Alternative Treatments Acupuncture Acupressure

Diagnosis

[2] • • Huge catalog of disease states Method – Inspection ex: tongue – Observation – Inquiry – Palpitation [1]

Acupuncture and Acupressure

“Holistic”

• • • • • Meridians – “transport qi and blood” [4] Qi- body energy [5] Zang & Fu organs [6] Treat patterns of disharmony [1] –

Stagnation, deficiency, obstruction

Exogenous pathogenic factors [4,5,9]

Hearing Loss and Tinnitus [7]

• • • • • Kidneys nourish ears Disharmony between Heart and Kidneys Damp-heat in Gallbladder Damp-heat obstructing lesser yang channel Qi deficiency

Acupuncture

[1] • • • • Inserting and manipulating fine needles into specific points on meridians Sterile May not be near affected area Electric stimulation

Acupressure

• • Physical pressure is applied to points by the hand, elbow or devices [3] Similar to massage – May be performed at massage therapist office

Herbal Supplements

• • • • • Pills or teas “large” doses at specific times Sometimes months or years [5] Change with seasons “Pill for Deafness that is Kind to the Left Kidney” [7]

Western Views

• • • Research limited by design difficulty [1] “side effects of acupuncture are extremely low” [8] – Use in conjunction May increase awareness of overall health status

World Health Organization [1,10]

…2003 report concludes acupuncture has been demonstrated as an effective treatment for: Alcohol dependence Allergies/Asthma Anxiety/Depression Arthritis/Joint pain Back pain Bladder/Kidney problems Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Childhood Illnesses Colds/Flu/Cough/Bronchitis Constipation/Diarrhea Dizziness Drug Addiction/Smoking Eye, ear, nose & throat disorders Fatigue Gynecological disorders Headache/Migraine Heart problems/Palpitations Herpes High Blood Pressure Infertility Insomnia Fibromyocitis Neck pain/Stiffness Numbness/Poor circulation Premenstrual Syndrome Sciatica Sexual Dysfunction/Impotence Shoulder pain Skin problems Sports Injuries Stress/Tension Tendonitis TMJ/Jaw pain Weight gain or loss

References

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acupuncture http://www.amfoundation.org/acupuncture.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acupressure Li Ding. (1991) Acupuncture, Meridian Theory and Acupuncture Points. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press Scott and Monda. (2004) Golden Flower Chinese Herbs: Formula

Guide 4 th

Ed. San Francisco: Jin Hua Press.

Bernie Clark. (2007) YinSights: A Journey into the Philosophy and Practice of Yin Yoga. Library of Congress.

Bensky and Barolet. (1990) Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies. Seattle: Eastland Press. 8.

9.

1997 NIH consensus panel http://www.mcpt.com.au/acupressure.php

10. http://www.asianinstitute.edu/clinic/chinese_medicine.html

Lao Tzu riding an ox

Possible author of Daoist text Daodejing.