Posts Tagged ‘Chinese Medicine’

Eczema: How Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Can Help

Thursday, April 11th, 2013

Eczema – also sometimes referred to as dermatitis – is a common skin condition marked by an itchy red rash that can appear in skin folds around the knees, elbows or neck. Children commonly suffer from eczema, but studies have also shown the condition to be widespread in adults – with recent studies showing that up to 30% of the population suffers from eczema at some point in their lives.

The causes of eczema are not fully understood, but researchers and scientists believe that the condition is probably the result of a number of factors including genetics and the patient’s environment. Eczema is usually mild and causes itching and irritation, but in more severe forms, it can lead to pain and discomfort, can disrupt sleep and can limit daily activities. Traditional treatments for eczema include creams, ointments or corticosteroids and doctors often recommend that patients avoid soap, detergents or materials that could increase irritation.

Looking at eczema from a traditional Chinese Medicine perspective is a wholly different approach. While allergies and environment may be factors, Chinese Medicine also explores the role of the body’s overall health and balance (both physical and emotional). Ailments and illnesses occur when this balance is disturbed and skin conditions, rashes and irritations can be external symptoms of other health factors and problems like emotional stress, diet and fatigue.

So, to treat eczema, Chinese Medicine takes a more whole body / whole patient approach. I talk with my patients to learn more about their health and habits. Is there an underlying health problem or illness? A change in work or stress levels? An alteration in diet?  Using this information I then develop a customized treatment regimen of herbs, acupuncture and even diet for each patient. Using this personalized approach to restoring overall balance, I have had success decreasing patients’ eczema, itching and irritation.

This approach has worked for others, as well, and more and more patients are turning to Chinese Medicine to help treat the underlying cause of their eczema. In fact, a study published in 2011 showed that acupuncture treatment helped reduce itch intensity for patients suffering from eczema.

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Healthy New Year – Resolutions for Better Health in 2013

Friday, January 18th, 2013

It’s here. 2013. Hopefully you rang it in with joy and good health, but if you are like many Americans, you have resolved to eat better and be better when it comes to your health this year.

Easier said than done, right?

If you are still on track and haven’t broken that New Year’s Resolution just yet, good for you. If you’ve faltered a bit, here are 5 top tips from Traditional Chinese Medicine (or TCM) that may help you stay the course.

1. Move more

Stagnation is not good – especially when it’s your body. To really take control of your health and keep your blood and endorphins flowing, you’ve got to get up and move. It could be as simple as getting outside for a 20 minute walk. The key is moving. Your body is an instrument – the most important (and only one!) you’ve got – you’ve got to keep it tuned up and in shape to get the most out of it.

2. Stress less

This one seems obvious, but it’s often the hardest to accomplish. We all have stress in our lives, but it seriously impacts your qi and the body’s ability to clear toxins and ward off illness. Take 10 minutes to slow down and listen to your breathing. Seriously think about cutting out those activities or people that bring you nothing but stress. Your body will thank you.

3. Eat and Drink When You are Hungry and Thirsty

I know, this one sounds plainly obvious, but think about how the vast majority of people eat or drink today. It tends to be about quantity, not quality and about schedules, not listening to your body’s needs. Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes moderation in eating and drinking (TCM says to eat until you feel 70% full) and advises that people consume food and beverages when the body needs it.

4. Think About “Hot” and “Cold” Foods

Again, TCM is all about balance, so if you are someone who tends to feel or be cold, think about adding more “warm” foods and spices into your diet – both food temperature and also characteristics (curries, chili peppers, etc.) On the other end of the spectrum, if you are often hot or live in a warmer climate, TCM dictates that “cool” foods will help balance your diet. You might want to add more mint, cucumbers, or celery to your meals.

5. Eat locally and seasonally

TCM emphasizes balance and the body’s relationship with its surroundings. By eating fruits, vegetables and even meats that were locally grown or harvested, you are connecting your body and your health with your environment. You also eat more healthily by selecting produce that is in season. There’s a reason certain fruits and vegetables are ripe and ready for eating in certain months, whether it’s peaches in the summer or root vegetables in the fall and winter – your body is attuned to that harvesting cycle and will thank you for it.

 

These are just a few of my own tips and resolutions for 2013. What are some of yours? Let me know in the comments or Tweet me at @empiricalpoint.

 

And here’s to a happy and healthy 2013!

 

 

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The Concept of Qi in Chinese Medicine

Wednesday, October 31st, 2012

chinese qiThe Daoist philosophical approach is a close relationship between humankind and nature. Concepts of qi can be noted by Daoist writers such as Lao Zi, Zhuang Zi and Lao-Zhuang. Qi was used to explain the workings of the entire universe. As a microcosm of the universe, the concept of qi made its way into medical writings.

Qi became known as the vital substance of living beings. Medical theorists postulated that just as qi was seen to drive wind through the sky, collect in mountains and course from the river to the sea, qi must certainly follow these same principles within the body. This becomes the basis of anatomy and physiology in Chinese medicine. It is known to practitioners of acupuncture Chinese medicine as the jing luo  经络.

When qi was adopted as a construct of physiology in Chinese medical theory, differentiating the many processes of qi in the body then followed. Very sophisticated and complex mechanisms to explain the processes of human life took shape. By the time the seminal text, “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine” was compiled (450-200 B.C.), close to 300 different categories of qi were expanded and developed to describe everything from the skin’s pores opening and closing to proper digestion and elimination.

The two most basic categories of qi are yin qi and yang qi. The yin qi is the nourishment that comes from the assimilation of food and drink via the digestion. The yang qi in its most yang form is known as Wei qi. This “defensive qi” circulates outside the jing luo as serves as a defensive mechanism against external pathogens that try to enter the body. This is very similar to the Western concept of having a strong immune system.

In addition to the basic broad categories of qi, all the internal organs have their own distinctive qi. Each organ’s unique qi is seen to control specific physiological, sensory and emotional processes

As you can see, qi is scalable and defines both health and pathological developments in the body. The practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese medicine uses questioning, palpation, observation and other sensory input to access a patient’s concerns. These concerns are then translated into proper and improper qi mechanisms within the body. The skilled practitioner then works to resolve the named imbalance, insufficiency or excess situation through the use of qigong, dietary therapy, massage, herbs or acupuncture.

This understanding and harnessing of qi – the vital substance of all living things – is the core element and foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the basis for how I work with all of my patients. To learn more about qi, you can visit:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-rosenfeld/what-is-qi_b_743986.html

http://taoism.about.com/od/qi/a/Qi.htm

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2004/sep/09lo.html

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The Olympics and Acupuncture!

Sunday, August 12th, 2012

If you’re like me, you’ve been watching the athletes in London go for gold and wow us with their amazing speed, strength and grace. When I watch, though, I must admit that I take a special interest in the athletes’ training regimens, the way they treat an injury or favor a sprain…I’m interested in how they take care of their greatest athletic resource – their bodies.

In reading about this year’s Olympic athletes, I’ve found that many of them are using traditional Chinese medicine and, specifically, acupuncture to prepare, train and compete. Athletes from all over the world – the US, Japan, China, Australia, the UK and South Korea – are all employing TCM and acupuncture at the Games.

The Japanese triathlon team swears by it and an interesting article in The Examiner gives even more insight into their approach:

“If an athlete feels pain, we use acupuncture as first aid,” explains Minoru Yajima, medical advisor and physiotherapist for Japan’s Triathlon team. Most of Team Japan’s medal winning medical strategy is preventative and based on a time tested Japanese tradition – shiatsu massage.

USA’s own wonder vaulter McKayla Maroney has been using it to treat a broken toe, according to NPR:

Since that dismount [injury], Maroney has reduced her training to ice the injury and undergo electronic stimulation and acupuncture therapy, to speed healing.

Numerous track and field athletes have traveled to the Olympics with their acupuncturists, including US runner Dee Dee Trotter. US pole vaulter Jeremy Scott uses acupuncture in his treatment regimen for a knee injury and track and field competitor Amy Acuff is not only a five-time Olympian, but a licensed acupuncturist herself! She has attributed some of her long-term success in the strenuous, high injury sport to acupuncture.

Also, the South Korean athletes use it almost exclusively for pains, strains and muscle injuries. Athletes on their volleyball and handball teams use acupuncture to recover rapidly from injuries and the athletes have said that it helps boost their performance, as well.

Now, I know that we are not all Olympic athletes and we may not be making it to the next summer games in Rio de Janeiro (as competitors, anyway), but it is interesting to see the world’s elite sportsmen and women employing more and more traditional Chinese medicine treatments and acupuncture. If this trend continues, I expect that I will be working with an even greater number of local athletes, runners, cyclists and even just ‘weekend warriors’ in the years to come.

Long live (healthy) sport!

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Alternative Medicine – Not So Alternative Anymore…

Thursday, February 17th, 2011
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are health alternatives

Alternative medicine, acupuncture and Chinese medicine are gaining popularity

While it may be seen as a new or “alternative” medicine in the United States, Chinese Medicine is actually one of the oldest complete medical systems practiced today. In fact, acupuncture – a part of Chinese Medicine – has been in use for over 2,000 years and is one of the most commonly used medical procedures worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of people rely on alternative medicine for their primary care in many Asian and African nations and that in many developed nations, 70-80% of people have used alternative medicine.

And, the use of alternative medicine is growing here in the U.S., becoming more of a complement to traditional Western medical treatments, and making it not so “alternative” anymore…

In fact, studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), USA Today, ABC News and Stanford University all point to increasing numbers of Americans using acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. The most recent CDC study found that nearly 3.3 million U.S. adults and children had used acupuncture in the previous year. Additionally, a 2005 USA Today/ABC News/Stanford University Medical Center poll found that 5% of American adults have turned to acupuncture for pain relief.

Even the U.S. military is bringing alternative medicine into the mainstream of its medical services and treatments – the U.S. Army recently announced a program utilizing acupuncture to treat post traumatic stress disorder in soldiers and a recent Army pain management report recommended alternative medicine treatments like acupuncture, mediation and yoga.

In another illustration of how acupuncture and Chinese Medicine are taking hold and being evaluated as not-so-alternative medical treatments, the NIH’s National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine is currently recruiting for nearly 100 clinical trials evaluating alternative medicine as a safe and effective treatment for ailments and diseases ranging from back pain to autoimmune disorders.

The good news is, to meet this growing demand, there are more practitioners of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine than ever before. A study published in the Annals of Family Medicine journal in 2005 cites that there are now more than 50 acupuncture schools accredited in the U.S. and that 42 states have statutes that allow the practice of acupuncture by nonphysicians.

So, it may be that in another few years, “alternative” medicine has a new not-so-alternative name…

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Empirical Point Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Practice Launches “Healthy New Year 2011”

Thursday, February 3rd, 2011
Chinese New Year - Year of the Rabbit

Staying healthy with acupuncture and Chinese medicine

Empirical Point, LLC, a leading Philadelphia Chinese Medicine and acupuncture practice, today announced the launch of its “Healthy New Year 2011” campaign, designed to give patients more hands-on information and real-world tips about how to live healthier in the new year. This new program is kicking off today, the first day of the Chinese New Year, with a series of online information and news. More information can be found at www.philadelphia-acupuncture.com.

“The new year usually brings with resolutions and promises to improve our health. It also brings a renewed commitment to living well and living healthy,” stated Sharon Sherman, M.S.O.M., D.OM., L.OM and founder of Empirical Point. “Empirical Point was founded to deliver on that commitment – to provide patients with a Chinese medicine and acupuncture practice dedicated to improving their health. I don’t just treat patients. I work with them to get to the root of their ailments and to then map out an interactive and holistic plan to improve their overall well being. This Healthy New Year 2011 program is just one more way for us to provide the latest news and tips to our patients on how to be well.”

The first topic tackled by the Healthy New Year 2011 program is “Alternative Medicine – Not So Alternative Anymore” which will look at the growing use and success of alternative medicine in the U.S. While Chinese Medicine and acupuncture have been used for thousands of years, they are just now really taking hold in many Western cultures as effective medical treatments. Through the Empirical Point website, blog and social media and events at our offices, the practice will explore and offer up information about the growth of alternative medicine – and how it may be helpful for patients who may have not yet considered it for common conditions like stress or chronic pain.

The Healthy New Year 2011 campaign will go on to address the following topics later this year:

• Pain – How to Address and Relieve it with Chinese Medicine

• Building a Strong Immune System…and a Stronger You

• Stressed?  How to Relieve Anxiety and Be at your Best

About Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture

Chinese Medicine is one of the oldest complete medical systems practiced today – encompassing acupuncture, Chinese herbs, nutrition and other modalities – and is recognized as an effective, empirical science. Acupuncture has been in use for over 2,000 years, and is one of the most commonly used medical procedures worldwide. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture are regularly used to safely and effectively treat a wide range of health challenges, especially the treatment of acute and chronic pain management. Today, the use of and demand for acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is increasing in the United States. Recent reports conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), USA Today, ABC News and Stanford University all point to increasing numbers of Americans using acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. The most recent CDC study found that nearly 3.3 million U.S. adults and children had used acupuncture in the previous year.

About Empirical Point, LLC

Empirical Point’s overarching mission is to empower patients and to optimize their health and well being. Using her extensive Chinese Medicine and acupuncture training and expertise, founder Sharon Sherman has been treating patients and growing the practice steadily since 2001. Ms. Sherman has the highest level of licensure possible – an achievement rivaled by only 8% of her peers in Pennsylvania – and has logged more education and continuing education hours than the vast majority of other practitioners. Ms. Sherman is also licensed in New Mexico, which has one of the most arduous licensure processes in the U.S. Empirical Point welcomes patients at its Center City and Chestnut Hill offices in Philadelphia. For more information, please visit www.philadelphia-acupuncture.com.

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