January 2009 Archives

Clinical Example of how acupuncture helped urinary tract infection

A female, 58 years old, went to an M.D. for blood in her urine. The MD ordered many tests and could not detect any bacteria in her urine causing a urinary tract infection. The MD told her that blood in urine might be because of her age. She told the MD that 'there are lots of woman with same age as I have, but no one complains about blood in urine that I know'. When our clinic examined her, she had frequent urination, insomnia, hot flashes, palpitations, waking up 3-4 times during sleep, tiredness, and was very stressed. She could not drink water while she was driving due to her frequent urination.

From our Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) point of view, this symptom is the heat from the heart and transmitted to small intestine. We gave one acupuncture treatment with just four needles for eliminating heat from the heart. After one week, she reported that there was no more blood in urine and she had less urge for urination, and she woke only one time during sleep. One thing special was that her urine on one side was clear, but the other side was turbid. We still could not answer why two separate urines came out. She was treated another two times. She reported she could encounter all stressful situations without difficulties after her acupuncture treatments.

Overview of UTI on Wikipedia

Why don't you visit Answers with Acupuncture and find what acupuncture is and what acupuncture can do for you?

바둑과 침의 공통점

제목만 봐서는 바둑과 침하고 무슨 상관이 있겠는가라고 생각할 수 있습니다. 침을 제일 먼저 사용한 나라는 아마도 우리 한민족일 것이라고 추측합니다. 고서에서도 침은 동쪽에서 왔다는 구절이 나옵니다. 하지만 이 때는 아마도 뾰족한 돌을 사용한 것이 아닌가 합니다. 한편 이 모든 것을 집대성한 것은 중국임에 틀림없습니다. 하지만 이제는 중국도 침자리를 자기 마음대로 못하고 WHO에서 관리하고 있습니다. 저희 한국의 발언권도 아주 센것으로 알고 있습니다. 이 WHO에서 침 자리는 361개로 규정했습니다. 물론 경락들을 지나가는 것으로 제일 중요한 자리로 말입니다. 이 외에도 많은 침자리가 있습니다만 WHO에서 규정한 것은 361개입니다.

바둑판을 보면 가로와 세로에 각기 19줄로 전부 361개의 점이 나옵니다. 위의 361자리와 같습니다. 그냥 우연의 일치로 보기에는  너무 같습니다. 아주 중요한 곳은 동그랗게 표시를 했습니다. 바둑은 두 사람이 합니다. 한 사람이 먼저 두면 다음 사람이 둡니다. 공통점은 서로 자기 땅을 넚게 만드려고 합니다.  한 점 한점이 놓여지면서 한 사람이 승리하게 되어 있습니다. 어느 중요한 자리를 누가 먼저 선점하느냐에 따라 승패가 갈립니다.

침도 그런 면에서는 아주 비슷한 면이 있습니다. 두 사람이 관련됩니다. 한편은 시술자요, 다른 한편은 환자입니다.  또 하나의 공통점은 시술자나 환자는 병이 낳기를 원합니다. 시술자는 환자에게 가장 중요한 자리를 찾는 것이 병을 고치는 지름길입니다. 아주 중요한 이야기입니다. 어떤 침자리를 먼저 사용하는가도 시술자마다 다를 수 있습니다.

Is smoking really bad? The answer from me is yes and no. I believe there are at least two reasons for good.

The first good reason might be for obesity. Many women who smoke know that smoking is bad for them. They are afraid of stopping smoking as they gain weight as soon as they stop smoking. This is true in many cases. Many women go back to smoking after they gain weight. We don't know the exact reason why smoking helps to control obesity. Some say smoking contributes to loss of appetite making less food consumption.

From this point of view, it might be a good idea to compare the risks and benefits. It is well known about smoking risk. It is also well known about obesity risk. Which is worse between smoking and obesity? It might be hard to tell. I don't know any scientific data between them.

As one of followers in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), I can discuss this question from the viewpoint of yin and yang which are foundations of TCM. Yin means darkness and cold. Yang means brightness and warm. Smoking should be classified as yang, as smoking produces fire and warmth. Human beings can be classified by skinny and obesity person. Skinny person might belong to yang and obesity person belong to yin. Yin and yang must be balanced always in principal. Too much yin or too much yang is not good.

Therefore if a skinny person smokes, it is not good at all as smoking is yang and skinny person is yang too, making too much yang. On the other hand, smoking might be all right for obesity person as smoking is yang and obesity is yin making a balance. This doesn't mean smoking is necessary for an obesity type person. This is only for argument's sake if there is no other choice to reduce weight. 

 

The second reason is that not one smoker was dead by SARS even though 235 people in China alone died in 2003. We don't know the exact reason. There might be some kind of chemicals in tobacco to protect from SARS.

 

There is no absolute in yin and yang's theory. This theory will apply not only for smoking but also for anything and everything, (except for God, as a Christian). So we can not say smoking is absolutely bad or good. For some it could be good and for some it could be bad. 

  

Therefore in my opinion, we, acupuncture practitioners, must give a treatment for prevention of obesity before giving stop smoking treatments. We also give support to improve the smoker's health that has  deteriorated by smoking.     

인삼과 무우

인삼이 좋은 것은 한국사람뿐만 아니라 이제는 미국사람들도 다 아는 사실입니다. 특히 오래된 산삼은 아주 비싼 가격으로 팔리는 것을 신문이나 방송을 통하여 알고들 있습니다. 하지만 이런 좋은 것만 알았지 주의하여야 하는 점은 한의학을 전공하지 않은 일반인들은 거의 모르고 있다는 사실입니다. 일반인들이 제일 먼저 실수하는 것은 인삼 하나만을 복용하는 점입니다.  예를 들면 된장국이 좋은 것이지만 된장만 넣어서 만든 된장국과 똑 같은 것입니다. 맛이 제대로 납니까? 미리 미역이나 멸치로 맛을 내고 고추도 조금 넣고 새우나 조개도 넣고 호박과 감자도 넣어야 제 맛이 나는 것 처럼 인삼 하나만 먹는 것은 제 맛을 내지 못한 된장국과 다를 바 없습니다. 둘째로는 인삼은 내복자와 같이 복용하면 안 되는 것입니다. 내복자가 무엇이냐 하면 무우씨입니다. 무우씨가 자라면 무우가 됩니다. 저희 한국인은 음식에 김치가 거의 빠지지 않습니다. 김치에는 무우가 들어가게 되어 있습니다. 결국 인삼을 먹으면서  김치를 먹으면 인삼의 효과는 많이 떨어지거나 없어지는 것입니다.  셋째로는 한달간 정도는 김치를 안먹는다고 하는 것은 이해가 되지만 오랫동안 김치를 안 먹는다면 이로 인한 부작용도 고려해야 하는 것입니다. 한가지가 좋다고 한쪽으로 치중하다보면 몸의 균형이 깨진다면 아니 복용함만 못하는 결과를 초래할 수도 있습니다. 이렇게 한약을 조제할 때 좋은 약을 더 좋게 상승시키는 약을 함께 넣어서 조제하고 약의 효과를 감소시키는  것은 미리 환자에게 알려주는 것이 저희 전문가가 하는 일입니다.

오줌에서 피가 나와요

58세의 포로리칸 여자가 오줌에서 피가 나와서 의사에게 가서 진찰을 받았는데 나이가 들어서라고 얘기했다고 그런 답변이 어디 있냐고 화를 내면서 이야기합니다. 의사로서는 박테리아검사도 해서 박테리아도 검출되지도 안않고 신장과 방광의 기능도 괜찮다는 것입니다. 박테리아가 검출되었으면 항생제를 주겠지만 박테리아도 없고 하니 그렇게 대답하신 모양입니다. 환자는 본인보다 나이들은 분들에게서도 그런 증상을 들어보지 못했다면서요.

진찰과 동시에 몇가지 질문을 하니 알러지가 있어서 콧물이 잘 나오고, 불면증으로 잠을 자다 하루에 세번이상 오줌을 누러 일어나고, 저녘에는 한기가 느껴지기도 하고, 고기같은 고담백질의 음식을 먹으면 곧 바로 화장실에 가야 한답니다. 화장실에 자주 가는 것을 줄이기 위해 물을 마시는 것을 조심하고 특히 운전중에는 전혀 물을 마시지 않는답니다.

오줌에서 피가 나오는 여러가지 원인이 있지만 이 분의 경우는 심장에 열이 있어서 생긴 병입니다. 열을 내리기위해서는 물을 마시는 것이 좋으나 이분에게는 직업상 그림의 떡입니다. 심장의 열을 내려주기위하여 여러가지 방법중에서 간을 보호하는 침을 놓았습니다. 일주일 후에  오셔서 하시는 말씀이 일주일간의 변화를 차곡차곡 노트한 것을 보여주시면서 이제는 자다가 한번만 일어나고 더 이상 오줌에 피도 나오지 않는답니다. 변비도 덜 하고 소변을 보러 화장실에 가는 횟수도 줄었답니다. 그런데  이상한 것은 오줌의 절반은 맑은 색인데 절반은 탁한 색이랍니다. 이런 이상한 현상을 가끔 듣곤 하는데 저도 모르는 현상입니다. 인간 신체의 오묘함을 누가 다 알겠습니까?

"Insomnia is a symptom of a sleeping disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. It is typically followed by functional impairment while awake. Insomniacs have been known to complain about being unable to close their eyes or "rest their mind" for more than a few minutes at a time. Both organic and non-organic insomnia constitute a sleep disorder." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insomnia

Many people depend on sleeping pills. Let me give a word of caution. A patient taking any sleeping pill should be under the supervision of a physician to closely evaluate effectiveness and minimize side effects. In general, these drugs are prescribed at the lowest dose and for the shortest duration needed to relieve the sleep-related symptoms. For some of these medicines, the dose must be gradually lowered as the medicine is discontinued because, if stopped abruptly, it can cause insomnia to occur again for a night or two.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), disturbances of the spirit are regarded as manifestations of functional disorders in and among the organs, especially the heart and liver and kidney. This strategy calms disorders with symptoms of palpitations and anxiety.

There are two major reasons of disorders, deficiency and excess. Manifestations of deficiency include palpitations with anxiety, forgetfulness, disorientation and insomnia. Manifestations of excess include a feeling of being overstressed, manic behavior, bad temper and agitation. Other causes include heat, phlegm, and blood stasis.

We define which causes affect patients who suffer from insomnia. As soon as we find the cause, we approach the solution with two methods, acupuncture and herbs. Both are very effective for insomnia. If there is deficiency, we tonify. If there is an excess, we sedate. It is a simple idea, but the effect is profound. We have seen many times that as soon as needles are inserted, the patient falls asleep on the table.

When you take sleeping pills for a long time, you have to increase the dosage and depend more on pills. On the contrary, when you take herbs, your organ function is improved. Once all organ functions have improved, you don't have any more sleeping disorders and don't have to depend on herbs or sleeping pills.

Why don't you visit my website, Answers with Acupuncture in Queens, NY and find what acupuncture and herbs are and what they can do for you.

PMS and PMDD symptoms

Premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (a more severe form of PMS)  include a wide range of symptoms that occur in a cyclical pattern corresponding to a woman's periods.

PMS symptoms

• 'abdominal and pelvic cramps
• acne
• alcohol intolerance
• angry outbursts
• anxiety
• asthma
• being more prone to accidents
• bloating
• breast swelling and pain
• changes in libido
• confusion or fuzzy thinking
• cravings
• decreased balance
• depression
• difficulty with coordination
• dizziness
• edema (visible swelling particularly in the hands, feet and legs)
• especially for salty or sweet foods
• fainting
• fatigue
• headaches
• heart pounding (palpitation)
• hives
• insomnia
• irritability
• menstrual migraines
• mood swings
• nausea
• overeating
• sinus problems
• sore throat
• tearfulness
• urinary problems
• weight gain
• worsening of chronic conditions like arthritis and ulcers

PMS often worsens over time. As symptoms become more prolonged, the symptom-free portion of the cycle shrinks. Some women experience PMS symptoms virtually all month'. http://www.pmsless.com/

A man complained that his wife is an angel for 15 days, but she becomes a devil for another 15 days. As soon as her menstruation begins, she becomes an angel. Some women suffer intolerable PMS symptoms.

Understand PMS with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
TCM explains that in PMS, the liver overacts on spleen. The functions of the liver are

1. It stores blood
2. It ensures the smooth flow of Qi (energy)

Liver regulates the volume of blood in the whole body at any one time. This means that liver controls blood volume according to physical activity and menstruation. If the liver stores normal amount of blood, menstruation will be normal.

If amount of blood in the liver is less than it is supposed to be, there will be amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea. Oligomenorrhea is the medical term for infrequent uterine bleeding episodes with intervals of more than 35 days. The duration of such events may vary.

If there is an excess amount of blood in the liver, menorrhagia or metrorrhagia may follow. ('Menorrhagia is an abnormally heavy and prolonged menstrual period at regular intervals.Metrorrhagia refers to vaginal bleeding among premenopausal women that is not synchronized with their menstrual period and is also called spotting.')

Many gynecological problems are due to malfunction of liver Qi or blood. If liver Qi is stagnant, this may lead to stagnation of the blood of the liver causing painful periods with premenstrual tension and the menstruated blood will show dark clots.

According to TCM, when liver overacts on spleen, all kinds of digestive dysfunction will follow. Stomach will be warmer than normal in this condition. When heat arises in stomach, craving sweet things like chocolate, overeating, weight gain due to overeating will follow. If the stomach heat arises, headache will follow. The stomach meridian is on the center of breast. Therefore, some women will experience breast swelling and pain due to stomach heat.

Acupuncture can reduce symptoms of PMS
Acupuncture is a great tool to control liver function. Some women experience calm, relaxation or peace during acupuncture treatments. Others feel no difference during treatment, but feel better later.

Acupuncture can adjust either deficiency or excess symptoms. All pains will be reduced significantly or gone after treatments. If you know a woman who has had acupuncture treatments, ask her how acupuncture affected her life after treatments.

청일한의원에서는 바이엘아스피린과 비타민은 드셔도 좋다고 말합니다. 화이자에서 아스피린을 만든지는 100년이 넘었고 부작용은 지극히 적기때문입니다.  또 비타민도 만든지가 30년이 넘었어도 부작용에 대한 보고는 거의 없습니다.  이렇게 모든 약들은 오랫동안 검증된 것이 안전합니다.

 

양약은 개발된지 10년후에 부작용이 발생하는 경우가 종종 있습니다만 한약은 500년이상 검증된 것이 대부분입니다.

일반적으로 양약은 효과는 빠르고 부작용은 크다고 봅니다. 한약은 효과는 느리지만 부작용은 상대적으로 적고 효과는 오래 갑니다.

 

한약은 크게 치료약과 보약으로 나눕니다. 보약은 치료약으로 사용하기도 하고 예방약으로 사용되기도 합니다. 옛 현인들은 미리 예방하는 것이  가장  좋다고  했습니다. 침도 예방에 아주 좋습니다. 그러므로 침과 보약을 병행하면 최선의 결과를 기대할 수 있습니다.

 

"Joint pain can be caused by many types of injuries or conditions. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that causes stiffness and pain in the joints. Osteoarthritis involves growth of bone spurs and degeneration of cartilage at a joint. It is very common in adults older than 45 and can cause joint pain.

Joint pain may also be caused by bursitis (inflammation of the bursae). The bursae are fluid-filled sacs that cushion and pad bony prominences, allowing muscles and tendons to move freely over the bone." For more information see How Stuff Works - joint pain dictionary.

Many people take glucosamine and calcium as supplements. Do you think these supplements solve problems? Yes, these could help some people as long as their metabolism and absorption are good and lack of these supplements exits. Nobody expects good results with a lack of good metabolism and absorption. In this case the first thing to do is to increase metabolism and absorption.

What should one do if poor blood circulation to the joint area is due to a blockage? You might know already that all pains are due to lack of oxygen and nutrition provided in that spot. Removing any blockages is very important.

Many doctors recommend a surgery. In my opinion, this is not the answer. I have seen many times that two or three surgeries does not help. You can recover from joint pains without any surgery. If you have any plan for surgery, please consider a couple of acupuncture treatments before surgery.

Acupuncture can help rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and bursitis. Acupuncture is based on the concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which looks at the whole body not just the joint pain. If the cause of joint pain is due to poor digestion, poor absorption will follow. If poor digestion is the cause and this problem is solved, joint pain will be eliminated. Don't you agree?

I have seen many times that a couple of acupuncture treatments eliminate joint pains. No surgery and no drugs were necessary.

Symptoms of toenail fungus

'Onychomycosis means fungus infection of the nail. Because of toenail fungus, the nail plate can have a thickened, yellow, or cloudy appearance. The nails can become rough and crumbly, or can separate from the nail bed. There is usually no pain or other bodily symptoms, unless the disease is severe. Patients with onychomycosis may experience significant psychosocial problems due to the appearance of the nail, particularly when fingernails are affected.' see Wikipedia, onychomycosis.

My point of view is that nail fungus is due to a certain organ's dysfunction. This dysfunction makes fungus stay and grow in toenails. Many people try to remove toenail fungus with some cream or vinegar. Some use nail polish to protect crumbling nails. All these are temporary solutions. The real solution is to remove the cause, make the immune system strong and then the fungus will not grow or stay on the toenails. Some people have all nails affected with fungus. Some only have fungus one nail. Everyone can have a different nail affected. The different locations indicate that some organ in the body has problems.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, nails are related with the liver. It is a general concept, but too broad to use for fungus toenails.

Acupuncture treatment helps toenail fungus

Acupuncture treatment for toenails with fungus will strengthen the related organ. Fungus toenails will disappear automatically when new toenails grow. The period for the growth of a new toenail usually take 6 months to one year. During this time the patient has part of the fungus nail at front and a clean new nail in behind. When new nails grow to the end of the toe, there is no more fungus nail. New toenails are thin in depth in the beginning. When another new one comes out, the patient finds a thicker nail comes out. This means the organ is improving.

If toenails are black, this is a sign of serious disease.

This patient could expect bells palsy, diabetes, stroke, and even cancer. Even though the patient does not feel any pain now, the disease is progressing and some organ function is severely damaged already. Even if MRI, CT or X-ray are taken and no abnormality shown, a serious diseases could happen in the future.

One example: I observed two black toenails during an acupuncture treatment. I asked many questions. The patient answered that she had no pain and felt no abnormality. I explained that something is wrong and it could be serious. The patient insisted nothing was wrong. I explained that there are only few nerves in liver; therefore, any dysfunction there cannot be felt easily.

I was notified three months later that she had felt some abdominal pain and saw a doctor. The examination showed the patient had liver cancer and it had spread to the pancreas.

Any patient with fungus toenails or black toenails could have some kinds of organ dysfunction. If this patient gets acupuncture treatments, the patient can expect better organ function and remove fungus or black or yellow toenails.

Please go to my website, Answers with Acupuncture to learn how acupuncture can help you.

손가락에 충분한 산소와 영양분만 공급된다면 손이 절이거나 아픈 증상은 없어집니다.  

많은 사람들은 손가락이 저리거나 뻣뻣하면 관절염이거나 신경조직이 이상이 생겨서라고 생각합니다. 사실일 수도 있습니다. 하지만 최종적인 결론은 혈액순환이 안되서 입니다. 혈액순환이 잘 되어 손가락 끝까지 산소와 영양분만 재대로 공급된다면 모든 문제는 저절로 해결되는 것입니다. 관절염에 좋다는 글루코사민을 복용해도 혈액순환이 제대로 안 된다면 손가락끝까지 도달할 수 없는 것입니다.

손이 저리거나 마비증상이 있는 분들은 손이 아주 차거나 또는 뜨거운 경우가 많습니다. 또 신진대사도 많이 떨어진 상태입니다. 이런 모든 상태는 한방에서는 음양의 균형이 깨졌기 때문입니다. 어떤 분은 손가락을 펴기가 어렵고 어떤 분은 손가락을 오무리기가 어렵습니다.

네번째와 다섯번째 손가락에 문제가 있는 분들이 가장 많고 그 다음에 셋째 손가락이 많습니다. 엄지와 검지는 비교적 적습니다. 이 통계는 다만 저희 한의원의 자료이고 국가적인 통계는 아닙니다.

이런 경우에 침치료는 아주 효과가 좋습니다. 예를 듭니다.

중년 여자분이 왼쪽 가운데 셋째 손가락이 아주 뻣뻣하여 손가락을 오무릴 수가 없었습니다. 손가락을 오무리면  가운데 손가락은 짝 펴진 상태로 그대로 남아있습니다. 미국에 사시는 분들은 이게 무슨 뜻인지 다 아십니다. 혹 상상이 안되시는 분들을 위하여 말씀드린다면 소위 엿먹어라라는 뜻입니다. 이 여자분은 모르는 사람과 만날 때는 아주 조심스러워서 왼쪽 손을 항상 핸드백 뒤에 둔다고 합니다. 혹 왼쪽 손을 보여주는 경우에는 미리 상대방에게 손의 불편함을 설명하거나 어떤 경우에는 미리 설명하는 것을 잊었다가 아주 쩔쩔 매면서 사과를 한답니다. 신체적인 불편함과 정신적인 스트레스로 아주 고생이 심하답니다.

침을 4개를 놓고 손을 움직여 보라고 했습니다. 즉시 오무려집니다. 어떻게 침 4개로 이런 일이 가능합니까? 바로 혈액순환을 잘 시킨 것 뿐입니다. 그 후 2번의 치료로 완치가 되었습니다. 참고로 본 한의원에서는 한번에 2-6개의 침만을 사용합니다.   

Answers with Acupuncture

Acupuncture at my clinic helps Bell's palsy

There can be many causes for bells palsy. This is a real case in our clinic.

Patient is a female, 50 years old. She slept with the air conditioner on, on a hot humid summer night. When she woke up, she felt a stiff feeling in her face. She noticed she couldn't close her right eye and it felt dry. When she tried to open her mouth, she felt her mouth deviated to the left side. When she try to smile her mouth pulled further to left side.

This is the history of her treatments.

She went to an MD on the first day. The MD diagnosed her with bells palsy and advised her to put warm compresses on her right cheek with hot towel. She found there was no improvement at all and decided to try an acupuncture treatment. The first clinic gave acupuncture treatments and some herbs. She took herbs everyday, and got 6 acupuncture treatments in this clinic. There was no improvement, so she went to second another clinic six times. There was still no improvement.

Someone told her ai-ye, a Korean herb, helps a lot with bells palsy. She went to buy ai-ye at a dried herb store. The store owner advised her to go to another clinic as he had same kind of bells palsy and recovered. The patient went to third clinic now. This clinic gave her about 50 long needles on her face each time and she got eight treatments. This clinic used long needle exactly like sewing cloth on her face.

She was desperate when she came to our clinic. She and her husband were very confused because each clinic used different methods and explanations. Some used acupuncture needles, some used herbs, some used suction cups and some used many needles. We explained all of these methods could be used for this kind of symptom. She argued, "why then there were no improvements?". We explained that every treatment might make some difference in her symptoms. They were not convinced by our explanation and asked us what kind treatments we offered. We answered, "of course, acupuncture, using only 4-6 needles each time".

We gave four treatments in total in two weeks. Whenever we asked her, she answered there was no improvement. After the third treatment, we noticed her smile did not pull to right side as much as before. We showed her face to her with a mirror and she finally admitted there was a slight improvement. She did not show up for the next appointment. I thought she might have recovered or moved to another clinic. She came back to the clinic one week later and said she felt some swelling on the cheek, but her mouth no longer pulled to one side.

This is what we did. One treatment was for sedation of liver. The second treatment was sedation of gallbladder. The third one was tonification of spleen. The fourth one was tonification of stomach. The fifth one was tonification of spleen. The symptom was liver yang rising with damp accumulation. We added GB2 or SJ 17, or ST 5-ST7 depending on each different method.

Please read the Western theory on Bell's palsy on Wikipedia

Find out how acupuncture can help you at Answers with Acupuncture 4 Needle Technique

Acupuncture for atopic skin (eczema)

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, recurrent skin disease which commonly occurs in infancy and early childhood but can continue or start in adults. Like other allergies and asthma, atopic dermatitis tends to run in families. The skin rash associated with atopic dermatitis is called eczema.

It is important to note that atopic dermatitis is not a rash that itches. Rather, it is an itch, that when scratched, results in a rash. Therefore, if the itching can be controlled, and there is no scratching, there will be no rash (eczema).

Where does the itch come from? If we find this answer, the solution might be simple. Most itches might come from dryness in skin. Then where does the dryness come from? Dryness is a result of heat. Heat tends to dry up moisture. So where does the heat come from? It depends on the patient. Everybody get different symptoms, in a different area and different duration. We practitioners try to find where the heat comes from. Once we know the original source, then we could remove the heat causing dryness in skin. This heats' original source is from human beings' organs. It could be only one organ or a combination of organs.

All kinds of cream are in the market to take care of atopy skin. It might work temporarily. However do not forget the original source is not touched yet. Skin cream seems to work in the beginning, but it comes back in the near future. The reason is that skin cream can not reach to the related organ. From this point of view, cream might be not an answer for atopic skin. If the cause is not dryness, other methods should be applied.

I use Korean acupuncture using just 4 needles only. There is almost no pain when needles are inserted. Here is one real example of atopic skin from my clinic.

Example from my clinic

One girl who was 14 years old came for atopic skin. When she was 2 years old, her parents noticed she often rubbed her back against the corner of a wall. Her parents brought her to an acupuncture clinic in a hurry. The clinic told her parents she had atopic skin and advised that she take herbs. After taking herbs, she was OK until 5 years old. She then suffered this skin problem very much between 5 and 10 years old. She went to many MDs who specialized in skin. The MDs gave skin cream. Her skin became harder and hair grew where these creams were applied. There were continuous new eruptions. Someone advised that she take aloe and she took aloe for a long time. Her skin problem disappeared around 10 years old. This family doesn't know what made her better, as they did so many different things for her.

When she came to my clinic at age 14, she had atopic skin on her fingers, arms and neck. I gave her an acupuncture treatment. I asked her if she was afraid of needles. She was nervous about that. After one needle was inserted, I asked her how it was. " I don't feel anything at all. Are you sure you put a needle on me?" I inserted 4 needles in total. Now I am happy to tell you that her skin problem disappeared with just one treatment. Her sore with waters started to disappear the next day and disappeared totally on the following day.

Yes, there is almost no pain when an acupuncture needle is inserted. So anyone who wants acupuncture treatments should not worry about pain when the needle inserts.

Of course not everyone is cured with just one treatment, but the principle always remains the same.

Why don't you go to Answers with Acupuncture and find what out acupuncture is and what acupuncture can do for you.

There is no stiffness and no pain if oxygen and nutrition are enough in fingers

Many people believe finger stiffness is due to arthritis or because the nerve system is broken down. It might be right. However, the ultimate reason is due to poor blood circulation. When blood circulation can provide oxygen and nutrition into the fingers, all problems will be removed. No matter how much glucosamine is taken, it cannot reach to fingers due to poor circulation and absorption.

Most patients with finger stiffness also suffer with cold hands; some suffer with hot hands. These kinds of patients also have slow metabolisms. All these symptoms are due to yin and yang imbalance. Some have a difficulty opening their fingers. Some have a difficulty closing their fingers.. Symptoms affect the ring and little fingers most often.  The middle finger is affected next often. Thumb and second fingers problems are rare. Stiffness is usually more severe in the morning and gets better in the afternoon. This is not a national statistic. This data is only from this clinic.

Acupuncture helps a great deal for stiff fingers.

Method of treatment: Korean Acupuncture.

See http://www.acupunctureforpains.com/4needle.htm

Example:

A female patient had stiffness on the left middle finger. She cannot close the middle finger at all. When she tries to close her hands, the middle finger remains open. Imagine how embarrasing this is. She always put her left hand behind her bag while talking with someone. When she has to show her left hand, she apologizes for her stiff finger and says that 'this is not really what I mean'.

 As soon as the author inserted just 4 needles, I asked her to try to close the middle finger. It closed instantly. She was amazed at the effect. How could it be possible with 4 needles? Her symptoms disappeared with two additional treatments.

The author uses just 4-6 needles to treat this kind of symptoms most of time.

 Chan Hur, Licensed Acupuncturist

Technorati Profile

Every woman experiences menopause once in a life time. You will want the right information and expertise to stay comfortable during menopause. One-third of women experience a smooth menopause. This group don't experience any abnormal symptom during menopause. Another one-third experience severe symptoms during this period. Another third experience moderate symptoms.

Some common problems include:

• Hot Flashes
• Frequent bladder infections (cystitis) or urinary tract infections
• Atrophic vaginitis
• Sexual Problems - Low sex drive
• Mood Swings - Women who suffer from PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome), PMDD (Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder) or depression are more likely to experience mood swings during menopause.
• Irregular Bleeding
• Memory Problems

Self-care: Take these steps to facilitate decrease or prevent these problems

Cool hot flashes: If you're experiencing hot flashes, try to pinpoint what triggers your hot flashes. Triggers may include hot beverages, spicy foods, alcohol, hot weather and even a hot room. Open the window or turn on the air conditioner at this time.

Decrease vaginal discomfort: For vaginal dryness or discomfort with intercourse, use over-the-counter water-based vaginal lubricants, moisturizers or vaginal estrogen.

Trouble sleeping: Avoid caffeinated beverages and exercise regularly.

Exercise: Get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day to protect against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and other conditions associated beside aging. More energetic exercise for a longer period may provide further benefit and is in particular important if you are trying to lose bulk.

Exercise can help if you feel run down and stressed. Try a combination of weight-bearing aerobic exercise -- such as walking, jogging and dance -- and strength training exercises. Just staying physically moving by taking stairs instead of an elevator or by parking farther away and walking to your destination will have a good effect.

Schedule regular checkups.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

According to TCM, a woman will experience menstruation stop around at age of 49. 49 is based on TCM theory. The number 49 is a multiple of 7. Permanent teeth grow at age . First menstruation begins at 14 years old. Qi (energy), blood, body fluids and essence are at peak at 21. Tendon and bones become strong at the age of 28. Complexion starts to wither and hair begins to fall at age of 35. The face darkens and hairs begin to turn grey at age of 42. Some people experience these stages earlier and some later.

Western medicine says all menopausal symptoms come from hormone shortage and TCM says they come from lack of essence. Essence has a broad meaning including bone marrow etc.

TCM explains these processes with yin and yang. Yin means darkness and yang means brightness in its original meaning. This yin and yang concept could be expanded further to all areas we can think of. Yin (darkness) is cold and yang (brightness) is warm. North is cold and south is warm.  

During the menopausal period, yin is low and yang is high. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) calls this yin deficiency. The difference between yin and yang causes hot flashes. The inner body is yin and outer body is yang. TCM says the inner body is cold and outer body is warm, when comparing yin and yang.

The TCM principal to use in treating this condition is to improve the yin condition and remove the excess yang portion making yin and yang in balance. Once the balance achieved, hot flashes will disappear. All other symptoms can be explained this way.

Chinese herbs are an excellent way to treat menopause, too. All herbs are natural and there are no chemicals involved.

High blood pressure has the same meaning as hypertension.

Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic renal failure.

Clinical Example: how acupuncture helped high blood pressure event

I got the phone call from a patient. She was 81 years old. Her blood pressure was 190 and she asked me to come to her house now. Her pulse was rapid and strong. I gave 2 needles to calm down the heart. While the treatment was going on, she told that she also had an appointment with a medical doctor and was supposed to go to his office. Even though she took double dosage of blood pressure pills, her blood pressure remained high. I felt her pulse was calming down and she said her chest pain had almost disappeared. After 30 minutes of treatment, I came back to my clinic.

She called my clinic two hours later. MD checked her blood pressure which was 138/90 and said it was quite normal and told her not to worry about the blood pressure. MD told her that she should not take double dosages which would not bring double effect.

Acupuncture can help prevent vascular disease and atherosclerosis.

Acupuncturists have simple, inexpensive, and very reliable methods to find problems that could be a danger to the brain, heart, kidneys and other vital organs. We do not advise you to avoid western tests. When Western and Oriental methods are combined, it will bring better results.

Please visit my website, Acupuncture for Pains in Forest Hills, Queens, New York to find out more about my treatments methods and my clinic. Thank you.

Asthma is a very common chronic disease involving the respiratory system in which the airways occasionally constrict, become inflamed, and are lined with excessive amounts of mucus, often in response to one or more triggers. These episodes may be triggered by such things as exposure to an environmental stimulant such as an allergen, environmental tobacco smoke, cold or warm air, perfume, pet dander, moist air, exercise or exertion, or emotional stress. In children, the most common triggers are viral illnesses such as those that cause the common cold. This airway narrowing causes symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing.

The airway constriction responds to bronchodilators. Between episodes, most patients feel well but can have mild symptoms and they may remain short of breath after exercise for longer periods of time than the unaffected individual. The symptoms of asthma, which can range from mild to life threatening, can usually be controlled with a combination of drugs and environmental changes.

Treatment
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the lung is a number one organ involved in asthma. When the lung function is good, all above symptoms would be taken care of without any problems. When the lungs receive more dampness which causes mucus and the lung function is weak simultaneously, this dampness would be accumulated in the lung. Therefore dampness must be removed in the first place on this case. When dampness is removed, it is easier for lung to breathe.

Let me give you one example in the clinic.

She has suffered asthma for a long time. Her asthma was more severe at night. She got up 3-4 times at night due to difficult breathing. She got 3-4 nebulizer treatments whenever she got up at night. When she got up in the morning, her underwear was soaked with sweat. All medicines prescribed were in vain. She finally decided to pursue a different method, which was acupuncture treatment.

She heard about acupuncture, but she was reluctant as acupuncture needles might be painful. She suffered for a long time with asthma already and thought no matter what kind of pain from acupuncture needles should be less than the asthma pain she was suffering now. She discovered there was absolutely no pain when needles are inserted. She felt mucus dry up and a little easier to breath while on table. She also ordered herbs for a fast recovery. She took additional two acupuncture treatments and her symptoms were gone completely.