and stress-related headaches.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine have been found effective as a conjunctive therapy for several neurological disorders and in treating pain and inflammation.

Do you or someone you know have this type of pain?  Make an appointment today to talk about how I can help.

-Qi Mail by Acufinder

At some point in life everyone deals with major upheavals or emotional distress. These events can trigger a host of unexpected feelings and behaviors from depression and panic attacks to major disruptions in sleep and eating. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can alleviate symptoms associated with mental health issues in treating the root cause of the problem by helping to rebalance the body’s internal environment.

Acupuncture can bring calm

Mental health disorders are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning which result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. The good news about mental disorders is that recovery is often possible. Affecting persons of any age, race, religion, or income mental health disorders have been found to be common and experts estimate almost a third of the population report sufficient qualifying criteria at some point in their life. Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and borderline personality disorder.

From an Oriental medicine perspective mental health disorders can cause a disruption in the flow of vital energy, or qi, through the body. These energetic imbalances can throw off the immune system or cause symptoms of pain, sleep disturbances, abnormal digestion, headaches, and menstrual irregularities, and, over time, more serious illnesses can develop. Acupuncture treatments can correct these imbalances and directly affect the way your body manages your mental health.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders

Oriental Medicine does not recognize any mental disorder as one particular syndrome. Instead, it aims to treat the specific symptoms that are unique to each individual using a variety of techniques including acupuncture, lifestyle/dietary recommendations and exercises to restore imbalances found in the body. Therefore, if 100 patients are treated with acupuncture and Oriental medicine for anxiety, each of these 100 people will receive a unique, customized treatment with different acupuncture points, and different lifestyle and diet recommendations.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine have the ability to detect energetic changes that occur in the body and relieve symptoms by restoring equilibrium. The physical and emotional symptoms that you are experiencing will help create a clear picture on which a treatment plan can be created specifically for you.

Here are just a few acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help with:

Depressive Disorders - Common symptoms of depressive disorders include: a decreased interest in most activities, insomnia, fatigue, and feeling empty and worthless. Even when depression is sub-clinical, the body’s immune system is compromised and the symptoms reduce functioning and impair work performance and social relationships. Acupuncture treatments can correct these imbalances, support the immune system, and directly affect the way your body manages stress and your mental health.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) – a condition of the brain that makes it difficult to concentrate or control impulsive behavior ADD/ADHD does not just occur during childhood. Acupuncture can help enhance concentration, reduce fidgeting, augment mood management techniques, reduce hyperactivity and enhance concentration.

Anxiety and Stress Disorders - Anxiety comes in a wide range of manifestations, from mild worrying to more physical responses such as nausea, insomnia, shortness of breath and panic attacks. Some anxiety is a healthy response to the stress of daily life and new situations; however, anxiety that occurs randomly or excessively is a sign to take notice. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help balance both the mental and physical symptoms of anxiety and help to create harmony and spaciousness.

Mental health issues are best managed when health professionals work together to meet the unique needs of each individual. Acupuncture is an excellent addition to any treatment plan as it is used to help the body restore balance, treating the root of the disorder, while also diminishing symptoms.

If you or someone you know struggles with a mental health disorder or if you would like to know how to optimize your mental health, please call to find out more about how acupuncture and Oriental medicine can be integrated into your mental and emotional wellness plan today!

Acupuncture for Irritability and Moodiness

Everyone suffers from irritability and moodiness from time to time, but if you find that a short temper and frustration are becoming a constant issue for you, then acupuncture may be able to help.

Often irritability and moodiness are the consequence of chronic stress in your life. Over time these emotions can progress into more serious emotional conditions such as anxiety and depression as well as other health conditions such as digestive problems, trouble sleeping and the tendency to get sick more frequently.

Liver Qi Stagnation and Emotions

Emotional disorders can be associated with a number of different patterns of disharmony within Oriental medicine however, anger, irritability, and frustration are all signs that our qi (life force) is not flowing smoothly. The liver is responsible for the smooth flowing of qi (life force) throughout the body and for smoothing our emotions. When the liver’s function of moving qi is disrupted, qi can become stuck. This is referred to as liver qi stagnation.

Liver qi stagnation is one of the most common patterns of disharmony seen in today’s patients. In addition to irritability and moodiness, signs and symptoms may include: distending pain in the area below the ribs, stuffiness of the chest, sighing, abdominal distention, nausea, sour regurgitation, belching, diarrhea or constipation, feeling of a lump in the throat, irregular periods, painful periods and distention of the breasts prior to periods. Liver qi stagnation is commonly associated with PMS.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is excellent at relieving liver qi stagnation. Treatment for irritability and moodiness associated with liver qi stagnation focuses on moving qi and supporting the liver and spleen organ systems with acupuncture, lifestyle and dietary recommendations.

Soothe and Refresh yourself!

What You Can Do!

When your Qi (life force) functions smoothly, physical and emotional activity throughout the body also runs smoothly. So, for optimum health, move your Qi!

Stretch
According to Oriental medicine, the liver stores blood during periods of rest and then releases it to the tendons in times of activity, maintaining tendon health and flexibility. Incorporate a morning stretch into your routine.

Eye Exercises
Although all organs have some connection to eye health the liver is connected to proper eye function. Take breaks when looking at a monitor for extended periods of time and do eye exercises.

Eat Green
Eating young plants – fresh, leafy greens, sprouts, and immature cereal grasses can improve the liver’s overall functions and aid in the movement of qi.

Do More Outdoor Activities
Outside air helps liver qi flow. If you have been feeling irritable, find an outdoor activity to smooth out that liver qi stagnation.

Acupressure Points for Moving Qi.

Four Gates
A popular treatment for stress, anger, sadness, and frustration these four acupuncture points are thought to enhance the circulation of Qi and blood throughout the body and have a calming and analgesic effect.

LI 4 is located on the padded area of your hand between the thumb and index finger, between the first and second metacarpal bones. Massage this point with your thumb on both hands for approximately 30 seconds.

LV 3 is located in a hollow on the top of your foot below the gap between your big toe and the next toe, between the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones. To stimulate this point, place your right heel in the juncture between the bones that attach to the large and second toes and gently knead the point for approximately thirty seconds. Then switch sides to stimulate the point on your other foot.

Baihui for Clarity
Massage acupuncture point, Baihui for mental clarity. Located on the top of the head midway between the ears Baihui is used to clear the mind, calm the spirit, and improve focus. Stimulate the point with your index finger for 30-45 seconds for a quick “brain boost”.

Yintang for Calmness
Yintang, a point located midway between the eyebrows is sometimes referred to as “the third eye”. Stimulation of Yintang is known to calm the mind, enhance one’s ability to focus, soothe emotions, promote sleep, and relieve depression.

If you are concerned that your emotions may be interfering with your health and wellness, please call today to see how acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help you!

- Qi Mail by Acufinder

Irregular periods, menstrual cramps, abdominal pain, breast tenderness, anxiety and irritability are all problems associated with having your period.

Menstrual cramps can be quite painful and along with bloating can be very disruptive to daily life.  Many advocate slowing down, taking it easy, resting.  If you can grab a hot cup of rosehip tea, a great book and snuggle down with your favorite pet, that is an excellent remedy, but often times life interferes and occasionally the pain is stronger than just slowing down can help.  OTC medications are plentiful, they can ease the pain but don’t actually treat the problem.

Menstrual cramps can be relieved by acupuncture

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) looks at menstrual cramps as a result of Qi and Blood not able to flow freely.  This energy, or Qi stagnates and this can cause pain.  Promoting movement of this Qi and Blood, as well as regulating your body so that bloating, breast tenderness and irritability are also relived is the main goal of these treatments.

In addition to regular acupuncture treatments, the following can be used to promote movement and relieve painful periods.

Tea: Rosehips, cinnamon, chamomile and ginger teas can all assist the body during this time.  Mixing some of the raw herbs with boiling water, letting them steep for 20 minute or so before drinking.

Wine: Wine is one of the medicines in the pharmacopea of Chinese Medicine.  It can promote and stimulate the movement of Qi and Blood and taken in moderation, can be used for cramps.  Moderation prior to your cycle with wine and alcohol is important, as prior to beginning bleeding, wine can actually cause stagnation and problems.

Fish Oil Capsules: Fish oils are an amazing source of essential fatty acids, which are show to reduce overall inflammation in the body and will help to reduce the blood clotting and vasoconstriction that can cause cramping.  Take fish oils daily, from 1,200 to 4,000 mg per day.

Diet: Chinese Nutrition is an important factor in every treatment plan.  Avoid excessively cold foods and dairy products during your period.  Ice in your water at this time, icecream, and other cold foods will only serve to make the problem worse.  Drinking plenty of room temperature water, or warm tea, green leafy vegetables and regular meals will help.  Regular exercise is essential, but when you are bleeding, don’t push yourself too hard.  Gentle movements such as dancing and yoga, walking and light swimming are great.

Chinese Herbal Therapy: Chinese herbs are foremost, the best choice for helping to reduce cramping.  A Traditional Chinese Medical formula at our office is made up of granuals and is highly individualized according to the underlying problems with the health of the patient.  We can use this individual formula to address everything from cramping and bloating to irritability and irregular menstruation.

Whatever your imbalance is with your reproductive health, Traditional Chinese Medicine, with acupuncture and herbal therapy can be a great tool to help you feel better.  When you come in, we will write up a full treatment plan and help you to make the best decisions for your health.

A great video on the benefits of acupuncture for low back pain and sciatica.   After pain killers and physical therapy aren’t helpful, acupuncture helps!

Acupuncture resolves low back pain and sciatica

Common Causes of Back Pain Treated with Acupuncture

Back pain, whether it is acute pain caused by injury or a chronic state due to past trauma or surgery, can be completely debilitating.  Having your life affected by the necessary changes in lifestyle, movement and stature not only causes mental and spiritual unhappiness, but in the long term can also cause other structural problems within the body.

The main cause of acute back pain is the sprain.  During your day, workout, or play you may have overstretched one or more of the ligaments in the back and possibly caused a strain, which is tearing or damaging the muscles, generally caused by sudden movement and force.  Even seemingly innocent activities can cause these things, apparent mild injuries, poor posture and lifting over heavy items improperly.

Chronic pain comes from an early injury, and may be related to having a herniated or protruding disc bulging.  Another common form is sciatica.  Sciatica is pain that usually extends down from the buttocks into the legs.  This is generally caused by an irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve which extends out from the lumbar area of the back.

Although most episodes of low back pain last less than two weeks, research has shown that recurrence rates for low back pain can reach as high as 50% in the first few months following an initial episode.

推拿 - tuī ná

Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns of Back Pain

How can Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) help you? TCM has a different view of diagnosing back pain than Western Medicine.  We differentiate the pain into various patterns based on the type of pain and the over all constitution of the patient.

Common TCM Patterns for Back Pain include:

• Deficiency type pain
• Qi and Blood stagnation
• Pain due to Cold Damp Obstruction

When the pain is resulting from deficiency, it feels dull, is usually chronic and improves with rest.  We see this more common in office workers, middle aged people and the elderly.

Stagnation is pain that is more severe and may feel stabbing in nature, with sensations of stiffness, tightness and when resting, it gets worse.  Typically, getting up and lightly stretching the area can alleviate the pain and often times when this type reoccurs, it is indicative of an underlying deficiency as well.

Cold damp pain is usually always made worse with cold and damp weather and generally with pressure changes.  Heat is useful to relieve the pain and there may be a sensation of numbness either in the back where the pain is, or along the legs or feet.  Sensations of heaviness and swellings may also occur.

Traditional Chinese Medicine as Treatment for Back Pain

Acupuncture can help to relieve all of these types of pain by restoring harmony and bringing balance to the body and thereby helping to stimulate natural healthy patterns of healing.

Treatment usually consists mainly of acupuncture, but other methods may be applied, such as moxa, a heating therapy, cupping, Tuina and possibly the use of a personalized herbal formula.  When using acupuncture, points in the local area as well as in the arms and hands, legs and feet may be used.  Quick relief follows the insertion of the needles.

Cupping consists of using glass cups to create suction on the body relieving the area of stagnation, dampness and pain.  Using cups on the body, one can find great relief from long term chronic pain, especially if caused by trauma.

Treatment should happen frequently at the beginning and then as pain relief is sustained, can be tapered off.

As we can see, acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can greatly improve the quality of life for many who live with back pain.

Research and Sources:

• Acupuncture Eases Back Pain
• Acupuncture Effective for Treating Chronic Back Pain
• Acupuncture May Reduce Back Pain
• Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain
• Acufinder
• Acupuncture Today

[New to acupuncture?  Get to know its benefits by reading 10 Things about Acupuncture that work.]

To be, or not to be…. Well.

What are your days like this winter?  Do you get up each day, tired and wondering if today you are going to get the office plague, have you spent the entire (albeit beautiful) Portland rainy winter hoping you don’t get H1N1?  Do you spend a good portion of your time working out various ways to avoid being ill and tired, avoiding digestive problems and other maladies?  How many of these problems do you have on a regular basis?

Here’s the real question:

How many of these health problems give you that niggly, squicky feeling in your head that there’s really something more serious going on?

Do you move toward health or away from illness?

Avoiding sickness holds a certain mindset.  It means expecting the illness and seeking only to move away from the pain and suffering it causes you. We continually worry that we may become sick and this worry undermines our immune systems.  We have to take time off of work to make emergency trips to our physician so that they can provide us with medications to alleviate our pain and problems, which again, undermine our purposes and goals.  Lost time at work and not being at our best, not to mention over use of antibiotics can really keep us from fully succeeding and living our lives to the fullest!

Your ideal health

What would it be like to seek health?  To continually look to the future and obtain a healthy body? A body that, in its natural state seeks homeostasis and ease?  What if you could lose the swings of good/bad and simply be amazing? What if the glass wasn’t half full or empty, but filled from a constant source of renewed health?

How would you think differently?  How would you act differently?  How would your life’s plans and goals change?

A winter full of health with no colds.  A life without the seasonal blah-blahs, no missed work, missed deadlines or missed goals.  A life where you are out of pain and have time to achieve your goals and still have time  for intimacy in your relationships.  What would happen then?

Your plans will change, your relationships will change, your life will change.  You’ll do something new, you will move toward and engage in, health.

All alternative medicine is based on seeking health, rather than running way from illness.  There is no glass half full or half empty, it is always being filled by a renewable source of life force and energy.  Chinese Medicine embraces and treats the  the whole body.  It succeeds in motivating you toward a whole new state of health.

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Tuina, cupping and nutritional counseling can all help you to start to look for and move toward ways to make your life better.  Acupuncture has been shown to boost immunity, relieve depression, relieve chronic pain, help you lose weight and give you an over all sense of well being.

To seek or to avoid?  One is open, full of possibility and future, one is reactive, constricting and full of fear.  Which are you?  Which will you choose for yourself this year?

Not sure about acupuncture just yet?  Read 5 Myths about Acupuncture

Picture is Marc Forrest’s via flickr

Did you know that acupuncture is SO versatile that just ONE point can treat many problems?

Treating just one point on a meridian can treat various problems along that meridian.  By inserting just one point, we can affect different parts of the body.

Treating the roots can affect the branches!

Bladder 67 as an acupuncture point does just this.

It treats

• Stuffy nose
• Nosebleeds
• Eye Pain
• And headache that is at the top or back of the head.

Each point on the body can do this, by using them in combination, we can achieve an even greater effect!

Phobias? Fears? Anxieties?  Many people do what they can to live with these every day.

As a child I suffered from a great fear of being left alone and as an adult I would compensate for this by always being overly social, to the point of never allowing myself to be alone.  Learning new behaviors was helpful, but the base, bodily need I had to alleviate this fear never went away until I focused on treating the imbalance in my water element through Chinese Medicine.

Here’s a great article on acupuncture and fear:

Anxiety, Fears and Phobias

How has acupuncture helped your fear?

Introduction:

Gan Mai Da Zao Tang (甘麦大枣汤 – Licorice, Wheat and Jujube Decoction) is first mentioned in the Jin Gui Yao Lue (Essentials from the Golden Cabinet) by Zhang Zhong Jing (220 AD). It is in chapter 22 “Pulses and Patterns of Complicated Women’s Diseases”.

Zhang Zhong Jing says “Women suffering from anxiety are affected by sadness and crying, they are like lost souls and yawn frequently: use Gan Mai Da Zao Tang.”

I use this formula for depression and anxiety when the patient has a constitutional weakness or deficiency.  It is one of the most effective formulas in Chinese Medicine, often transforming anxiety almost immediately.  It is a powerful herb, yet its simplicity is profound.

Ingredients:

This formula only has three ingredients and herein lies its beauty. They are: Gan Cao, Fu Xiao Mai and Da Zao, in their own right are powerful herbs, but all are very mild and are even considered as food supplements. Gan Cao is the herblicorice, which is mild and harmonious, tonifying the spleen and stomach, regulating digestive disorders and alleviating pain.  Gan Cao is most used for its harmonizing properties, and many, if not most herbalists use it to harmonize and bring together the qualities of all of the herbs in a formula.

The next ingredient, Fu Xiao Mai, helps to stop any excessive sweating in patterns of deficiency, nourishing the heart, calming anxiety, resolving insomnia and relieving irritability.  It is literally unripe wheat grain, a food, with great nourishing and healing properties.

The last ingredient, Da Zao, is a Chinese Date.  Sweet in flavor, it is nourishing and tonifies the spleen, nourishes the blood and helps to relax restlessness and resolve emotional disturbances.

Individually, they constitute what many herbalists would call “Mild” herbs, with few if any side effects, and little strong reaction.  When put together, they become an incredibly powerful formula to resolve uncontrolled anxiety and depression.

Can it help you?

The best patient for this formula is one who has regular bouts of anxiety, depression with other symptoms such as frequent crying or feelings of always needing to cry, restless sleep, possibly night sweats, frequent yawning and possibly stomach problems.

Traditionally this formula is discussed under the heading of women’s disorders, for “restless organ syndrome”.  This organ was considered to be the womb by You Zai Jing, however another Chinese Master, Wu Qian, believed this organ to be the Heart.  This explains why this formula is good at treating emotional problems when presented on a background of menopause, PMS or Post-Partum issues, as well as why it is very helpful to men having anxiety problems presented on a background of possible deficiencies.

With the appropriate diagnosis and set of symptoms, this simple and powerful formula is able to treat such problems as:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Premenstrual syndromes
• Postpartum depression
• Palpitations
• Hysteria
• Neurosis
• Emotional issues during menopause
• Bed wetting
• And many others!

How do you handle anxiety and stress?  Is anxiety and the subsequent constant fatigue that accompany it a problem for you?

Make an appointment today to see if this formula, or another, equally powerful formula would be useful for you.

Read more about Kim Knight, MAcOM, LAc and her Chinese Herbal and Acupuncture practice