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Photo by Vivian Chen [陳培雯

Lynn Jaffee, LAc, describes the symptoms of IBS on the Acufinder site:

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is labeled a “syndrome” because is involves a group of symptoms that varies for each individual who is affected. It involves abnormal movement of the small and large intestines (which is often referred to as a motility disorder). Symptoms of IBS include abdominal cramping and pain, and constipation and/or diarrhea (often in alternating episodes). IBS may also be accompanied by other gastrointestinal problems, such as gas, bloating, and nausea, and the symptoms are almost always aggravated by stress. Episodes may also be aggravated by eating, and are frequently relieved after a bowel movement.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine work very well for for IBS symptoms. There are many techniques we can use to help with the symptoms of IBS, and with regular acupuncture treatments, some lifestyle changes, and an herbal formula made specifically for your constitution (body type), I have seen a lot of success and immense relief of symptoms in those suffering from IBS. Acupuncture is very good in reducing stress, which is a huge trigger for IBS symptoms. By reducing this stress and making changes towards better living, your chances of getting some relief from IBS improve greatly!

Here are a few simple tips to get you started:

-Be careful with food sensitivities and/or allergies. Gluten and dairy can cause a whole slew of gastrointestinal problems

-Avoid eating too many types of foods at one time (i.e. please don’t eat an entire cake in one sitting….it will cause problems…)

-Steam vegetables rather that eating them raw

-Emphasize a high fiber diet, and include freshly ground flax seeds and whole grains as part of your daily carbohydrate intake

-All foods must be eaten slowly, chewed and salivated well (the enzymes in your saliva break down food)

-Eat in a calm and somewhat quiet atmosphere (no reading or watching television while eating)

Watch this video with Dr. Igor Schwartzman at WellWire.com. Dr. Schwartman demonstrates an easy way to calm your breathing, and offers additional information on some causes of IBS. He also recommends some beneficial herbs and teas that may also help with IBS symptoms, such as camomile and slippery elm.

Photo by jessicafm

I’ve received a lot of calls lately about acupuncture and breast feeding. Many mothers are concerned with lack of milk production, and others have experienced the dreaded mastitis on more than one occasion. Both of these issues are something that acupuncture and herbal medicine can definitely help with (be sure to find an acupuncture practitioner who specializes in women’s health, especially fertility and pregnancy!)

Lack of milk: There are several ways to boost milk production, and acupuncture combined with Chinese herbs is a great way to help promote more milk and improved flow. Getting a an acupuncture treatment is a great way to determine why milk production is lower, and finding the best herbal formula to help.  Each person has a unique constitution, and your practitioner will help you get the safest herbal formula for you and your baby.

Mastitis: Acupuncture treatment includes acupoints in the hands, legs, upper chest, and possibly a few near the inflamed breast itself. Mastitis is inflammation of the breast, often caused by blocked milk ducts. It’s necessary to move the stagnant blood and energy in the local area to clear the blockage, clear the inflammation, and get the milk moving again. Herbal medicine is also safe to take while breastfeeding- as long as you are taking the right herbs! Your practitioner will know what to give you.

If milk production just isn’t working for some other reason, purchasing milk from another lactating mother is another option, and this is usually this is done through breast milk banks. You can contact a midwifery organization or your local hospital for more information about this. You can also make your own formulas- a rice or goats milk substitute is commonly used (I don’t personally have experience with either of these, but would love more information from those who have used either of them!).

photo by davhor

Why oh why is it called “morning” sickness? For so many women, this part of an otherwise joyous experience lasts all day, sometimes through the night, and occasionally in the afternoon. Many women I’ve spoken to say that they either had no symptoms, a little nausea, a lot of nausea, or were just constantly sick. The consensus seemed to be that the majority of the nausea was over by around 12 weeks, but for some it lasted 20 weeks (halfway through the pregnancy).

There are often changes with the symptoms as the levels of hormones change, and the body begins to adjust to life with extra hormones and blood. The hormone HGC (human chorionic gonadotropin) is said to be the possible cause of the heaving and nausea. Others say the shifting hormones make you out of balance, which is very close to the way we see it in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In the early stages of pregnancy, a woman’s body is Yin. When egg is fertilized, it begings to bring more Yang into the body, which in turn causes something of an upheaval and imbalance of the Yin and Yang within the body, leading to nausea.

Acupuncture practitioners have wonderful tools to help ease this sometimes difficult transition. Besides using acupuncture needles, a common formula for nausea is Gui Zhi Tang, which contains cinnamon bark, red dates, white peony, and ginger- a great combination to warm and ease the stomach as well as help balance out the struggle with the Yin and Yang of the body. Once this balance is achieved, the nausea should improve. There are other formulas that may be helpful, and acupuncture treatments are very safe and effective if you are worried about taking formulas or anything besides prenatal care. Also, keep in mind that this formula may not be for everyone- ALWAYS check with a practitioner before taking formulas during your pregnancy.

Common tips from women were:

-eat small meals frequently,

-try to eat a little protein in the morning

-keep crackers, dry toast, and clear soda near the bed to avoid getting hungry (which may lead to nausea)

-take prenatal vitamins on a full stomach

*If you experience a fever, or are vomiting so severely you cannot keep food or liquids down, contact your health care provider immediately*

I welcome any more tips for discussion! Chinese Medicine is a great tool, and I feel that sharing the wisdom passed down from women is the best way to learn more about how we can help each other at this special time. Also, check out Blossom Clinc’s recommendations for morning sickness!

Happy Oriental Medicine Day on Saturday!

Hug an acupuncturist, or try a delicious (?) Chinese herbal tea! They taste odd, but are oh-so helpful for the body.

If you are fortunate enough to live in Portland, Oregon (my beloved city), then get out there and take a look at the massive acupuncture needle in our beautiful, if not a slightly damp city!

According to Acupuncture Today, the informative new source for all things acupuncture,

October 24, 2002 marked the first annual observance of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Day. Conceived of as part of a national campaign to educate the public about the benefits of acupuncture and other forms of Asian healing, many of the leading national acupuncture and Oriental medicine member associations, research organizations and educational institutions lent their support to AOM Day, in the form of open houses; lectures and demonstrations; free acupuncture treatments; and educational seminars.

A lot of cities are signed up with special rates on Saturday as well as other events- check out the homepage for the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine site, and don’t forget to check out the Acupuncture Today article that lists schools around the country that are celebrating National AOM day in style!

We should celebrate this day as a time when we are able to choose what we want in terms of our own healthcare, and take matters into our own hands by using preventative medicine. Acupuncture, herbal medicine, naturopathic medicine, massage, reiki, and all of the other wonderful techniques are treatments that do so much more than “fix us.” They heal us!

I still remember my personal experience with acupuncture – which is the reason I practice this amazing medicine. I was living in South Korea, where the pollution was so bad you could see and taste it! I was taking extra medications to try to control my  allergy symptoms and wheezing, but it wasn’t enough. Just as I was about to throw in the towel and leave, a family member suggested acupuncture. So I walked into the nearest clinic where no one spoke English (and my Korean was very poor), but doctor was surprised to see a foreigner but was very nice. He patted my arm and said “it’s okay!” He then felt my pulse, looked at my tongue, then gave me my first acupuncture treatment. It  was incredible- I still remember how much better I felt after that first treatment, and went back three times a week for four months. By the end of that treatment regime, I was off all of the medications, and was feeling great. I’ve been a firm believer in this medicine ever since, and started school at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine two weeks after we arrived home.

See what you can find in your city at the sites listed above, and enjoy the day!

Portland Japanese Garden by Roger Isabell

Allergy season is year round in Portland.

While that is a common joke here in Bridgetown, there really are those who suffer from allergies (especially dust and molds) year round. The use of acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbal medicine is best the way to help keep your symptoms under control. While Western medications alleviate the symptoms temporarily, they won’t treat the underlying cause of the allergic reaction, which is what we do with Chinese medicine.

A treatment from an acupuncture practitioner will help open the nasal passages, clear the excess phlegm, and reduce inflammation that causes the allergic reaction. This excessive reaction is not just the inflammatory response of the body to a foreign object (such as pollen), but also a weakened Lung, Spleen and Kidney organ system. Acupuncture strengthens these organ systems, which in turn helps the body react appropriately to the foreign object.

Common allergy symptoms may include:
-Runny nose
-Nasal itching
-Wheezing
-Red, watery eyes
-Skin irritation (rashes, itchy skin)

An ideal treatment plan for year-round acute allergies is treatments twice a week, and after the symptoms are under control the treatments may be stretched to every other week. Everyone reacts differently to the treatments, and you need to give it time (Trust me- this is what got me into acupuncture in the first place)! If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you will need treatment before the your “season” begins. For example, if you suffer from hayfever in the spring, start your treatments in January to help with symptom relief before the sneezing begins.

So if you are one of those who suffers from allergies when the rains begin, call your practitioner now, or find one on acufinder.com. Also, check out Dr. Nishant Rao’s post at Wellwire.com for helpful tips on how to prevent seasonal allergies.

Menopause is a time of transition and change in a woman’s body. For some, it is a peaceful passage, with few symptoms or
worries. For others, it may be an entirely different journey. Many women experience symptoms that are dif?cult to deal with during menopause, which may last a few months to several years. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and are brought on as the body adapts to a decrease in the amount of estrogen.

Such symptoms may be:
• Hot ?ushes
• Mood changes, such as irritability or sadness
• Insomnia
• Memory loss
• Headaches
• Palpitations
Menopause is a normal physiological process that all women enter into, and Traditional Chinese Medicine is a natural way to help with the transition. Acupuncture practitioners believe that to treat symptoms associated with menopause, we need to treat the cause of the body’s energy imbalance.

Using techniques such as taking the pulse, looking at the tongue, and interviewing the patient help us treat according to each individual diagnosis. By inserting needles at acupuncture points according to this diagnosis, we treat the reason the symptoms are occurring instead of masking them. We call this treating the “root” of the disease, instead of the “branch,” which are the symptoms the patient is experiencing.

Acupuncture treatments for menopause related symptoms will involve weekly treatments, and patients will often be prescribed herbal remedies to be taken in conjunction with the acupuncture. Traditional Chinese medicine can make a big difference when trying to cope with the symptoms of menopause. I recommend you talk to a practitioner as soon as you feel these symptoms occurring. We can help make this life change better than expected!

acupuncture needles by howaye

An article in the New York Times titled “Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes” discusses the use of progesterone creams for symptoms stemming from menopause. Hot flashes, weight gain, memory loss, fatigue, and irritability are often associated when women begin menopause.For some, these symptoms are manageable, but others will need more care, and more women are turning to alternatives. The article states:

“Gynecologists estimate that a third of women seeking treatment for menopausal symptoms are on conventional prescription hormones. Another third are on prescription bio-identical therapy. (Bio-identical hormones are synthesized compounds that mimic the molecular structure of human hormones and are derived from plants). The remaining third either tough it out, are not bothered by symptoms or are searching for over-the-counter therapies, including natural supplements and topical creams. They may try, for example, a supplement of phytoestrogens derived from soy and red clover, a low-dose progesterone cream, or swear by black cohosh capsules.”

While these therapies do help with symptoms, Chinese medicine practitioners believe that in order to treat these symptoms, we need to treat the root cause of the body’s imbalance. Using diagnostic techniques (such as checking the pulse, looking at the tongue, and interviewing the patient), help us treat according to individual patient diagnosis. By using acupuncture points according to this diagnosis, we treat the reason the symptoms are occurring instead of masking them.

Acupuncture treatments for menopause related symptoms will involve weekly treatments for 4-6 weeks, and patients will often be prescribed herbal remedies (also according to diagnosis). There are often Western herbs that practitioners use in the herbal formulas, and it is important to tell your practitioner if you are using an estrogen patch, progesterone creams, or any other remedies prescribed by an MD or self-prescribed.

Photo by oregonianphoto

Seeing that I am an Oregon native, I was surprised to hear of a Chinese medicine apothecary in Eastern Oregon that I didn’t know about (I’m usually up on these things…). The herbal clinic, which has been restored and is now a museum called Kam Wah Chung, where Ing “Doc” Hay had his herbal clinic. Ing Hay left John Day in the early 1900′s, but left behind his various Chinese medicine tinctures, herbs, and tools he used to distribute the herbal remedies.

Watch the video of how this clinic came to be in John Day at the Oregon Public Broadcasting website – I am amazed at how well this herbalist worked the ancient medicine, and how the people of John Day appreciated him and his medicine. You can also read about it here.

Photo by Thunderchild tm

Endometriosis is a condition that affects millions of women. It is is the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, which causes pain during the menstrual cycle. This occurs becuase the endometrial tissue is supposed to shed every month, and if it isn’t in the uterus, the tissue essentially “stagnates,” and causes pain. Endometriosis is usually diagnosed between the ages of 30 and 40, but can begin as a young as the teenage years. Forty percent of  women are symptom-free and don’t even realize they have it. The other sixty percent are well aware of the symptoms, which include mild to severe pain in the lower abdomen during the menstrual cycle, heavy bleeding, and even infertility.

Western medicine does not have a cure for endometriosis, but offers prescription drugs and laparoscopic surgery as an option to stop the pain. While it may stop the pain, this method doesn’t address the inflammation that is occurs throughout the body with each cycle.

Acupuncture points and Chinese herbal medicine help soothe the pain, reduce inflammation, and help reduce the heavy monthly bleeding.  The diagnosis of endometriosis is Blood Stagnation (which is exactly what is sounds like), but there is often either excess Heat or Cold in the body. The practitioner will use acupoints to treat all of these symptoms.

Herbal formulas will be prescribed at specific times in the woman’s menstrual cycle. One formula can be taken just after the menstrual cycle begins, and another after ovulation (or mid-cycle).

Randine Lewis‘s book, The Infertility Cure, is one of the best resources I have found for information about acupuncture, Western and Chinese herbs, and endometriosis. Read her book for more extenstive information on endometriosis.

Asthma: www.medical-explorer.com/asthma.php

Asthma is a condition that affects over 162 million adults and 6.7 million children in the United States. This is a serious disease which needs treatment, and something I have personally been dealing with for the past 10 years. By seeking regular acupuncture and herbal medicine to control the asthma symptoms, I was able to dramatically reduce the amount of Western medication I was taking.

I recommend the use of acupuncture and herbal medicine for asthma, and have had success in treating patients as well as being treated myself. NOTE: A severe attack will need immediate treatment from a Western medical doctor or possibly a visit to the emergency room. If the symptoms are severe (wheezing, blue lips and fingers, possible dizziness), seek immediate help.

Treating the “branch,” or the symptoms of wheezing and coughing, instead of the “root” (the true underlying cause of the illness) is necessary in order to manage the initial symptoms, but in Traditional Chinese medicine, we need to address the true cause of the asthma. While this a a disease which one may have for a lifetime, the symptoms are manageable. It will take more than a few treatments and regular consumption of herbs, so don’t be discouraged and visit your practitioner regularly!

The treatment used to help with asthma include inserting needles, in the chest, arms, legs, and hands. If the patient is wheezing and needs a treatment to calm and stop the wheezing, I will use cupping on the upper back to help stop the wheezing and relax the accessory breathing muscles. The concept of this treatment is to move the energy in the lungs, clear out excess heat and sticky phlegm (the patient may cough up phlegm after a treatment).

For the herbal formula, I often prescribe Ding Chuan Wan, which is used in Traditional Chinese medicine to help with asthma attacks. It can be taken in either pill form or granule form, and is very effective for asthma with phlegm symptoms.

For more information and a link to the Center for Disease Control, click here.