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acupuncture and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:24:28 +0100

this is a great article about the benefits of acupuncture for people who suffer from PTSD. once again, acupuncture proves to be an effective treatment for another serious issue. acupuncture rocks!

on a side note, outside of my needlemaster life, i run a small horseback riding program, stable life, that also helps those with PTSD due to various causes. feel free to ask me about that program. those who know me well know that it takes VERY little to get me started on horses! :)

Acupuncture May Help Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

A pilot study shows that acupuncture may help people with posttraumatic stress disorder. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.

Michael Hollifield, M.D., and colleagues conducted a clinical trial examining the effect of acupuncture on the symptoms of PTSD. The researchers analyzed depression, anxiety, and impairment in 73 people with a diagnosis of PTSD. The participants were assigned to receive either acupuncture or group cognitive-behavioral therapy over 12 weeks, or were assigned to a wait-list as part of the control group. The people in the control group were offered treatment or referral for treatment at the end of their participation.

The researchers found that acupuncture provided treatment effects similar to group cognitive-behavioral therapy; both interventions were superior to the control group. Additionally, treatment effects of both the acupuncture and the group therapy were maintained for 3 months after the end of treatment.

The limitations of the study are consistent with preliminary research. For example, this study had a small group of participants that lacked diversity, and the results do not account for outside factors that may have affected the treatments' results.

References

Michael Hollifield, Nityamo Sinclair-Lian, Teddy D. Warner, and Richard Hammerschlag, Acupuncture for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, June 2007.
The National Institute of Mental Health has more information on PTSD: www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml

fertility!

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:56:48 +0100

many of you know that fertility is one of the top reasons patients come to see me. i found out a few years ago that some of my patients had nicknamed me "the pill nazi" because i have been trying to get san francisco birth control free one woman at a time. that's a whole different blog though!!!!! after stopping the pill, many women have found it difficult to conceive and come to me. acupuncture and herbs can do amazing work for aiding fertility independently or in conjunction with western medicine. i found some interesting info from a western clinic's website, www.socalfertility.com:

"Research to Prove Benefit of Acupuncture During Fertility Treatment

There have been a number of studies performed at IVF centers around the world, which have demonstrated that acupuncture may have some benefit in treating infertility when used along with IVF. It has been shown in these studies that there is an increased embryo implantation rate and increased pregnancy rate when acupuncture is used compared to women who did not have acupuncture or had a sham acupuncture control. These studies revealed that acupuncture is best used during the stimulation phase of IVF and at the time of embryo transfer. There was no additional benefit found by adding extra treatments after the embryos had been transferred. Although there is still much research to be done, these preliminary results suggest that the use of acupuncture along with IVF may be of value in some women.

Increasing Fertility Success with Acupuncture

Traditional Chinese medicine explains that disease states such as infertility occur when the flow of energy in the body (Qi) is blocked, leading to an imbalance along certain zones or meridians. This imbalance is treated by the insertion of small needles into the skin at various points, which have been determined to be associated with blockages that lead to specific diseases. By stimulating these sites in a particular manner (Deqi), the blockage is relieved and balance is restored. In an attempt to explain the physiologic events that may occur when acupuncture is used, Western scientific methods have been employed to study the effects of acupuncture on the body. It appears that the stimulation provided by the needles most likely exerts its effect in one of several ways. It has been shown that the sensations produced by the needles stimulate the release of substances in the central nervous system such as opioids like B-endorphin as well as Seratonin, which can then mediate the function of the sympathetic nervous system at other locations in the body. B-endorphin is known to lead to the release of additional gonadotropins (LH and FSH), which would then enhance the stimulation of the ovaries with subsequent increased production of estrogen. Additionally, it has been shown that the reduction in stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system may also lead to an increase in the bloodflow to the uterus and ovaries by relaxing the arteries that supply them. This may ultimately allow better exposure of the ovaries to gonadotropins and of the uterus to estrogen. This would augment the stimulatory effects of gonadotropins, which could allow a better response to FSH in some women. The increased uterine bloodflow might result in a better developed uterine lining which could facilitate embryo implantation.

Acupuncture and Stress

Acupuncture has also been shown to relieve stress and anxiety. Women who are treated with acupuncture often report feelings of relaxation, calm and peacefulness or being energized following treatment. Since infertility and its treatment are associated with considerable stress and anxiety, there is significant benefit to be achieved from this part alone. Furthermore, there are studies that have reported higher pregnancy rates from IVF when other types of stress reduction and anxiety relieving methods are employed. Finally, there may even be some placebo effect from the process of undergoing acupuncture irrespective of its true physiological changes. None of the studies has shown any detrimental effects attributed to acupuncture, which could lead to a reduction in the success of the medical treatment of infertility by IVF."

WOW!!! those are some good reasons to try acupuncture with ivf. but you don't have to have ivf if you don't want to! i have helped numerous women get pregnant with only chinese medicine! it may take awhile, but even women who have been given a 1% chance of conceiving with ivf or egg donor have been able to get pregnant and give birth to a healthy babies with the help of traditional chinese medicine.

if you have fertility questions about yourself or your partner, please don't heslitate to ask!!! the needlemaster is here to help!

where is my white lab coat?

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:44:31 +0100

i think a lot of my patients are surprised when they meet me. i look...well...a lot like many of my patients! i'm often wearing a dress and knee high boots! i haven't worn a white lab coat since i graduated from graduate school. for some, this might be disconcerting. for others, it puts them at ease. because so many patients come to me out of frustration after getting no help from their western md, i purposely set myself apart. and the lab coat is only the beginning. my appointments are an hour long per patient to make sure that each patient is heard and and knows that i have truly listened. patients are able to reach me via email...even on the weekend. ever try that with your western md?! and, i have been known to take my patients to the ER or to accompany them to important doctor appointments when they need help.

is this always in my best interest? NO! i have a 24 hour cancellation policy and it gets really hard to charge my patients when they don't show up but have become a friend. is this in your best interest? you better believe it!!! i work 150% to make my patients feel better and get the results they desire. so no...you won't find me in a white lab coat. but you will find a dedicated, smart, albeit well dressed acupuncturist ready to fix you up and send you on your way! :)

it's just a headache...why all the questions?

Wed, 12 May 2010 00:13:28 +0100

the other day, a patient came to see me for her first acupuncture appointment complaining of headaches. i talked to her at length about her headaches, where in her head she had them, the type of pain she was having, what she had tried already, etc. and although her headaches brought her in to see me, i still needed to look at all aspects of this patient. so, i began with my rather long list of questions, starting with her digestion and ending with heart palpitations!

why all the questions? there are some obvious questions i should ask when a patient presents with a headache:  is she dehydrated? has she eaten? did she eat a trigger food? is she tired? does she have eye strain? where is she in her cycle? and then, there are so many more that we look at in chinese medicine. it's fascinating, actually. normally we think about headaches and migraine and we blame the obvious foods, i.e. chocolate, red wine, coffee, and such. in chinese medicine, we look at what foods damage or inhibit the digestive system for each person. when the digestive system doesn't work properly, it becomes sluggish and swampy. people feel tired and heavy and don't want to exercise or move. this leads to stagnation and blockage....just like a dam with a bunch of folliage and debris backed up. eventually, this has to break through or burst over and the result is a whopper of a headache, or a slow leak which is more of a lingering and dull headache.

this is a headache due to dampness - just one cause of a headache with its own treatment. a very different type of headache is due to yin deficiency, i.e. fluid deficiency. yin is water, calmness, inactivity, coolness, female, etc. yang is male, active, fire, daytime, etc. if a patient becomes yin deficient - which could also be dehydrated, blood deficient or even low in estrogen (around menstruation), the yang becomes relatively higher. the yin is an anchor for the yang...it holds the yang down where it belongs. but if there is not enough yin, the yang flies up to the head and causes a punding headache with a read face and ringing in the ears. this is a completely different scenario then the first headache i described.

there are so many different types of headaches. how can i differentiate? QUESTIONS!!! that's why i ask so many of them. it's not that i'm just nosy. i mean, yeah...i like to pry! but it's imperative that i know these details so that i can make a correct diagnosis, pick the correct acupuncture points and the best herbal formulas for your headache! who knew headaches could be so much fun? well...for me anyway!! ;) don't worry, the sarcasm is always free!

how many treatments will i need?

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 03:48:07 +0100

a common question i am asked during a first treatment or when people are deciding about making an appointment is, "how many appointments will i need?" there is no definitive or magical number of treatments to fix a health issue. my books and education tell me the standard answer: a course of treatment is 10 treatments. but what does this really mean? this course of treatment was set in a culture where acupuncture is the norm. also, acupuncture is inexpensive and would be given everyday or every other day. so, a patient would have 10 treatments in a matter of two or three weeks, take a week off, and have ten more treatments. patients improve at a tremendously fast rate with this type of care. unfortunately, we are not set up to give acupuncture this way in the united states. we don't have insurance coverage or government assistance, so acupuncture is considerably more expensive. most patients come once a week or every other week. a course of 10 treatments takes quite awhile and is an overwhelming answer!!

so, let's cut to the chase. what is the answer? how many treatments do you need? IT DEPENDS! it depends on how long you've had the problem. if you slept on your neck wrong and woke up in pain this morning and come to see me today - you will feel 90 - 95% better when you leave. one more treatment and you should be good to go! if you herniated 3 discs and waited 6 or 7 years to come in (like i did), it's definitely going to take a lot more. i went to my acupuncturist 3 times a week for a month and stopped taking pain meds. one more month of 3 times a week and i could jog! if i had gone once a week, it would have taken much longer!

although i can't give an exact timeline, i can tell patients that in general, you will start to notice a change in 3 - 5 treatments. plus, i am REALLY stubborn...so i will try all types of modalities until i see improvement - whether it's cupping, electric acupuncture, moxibustion or a few others that i keep up my sleeve! just remember...the longer you wait to get treatment, the longer it will take to fix the issue. if you are contemplating treatment, come on in...let's get you feeling better...faster!

what does the Wall Street Journal have to say about acupuncture?

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 03:57:13 +0100

obviously i don't need the wall street journal to tell me how effective chinese medicine is. however, lots of my patients and many newbies to acupuncture and herbs feel much more comfortable after reading studies and articles validating my medicine. so...for you...enjoy:

FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Acupuncture Benefit Seen in Pregnancy

By SHIRLEY S. WANG

Acupuncture designed to treat depression appears to improve symptoms in pregnant women, suggesting it as an alternative to antidepressant medication during pregnancy, a study found.

The study, published Monday in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, is the largest to date examining the effectiveness of acupuncture to treat depression in pregnant women. It was funded by a grant from the government's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. "Acupuncture that we have tested works for pregnant, depressed women," said Rachel Manber, a study author and professor at Stanford University. However, "no single study is enough to make policy recommendations," she said.

Depression in pregnancy is a risk factor for postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is associated in some studies with poorer cognitive and emotional development in children. Some have linked depression in pregnancy and low birth weight.

As many as 14% of pregnant women are thought to develop a significant depression at some point during their pregnancy, according to the study authors, comparable to numbers who suffer from postpartum depression. Antidepressants are generally considered safe for use in pregnancy, but research has been limited and concerns continue to grow, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. One study showed that the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension, a potentially serious lung condition, is significantly greater in newborns whose mother took antidepressants later in pregnancy. The Food and Drug Administration recommends that patients and physicians "carefully consider and discuss together" the benefits and risks taking antidepressants during pregnancy."Antidepressants are not an attractive option for many women," said Dr. Manber. "Many women are concerned about using antidepressant medication during pregnancy."

Acupuncture, based on ancient Chinese medicine, attempts to treat conditions by stimulating points on the body, most often with needles stuck in the skin and moved by hand or electrical stimulation, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

In the study, 150 clinically depressed pregnant women who weren't previously taking antidepressants were randomly assigned to get either acupuncture for depression, acupuncture not specifically designed for depression, or massage for eight weeks. Those who got acupuncture targeting depression had a significantly greater decrease in depressive symptoms, compared with the other women. Some 63% of women in the acupuncture-for-depression group responded to treatment, compared with 44% in the other groups.

There wasn't a difference between the groups in full recovery from the depression. Though this study didn't compare acupuncture for depression with another active treatment, the response rates are comparable to those rates from other depression treatments in studies of non-pregnant individuals, Dr. Manber said. And future work needs to examine how acupuncture for depression compares with standard treatment like antidepressants or psychotherapy, as well as who responds to treatment and what the optimal dose of the acupuncture treatment should be.

Write to Shirley S. Wang at shirley.wang@wsj.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704454304575081753471294546.html?KEYWORDS=acupuncture#

do you believe in acupuncture?

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 04:55:06 +0100

warning...i may offend some with this post. but i can't help myself. i hear this all the time: i BELIEVE in acupuncture or i DON'T BELIEVE in acupuncture. and either way, it doesn't matter! why? the answer is simple - acupuncture is a science. it isn't a belief system or a religion. it is a science. and although many western scientists may not understand it, it is a science nonetheless. believing in it doesn't make it valid. and the opposite holds true - not believing in it does not invalidate it.

so, believe it or not, acupuncture works!

traditional chinese medicine or western medicine? that is the question...

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 04:34:42 +0100

many patients come to my office with the same question: what do you think of western medicine? probably 80% of those individuals don't expect my answer. i think it's great...for some things! i like to use the best of both worlds in my practice. chinese medicine has its place, just as western medicine does. sometimes one is better than the other. it's a matter of knowing when to use acupuncture or herbs over western medicine and vice versa. there are a few ailments that i can't treat - such as broken bones or emergency surgeries. thank goodness we have western medicine for that. yet, for so many other things, chinese medicine rocks! and often, chinese medicine is less intrusive and more effective as we treat the root of the problem, i.e it's not just a band-aid.

still wondering western medicine or chinese medicine? of course i think you should try chinese medicine. but i will work with your doctor and your current treatment so you can have a synergistic effect. and if you've had it with western medicine, then let's bring on the herbs and acupuncture.

do the needles hurt?

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:47:06 +0100

NO, NO and NO! i use the tiniest needles! they are so small that it's hard to puncture a business card! the worst case scenario is that you might feel a sensation similar to that of a bug bite, but it goes away quickly. c'mon people, how many things do you torture yourselves with daily for the greater good? seriously: waxing, lazer hair removal, tatoos, piercings, straight edge shaving, driving anywhere in the bay area...and i'm going to stick you with 32 gauge needles that will make you relax and probably fall asleep. how bad can it be?

i understand that a lot of people are not used to what we call "qi" (pronounced chee). qi is the energy that you feel when i insert the needle and manipulate it - many patients refer to this as me twirling or playing with the needle. but i actually have a reason for this aside from making you squirm. i am trying to get the qi. it's the weird feeling that might feel heavy, tingly, light, or just odd. this is what i'm going for...how i tap into your body's energy and direct it so that you can get better.

and then...what do i do with said needles? i put them in a sharps container to have them destroyed. every needle i use is BRAND SPANKIN' NEW! STERILE! i only use them once and away they go to the red sharps container. i have heard people say that they worry that acupuncturists will reuse needles to save money. SERIOUSLY?! that's gross and totally unsanitary and unhealthy. and our tiny needles are not that expensive. and on a completely selfish level, i don't want to handle the needles a second time for fear of stabbing myself with the used needle. so relax...the needles are clean and new and don't hurt...unless you make me mad! heehee...just kidding. or am i?!

why i poke people...

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:35:13 +0100

santa barbara, 1995, state street...i let carol elizabeth meyer, l.ac. put some needles in my back for my herniated lumbar discs. face down on the massage table, my face smooshed through the donut making me look curiously similar to a goldfish, i remember thinking, "what the f*%k am i doing here with this crazy woman? i hate needles. why am i paying her to torture me?" yet, a 21 year old with a disabled placard and an impending back surgery will do a lot of things to try to feel normal again. and lo and behold...2 months and many acupuncture needles later...i was a new woman...jogging and all! until, i fell down a flight of stairs and broke my ankle! of course i avoided the md until 2 weeks later when it was 2 weeks too late. so back to the needle lady. she did her magic and managed to help me finish college and ship me off to san francisco to join the adult world and the job market.

i do not do well behind a desk all day. i do not do well with people telling me what to do. i do not do well with a set schedule and being punctual. i am not a morning person. i don't like wearing suits. i don't like helping other people make lots of money. i don't think i'm meant to have a boss or work in an office!!! i started working at andersen consulting. let the migraines begin! HELP! back to the acupuncturist i go. this new needler in sf fixed me up. i'd had a 3 month long migraine - went to bed with it, woke up with it, had it all the time! in two treatments, it was gone!

what the f$&k?! who are these people and how do i become one?

i quit my job and back to school i went. i had no idea it would be 4 years of graduate school. it really needs to be. i mean, you don't want your acupuncturist sticking needles in at the wrong angle or depth or location. that would hurt or puncture something that shouldn't be punctured! and you don't want the wrong herbs. acupuncturists need to be trained well...although 4 years is a ridiculously long masters program. we really should be doctors...i'm just saying! :)

i've been practicing now for 8.5 years. it never gets old. i like to think i'm my own boss but really my patients are my boss. i have fun patients, grouchy patients, crazy patients, regular patients, interesting patients...you name it. i plan to write about different cases and topics in this portion of my blog. i'm hoping to let people know more about what chinese medicine can do. it really is primary care. it's just a different form than most people are used to. and for all those that say i practice alternative medicine...to what is it an alternative? isn't it traditional medicine and western medicine is the alternative? uh huh...i thought so! seriously, i am 100% about complementary medicine. let's take the best of both worlds...we're lucky we have both. hope you enjoy!!