Acupuncture and
Moxibustion

On Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a safe and natural way to treat a wide range of health problems. It consists of the gentle insertion of very thin needles into specific acupuncture points. It can provide significant relief from many types of pain - such as headaches, back pain, sports injuries, osteo-arthritis, etc. Recent studies have found it to be superior to surgery in treating low back pain. It speeds the healing of injuries and surgeries. It is a useful supportive therapy for cancer patients. It is very effective at treating a wide range of problems, such as stomach problems, abdominal bloating, sinusitis, asthma, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and other internal problems. It excels in the treatment of women's issues, including menstrual disorders, menopausal problems and fertility enhancement. In addition it enhances overall health and immune response. Acupuncture dates back thousands of years, and is the oldest continuously practiced professional medicine. It is evidence based medicine, which is continuously changing and transforming in response to the needs of contemporary life.

Many people are curious to know what acupuncture feels like. Most often during an acupuncture treatment there is a feeling of deep relaxation and well-being. Sometimes there are unexpected experiences. For instance, if an acupuncturist places a needle in right your elbow, you may not feel it at all, or you might feel a sensation in your left knee, or your shoulder, or your hand. When you feel a sensation in another part of your body, or if you feel it traveling along a line, or spreading like a dull swelling, you are discovering bits of the body map that is used in Chinese medicine. These are the networks or webs that cover the body - the acupuncture meridians. Some of them correspond to boney structures in the body - like the spine and cranium - others to pathways of nerves or blood vessels or fascia. Other acupuncture meridians take their own course, not so related to particular structures of the body. Acupuncture meridians are part of the body, but they are more subtle than those other tissues. Think of them as a blueprint.

Acupuncture has many physiological effects on the body. It increases circulation and causes the release of many neuro-transmitters and neurohormones, some of which are endorphins. Endorphins are the bodies natural pain-killing hormones and are able to produce a sense of well-being. Acupuncture relieves muscle spasms, stimulates nerves. It also stimulates the bodies immune systems. In Chinese medicine, acupuncture is used to harmonize and balance the energy of the body. Acupuncture helps the whole body function as an integrated system in a calm, relaxed, vibrant way.

Moxibustion is another important tool in Chinese medicine. Moxa is an herb (mugwort) that is burned to warm the skin and tissues. It creates a fragrant, smoky scent. Moxa is used to warm a particular acupuncture point or an entire area of the body. It is a very pleasant and relaxing sensation.

Bodywork

On Bodywork

Tui na is Chinese massage. Like all massage it has many physiological benefits. It increases blood circulation, improves muscular balance and skeletal alignment, nourishes joints and connective tissue, and benefits many systems in the body - including the muscular system, the nervous system, the lymphatic system, the endocrine system. What is unique about tui na is that it has always been incorporated as a distinct medical specialty in Chinese medicine. It uses the same theory to understand illness and pain, but uses the hands to treat instead of needles or herbs. Many techniques are used - such as rolling, kneading, rocking - to treat the muscles, tendons and ligaments, joints and acupuncture meridians.

Craniosacral therapy was developed by an American doctor in the 19th century. In craniosacral therapy the practitioner uses a light touch to work with the movement cerebrospinal fluid and other subtle rhythms of the body. The practitioner pays attention to note areas of the body that feel congested, or disconnected from the whole. This is like listening to the river, or the tide of the body. With this work, patterns and habits of pain or illness can be undone, and brought back into relationship with the health of the body. It is bodywork, but it is very gentle and profound.

Chinese Herbs

On Chinese Herbal Medicine

Chinese herbal medicine has been studied and practiced and written about continuously for more than 2000 years. Chinese herbs are an important component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Herbs can be thought of as super foods, with particular properties to help remedy specific ailments. Western pharmaceutical companies have isolated the properties of some of these herbs and made them into very powerful drugs. However, in Chinese medicine, the strategy is quite different. We gather together different herbs that deal with various aspects of the entire disease system. This approach is designed to be comprehensive, and it is also designed to mitigate side effects. In conventional Western medicine, the side effects of drugs are either lived with or other drugs are prescribed - but often these drugs cause another set of side effects! With Chinese herbal medicine, side effects are prevented by the combination of herbs in each formula.

Traditionally, herbs are given in raw form. The patient gets a pile of leaves and roots composed of many beautiful and strange colors, shapes and textures. The herbs are taken home and boiled by the patient and taken as a tea. It can be a lovely process, but it is time consuming and can fill the house with some unusual odors. At Blue Heron Health powdered herbs are generally used. These herbs have been cooked as appropriate, then powdered. The herbs can easily be made into a tea by mixing one large teaspoon in a cup of water. This is usually taken three times daily. It is much easier for most busy people to do, but the flavor of the tea can still be tasted. Sometimes the taste of the teas can take some getting used to. But the flavor is an important aspect of how they work. At Blue Heron Health herbs in pill form are also used.

At Blue Heron Health all the herbs and pills are of the highest quality. All our suppliers maintain strict oversight of the farming and preparation of the herbs and formulas. They work diligently to ensure the safety and efficacy of their herbs.

Making Tea Using
Powdered Herbs

Making Tea Using Powdered Herbs

The standard dose for taking granular formulas is to add one large teaspoonful to hot or boiling water. Chinese herbs sometimes taste bitter or strange. It's ok to make a small amount - 1/4 to 1/2 cup water at a temperature that can be swallowed quickly, but the water must be hot enough to dissolve the herbs.

Most herb formulas should be taken three times each day, preferably on an empty stomach. It is most important that you get three doses, regardless of timing if the above regimen is difficult.

Please call if you have any questions about your herbs. Your herbs are treating a particular condition - so if you're health changes be sure to call. For example, if you get a cold or flu your herbal formula will probably be inappropriate. If you run out of herbs before your next appointment call our office to determine if they should be refilled.

Making a Poultice
with San Huang San

Making a Poultice with San Huang San

To make a poultice with san huang san, mix the powdered herbs with egg white until you have a thick paste the consistency of mud. You need enough of this paste to cover the injured area. Apply the paste thickly like cake frosting to the injury. Then cover with gauze pads or paper towels followed by wrapping with rolled gauze. The gauze should be covered with an elastic bandage to press the paste firmly against the skin. The bandages should be firmly in place, but not so tight that it restricts the circulation. In general, tightly compressing a sprain or any injury that is swelling is not a good idea. It may reduce swelling temporarily in the injured area, but ultimately it will also reduce normal circulation and increase the stagnation of blood an fluids.

Areas like the hamstring muscles or the shoulder can be very difficult to wrap. For these ares, apply a thinner layer of san huang san, almost as if you are painting on the mixture. Then cover with gauze squares and tape down the edges or, an a large area like the hamstrings, use rolled gauze to cover the area.

Several mediums may be used for making poultices:

1. Vaseline is a good all purpose medium. Melt the vaseline and mix it with the powdered san huang san. As the mixture cools, it congeals into a thick gooey paste.
2. Green tea has a somewhat cooling effect on the body, so as a medium it can enhance the anti-inflammatory, cooling effect of san huang san. Simply make a cup of green tea and mix the tea with the powdered san huang san.
3. Egg whites are used as a medium when the injury is to the muscle and tendon and the cartilage. Not only do egg whites direct the action of the formula to these structures, but traditionally egg whites themselves have been used to treat sprains and strains. For suspected or confirmed meniscus tears, sprains, pulled or torn muscles, or severe contusions to muscle tissue, mix san huang san with egg whites to make a paste.

From A Tooth From the Tiger's Mouth by Tom Bisio