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"Osteoarthritis - Cutting Edge Treatment Options," Natural Awakenings Magazine, Nov '02
"Acupuncture and Infertility," Natural Horizon's Website, Nov '02
"Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine," Natural Horizon's Wellness Center Website, Jul '03
"Alternative Methods for Stress Management," Your Health Magazine, Dec '03.
"Traditional Chinese Medicine and Diabetes," Your Health Magazine, Mar'04
"Beautiful Healthy Skin Through Chinese Medicine," Your Health Magazine, Apr'04
"Acupuncture and Pain Management," Your Health Magazine, Jul '04
"Managing Hot Flashes with Traditional Chinese Medicine," Your Health Magazine, Sep '04
"Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment," Your Health Magazine, Nov '04
"Acupuncture and Back Pain - NIH Studies," Nursing Spectrum, Jun '05
"Acupuncture, Tai Chi, and Stress Management," Acupuncture.com website, May '06, Vol 4, #5
"The Martial Tradition in Chinese Medicine," AOM Alliance Newsletter, Nov '06
"De-Stress with Tai Chi," To Your Health Magazine, Oct '07
"Ask the Acupuncturist," Acufinder Magazine, Fall '07
"Living with Arthritis Without Resorting to Drugs or Surgery," To Your Health Magazine, Nov '07
"Raising Baby Einstein", To Your Health Magazine, Dec '07, Vol. 01, Issue 12
"Understanding the Psychology of Patient Referrals," AAAOM Qi-Unity Report, Dec '07
"Dreaming of Baby," To Your Health Magazine, Mar '08
"Discussing Chinese vs. Allopathic Medicine with your Patients," AAAOM Qi-Unity Report, Apr '08
"Tips for a Secure Retirement," AAAOM Qi-Unity Report, Jun '08
"Ten Suggestions for Optimizing Your Health," Your Health Magazine, Jan '09
"Traditional Chinese Medicine and Diabetes," Your Health Magazine, Feb '09
Osteoarthritis - Cutting Edge Treatment Options
By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
Many Americans who suffer from arthritis are completely unaware of their treatment options beyond medication and surgery. Since the controversy of Vioxx and Celebrex, other options are desperately needed. This article will briefly cover the various types of arthritis, and what the latest research indicates to improve the condition. Arthritis is one of the oldest known afflictions of human beings, and can affect virtually every part of the body, from the feet, to the knees, back, shoulders, and fingers. Over fifty million Americans suffer from arthritis. The most common types are Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Osteoarthritis (OA), and Gouty Arthritis (GA). Rheumatoid arthritis is three times as common in women than men, begins between 20-60 years old with peak activity between 35-45, and is considered an auto-immune disorder. The most common symptoms are small-joint discomfort, warmth, swelling and redness; limited range of motion, distortion, and morning stiffness. RA is bilateral (meaning that both left and right sides of the body are affected), and typically gets worse over time. Osteoarthritis, in contrast, affects the larger weight-bearing joints asymmetrically; with symptoms of local tenderness, joint cracking/grinding and dysfunction, and pain increasing with activity. Fifty percent of people over 50 years old suffer from OA. Osteophytes or bone spurs occur in the late stages of OA. Gouty arthritis or "gout" is the formation of uric acid crystals in the small joints of the feet and hands, especially the big toe. Ninety percent of gout sufferers are overweight men who indulge in rich foods and alcohol. According to the Prescription for Nutritional Healing; milk, dairy products, caffeine, citrus fruits, paprika, salt, tobacco, and sugar should be REDUCED or ELIMINATED from your diet. Additionally, nightshades (e.g. red, green, and yellow bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, white flesh potatoes) should be avoided because they have a tendency to intensify the condition. Foods containing sulfur, such as asparagus, eggs, garlic, and onions are important for the repair and rebuilding of bone, cartilage, and connective tissue, and aid in the absorption of calcium. Other good foods include green leafy vegetables, which supply vitamin K; fresh vegetables, nonacidic fresh fruits, whole grains, oatmeal, brown rice, and fish. Fresh pineapple contains bromelain which is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory agent, and works by stimulating the body's production of prostaglandins.
One of the most overlooked approaches to improve the discomfort associated with arthritis is WATER. In Your Body's Many Cries for Water, Dr. Batmanghelidj asserts that dehydration is responsible for the majority of joint pain in this country, and merely increasing water consumption will relieve the symptoms within 2-3 weeks. Depending on your level of activity, a good rule of thumb is to drink HALF of your weight in ounces. If you tip the scales at 200 lbs, you should consume 100 oz of pure filtered water per day. Acupuncture is well-known in China for its effectiveness at treating arthritis. Practitioners use hair thin, stainless steel needles inserted in very specific places on the patient which accelerates the their body's ability to heal their joints. A study performed in England and published in 2002 measured several parameters of knee osteoarthritis including time to walk 50 meters, climb 20 steps and overall level of pain using acupuncture compared to no treatment. The patients who received acupuncture treatment over an 8 week period improved in all of the parameters measured compared with those with no treatment who deteriorated in all categories. Additionally, a very well designed study was performed by the University of Maryland that concluded that acupuncture was 88% effective at improving knee osteoarthritis as measured by analgesic consumption, range of motion, and a number of other parameters. You can find a board certified, licensed acupuncturist in your area by going to www.nccaom.org and clicking on "find a practitioner".
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, by James Balch, MD, and Phyllis Balch, C.N.C., Second Edition.
Your Body's Many Cries for Water, by Dr. Batmanghelidj
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Acupuncture and Infertility
By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
For the past 3000 years, acupuncture has been used in China to resolve infertility. It has been clinically proven in double-blind, placebo controlled studies to have a positive effect on both male and female infertility issues. Good candidates for trying acupuncture are people who have a functional, rather than a structural reason for infertility (for example, blocked fallopian tubes are structural). There are no drugs involved and therefore no side-effects are associated with acupuncture therapy. One of the common myths is that acupuncture hurts. The needles are made of solid stainless steel (as opposed to a hollow cylinder like a hypodermic needle), are roughly 4 times the diameter of a human hair, and disposable to avoid any spread of infectious disease. The needle is typically not felt at all, and at worst, the sensation is that of a mosquito bite.
The major difference between allopathic medicine (that practiced in the United States) and Traditional Chinese Medicine is that allopathic medicine uses the diagnosis as the primary input for treatment. EVERY patient with a particular illness undergoes identical treatment. In Chinese Medicine, the treatment is tailored to the individual. Six female patients may all have hormone-related infertility and the treatment protocol will be vastly different for each woman. Since the human body can be seen as a multi-variable equation, the Acupuncturist must look far beyond the typical medical lab results, inquiring about the patient's sleep patterns, diet, and lifestyle. Based on that specific person's symptoms and way of life, a treatment plan can be developed.
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Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine
By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
Many of my patients ask me, "What's the difference between Chinese medicine and western (alopathic) medicine?" My answer is: "Everything". The tools of western medicine are primarily drugs and surgery. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is comprised of three major components: Acupuncture, Herbology, and Exercise/Lifestyle modification. TCM will initially approach a patient's health problem with analyzing their food intake. Once the patient's diet is modified, if there is still a complaint, then the doctor will prescribe herbs. Herbs, unlike western pharmaceuticals that only treat symptoms, go to the ROOT of the problem. Over time the herbs will balance the body, the symptoms will vanish and there will no longer be a need to continue taking them.
Most Americans believe that acupuncture is effective for back pain and migraines, which is TRUE. What they don't know is that acupuncture is effective for a variety of medical conditions from psoriasis to infertility. It can influence a person's endocrine function, neurologic system, gastrointestinal system, and respiratory system, just to name a few. The primary mechanism of action is allowing your body to heal itself.
Let's take an example. When a person is experiencing anxiety, it is usually a result of a reduction of serotonin (a neurotransmitter) levels in the brain. Most MD's or Psychiatrists will choose from a class of drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI). These drugs will influence an increase of serotonin in the brain and anxiety will decrease. The PROBLEM with this approach is that the patient may have to take the drug indefinitely. Acupuncture treatments ALSO increase the serotonin levels in the brain (demonstrated by NIH studies). The major difference here is that the body learns how to maintain a high level of serotonin over a number of treatments and no longer needs treatment and the anxiety levels remain suppressed. The beauty of this is there are NO SIDE EFFECTS to the treatment, and no pills to take.
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Alternative Methods for Stress Management
By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
A significant number of my patients suffer from stress-related health conditions such as chronic headaches and gastrointestinal distress. As an alternative medical practitioner, it's important for me to not only identify the root of a patient's problem, but also to provide guidance to ameliorate the cause. I'd like to begin by identifying a few of the general symptoms of stress: Fatigue, insomnia, poor memory, indecisiveness, muscle aches/stiffness, heart palpitations, chest pains, anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, irritability, impatience, and short temper. The causes of stress can be loosely grouped into two categories: internal and external. Both can be dealt with effectively. Internal stressors include pessimistic thinking, caffeine, not enough sleep, unrealistic expectations, perfectionist, workaholic, and an overloaded schedule. External stressor would be noise, job layoff, promotion, rudeness, regulations, losing things, and deadlines. A person's first step is to identify the stressors in their life and ask themselves which ones they have any control over. The next step is to put stress into the perspective that 10% is what happens to you and 90% is how you respond to it. Many times people can thwart the stress of rush hour traffic by listening to classical music. In terms of practical application, the five most important items to reduce stress in any person's life is to decrease or eliminate caffeine and alcohol intake, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, create a balance between work and leisure, and practice some form of meditation or Qi Gong. These will go far to improve a person's quality of life. I make a deal with my patients that if they completely eliminate stimulants (caffeine for instance) from their diet for 3 weeks, and their sense of well-being doesn't improve dramatically, then they can go back to caffeine. I've had a nearly 100% success rate. Most Americans are chronically sleep deprived. Lack of sleep leads to operating less efficiently and becoming more irritable and less productive. My patients who increase the amount of sleep they get report that they feel better and are more resilient and adaptable in dealing with the common crises of everyday life. Aerobic exercise is excellent at restoring our bodies to a state of calm after sustained arousal brought on by adrenal overloads. It also aids in sleeping more soundly. Many Europeans consider Americans "workoholics." In our never-ending quest for wealth, we miss the opportunity for good solid rest and relaxation. Ask yourself what brings you joy… Make sure that you reward yourself with that activity after you've worked hard. Finally, the ancient art of Qi Gong can be an excellent way to recharge your batteries while reducing stress. Begin by sitting up comfortably with your eyes closed. Place the tip of your tongue on your hard palate behind your front teeth and breathe through your nose smoothly and quietly. Visualize water that is the perfect temperature starting at the top of your head and washing down your body with every exhale. Consider stress and tension in your muscles as dirt, and watch a bit of the dirt wash off your body with every wash of water, releasing the tension and stress. When a thought rises up, acknowledge it and go back to your breathing. This is a very healing and relaxing practice. The more you practice, the better you'll become at consciously controlling your body's stress response.
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Traditional Chinese Medicine and Diabetes
By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
If the average American is not concerned about the potential for becoming diabetic, then the following statistics should be a wake up call:
- More than 60 percent of nontraumatic lower-limb amputations occur among people with diabetes.
- The risk for stroke is two to four times higher among people with diabetes.
- Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20-74 years.
- Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, accounting for 44 percent of new cases.
So the big question is: Beyond lifestyle changes and weight loss, what are the treatment options for someone recently diagnosed with diabetes? Acupuncture can be used to combat blood sugar levels and also slow the development of macular degeneration. In a recent study published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, ear magnets were "shown to lower blood glucose levels and improve eye conditions."1 There are 109 acupuncture points in the ear that are effective in the treatment of a wide variety of medical conditions from musculoskeletal pain to infertility to endocrine disorders. In the late 1990's an article was published on the effectiveness of acupuncture on chronic painful peripheral neuropathy. (Peripheral neuropathy refers to painful tingling or burning sensation in the hands and feet.) Forty six diabetic patients received acupuncture treatment over a 10 week period, with 77% noting significant improvement in their symptoms and 21% noting that their symptoms had completely vanished. The result of this study was that "Acupuncture is a safe and effective therapy for the long-term management of painful diabetic neuropathy, although its mechanism of action remains speculative."2 This study is extremely encouraging when compared to the Merck Manual of Medical Information, which states "careful control of blood sugar levels (through prescription drugs) may halt progression and improve symptoms, but recovery is slow. In defense of the manual, it also mentions "Diet management is very important" and "exercise directly lowers blood sugar levels," so pharmaceuticals are not its only approach. Research has been increasing in the field of Laser puncture, where various low-power lasers are used to non-invasively stimulate acupuncture points. Laser puncture is a painless procedure that is attractive to people who are "needle-phobic". A study was performed in Russia on diabetic patients suffering from angiopathies (blood-flow abnormalities) in their lower extremities. The result of the study was that there was a "pronounced clinical effect which was manifested by removing the pain syndrome, improvement of the peripheral circulation and extremity function and function of the lower extremities, and improvement of thermographic values."3 People suffering from cold hands and feet will benefit from acupuncture/laser puncture treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine not only includes Acupuncture and Herbal medicines, but also exercise such as Tai Qi and Qi Gong which have been applied extensively in China for the treatment of a wide variety of chronic diseases including cancer. In December of 2003, pharmacists at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University published an article entitled "Antidiabetic Herbal Drugs Officially Approved in China" where they write "Pharmacological and clinical evaluations indicated that these (herbs) had a mild, but significant, blood glucose lowering effect and that the long-term use of these agents may be advantageous over chemical drugs in alleviating some of the chronic diseases and complications caused by diabetes. "4 Herbal remedies historically have mild to no side effects compared to prescription drugs, HOWEVER, there still exist potentially dangerous drug/herb interactions. If you have Type II diabetes, get involved in a regular gentle exercise program, consult a certified nutritionist, and consider Acupuncture and Herbal medicine in your treatment protocol.
1. Chen, Y. "Magnets on ears helped diabetics," American Journal of Chinese Medicine 2002; 30(1):183-5
2. Abuaisha, B., Costanzi, J., Boulton, A., "Acupuncture for the treatment of chronic painful peripheral diabetic neuropathy: a long-term study," Diabetes Res Clin Pract 1998 Feb; 39(2);115-21
3. Peshko, A., "Laser puncture in the treatment of diabetic angiopathies of the lower extremities" Lik Sprava 1992 Oct (10):82-4
4. Jia, W., Gao, W., Tang, L. "Antidiabetic herbal drugs officially approved in China," Phytother Res. 2003 Dec: 17(10):1127-34
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Beautiful Healthy Skin Through Chinese Medicine
By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
It's a common misconception that acupuncture is only used to treat pain conditions. Ancient Chinese tomes contain references to the treatment of dermatological conditions such as scabies and psoriasis as early as the 14'th century BC. Modern clinical experience has shown that skin conditions that respond poorly or not at all to today's "conventional" treatments can be treated by traditional Chinese medicine with significant results. Common skin conditions that acupuncture and herbal medicine treats are as follows:
Eczema*
Herpes Zoster*
Scabies
Corns
Urticaria
Neurodermatitis
Psoriasis
Lupus Erythematosus
Acne*
The World Health Organization deems some of these (*) being effectively treated with acupuncture. The statement containing these conditions was published over 10 years ago, and would now include many more based on the number of double-blind, placebo controlled studies that have been performed since then.
I actually look forward to someone walking into my clinic with a severe case of hives or psoriasis because the results are so dramatic. Several years ago an African-American woman in her mid-30's came to see me for a problem with hives all over her body off and on for the past 20 years. It was evident that the Benadryl and Claritin she was taking in increasingly larger doses were not improving her condition. She was a software engineer and couldn't afford to be sleepy (or itchy for that matter) on the job. It drove her crazy. In the morning during her shower, just the action of washing herself was enough to provoke red, raised, itching patches on her skin that would slowly creep from her chest up to her neck, over her shoulder and down her back…The clothes touching her skin triggered reactions. Nothing she tried had worked, and she was at wits end doing her best not to scratch and just make it worse. She was hopeful, but understandably skeptical about acupuncture treatments. It was my opinion that within 4 weeks, she'd no longer need antihistamines. True to my word, she stopped taking medication by the 4th week of treatment, although she was still experiencing flare-ups; just none of which were extreme enough to have her resort to her pills. By the 8th week she was symptom free in between treatments, and was complete with her therapy by the 6 month mark. I called her a year later to check on her condition and found the hives had not returned. The major difference between the action of acupuncture and her western medication is that the Benadryl and Claritin works on chemical pathways to block her histamine reaction (thus the term "anti" histamine). The problem is that when a person stops taking the medication, the symptoms return. What acupuncture does is teach the patient's body to suppress their own histamine reaction, and over time, results in complete resolution of the skin issue. In a recently published article in the journal of Acupuncture Medicine (2002) entitled "Neurogenic Pruritus: An Unrecognized Problem? A Retrospective Case Series of Treatment by Acupuncture," a British researcher treated 16 patients suffering from chronic itching which resulted in "Total resolution of symptoms as judged by a visual analog scale occurring in 75% of the patients." In contrast, a recent article in the Journal of Cutaneous Medical Surgery (2003) entitled "Antihistamines in the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis" evaluated studies from 1966 to 2002 and stated in the "results" section that "Historically, antihistamines have been used in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. However, this review shows that the evidence for its use is inconclusive." If you suffer from skin problems that are not responding to conventional treatment, consider acupuncture and Chinese medicine as an alternative. You won't be disappointed. [Back to Top]
Acupuncture and Pain Management
By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
STATISTICS:
Chronic pain is one of the most costly health problems in America. Sixty four percent of all job-related illness is now caused by repetitive strain injury, costing businesses over $100 Billion per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. NIH statistics show that low back pain will affect 65 to 80 percent of people at some time in their lives, and that it is the most frequent cause of limiting activities in people younger than 45 years old. Other causes of chronic pain include cancer, arthritis, and headaches/migraines. Cancer patients in the intermediate or advanced stages suffer moderate to severe pain, with more than 1.3 million new cases diagnosed per year in the United States. Arthritis pain and headaches affect nearly 45 million Americans per year each, with an average of $4 billion spent on over the counter pain medications and 157 million workdays attributed to headaches alone.
OPTIONS:
Although the mechanism of chronic pain is still not fully understood, the latest medical theory holds that nervous tissue in a particular part of the body becomes hypersensitive. The nerve becomes coated with "substance P" - a neurotransmitter that sends pain to the brain. Even though the initial injury may be healed, dull, aching pain may remain due to this substance continuing to irritate the nerve bundles. Cayenne pepper is a topical agent that can help this situation. Yes. The common cooking spice. It contains the active ingredient capsaicin that literally blocks the substance P, and reduces or eliminates the pain. Just take a tablespoon of cayenne pepper and mix it with a few drops of oil (peppermint/olive/vegetable - it doesn't matter) and place the paste on the area of pain. Use rubber gloves if you wear contact lenses! Do not apply on or near mucous membranes or sensitive skin which can result in a serious burning sensation. (Capsaicin is the active ingredient in pepper spray…)
ACUPUNCTURE:
Acupuncture is best known for its effectiveness on pain relief. The major difference between the Chinese medical approach and the Western medical approach to pain is addressing the root cause versus treating the symptom. Let's take an example of knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain. A physician or Rheumatologist would recommend the patient take Vioxx or Celebrex, which are the latest development in anti-inflammatory medications. Beside the side effect of platelet aggregation, or the potential for blood to clot (increasing the likelihood of heart disease or stroke) the drug does not help the body heal - it only reduces inflammation of the knee. When the patient discontinues use of the drug, the pain returns. The majority of arthritis sufferers plan on taking Vioxx/Celebrex for the rest of their lives. In contrast, acupuncture stimulates the body to heal itself. A landmark study at the University of Maryland medical school demonstrated that acupuncture has an 88% effective rate in the treatment of OA of the knee. The measures of the study included range of motion, functional use, visual analog pain scale, and analgesic consumption to name a few. The missing piece of information would be Magnetic Resonance Imagery (MRI) to demonstrate the re-growth of articular cartilage. The pain associated with knee OA is related to the lack of cartilage "padding" between the femur and tibia and fibula bones. If acupuncture did not stimulate cartilage growth, it would be hard to believe that pain reduction would last over a year as the study demonstrated. In the treatment of vascular headaches, a variety of drugs are used for pain management, but never cure the condition. Acupuncture "teaches" the patient's body to have greater smooth muscle control of the blood vessels in the brain, reducing or eliminating the headaches. If you or someone you know is suffering from chronic pain, try the 5000 year old tradition of acupuncture - it works! [Back to Top]
Managing Hot Flashes with Traditional Chinese Medicine
By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
The etiology (causal factors) and mechanism of hot flashes are not completely understood,1 however Traditional Chinese Medicine has been managing menopausal symptoms for centuries. Information today pertaining to the treatment of hot flashes, although voluminous, is widely varying and often contradictory. Is it safe to use soy? Is there a connection between estrogenic plant compounds and the incidence of breast cancer? What are the implications of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)? Recent research has demonstrated that long-term use of estrogen--either alone or in combination with progestin--results in more risks than benefits.2 (One study found increases in breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and blood clots in the participants and terminated the investigation.) This article is going to address one of the more distracting and irritating symptoms of menopause.
What exactly IS menopause?
It's a period of time in a woman's life when her ovaries stop producing eggs. Her menstrual activity decreases and eventually stops, and the production of progesterone and estrogen (female hormones) declines as well. This usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 55 and can take months or years to complete. About 75% of menopausal women experience hot flashes.
What are some of the symptoms associated with menopause?
Common symptoms of menopause include memory loss, missed periods/irregular bleeding, mood changes, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, urinary incontinence, sleep disturbances, and reduced libido.
Hot flashes can be severe. One 52-year-old patient complained of waking up dripping in sweat several nights per week. Having her sleep disturbed like that for weeks on end impacted her quality of life. She had problems at work with concentration and felt fatigued most of the time. A friend of hers referred her to me and within 3 weeks of acupuncture therapy she was sleeping through the night.
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Time and again I hear people say "herbs are natural, so they're safe…" I beg to differ. Herbs can interact with certain western medications and are contraindicated for patients with various conditions ranging from high blood pressure to hemophilia. It's critically important to understand that, like western pharmaceuticals, herbs can potentially have serious side effects as well. In high doses, Black Cohosh (a commonly used herb to relieve menopausal symptoms) may cause vomiting, headaches, and dizziness. Mild gastric complaints are the most common side effect at therapeutic dosages. In my practice, about one patient in 100 complains of some side effect of the herbs I prescribe, and the symptom is not pronounced (gas/belching, etc.). With that said, Chinese herbal medicine is very effective at managing hot flashes. Acupuncture is also very effective at reducing the intensity and duration of hot flashes with no documented side effects. Although the mechanism of acupuncture is not well understood, scientists speculate that acupuncture triggers the "hypothalamus/pituitary/ovarian axis" to regulate and balance hormones such as estrogen and progesterone in addition to increasing central opioid activity. When these hormones are balanced, deeper sleep results as well as a reduction in many of the other symptoms associated with menopause. The North American Menopause society recommends acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment for hot flashes3. If you are looking for a natural alternative to HRT, go to http://www.acusova.com which is the Acupuncture Society of Virginia website and click on "Find a Practitioner" to consult. They are listed by zip code and are all board certified by the Virginia State Board of Medicine.
1. Miller, H,G., Li, R.M., Measuring Hot Flashes: Summary of a National Institutes of Health Workshop. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2004 Jun; 79(6): 777-81
2. Alternative Therapies for Managing Menopausal Symptoms., Consumer Advisory May 11, 2004, National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
3. Wyon, Y., Lindgren, R., Lundeberg, T., Hammar, M., Effects of Acupuncture on Climacteric Vasomotor Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Urinary Excretion of Neuropeptides among Postmenopausal Women, Journal of the North American Menopause Society, Vol 2, No 1, pp. 3-12, 1995. [Back to Top]
Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment
By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
There's a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. It suddenly feels like your collar is too tight around your neck, your vision narrows to a receipt sticking out of your purse, and you can't seem to pull your eyes away from it.
You've just been told you have breast cancer…and you're not alone. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2004, over 275,000 women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer. How can you prevent this? If you've been diagnosed, what are your options beyond surgery and chemotherapy?
PREVENTION
Some of the approaches I'm going to discuss are backed by double-blind, placebo controlled studies. Others are known, but have not been fully tested within the scientific community. Let's begin by identifying the constants and variables in this equation. The constants would be your ethnic background, family medical history, height, and age of initial menstruation. Variables would be your diet, lifestyle, use of birth control pills, alcohol, exposure to environmental toxins, and stress level. Risk factors include height (taller women have a greater chance of getting breast cancer), ethnic background (Caucasian and African Americans have a higher incidence than Hispanic and Asian Americans), family history increases your chances, as well as a history of birth control pill usage, getting your period at an early age, and excess stress and alcohol intake. The reason why we have more women getting breast cancer today than 100 years ago is because of environmental toxins and xenoestrogens. Environmental toxins include heavy metals (from the amalgams in our teeth, cigarette smoke, fungicides, chemical manufacture, childhood vaccines, and antiperspirants), electromagnetic fields and household & automotive cleaning agents. You can limit your exposure by wearing gloves when cleaning, using deodorant instead of antiperspirants, not smoking or drinking heavily, and considering seeing a biologic dentist to remove your mercury-based amalgams and replace them with an inert substance. Consult a Naturopathic Physician to help you take steps toward organ-specific and whole body detoxification. Xenoestrogens are estrogen -"like" compounds that promote the growth of estrogenic cancers. Pesticides (DDT, Dioxin), petroleum products (toluene, benzene, car exhaust), plastics (food wrap, PVC), and hormones (HRT for menopause, fattening agents for chickens, pigs, and cows) are all xenoestrogens and must be avoided. You can limit your exposure to these items by eating organic vegetables and fruit, buying organic/free range meats, not re-using plastic water bottles, and not microwaving foods in plastic containers.
TREATMENT
Herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine have a proven antiproliferative (cancer-stopping) effect. Antioxidants are crucial to stimulate a cancer patient's immune system. Shark cartilage has been found to inhibit the production of blood vessels that feed cancerous tumors, preventing metastasis (cancer spreading to other organs or parts of the body). Graviola has been known to selectively kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact. Colamine phosphate is a naturally occurring substance that removes toxins in your body, thus preventing cancer growth. Reishi mushrooms, aloe vera, and broccoli sprouts all have immune-enhancing properties.
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Acupuncture and Back Pain - NIH Research
By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
Most nurses, when asked about acupuncture as a non-surgical option for back pain, do not feel confident to respond with a reasonable "evidence-based" answer. This article will de-mystify acupuncture and herbology, referred to in China as "Traditional Chinese Medicine" and outline the strengths and weaknesses of this age-old healing art.
According to the National Institutes of Health, back pain is the second most common reason Americans go to see a Physician, and one of the more common reasons for surgery. Statistics show that 60 to 80 percent of the population will be disabled - some more severely than others - by back pain at some point in their lives. Estimates of up to 175 million work days are lost due to back injuries or pain, costing the US economy $50 Billion annually.1 The sad thing is that 17 percent of people who have undergone a surgical procedure on their back will have additional surgeries.2 How many patients do you know who have had back surgeries and, after the operation, have never been "quite the same?" Wouldn't it be great to have a noninvasive approach to low back conditions?
The good news is that Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine are quickly becoming popular in the western world as an alternative to drugs and surgery. According to the World Health Organization consensus statement, low back pain is listed as one of sixteen neurological and musculoskeletal disorders that acupuncture is effective in treating.3 It works effectively on chronic as well as acute low back pain. A commonly asked question is, "How does inserting extremely thin stainless steel needles into very specific locations on a patient make their back pain go away?" Allopathic medicine is still learning the mechanisms of acupuncture. What they've found, according to an article in the Journal of Acupuncture Electrotherapeutics Research in 1987 is that acupuncture reduces local Substance P (a neurotransmitter that sends pain to your brain) and L-Tryptophan, while increasing local levels of Serotonin.4 Acupuncture is also known to release endorphins, that make the patient feel good in the process of accelerating healing in the injured area. Substance P is a critical element in chronic pain. When a person sustains an injury or trauma to a body part (let's say the elbow), their natural instinct is to protect it. Substance P may be the body's defensive mechanism to keep people from re-injuring that area, long after it has completely healed. Acupuncture is the key element involved in breaking that cycle of events and eliminating the collection of substance P along the nerve pathway.
Pain caused by muscle spasm, local inflammation, osteoarthritis, muscular or tendonous injury, and sciatica are all good candidates for acupuncture therapy. Structural problems such as severely herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and late stages of degenerative disc disease respond poorly to acupuncture. Herbal medicine, unlike NSAIDS, goes to the root of the pain, "balancing" the body and after a certain length of time, is no longer needed. Acupuncture and herbs work in a synergistic fashion.
A recent article in the Annals of Internal Medicine (2005), University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine researchers summarized a meta-analysis of acupuncture on relieving chronic back pain. They began by searching a number of medical databases, including NIH, Cochrane Central, and EMBASE for randomized controlled trials of acupuncture, and found 33 that fit their parameters. The conclusion of this study was that "Acupuncture effectively relieves chronic low back pain."5 Not only does Traditional Chinese Medicine withstand the test of time, it also withstands the scrutiny of double-blind, placebo controlled studies. To assist your patient in finding a nationally board-certified, licensed acupuncturist, go to http://www.nccaom.org or http://www.acusova.com specifically for those who practice in Virginia.
1. Oakley, J., Racz, G., Gallagher, R., "Back and Neck Pain Overview", The National Pain Foundation website (http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article2619.html), 2005 Feb 10.
2. Dvorak, et al, Spine 13(12): 1418-22, December 1988
3. Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials, (ISBN 92 4 154543 7), WHO Geneva, 2002
4. Omura, Y., Basic electrical parameters for safe and effective electro-therapeutics [electro-acupuncture, TES, TENMS (or TEMS), TENS and electro-magnetic field stimulation with or without drug field] for pain, neuromuscular skeletal problems, and circulatory disturbances., Acupunct Electrother Res. 1987;12(3-4):201-25.
4. Manheimer E, White A, Berman B, Forys K, Ernst E., "Meta-analysis: acupuncture for low back pain.," Ann Intern Med. 2005 Apr 19;142(8):651-63. Review. [Back to Top]
The Martial Tradition in Chinese Medicine
By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
My name is Bill Reddy, and I'm the latest addition to the Alliance board of directors. Like many of you, I was drawn to learning about Chinese Medicine through my martial arts training. In my study of Wing Chun Kung Fu, we would repeatedly strike and block in "two man sets" that would leave our forearms bruised the next day. My sifu had us apply Dit Da Jow and POOF! the bruises would vanish. What a wicked looking and strange-smelling concoction swimming with poisonous beetles, snake skin, and herbs I couldn't identify. There's nothing at CVS pharmacy that even comes close to this wonderful stuff.
In ancient China, the Kung Fu master of the province was also the healer of the community. Fighting and healing seem to be unlikely skills for one person, but when armies were being trained - sprains, strains, contusions were commonplace and joint dislocations and bone breaks were not unusual. Martial arts masters and Shaolin monks developed countless herbal formulas to treat everything from a sword wound to a concussion. Deeply rooted in the Taoist self cultivation methods were herbal therapy and acupuncture along with meditation, Kung Fu, and Qi Gong.
In the late 1800s during turmoil in China, two famous martial artists emerged - one from the north, and one from the south. Their fighting skills and healing abilities were legendary. Sun Lu Tang was one of the most famous boxers of the northern Nei Jia or Internal school of martial arts. He trained under the great masters of the region and was known for his compassion for those injured in combat and his ability to heal them. One day he was attacked by thieves and after defeating them, spent time to reset their dislocated bones.
Wong Fei Hong, immortalized in countless Chinese martial arts movies, was known for his amazing martial skill and deep knowledge of Chinese medicine in southern China. His father was a renowned physician and one of the "Ten Tigers of Canton," who founded a clinic known as "Po Chi Lam" (precious iris woods). Fei Hong worked at his father's clinic and trained in Hung Gar Kung Fu. He quickly became a folk hero in China, and has been described as the Chinese Robin Hood because of his kindness toward the poor and his willingness to treat anyone who came to his clinic. He was also considered a revolutionary in his political beliefs.
Many skilled fighters believe the highest form of martial art is NOT fighting. The same can be said for the promotion of health. If the patient were to get out of his/her own way, healing will occur naturally. According to Taoist eight branches, the most subtle but profound approach to healing is meditation/self cultivation, which involves quieting the mind. This allows the practitioner greater awareness of their qi flow and focus toward balance and harmony.
So take time to meditate on the future of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in this country, and please renew your membership if you haven't gotten around to it.
Xi Xia [Back to Top]
