• Common Cold
• Low Back Pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Migraines
• Temporomandibular Syndrome (TMJ)
• Depression
• Allergies
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Diabetes
• Insomnia
• Endometriosis and Painful Periods
• Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
• Menopausal Syndrome
• Infertility

Common Cold

According to Western medicine, both the common cold and the flu are caused by a category of virus called rhinoviruses. Western medicine has no treatment for this type of infection. Taking antibiotics, for example, will do nothing for a disease caused by a virus. However, practitioners of Chinese medicine have been treating the common cold effectively with both herbs and acupuncture for 2,000 year. More than 100 generations of Chinese doctors have proven that you don’t have to just stay in bed and let a cold run its course.

Types of colds in Chinese medicine

In Chinese medicine, there are two main types of colds, wind cold and wind heat external contractions. The symptoms of each are different. In a wind cold pattern of common cold, the main symptoms are fever, aversion to chill, lack of perspiration, and body aches and pain along with nasal congestion, a headache, and possible cough. In a wind heat pattern of common cold, the main symptoms are fever, less aversion to chill, no particular lack of perspiration, sore throat, nasal congestion, and cough with no body aches and pains. Depending on which of these two main types of cold a person manifests, practitioners of Chinese medicine will recommend different Chinese herbs and treat different acupuncture point. The most common pattern of common cold in both children and adults is the wind heat variety. Depending on the climate and geography, these two patterns may be complicated by dampness or dryness.

Acupuncture for the common cold

Acupuncture refers to the insertion of very thin, sterile needles into certain points on the surface of the body known to relieve certain symptoms. In terms of the common cold, acupuncture stimulates the body’s own innate healing energy or immune system in order to more effectively combat the viral infection. Fifty percent of people infected with any given cold virus never manifest any sign or symptom of infection because their immune system is strong enough to suppress the virus’s activity. It is only the other fifty percent whose immune systems are less strong that develop symptoms. So strengthening the immune system is extremely important in fighting off a cold. In addition, certain points can relieve stuffy nose, cough, headache, body aches and pain, sore throat, fever, and reduce the production of phlegm. For instance, needling a point at the base of the thumb can markedly reduce sore throat literally in a matter of minutes. Some practitioners will combine acupuncture with other techniques such as cupping in order to get even better, quicker relief of symptoms.

Chinese herbal medicine for the common cold

Chinese medicine is effective for the treatment of rhinoviruses, and formulas with these ingredients can stop a cold dead in its tracks or drastically reduce its symptoms and duration. In addition, Chinese herbal formulas for the common cold typically also contain anti-inflammatory, decongestant, antihistaminic, and immune-boosting herbs. Such Chinese herbal remedies come in various forms. Your practitioner may prescribe bulk Chinese herbs which you then boil at home an drink as “tea”. Or they may prescribe any of a number of ready-made pills or powders. These are easier to take and tend to be less potent but can be equally as effective if taken at the correct dosage. So don’t be surprised if your practitioner suggests you take handful of these several times per day. Typically, one should begin taking these ready-made herbal medicines at the very first sighs of a cold and continue taking them for a day or two after the symptoms have disappeared. The longer you allow a cold to develop prior to treatment, the more likely it is that it will continue to develop. So stopping it as quickly as possible is key. There’s no reason why you should have to suffer for 4~5 days, lose time from work, play, and family, and be miserable with a sore throat, headache, fever, and cough. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs work for the common cold.

Low Back Pain

Low back pain means pain in the lower lumbar, lumbosacral, or sacroiliac regions possibly accompanied by pain radiating down one or both buttocks and legs. Low back pain is one of the most common complaints. It is present in at least 50% of all people 60 years of age or older. It accounts for millions of hours lost from work and more millions of dollars spent on treatment and medication. Low back pain may be either acute or chronic. It can be simply annoying or irritating or it can produce unbearable physical and emotional suffering. In Western medicine, acute low back pain is treated with rest, local heat, massage, oral analgesics, and muscle relaxants. Chronic low back pain is treated by weight loss, exercise, orally administered and intramuscularly infected analgesics, and surgery. However, long-term narcotic use has its own problems, and surgery is not always effective. On the other hand, Chinese have been treating low back pain with acupuncture and Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years, and, in the last 50 years, a large body of research has been developed proving that Chinese medicine can be an effective alternative to Western drugs and surgery.

Recent Chinese research supports the use of acupuncture for low back pain

Wang Wen-yuan, in Beijing Chinese Medicine, #1, 1993, reported on 5,461 cases of neck, shoulder, low back, and knee pain using acupuncture. Of these more than 5,000 cases, 215 suffered from acute lumbar sprain and 186 from sciatic pain. Their ages ranged between 29~85 years old, and there were 55.37% men and 44.63% women in this study. Patients received acupuncture once per day for a total of 10 treatments. Of the total 5,461 cases so treated, 76.10% were cured and the total improvement rate was 97.20%.

Acute Lumbar Sprain

Kang Jin-qi, in Shanghai journal of Acupuncture $ Moxibustion, #4, 1994 reported on the treatment of 130 cases of acute lumbar sprain who had been suffering from 3~7 days. 104 patients were men and 26 were women. Their ages ranged from 27~82 years. Of these 130 cases, 110 or 85% were cured with 1 treatment, while 20 or 15% were cured with 2 treatment.

Degenerative disc disease

As for degenerative disc disease, Guo Jian-jua, in Jiangsu Chinese Medicine, #4, 1994, reported that in treating 78 cases with prolapsed intervertebral discs with a combination of acupuncture, acupressure, and heat lamps, 56 cases or 72% cases were cured, 15 cases or 19.2% were markedly improved, 5 cases or 6% showed fair improvement, and only 2 cases or 2.8% got no result. This is a total amelioration rate of 97.2%.

Lumbar disc protrusion

Likewise, Wu Shi-qian, in Tianjin Chinese Medicine, #4, 1994, reported on 50 cases of lumbar disc protrusion treated with acupuncture. Of these 50 patients, 30 were men and 20 were women. Their ages ranged from 30~30 years. They received acupuncture at 4~6 points per treatment, and one treatment every day for 10 days equaled one course of treatment. Typically, patients received 3 full courses of treatment. Of these 50 cases, 40 cases or 80% were cured, 8 experienced marked improvement, and 2 got no result. Thus the total amelioration rate in this study was 96%. These studies show that treatment by qualified and experienced acupuncturists can relieve both acute and chronic low back pain. Western researchers may quibble that these studies were not double-blind, placebo controlled studies, but that kind of study cannot be done with acupuncture. These studies are based on the real-life treatment of real live low back pain patients of all ages and both sexes. In all these studies, the cure rate was above 60% and the total amelioration rate above 95%.

In the U.S. most acupuncturists use a combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, both internally administered and topically applied, and various types of Chinese exercise therapy. The modern Chinese medical literature shows that any one of these modalities can cure or significantly improve low back pain. For instance, Qiu Wan-xing, in the Zhejing Journal of Chinese Medicine, #12, 1993, reported on the treatment of 20 cases of acute lumbar sprain with a formula first recorded in the Chinese medical literature around 200 AC. Of these 20 cases, 6 were cured in 3 days and 14 in 4~6 days. When used together, such ancient Chinese modalities provide one of the best and most effective treatment protocols available in the world today. A billion Chinese can’t be wrong.

Fibromyalgia

What is it?

Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a condition mostly affecting women between 20~50 years of age. It is characterized by chronic, widespread, severe muscular aching, pain, and stiffness accompanied by insomnia, fatigue, and depression. It is neither a rheumatic, inflammatory, progressive, or degenerative disorder. However, it is also not solely a psychosomatic or psychiatric disorder. In 1987, the American Medical Association (AMA) recognized FMS as a true illness and major cause of disability. Fibromyalgia can be differentiated from other chronic muscle-joint pain by the presence of pain or tenderness on pressure in at least 11 of 18 specific points on the body.

70~90% of FMS suffers will also have one or more of the following: post-exertional malaise, sleep disturbances, headaches, either migraine or tension, swollen feet, numbness and/or tingling, difficulty thinking and concentrating, dizziness, sensitivity to light, noise, and/or smells, hypersensitivity to stress, painful menstruation, and dry mouth. In terms of sleep disturbances, FMS sufferers are usually able to fall asleep but are not able to sleep soundly or wake up too early in the morning.

Because FMS involves a number of different symptoms, Western physicians try to treat this disorder by prescribing various drugs for each of these symptoms. For instance, anti-depressants are commonly prescribed to treat the sleep and mood, while non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) are prescribed for the pain. Unfortunately, not all patients tolerate antidepressants and even NSAIDS can have their own potential for side effects. Ironically, some of these side effects include many of the symptoms of FMS.

How does Chinese medicine treat FMS?

According to Chinese medical theory, most patients with FMS have a liver-spleen disharmony sitting at the center of their disease mechanisms. This means their liver is depressed, their qi is stagnant, and their spleen is vacuous and weak. Based on these core disease mechanisms, individual FMS sufferers may also have malnourishment of their sinews and vessels, damp heat impediment, blood stasis, kidney Yin and/or kidney Yang deficiency. Because every patient with FMS has different Chinese medical pattern discrimination, each patient receives their own individualized treatment. This treatment mainly consists of acupuncture and oral administration of Chinese herbal formulas which may either be given as powdered, desiccated extracts or a bulk herbs brewed and drunk as a “tea” several times per day. In addition, practitioners will pay close attention to each patient’s diet and lifestyle in order to treat the whole person and eliminate the root of the condition. Typically, the Chinese medical treatment of FMS lasts several months in its active phase, and this may be followed up by several more months of taking Chinese herbs in pill form preventively.

Migraine

What are migraines?

Migraines are a specific type of headache that lasts 4~72 hours, is throbbing in nature and moderate to severe in intensity, is one-sided, and is worse with exertion. Migraines may also be associated with nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light, sound, or smell. In order to be diagnosed as suffering from migraines, one only needs to experience 3~4 of these symptoms. Currently, it is estimated that 24 million Americans have migraines. They occur more in women than men and mostly between 10~40 years of age. More than 50% of migraineurs have a family history of this disorder.

What causes them?

According to Western medicine, the cause of migraines is unknown and their mechanisms are poorly understood. Triggers include cycling estrogen, insomnia, changes in barometric pressure, and hunger. While there is a widespread belief that certain foods, such as chocolate, cheese, and red wine, may trigger migraines, research has not confirmed this belief.

How does Chinese medicine see migraines?

In Chinese medicine, most migraines are due to an upward counter flow of qi into the head. This upwardly counter flowing qi is usually due to liver depression and its various complications. In women, blood vacuity not nourishing the liver is often the cause or trigger of this upward counter flow. As this Yang qi ascends to fill up the bony box of the head, it may draft with is dampness, phlegm, and turbidity. If this congestion recurs over a long period of time, it may also result in the formation of blood stasis in the channels and network vessels of the head.

How does Chinese medicine treat migraines?

Because each patient presents with their own unique combination of Chinese medical disease mechanisms, the first step in treating migraines with acupuncture and Chinese herb is to do personalized pattern discrimination. It is professional pattern discrimination, which allows the Chinese medical practitioner to determine the exact right combination of therapies for each patient. This combination of therapies may consist of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. It will typically also consist of diet and lifestyle modifications to treat the underlying root of the condition. Acupuncture may be used either preventively or remedially during an acute attack. Often, acupuncture can abort or decrease migraine pain within minutes of insertion of the needles. Chinese herbal medicine may be administered in the form of pills, or bulk herbs brewed and drunk as a “tea” several times per day.

How do I know Chinese medicine works?

Several scores of research studies have been conducted in China on the Chinese medical treatment of migraines. These studies confirm that Chinese medicine, both acupuncture and Chinese herbs are safe and effective for this type of headache. The following are just a few examples of this voluminous research. Wang Xian-qi and Sun Qing treated 52 cases of recalcitrant migraines with a Chinese herbal formula as described in New Chinese Medicine #7, 1996. Using this protocol, 36 cases were cured, and another 13 cases improved for a total amelioration rate of 94.2%. Bai Hui-min treated 69 cases of migraine with acupuncture (Tianjin college of Chinese Medicine Journal, #2, 1996). 22 cases were cured, 29 cases got a marked effect, and 11 cases improved for a total amelioration rate of 95.3%

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Temporomandibular Syndrome (TMJ)

What is TMJ?

TMJ (temporomandibular syndrome) refers to pain in the temporomandibular (or jaw) joint region with possible swelling, limited range of motion, muscle spasms, earaches, grinding of teeth, facial asymmetry, clicking or popping noises, and, occasionally, ringing in the ears. Common cause of TMJ pain include blows to the jaw, over-stretching as a result of dental or surgical procedure, and excessive grinding or clenching of the teeth. Most forms of arthritis can involve the temporomandibular joint, and this joint is involved in more than 50% of cases of rheumatoid arthritis. Up to 25 million Americans experience some form of TMJ, with women seemingly at greater risk.

How does Western medicine treat TMJ?

The current Western medical treatment of TMJ consists of a combination of dental and medical approaches. These include the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, a soft diet, hot compresses, and oral splints. Permanent dental corrections and removable prostheses may also be recommended. Surgical correction is necessary in 5~10% pf patient. When TMJ is primarily related to muscular tension, biofeedback and other stress management techniques may be recommended.

How does Chinese medicine work?

Chinese medicine seeks to restore balance to the body. Therefore, the practitioner begins by doing a Chinese medical diagnosis to determine the patient’s individualized pattern of disharmony. Based on that individualized pattern diagnosis, the practitioner will then craft a personalized treatment plan encompassing all aspects of the patient’s life. For TMJ in particular. Acupuncture is usually the main treatment, often supported by a Chinese herbal formula.

Can acupuncture & Chinese medicine treat TMJ?

Yes, Chinese medicine and acupuncture most definitely can treat TMJ. Not only can acupuncture typically relieve the pain, tension, and discomfort of TMJ within a matter of minutes, your Chinese medical practitioner can help you understand the disease mechanisms that lead to this disorder and what yourself can do about them. This may mean relaxation and stress reduction, but it may also mean modifications in one’s diet. The beauty of Chinese medicine is that it takes the whole patient into account and prescribes a treatment plan that brings the entire person back to a sense of vibrant and dynamic balance. For instance, most women’s TMJ involves a Yin-blood vacuity failing to nourish the sinews (or muscles) of the jaw. In this case, proper diet is extremely important as well as supplementation with Chinese herbs, which nourish the blood. Whereas, in other patients, it may be heart-stomach fire exuberance causing the problem. In that case, one will probably have to avoid alcohol, fatty, oily food, and hot, peppery foods.

Can one combine Chinese & western medicines?

Yes again. The combination of oral splints (worn within the mouth at night during sleep) and acupuncture/Chinese medicine, often is a very effective combination for the treatment of TMJ. In this case, the oral splints help treat the problem mechanically, while the acupuncture and Chinese herbs seek to reduce the internal causes for this condition at their root.

Depression

Everybody gets the blues from time to time. However, 17 million Americans suffer from clinical depression each year. 2/3 of these are women. Clinical depression is a disease which can have devastating effects on one’s family, relationships, and career.

What is depression?

The term “depression” encompasses several different medical diagnoses: dysthymia; bipolar disorder; seasonal affective disorder or S.A.D. although each of these conditions vary from person to person, they all include some of the following symptoms:

• A persistent sad or empty mood
• Fatigue or lack of energy
• Loss of interest or pleasure in formerly enjoyable activities
• Problems with sleep
• Change in appetite & eating
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering & making decisions
• Feeling guilty, worthless, or helpless
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Irritability
• Crying at the drop of a hat
• Body aches and pains which do not respond to treatment

Although a whole family of new anti-depressant drugs, such as Prozac and Zoloft, have brought relief to millions of patients, these drugs do have unpleasant or unacceptable side effects in many patients. In addition, these drugs do not cure depression; they only manage its symptoms. Few patients relish the idea of staying on such medication their whole lives.

Chinese medicine & depression

Chinese medicine has been treating depression successfully for more than 2,000 years with various combinations of acupuncture, herbs, diet, and other low or no cost home therapies.

In Chinese medicine, there are six major patterns of depression. These patterns mostly have to do with the Chinese ideas of the liver, spleen and kidney. When a patient comes to an acupuncturist, complaining of depression, the practitioner will first decide which of these six patterns or what combinations of these pattern the patient exhibits. Based on that individualized pattern diagnosis, the practitioner will then craft a personalized treatment plan encompassing all aspects of the patient’s life.

Does it work?

Recently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded a pilot study on the effects of acupuncture on depression in women. The results of this study showed that acupuncture was at least as effective as either drugs or psycho-therapy and there are no side effects! When acupuncture is combined with Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese dietary therapy, and various other lifestyle modification (all individually tailored to the person’s own pattern of disharmony), the effects are even greater. In addition, Chinese medical treatment for depression does not just alleviate the symptoms of depression but seeks to find and then eradicate the root cause of this disease.

Can one combine Western & Chinese medicine?

Absolutely. In many cases, such a combination is the best and quickest way of treating depression.

Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, and be used to lessen or eliminate the side effects of Western anti-depressants, while a certain amount of psychotherapy can help the Chinese treatment go faster. Anyone currently on anti-depressants who wants to get off these by using Chinese medicine should definitely discuss this with their prescribing physician and work out a withdrawal schedule in concert with their Chinese medical practitioner. Patients with bipolar disorder typically need to stay on their Western medication.

Allergies

More than 50 million Americans suffer from various types of allergies. That means on out of five! Of these 50 million sufferers, 35 million or 17% of the population have allergic rhinitis, more popularly known as hayfever. Allergic rhinitis is the single most common chronic disease experienced by Americans. What is even more shocking is that the occurrence of allergies in developed countries is sharply on the rise, and Western scientists don’t know why.

What causes hayfever?

Hayfever is essentially a mistaken immune system reaction to airborne particles, which normally do not cause the body any trouble. These particles may be pollen, animal dander, dust, mold, or insects and their feces. Most people inhale these without a problem. People with allergies inhale these and the body reacts as if it were being invaded by a pathogen. There is sneezing, runny nose, red, itchy, watering eyes, headache & even asthmatic contraction of the bronchioles of the lungs leading to panting, wheezing & coughing.

Western medicine treats hayfever and other respiratory allergies by a combination of anti-histamines and decongestants. Although the side effects of these Western drugs are less than they used to be, many patients do not want to stay on such drugs for long periods of time. Happily, Chinese medicine provides a time tested alternative to Western drugs when it comes to the treatment of hayfever and other allergies.

What is Chinese medicine?

Chinese medicine is the oldest continually practiced, literate professional medicine in the world. Practitioners of Chinese medicine use such therapies as acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and Chinese dietary therapy.

How does Chinese medicine work?

Chinese medicine seeks to restore balance to the body. Therefore, the practitioner begins by doing a Chinese medical diagnosis to determine the patient’s individualized pattern of disharmony. This pattern diagnosis is made through four basic examinations:

1. looking at the face, eyes, posture, & especially the tongue and its coating
2. listening to the patient’s voice, breathing, & manner of expression
3. questioning about the course and history of the condition as well as about all other bodily functions, and
4. feeling the pulse on both wrists.

Based on that individualized pattern diagnosis, the practitioner will then craft a personalized treatment plan encompassing all aspects of the patient’s life.

In general, sufferers of hayfever exhibit a pattern of spleen weakness with excessive phlegm and dampness leading to problems with their lung function. Depending on the individual, this basic scenario may also be accompanied by kidney weakness, liver stagnation, liver-gallbladder-stomach heat, & other related patterns of disharmony. Chinese medicine treatment is divided into tow stages. During the acute attack, your practitioner will primarily try to alleviate your discomfort using safe and simple, natural therapies. In between attacks, they will primarily focus on the root cause of your imbalance. During this stage of treatment, no matter whether your practitioner primarily uses acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine or some combination of both, they will try to help you identify and eliminate the root imbalance which is causing your hayfever.

Hayfever & diet

Because Chinese medical practitioners believe that, in most cases, the cause of hayfever is spleen weakness with too much dampness and phlegm lodged in the lungs, dietary therapy typically plays a large part in patients’ overall treatment plan. In particular, they are advised to stay away from or minimize sugars and sweets, fruit juices, dairy products, nuts and oils, and chilled, uncooked foods. Although other factors, such as exercise and stress, play a part in many people’s hayfever, modification of one’s diet is usually the cornerstone of the Chinese medical treatment plan. Happily, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine make such dietary changes easier to implement.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

What is it?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a motility disorder involving the intestines. Patients may experience variable degrees of abdominal pain, constipation and/or diarrhea, which worsens as a reaction to stress. It is estimated that 10~20% of all American adults experience symptoms of IBS, and patients with IBS account for half of all doctor visits for gastrointestinal complaints. IBS affects three times as many women as men and, after the common cold, is the next most common cause of missed school and work.

What causes it?

No one knows why some people develop heightened sensitivity of the GI tract, at least in terms of Western medicine, but researchers are working on the theory that there are direct links between the GI tract and the central nervous system. Such a brain-gut connection would explain why emotional upsets affect the intestines and why intestinal symptoms affect the mood.

How Chinese medicine treats IBS?

Unfortunately, many people experience side effects from any or all of the types of Western drugs used to treat this condition. The good news is that Chinese medicine has been proven to treat IBS safely and effectively. Unlike some conditions, the Chinese medical literature is virtually unanimous in its description of the Chinese medical mechanisms of this disorder. All Chinese sources say that this condition is worsened by stress, overeating sugars and sweets, obsessive thinking, too much fatigue, and too little physical exercises. Together, these factors lead to what is called in Chinese medicine a liver-spleen disharmony.

If the liver is stagnated and the spleen is vacuous and weak, a number of other complications can arise. The main ones in IBS patients are the creation of damp turbidity, damp heat, and/or blood stasis. In addition, Chinese medicine finds that patients in their 40s or older may also develop kidney weakness due to spleen disease reaching the kidneys. Because there are a number of possible complicated patterns IBS sufferers may present, the first step in being treated with Chinese medicine is to get a personal pattern discrimination from a qualified professional practitioner. While every IBS patient suffers from a liver-spleen disharmony, most also have one or more other patterns complicating this core mechanism.

After dong an individualized pattern discrimination, a Chinese medical practitioner may chose to treat this condition with acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, or a combination of both. In addition, they will certainly also adjust the diet and lifestyle. Foods which damage the spleen need to be avoided, and the person usually needs to learn better relaxation skills. If acupuncture is the main method of choice, the patient may be suggested to receive two treatments for several weeks and then one treatment per week for several weeks more. If Chinese herbs are prescribed, these may consist of modern desiccated, powdered extracts or bulk herbs brewed and drunk as tea several times per day. Exactly what method of administration and what combination of Chinese therapies is chosen will depend on the training and preference of each individual practitioner, as well as each patient’s needs.

The proof is in!

A large amount of research has been done on the Chinese medical treatment of IBS, especially in China. For instance, Chen Wei-di, writing in the Shanghai Journal of Chinese Medicine, reports on his treatment of 120 IBS patients with Chinese herbs. 81 of these patients (67.5%) experienced a complete cure, while another 31 (28.3%) got a good result. Typically, these results came with 24~26 days of taking Chinese herbs. Yin Wei-che treated another 33 cases with a similar Chinese herbal regime (New Chinese Medicine). Of these 18 cases got a marked effect and 10 got some effect for a total amelioration rate of 84.8%. the comparison group receiving a Western drug only got a 58.3% improvement rate. Likewise, Hong Zhe-ming treated 156 cases of IBS with yet another version of the same herbal formula (Zheijiang Journal of Chinese Medicine) and achieved a total amelioration rate of 91%. In this study, 62 cases were cured, 80 improved, and only 14 got no effect. These are only three among scores of Chinese research reports on IVS published in the last 19 years. All of which proved Chinese medicine is effective for this disease.

Remember, Chinese medicine works for IBS!

Diabetes

The problem

According to the U.S. center for Disease control, cases of diabetes have doubled in the past 15 years and are projected to double again in the next 15 years. 90% of these cases are type II or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder involving insulin and the body’s use of glucose or sugar. People with diabetes have too much sugar in their blood. Over time, this excess sugar causes a number of different problems in various organs and systems of the body. Among the numerous complications of diabetes are coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, cerebral vascular disease, peripheral and other types of neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, a host of dermatological conditions, and various opportunistic infections.

What gets diabetes & how does western medicine treat it?

Type I or insulin-dependent diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the person’s own immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in their pancreas. Such patients must receive some external source of insulin or they will die. This type of diabetes most often is diagnosed during childhood. Therefore, it used to be called juvenile diabetes. Type II diabetes is a result of some combination of genetic susceptibility, poor diet, age, and obesity. Other factors may include insufficient sleep and chronic viral infection. 90% of those with type II diabetes are overweight, and the majority are over 40 years of age. Hence, this type of diabetes used to be called adult-onset diabetes. Typically, type II diabetes is diagnosed as a result of routine blood and urine examinations. The Western medical treatment of type II diabetes consists of dietary control, weight loss, and oral hypoglycemic drugs. In some cases, those with type II diabetes may also need to receive supplementary insulin. Unfortunately, these drugs are expensive, often have side effects, and do not always adequately control the patient’s blood sugar.

Chinese medicine & diabetes

Chinese medicine has recognized and treated diabetes mellitus as a specific disease for at least 2,500 years. Over those two millennia, Chinese doctors have continually refined their understanding and their treatment of this condition. Because of changes of diet and lifestyle, China is also experiencing a surge in the number of cases of diabetes. Therefore, a huge amount of energy has gone into research on the Chinese medical treatment of diabetes and a large literature now exists on this subject. The good news for sufferers of this condition is that Chinese medicine (including both acupuncture & Chinese herbal medicine) can effectively treat this condition and, in some cases, actually cure it.

Acupuncture consists of the insertion of extremely fine, sterile, stainless steel needles into certain specific locations on the body in order to restore balance and harmony to metabolic function. Research in China has shown that acupuncture can be effective for eliminating g the symptoms of diabetes and lowering blood sugar in the early stages of this condition. Even more research has shown that Chinese herbal medicine can be effective for the treatment of all stages of this disease and is appropriate for both type I and type II diabetes. Chinese herbal medicine consists of administering multi-ingredient formulas based on each patient’s personal Chinese pattern of diabetes. Chinese doctors recognize a dozen or more different patterns of this condition, which can combine in a variety of ways. Depending on the patient’s personal pattern, they will receive a combination of Chinese herbs, which is specific to them and not just a “one size fits all” generic treatment for diabetes. Chinese herbal medicine may be prescribed as decoctions or “tea”, or pill.

Can Chinese medicine be used at the same time as Western medicine?

Yes, most definitely. There have been many, many research protocols done in China on the combined use of Chinese and Western medicine for the treatment of both type I and type II diabetes. This research suggests that the combination of Chinese and Western medicine for this condition is better and more effective than either alone. When one combines Chinese and Western medicines, one gets all the power and speed of the Western drugs while typically requiring a lower dose and fewer different medications. In addition, the Chinese medicine is commonly able to eliminate any side effects of the Western medication. Sine such side effects are typically a function of dose and number of medications, reducing the doses and numbers of Western drugs is a major benefit.

Can Chinese medicine also treat the complications of diabetes?

Yes again. There are Chinese medical treatments for diabetic hypertension, diabetic high cholesterol, diabetic coronary heart disease, diabetic cerebral vascular disease, diabetic neuropathy of all sorts, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic skin conditions, and diabetic opportunistic infections. Positive research has been done in China on each and every one of these either using Chinese medicine alone or a combination of Chinese and Western medicines.

Research proving Chinese medicine treats diabetes

Peng Geng-ru and Zhao Lin published an article titled, “A Clinical Audit of the Treatment of 92 Cases of Type II Diabetes with Wasting & Thirsting Decoction & Glyburide,” in issue #2, 2002 of the Hunan Journal of Chinese Medicine. 51 patients (55.4%) in the group which received both Chinese herbs and an oral hypoglycemic got a marked effect, 32 patients (34.8%)got some effect, and only 9 patients (9.8%) got no effect, for a total effectiveness rate of 90.2%. in a comparison group which only received the oral hypoglycemic, the total effectiveness rate was only 69.7%, and, among these, only 34.8% got a marked effect.

In issue #1, 2001 of Henan Chinese Medicine, Wu Chen published an article titled, “A Clinical Analysis of the Influence of Acupuncture on Blood Glucose & Blood Lipid Levels in Patients with Diabetes”. There were 40~65 years old in this study. Of these, 11 patients saw the disappearance of their symptoms and their blood sugar and cholesterol drop to normal, 12 saw improvement in their symptoms, blood sugar, and cholesterol, and only 3 got no effect, for a total effectiveness rate of 88.46%.

Lin Zhi-gang published his findings on the efficacy of acupuncture and Chinese medicines for type II diabetes in issue #2, 2000 of Fujian Chinese Medicine &Medicinal. In this study, 35 patients received only Chinese herbal medicines while another 35 both Chinese herbs and acupuncture. In the Chinese herbal group, there was a total 77.1% effectiveness rate compared to a 97.1% effective rate in the group, which received both Chinese herbs and acupuncture.

Insomnia

From time to time, most people have nights where they cannot sleep, tossing and turning in frustration, wondering how they are going to get through the next day, for some people, however, this is a nightly occurrence, either not being able to get to sleep, or falling asleep but then waking in the early morning hours and not being able to go back to sleep. In addition, insomnia tends to worsen and become chronic as one ages.

The Western medical treatment of insomnia mostly focuses on the use of drugs, such as Valium, commonly called tranquilizers by the general public. These drugs often have unpleasant side effects. Although they can help one sleep, they can make one drowsy, lethargic, and confused the next day. They can be addictive and there is a danger of overdose. If one tries to withdraw from their habitual use, insomnia tends to return with a vengeance.

Happily there is a safe, centuries old alternative to the use of tranquilizers for insomnia. That alternative is Chinese medicine.

What is Chinese medicine?

Chinese medicine is the oldest, continually practiced, literate, professional medicine in the world. Practitioners of Chinese medicine use such therapies as acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and Chinese dietary therapy.

How does Chinese medicine work?

Chinese medicine seeks to restore balance to the body. Therefore, the practitioner begins by doing a Chinese medical diagnosis to determine the patient’s individualized pattern of disharmony. This pattern diagnosis is made through four basic examinations:

1. looking at the face, eyes, posture, and especially the tongue and its coating,
2. listening to the patient’s voice, breathing & manner of expression,
3. questioning about the course and history of the condition as well about all other bodily function, and
4. feeling the pulse on both wrists.

Based on the individualized pattern diagnosis, the practitioner will then craft a personalized treatment plan encompassing all aspects of the patient’s life. In general, all insomnia is due to a relative excess of Yang in relationship to Yin, and the main organs or viscera involved are the Chinese ideas of the heart, liver-gallbladder, spleen, and kidneys. No matter whether your practitioner primarily uses acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine or some combination of both, their focus will be on eliminating the root imbalance, which is causing your insomnia. Because Chinese medicine does not simply depend on sedatives & tranquilizers, Chinese medicine treatment promotes sound sleep without drowsiness, “hangover”, addiction, or withdrawal.

Endometriosis and Painful Periods

Recent research from China proves that Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture can eliminate painful periods and cure endometriosis.

Dr. Yang Yun-xia & Zhang Hai_Zhen, writing in Henan Traditional Chinese Medicine, report on the Chinese medical treatment of 50 women with dysmenorrhea (painful period) due to a variety of causes, such as retroverted uterus, improper uterine development, abnormal thickening of the uterus and adnexa, ovarian cysts, and uterine myoma. These women were treated from one cycle to ½ year with Chinese herbal medicine and all 50 were cured. That’s a 100% cure rate!

Dr. He Shu-ying, writing in Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine, describes the treatment of 40 cases of endometriosis with Chinese herbal medicine. In that study, 92.5% of the women were either cured or significantly improved.

Dr. Zhong Ya & Zhang Shou-qun, writing in the Zhejiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, reports that of 76 women treated with acupuncture and moxibustion for dysmenorrhea, 85.52% were either cured or significantly improved.

An article in the Shanghai Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Medicinal, reported that 54 cases of endometriosis treated with a combination of body and ear acupuncture showed a 92.6% rate of effectiveness.

Drs. Wang Fa-chang & Wang Qu-an, writing in the Shandong Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, report on their treatment of 90 women with premenstrual breast distention, pain, and lumps. The patients were given three packets of Chinese herbal formulas before each period for three months. At the end of that time, 97.8% of the patients in this study were either cured or significantly improved.

Dr. Hou Jian, also writing in the same issue of the Shandong Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, describes the Chinese herbal treatment of benign breast lumps in 24 women. Again, the women were treated for three months before their periods and 91.7% were either cured or significantly improved.

Dr. Gu Si-yun, writing in the Shandong Journal of Treadtional Chinese Medicine, reports on the treatment of 50 women with pre-menstural breast distention and pain with yet another herbal formulas. In this study also lasting three months, the cure and improvement rate was 98%.

Dr. Mi Yang, writing in the Hunan Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, reports a 95.31% cure and improvement rate in 128 cases of fibrocystic breast disease and benign breast lumps.
These are a random sample from the 30 or more Chinese medical journals published in China each month, and the treatment of endometriosis and dysmenorrhea are regular topics in all of these.

Modern Western medicine treats dysmenorrhea with temporary pain-killers and birth control pills. It treats endometriosis with surgery and hormone therapy. These offer only temporary, symptomatic relief or are invasive, expensive, and fraught with potentially serious side effects. Also, Western medicine, for all its many great benefits, has little to offer women suffering from premenstrual breast distention and pain, fibrocystic breast disease, and benign breast lumps. But Chinese medicine assuredly does. This is a proven fact by modern clinical research. It is low cost, non-invasive, and has no side effects when properly applied by trained professionals. Therefore, it makes sense to try Chinese medicine first. Chinese medicine is 2,000 years old professional medicine. They are not a folk remedy. One hundred generations of Chinese doctors have proven empirically that Chinese medicine works. Now this is supported by modern clinical research.

What’s better, these treatments are currently available in the U.S. from acupuncturists and practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Using a combination of Chinese herbal medicine taken internally and applied externally (in the cases of lumps), acupuncture, diet, and lifestyle modifications, the same results these Chinese women experienced can be gotten here.

Why wait? You don’t have to lie moaning and groaning, sweating and chilled, nauseous and vomiting from intense pain month after month. You don’t have to lose time from work lying in bed with a heating pad or hot water bottle. You don’t have to be miserable. There is an alternative, and Chinese medicine is it.

Even better, Chinese medicine and acupuncture work by restoring balance to one’s entire organism. Thus not only is your major complaint brought under control, but you whole sense of health and well being is improved. And besides providing you with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, your practitioner will also counsel you on such important health issues as diet, exercise, lifestyle, and stress reduction.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

Acupuncture & Chinese herbs treat PMS safely and effectively

Although premenstrual syndrome is a modern Western disease category, Chinese medicine has been treating what they call menstrual movement diseases for millennia.

• Nervous tension & fatigue
• Breast distention, pain & lumps
• Abdominal distention & pain
• Headache & body pain
• Diarrhea, vomiting & nausea
• Constipation, bloating
• Nosebleed, bloody stools &/or urine
• Fever, asthma or recurrent colds
• Rashes & acne
• Changes appetite & cravings

According to Chinese medical theory there are very definite mechanisms accounting for each and every one of these premenstrual symptoms. For instance, premenstrual breast distention is usually due to stagnation within the liver and stomach channels which connect with the breasts, while premenstrual acne is most often due to heat in the lungs which rule the skin.

But even better, there are time-tested treatments for each of these. These may include acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal medicine begun whenever the signs and symptoms occur combined with dietary changes, exercise, and lifestyle modifications.

Typically the traditional Chinese medical course of treatment for PMS spans 2~4 menstrual cycles with the number of days each month requiring treatment declining with each cycle. And the ultimate goal of this therapy is to teach the woman what foods to avoid and how to arrange her life so that these symptoms do not recur again. In addition, using the theories and diagnostic methods of Chinese medicine, the practitioner should be able to advise each woman on what vitamins and minerals to use to make her therapy even more effective.

Such treatment does not merely suppress symptoms but rebalances the entire body’s mechanism, thus resulting in vibrant good health and a renewed sense of poise and harmony. Using acupuncture and Chinese medicine, each of the major organs and bowels are brought into harmony as well as the woman’s qi, blood, and body fluids.

Western medicine describes its mechanisms in terms of hormones, prostaglandins, and neuro-transmitters. While all of these may be true, such biochemical descriptions do not enlighten and empower women. Although the Chinese concepts of qi and blood, yin and yang, and the twelve channels may appear primitive and unscientific, they nonetheless have proven their value in professional clinical practice for over 100 generations. Using these concepts, women are enlightened and empowered on a very practical and human level. No one can control their secretion of estradiol, but liver qi stagnation can be remedied by exercise, relaxation and the right acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

Menopausal Syndrome

Menopause itself is not a disease. It is a Norman physiological change, nature’s way of slowing down the aging process in women past child-bearing age. Unfortunately, many women do not traverse this cusp quickly and smoothly. When that happens they may experience any of a number of signs and symptoms. These include:

• Hot flush
• Night sweats
• Menstrual irregularity
• Uterine spotting and flooding
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Palpitations
• Migraines
• Insomnia
• Vaginal dryness & atrophy
• Vaginal itching
• Osteoporosis

Traditional Chinese medicine is a 2,000 year old, professional medical system, and gynecology is one of its specialties. Within Chinese gynecology, menopausal syndrome is a recognized and treatable condition. In fact, it is one of the conditions that is most easily and satisfactorily treated by Chinese medicine (as long as menopause is natural and not surgical).

Chinese medical practitioners may use acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine or a combination of both to treat menopausal symptoms. With either method, practitioners seek to nourish and supplement the liver and kidneys, boost the qi and fortify the spleen, nourish the heart and quit the spirit, clear pathogenic heat and lower rising Yang energy, thus restoring balance to the women’s entire organism.

According to Chinese medical theory, menopause occurs when, because of the natural aging process, a woman’s body no longer produces sufficient blood to sustain a monthly period without this blood loss being draining on her body and particularly her kidney, the organ Chinese medicine sees as the root of life and longevity. Therefore, the body in its wisdom reverses the flow of a channel in the center of the body, which sends blood down to the uterus from the heart. Rather, blood and essence from the kidneys are sent up to the heart to nourish the woman’s spirit. Thus, in Chinese medicine, menopause is seen as a true change in life from mother of biological children to mother of the community. This is why, in traditional cultures, post-menopausal women are regard as wise women, since their heart spirit is now nourished and enlightened in a way that is was not before.

This age-old, traditional wisdom is not “folk” medicine or superstition. It is supported by clinical research from both China and Japan. Reports in both the Shandong Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, #6, 1992 and Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine, #6, 1993, discuss the successful herbal treatment of a number of menopausal complaints, including hot flashes, anxiety, insomnia, night sweats, irritability, and heart palpitations. In the second study, 28 out of 30 women were either cured or markedly improved in 15 days to 2 months for a total amelioration rate of 93%.

Western practitioner not only use acupuncture and Chinese herbs to treat menopausal complaints but also typically advise patients on diet, exercise, and lifestyle, thus treating the whole person and bringing balance to every aspect of the patient’s life, these therapies are without side effects. So why not try these natural and effective, low cost and safe traditional therapies before resorting to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and other expensive, high-tech therapies with unknown risks?

Infertility

Human in vitro fertilization is a process in which the egg and sperm are fertilized in vitro, meaning outside of the body in a Petri dish (in vitro literally means in glass). The fertilized embryo is then implanted into the female’s uterus. IVF was first successful in the U.S. in 1981. since then, it has become a widely accepted method of treatment for infertile couple.

There are various causes of infertility, many of which can successfully be treated with IVF. The indications for in vitro fertilization include:

• Fallopian tube obstruction
• Oligospermia (low sperm count)
• Abnormal cervical factor
• Immunologic factor- husband or wife
• Unexplained infertility
• Infertility after tubal surgery
• Infertility after treatment for endometriosis

Chinese medical preparation for females before in vitro fertilization:

Approximately three months prior to the IVF procedure, it is recommended that the patient receive acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatments to regulate the body’s functions and make IVF more successful. Sometimes after just these three months, the patient regains a normal menstrual cycle and is able to become pregnant naturally.

During the three months preparation time, the main objectives of Chinese medical therapy are to improve the function of the ovaries.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine help to improve ovarian function, allowing for development of better quality eggs and strong, healthy embryos. Chinese medicine can also regulate estrogen and progesterone levels, thereby thickening the lining of the uterus. Research indicates increased blood flow to the uterus can help promote follicular development and also implantation of the embryo.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help the ovaries respond better to the stimulating drugs by producing more follicles and good quality eggs. Many patients using IVF alone are only able to produce a few follicles. Based on clinical experience, we estimate that Chinese medicine can help the ovaries at least double the number of follicles as well as significantly enhance the embryo’s quality and quantity.