On the rare occasions that I get a chance to sit down and stare mindlessly at the television screen, undoubtedly I will see a commercial for one of the fabulous and fantastic pharmaceuticals that our lives are empty and meaningless without.

It is at times like these that I think and dream about a commercial about acupuncture that could be broadcast into the living rooms of millions of americans.

It would go something like this…..

(Cue soothing yet inspirational piano music)

Cut to footage of a fifty-something good-looking man or woman gazing dreamily out the window…..

(cue yearning and wistful dialogue):  Are you in pain, do you have low energy,   are you feeling….  ”not your self” ?    Ask your local alternative medicine practitioner about Acupuncture!

Acupuncture therapy has been used safely for thousands of years to treat all manner of aches, pains, illnesses and disease.

Call the number on the bottom of the screen to find an acupuncturist near you today and get back on the road to better health.

(Cue different voice tone): “Side effects may include but are not limited to: Feeling more energy, repeated feelings of well being, more restful sleep, reduced feelings of stress, enhanced calmness of mind.  Check with your doctor and he will tell you that there are no interactions with acupuncture treatment and any medications you are taking.

“This message brought to you by acupunctureology.com”

CUT!

Ah, it is nice to dream isn’t it?

On a more serious note,  there are very few side effects of acupuncture.  There is a chance of bruising around the area of the needle insertion, but bear in mind even if there is bruising it usually does not involve any pain.  The chance of infection is very little with acupuncture as only disposable singe use needles are used and cleanliness procedures are adhered by.  There are a few points around vital organs that with gross negligence on the part of a practitioner could result in a serious emergency.  But when I say gross negligence I mean that the incidence of these complications runs on average about  six cases per 100,000 administered.    Thats a pretty good rate when compared to some of the various Iatrogenic(meaning Doctor caused) complications in various conventional health care procedures.

But as stated in the fantasy commercial above there are some very real side effects each and every time an acupuncture treatment is administered.   When I treat a patient in the office for the straightforward condition of simple low back ache, these patients often report that along with relief in their low back pain they generally feel less stress, more energy, and are sleeping deeper!

Now that is results that you can take to the bank!

Great Question.  Great question indeed.

When modern western research science has difficulty fully explaining or quantifying something, that’s when I get interested.   That the way in which acupuncture delivers healing cannot be completely pinpointed is why some in the western medical community poo poo acupuncture and deem it quackery and a sham.

Let’s take a closer look and discuss a few of the ways in which western science has deemed that acupuncture delivers outstanding treatment results.

1. Micro Injury: This aspect of acupuncture treatment has to do with how the needle insertion creates a very very tiny injury to the skin, the muscle tissue and the surrounding soft tissues.  We  know that when our body is injured it immediately mobilizes an efficient healing response mechanism.  Like when you get a paper cut on your thumb, your skin heals over within seven days as if it never occurred.  So this theory proposes that the very very tiny injury of an acupuncture needle to the local area of pain mobilizes the body’s healing response to that site.  But this does not explain how acupuncture delivers a whole body healing mechanism.
2. The stimulation of the nervous system: The idea goes that inserting a very very fine needle or alternatively pressing with the hands or a blunt instrument, and even applying focused heat, all in some manner stimulate the nerves in the peripheral nervous system.  As was discussed in a previous post it was observed that this stimulation of one part of the body produced a healing response in another.  But how does this work?  Well there are nerve pathways throughout the body and along those pathways are points of particular importance.  You can think of the acu-points as sort of like relay stations on a power grid.  If one station on that grid goes out then the whole grid can go down, right?  This is a demonstration of the interconnectedness of the whole pathway.  If we apply healing stimulation to one of those “relay stations” or acu points then that transmission can be relayed to the central processing station, or in the case of acupuncture an Organ or organ system.
3. The engagement of the parasympathetic nervous system: Our central nervous system has two distinct modes the sympathetic also known as the “fight of flight” mode and the parasympathetic or what we like to call the “rest and digest”mode.  Even conventional western medicine is recognizing the broad systemic wide ill-effects that stress wreaks on the body.  Switching the body from the stress mode to the resting parasympathetic mode is the only way that we can engage our innate self healing mechanism.  Acupuncture very quickly, very deeply, and very completely brings the body into the parasympathetic mode.
4. The reduction of Inflammation:  A recent study was published that showed that the insertion of an acupuncture needle into the body produces a release of the chemical Adenosine at and around the local site of the needle insertion.  Adenosine is one of  many intrinsic substances that the body uses as an anti-inflammatory compound.  Adenosine provides protection to the cells, increases healing time, and aids tissue repair in response to injury.  Acupuncture needles have been proven to increase the levels of this chemical at the local site.
5. The improvement in blood circulation: The ancient  say that the Qi energy and the blood are intimately connected.  They say that the Qi “moves” or “pushes” the blood.  If we liken the Qi energy to nerve force we can conclude that the stronger the nerve force  the better the circulation of the blood is.  Clinically this can be observed, when a person has an impairment in the nerve impulse such as in the case of peripheral neuropathy.   There is a resulting impairment in the flow of blood.  That person will have cold feet or hands, right?  So if the acupuncture can improve the flow of nerve transmission then it can improve blood flow along with it.  With improved blood flow comes improved nutrient transport, removed waste, and improved healing.

These are only some of the ways that Acupuncture delivers outstanding healing results for all manner of physical disease and ailments.   In the years to come Western Laboratory Science will undoubtedly come to greater understanding as to the mechanisms by which this medical modality works.  With greater understanding greater acceptance by the western medical community will come as well.

The practice of Acupuncture is still in it’s relative infancy here in the United States.  Acupuncture therapy has been used in asia for over 5,000 years but has been used for roughly 200 years here in america.    Acupuncture has only been “legitimately” practiced here for 35 years.   A metaphorically tiny bamboo shoot of time compared to the mighty redwood that is the history of Acupuncture.

One incident more than all the other exposures piqued America’s curiosity with the practice of inserting needles into the body’s surface.   The year was 1972 and “Tricky Dick” Nixon and his entourage had just crossed the “Bamboo Curtain” into mainland communist China.    A New York Times reporter traveling with Nixon, one James Reston, suddenly fell ill with acute appendicitis.  He was rushed to the hospital and received an emergency operation there.   Acupuncture was used to treat the pain and the effectiveness of the treatment astounded this reporter.   Subsequently word traveled back to the states and immediately an interest in this mysterious type of medical modality was born.

The  first acupuncture treatments administered in America were done by immigrant chinese doctors perhaps as early as the 1800′s.   This was a time of  a large migration of Chinese to the west coast and there is recorded history of the use of acupuncture in early west coast settlements.  The use of acupuncture in those early days was mostly limited to within the Chinese community.   It was not until 1975 that the practice of acupuncture was regulated here in the united states. Before that time the act of sticking needles into a person to heal them was considered illegal.   Those who knew this skill had to practice it in secrecy, lest face prosecution from the law for practicing medicine without a license.

The practice of Acupuncture has grown strongly in American soil in the years following President Nixons visit to China.   Over the course of that time tens of millions of americans have tried and found relief using acupuncture therapy for a variety of health conditions.   In 1997 professional credibility was received from National Institute of Health when they declared acupuncture relieves the condition of nausea and that it can be a good adjunctive treatment in dozens of other conditions.  (Hey we will take what we can get!) More on that study here

Call it Irony or call it the Yin to the Yang(More on that here)….. but to think that most of us acupuncturists, in some round about way, have Richard Nixon to thank for our occupation makes me smile in a wry sort of fashion.

A small number of  patients who have visited my office have commented on the fact that I do not wear a white lab when seeing patients. 

Why not?  Because besides being hot stuffy uncomfortable and a stodgy relic of the past……. lab coats are a serious threat to your health!

But first a little history on the lab coat.  Lab coats were introduced into the medical world around the turn of the twentieth century.  Prior to this time white laboratory coats were used in the fields of laboratory science,  presumably to protect the scientists clothing from whatever dangerous or dirty things they were working with.

The medical establishment adopted the labcoat at the beginning of the 20th century in an effort to distinguish, “scientific medical practice” from the various forms of “quackery” being used at the time.  The various forms of “quackery” being used at that time  included legitimate forms of medicine such as homeopathy and herbalism which are still being used today, with great success I might add.    

This tradition of wearing white coats in western allopathic medicine gained strong credence throughout the twentieth century, with medical schools even having a white coat ceremony to symbolize a young students acceptance into the world of medical practice.

Medical students, residents, surgeon, etc.  wear the lab coat day in and day out with patients and at the end of a long day hang the coat up, only to turn around the next day put on the white coat and do it all over again. 

Let me ask you a question how many times a week do you think most doctors wash their lab coat?  Two, three, four at most?  Certainly not every day.

With the recent epidemic outbreak of antibiotic resistant staph bacteria, otherwise known as MRSA, these lab coats( and to a lesser extent neckties) have become veritable breeding grounds for the collection and transmission of infection. 

So the next time you go to visit your acupuncturist, your chiropractor, or other alternative medical practitioner and they are dressed neatly and professionally sans lab coat.  Give them a knowing wink and thank them for keeping your health in mind.

Great Question indeed!

So old is the history of Acupuncture that it’s true origins are shrouded in the mists of time.  There are a few theories though….

But first it is interesting to note that there is evidence of Acupuncture in other parts of the world, in times that predate the 5,000 year timeline of Acupuncture history in China.  Ayurvedic medicine in India had a tradition of Acupuncture that was lost and is survived by the practice of acupressure marma therapy.  There is evidence that they used Acupuncture in ancient Egypt.    The discovery of the Ice Man Otzi in the Italian Alps a few years ago shocked the world historical and acupuncture community as this discovery showed evidence that acupuncture was used outside of China and in a time older than was previously thought.

But indeed back to the original question….Why stick needles in people?

There are four main theories to explain the invention of acupuncture:

• The battlefield theory:  This one goes that soldiers on the battle field would receive a wound in one part of their body which would in turn result in the relief of an ailment in an unrelated part of the body.  I think Gary Larson made a far side cartoon based off of this theory a while back.   Is there any merit to this theory.   Perhaps?   We know today that part of the way in which acupuncture works is by causing a very small micro trauma to the body which brings about the body’s innate healing mechanism
• The acupressure theory:  This one believes that the discovery of the acupoints was the real triumph and that it was discovered through many generations of massage.  The masseuse would press and find tender spots along the patient, they would work on the tender points until relieved and then subsequently a seemingly unrelated ailment in the patient would resolve spontaneously.   This process was most likely involved in the evolution of acupuncture therapy but it still does not explain where the idea to stick needles into the body came from.
• The evil spirits theory:  This theory is concerned with the ancient time period in China where a form of shamanism was the predominant religious form.    Aches and pains as well as ailments were considered to be a form of  evil spirit or demon that had lodged itself inside the patient.  It was the job of the shaman to rid the person of the demon to cure their ills.  What better way to fight some evil demon spirits than to stab them with a spear.  So tiny needle spears were fashioned out of bone, bamboo, or stone.  The shaman stabbed at the evil spirits and the patient felt better.   I kind of like this theory….
• The energy medicine theory: This theory goes that people of ancient times were more in touch with the sense of energy within themselves and with the world around them.  (C’mon they did not have any blackberries, ipods, or T.V.s to get in the way of their energetic focus)   Therefore they were able to sense the matrix of energy within the human body.  They were able to plot the energy meridians which form the basis of acupuncture therapy solely based on their sense perceptions.  Needles were just one way to influence the body’s energy for these energy masters among others.

So what do you think?   Was it sixth sense, dumb luck, or just plain trial and error over a long period of time?      My feeling is that it was probably a conglomerate of all these theories.

The cool thing is that we have it today in the western world, we have practitioners that use it on a daily basis to get excellent healing results, and it is here to stay.

Bottom Line: Acupuncture Works

Have you ever felt a feeling of melancholy on a crisp autumn day that appeared almost out of nowhere?

The kids are back at school, the tourists have gone home, and suddenly there is this feeling of emptiness.  So then you start remembering…..remembering your ancestors, remembering sentimental things,  remembering your first pet hamster and then all of a sudden you are a sobbing mess?

Well according to Oriental Medicine, that is completely to be expected.  Autumn is associated with the season of Metal in  the five element system. More about the five elements here  http://acupunctureology.com/the-five-elements-in-oriental-medicine/ 

The corresponding emotion of the Metal element is grief and sadness.  The organ correlated with the metal element is the lung and it is the lung organ which expresses grief and sadness through its quivering sobs. 

The lung organ is particularly sensitive during this time of year as is our stored grief in the Autumn season.  This is why any trigger can set us off into a spell of sadness whether it is something major or something as trivial as a hallmark commercial on televsion. 

Nine years ago on a picture perfect morning in New York City the United States first was exposed the emotion of shock.  This numbing experience was soon followed by expressions of grief and sadness for the many innocent men, women, fathers,husbands, mothers, daughters, wives, sons, and grandparents that lost their lives in this tragic historical occurence.  

Oriental Medicine believes that all emotions are normal and natural and that they only cause disease when they get stuck and are not expressed and resolved.

If you find yourself today feeling the need to express the deep sadness that you, the nation and world feel as a whole, take a moment to remember that expressing grief is in harmony with the energy of the Autumn, and remember those who lost their lives. 

May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all. 

Oriental Medicine Theory proposes that within us there exists three qualities that are of the greatest value.   These treasures are known as the Jing, the Qi, and the Shen.

The Jing represents our deepest physical essence.  Jing can be likened to our DNA, our genetics, our chromosomes.   On a physical level much of a persons Jing is inherited from our parents and our ancestors.   Someone who has a healthy strong constitution would be considered to have good Jing in chinese medicine.  The treasure of healthy Jing that we are born with can be either squandered through poor lifestyle habits or can be supplemented through healthy living.  Much of what Oriental Medicine recomends for a healthy diet and lifestyle are methods aimed at cultivating the Jing.

If the Jing represents the hardware of our being the Qi could be likened to the software.  Qi is the operating system that we use as an individual.  Qi is  our motive force.  It is what animates us on a minute to minute basis.  Qi is the very life-force that pumps our heart, circulates our blood, and moves our muscles.  If you think about moving your hand to pick up that glass of water, Qi is the force by which your hand grasps the cup and lifts it to your mouth.

The Shen represents the non- religious concept of spirit.  This treasure is associated with the mental and emotional aspects of a persons being.   A person with a healthy shen is said to have a calm demeanor, bright sparkly eyes,  and an attractive way about them.

The three treasures are interrelated to one another.   The quality of one treasure influences the quality of the other two.  The Qi is the aspect of our being that we have the most control over on a moment by moment basis.   We can choose to breathe and relax and that is what allows the qi to flow smoothly and harmoniously throughout the body.  Balanced Qi leads to less stress on the Jing and a better quality of Shen.   Poorly balanced Qi due to  stress, anxiety, overwork  and a poor diet tax our Jing reserves and disturb our shen.  

 As a person ages it is said that there Jing essence is in a declining cycle.   When someone is old their allotment of Jing energy has been used up throughout their  life cycle.  The Shen however tends to become more strong as humans age, especially if they have managed to harmonize their qi throughout their life.     It is often observable in old people who live a balanced and healthy life, that   even though their physical health may be waning, they often have a very palpable sense of spiritual tranquility and radiance.  They have effectively transformed their Jing energy throughout their life, with the help of their qi, to refined spirit or shen.

Late Summer: the Time of the Earth Influence

Chinese Medicine is very much based off of the ancient world view and cosmology of Chinese Culture.  A central feature is the concept of the five elements: Water, Wood, Fire, Metal and Earth.   The chinese ascribe these qualities to all things in the unverse to help classify and understand things.   In our case the chinese classify the seasons as falling under the influence of these five elements.  Summer represents the utmost of Yang energy Fire.  It is hot, people are active, and the body must adapt to this hot climactic influence.   The Fall falls(?) under the influence of Metal.  The metal element is all about organization structure, routine, rules…..sounds like the return to school for the kids right?  The Chinese like to have things neatly in categories they had to find a way to ascribe the quality of Earth to a particular part of the year.   So they invented a fifth season:  Late Summer.   Sounds crazy you say right? A fifth season preposterous!   Well in a way it is but upon further examination.  This system is interesting.

The earth element has the qualities of solidity, groundedness, heaviness, centeredness, as well as dampness.   The ancient chinese saw this as a necessary time to transition from the extreme yang of summer to the building yin of fall and winter.  This season marked the mid point of the chinese year and is celebrated as a pleasant time where time seems to stand still.
The pendulum from yang to yin has reached its climax and begins its reversal.

What this means for the health of our body and mind is to begin to settle in to a routine.  Let go of the excesses of summer(late nights, too much pizza,too much Ice cream) and begin to embrace more simplicty and harmony in your schedule.   It is important to eat simply as the seasons change as our internal blood circulation and metabolism start to shift. Move away from raw foods and move towards cooked complex carbohydrates.   Squash, rice, quinoa, millet, corn, carrots, beans.  This is also a time to stay connected to those who represent your inner circle.  Those who have a grounding effect on you. 

Here is hoping for a dreamlike September  and a celebration of the Late Summer.

If Yin and Yang are black and white, the five elements are shades of grey.

When seeking to understand and describe the natural world around them the ancient Chinese developed a system of classification based upon natural elements that they were able to observe in nature. 

The system of the five elements is composed of fire, earth, metal, water, and wood.   The five elements is sometimes called the five phases because rather than being thought of as fixed classifications this system describes these elements as being interconnected and interchanging.  As qualities that morph and flow into one another.

The concrete example of seasons is the best way to comprehend this system.  Winter is known to have the quality of water.  Things tend to be still and cold.  The term “deep” of winter describes the abyss like quality of water and wintertime. 

Water in the chinese five element cycle transforms to the element of wood which is the element ascribed to springtime.  The quality of springtime shares the quality of a newly growing plant(composed of wood!).  The energy is growing, yearning upward, the color of spring is green which is the color of the wood element. 

Wood in the five element system gives rise to the fire element.  Summer is the season of fire: it is hot and active.  People are moving and connecting rapidly much as a fire consumes and overtakes its fuel source.  

The chinese have a concept of a “fifth season”  known as late summer.  More on that concept here http://acupunctureology.com/late-summer-and-the-earth-element/

The concept of Metal as being part of an elemental system often confuses those new to Oriental Medicine.  Many folks have a peripheral awareness of the ancient greek system of the elements namely: water, fire, and air.  The ancient chinese observed that metal in the form of Iron ore came from the earth in the form of stones.  This metal ore was very much a part of their day to day existence so it was natural for them to include this “element” as a part of their worldview and cosmology(the study of the universe)

Metal has the quality of being of a fixed unyielding nature.  Metal contracts when it gets cold much like the season of Autumn does.  The chinese saw this as perfectly representing the contracting unyielding nature of fall.

Now how does this apply do the practice of medicine.   Well, this system of the five elements became highly developed and applied to a broad array of topics in chinese culture including the practice of medicine.

 Once these qualities are understood on a basic level they can be applied to anything and everything including the body and its physiology.  A persons appearance, mannerisms, skin color, voice tone, odor, and temperament can all be classified according to the five elements.  There is one school of acupuncture known as the five element school which focuses on these classifications solely.

When trying to understand acupuncture and oriental medicine it is helpful to understand a little bit about the worldview and culture  from which it arose.  Although this is not an essential prerequisite for someone to benefit from acupuncture therapy….it is worth looking into to have a greater appreciation of this form of medicine in general. 

So to start at the beginning:Yin and Yang.  We have all heard these terms although most of the time the TV and movies mispronounce them as YING and YANG.(If you really want to impress your acupuncturist say the word Yang with a long A almost like you are saying Young.  

So what are yin and yang all about?  They are opposites. 

The Ancient Chinese sought a way to systematically observe and classify the world around them so as to better understand how things worked. 

They sought to classify the world in terms of  Black and White.

 Yin and Yang are defined as the shady side of a hill and the sunny side of a hill, respectively.  But metaphorically the concept of opposites can be applied to each and every thing in the world, including humans and their physiology.

Someone with a loud voice?  They have more yang

Someone who is thin and frail?  They are more yin.

And so on it goes ad infinitum

What this means for the practice of acupuncture and oriental medicine is that each disease is diagnosed first according to these two conditions……Is it more yin or more yang?  

Sounds simple, yes it is.  However if you start at this point you never miss the forest for the trees.   Western medicine is fantastic at breaking down disease processes to the tiniest little minutiae.  They narrow down a disease to the precise type of cell component that is malfunctioning.    However they often miss out on giving the patient the requisite prescription of stop doing X and do more of Y and this cell will not malfunction. 

If you can grasp the fundamental concepts of yin and yang, then the foundation is set to understand all of Oriental Medicine.  

Up Next: The five elements