Chinese Herbology for pulmonary fibrosis 

Dear prospective students:

In behalf of the faculty and staff at NYCTCM, I welcome your interest in our combined Bachelor/Masters degree programs that prepare you to be a practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese herbology.

This is the 15^th anniversary of NYCTCM, which was established in 1996 by Dr. Chi Chow. Dr. Chow's vision was to have a school where students study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) much as it is taught in China and to relate this approach to western medical practice.

I have been associated with the college as Academic Dean since its establishment. My approach to educating practitioners who excel is to provide a thorough foundation in Oriental Medicine theory through a practice-based learning program taught in a genuine TCM style. I view the expertise of our faculty and their authentic approach to teaching TCM as the strengths of our school. We have an outstanding TCM faculty averaging more than 20 years of experience in the integrative practice of acupuncture and Chinese herbology in China, with many having taught or done research there. In small classes these master practitioners mentor students in the philosophy and practice of Oriental Medicine.  They enjoy the challenge of teaching students the philosophical context of time-honored TCM classics as they role-model TCM practice in a contemporary medical setting. They are committed to working diligently to help you become a qualified, caring TCM practitioner. I continue to be pleased when I hear from so many of our 500 graduates affirming the strength of their understanding of TCM as a result of their studies at the college.

Compared with a 4000-year history as an integral part of medical practice in China, acupuncture has been recognized and accepted in America for only 38 years. But acupuncture and Chinese herbology have already been confirmed for their efficacy and safety, as well as for offering a cost-effective alternative within the American health care system, resulting in more and more Americans accessing this approach to promoting their health and wellness.

My vision for the college is to put NYCTCM in the forefront of the evolution of American acupuncture and Oriental Medicine education with a commitment to excellence. As a strong advocate of student participation in the educational experience, my door is open to share viewpoints and experiences that enable us to work with you and serve you effectively. With an exceptional TCM program that adapts to most schedules, I believe you will find NYCTCM the ideal place for you to access this profession as your new career.

 I look forward to welcoming you to the school.

With best regards,

Yemeng Chen, L.Ac., FICAE, President

Seminar 1: Modern TCM Diagnosis with Acupuncture Points Palpation (with English translation) 

I was very touched by G. Michael Reynold's account of losing his first patient and I wanted to share it. I know people who are as ill as his patient.

You can read the whole post, O Death, at Deepest Health blog, http://deepesthealth.com/2010/o-death/.

"I lost my first patient recently, on the very doorstep of Autumn. He was literally my first patient, the first person ever to come to me for help. His condition was grave even from the beginning. Chronic renal failure, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy that required a subcutaneous morphine pump in his side in order to bear the constant agony, wheelchair bound, legs swollen and edematous, skin unnaturally black, heart failing. Friendly, personable, courageous. He got into this shape via diabetes, during which his 5'9″ frame was forced to support over 300 lbs of weight, now shrunken to around 150 lbs. As a first patient, this was very much being tossed into the deep end of the pool and finding out if you could swim.

I was confident we could get him off dialysis, which he needed three times per week. I told him as much. I had access to nearly unlimited stores of Fu Zi and I knew how to use it. The fact that his radial arteries were so devastated from constant dialysis that I couldn't get a pulse didn't especially deter me, nor did the fact that he could only take in a few ounces of liquid per day, nor did the fact that he spent pretty much every waking hour hustling from one MD to the next to get this procedure or that test or these medications. In Chinese Medicine did I trust, and I would do my best."

read the rest of this long article at Deepest Health blog
 
What is Deepest Health site all about? Deepest Health is a center for education and connection around one broad topic - Chinese Medicine. Contributors to this website are united in their desire to see that relevant, vital and Classically based information about Chinese medicine be available to students, practitioners and interested members of the public.

Acupuncture on the Big Screen

By Sara Calabro, LAc

9000 Needles is bringing acupuncture to the masses. The documentary follows Devin Dearth, a 40-year-old former bodybuilder, to China, where he is treated with acupuncture after suffering a massive stroke.

The film made a splash at several of last year's film festivals, including the Gotham Independent Film Awards, where it was a finalist. It was directed by Devin's brother, Doug Dearth, whose frustrations with the U.S. health insurance industry during his brother's recovery inspired him to research international options. He spent three-and-a-half months filming in Tianjian, China, where Devin participated in an affordable, comprehensive stroke rehabilitation program that included frequent acupuncture treatments.9000 Needles tells a unifying story of how Devin's family and local community put aside preconceived notions about medicine to embrace the solution that offered their loved one the most benefit.

Doug Dearth recently spoke with me about filming his brother's journey and how he hopes it will improve perceptions and accessibility of acupuncture in the U.S.

I always assumed that the doctors there would speak very metaphysically or philosophically, like there was something mysterious behind acupuncture. But talking with them was the same as talking to any neurologist here in the U.S. They were very medically sound in their opinions. All of their explanations of how the medicine works were based in science and medicine.

One of your initial drivers in making this film was highlighting the shortcomings of the U.S. insurance system. What is your mission for the film going forward?

It's two-fold: to gain awareness for acupuncture and then to allow that to improve accessibility. Better accessibility means that insurance companies support patients who choose this kind of care, and also that the mainstream medical community really accepts this as a viable treatment that should be integrated into our medical system. It makes nothing but sense for a stroke program to integrate acupuncture. There are no side effects; it can only help.

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32343

Read the whole article at Acupuncture Today

Good explanation of the role of the Kidney in TCM, written by TCM Directory. 

"The ancient Chinese medical system based a huge part of its theories on observing the movement of the natural world and its interactive characteristics, which means the principles of Chinese medicine is largely based on metaphors.

CLINICAL TRAINING

NYCTCM offers clinical training at four sites--at the Mineola campus and Manhattan Center clinics, at the Health & Wellness Center of SUNY Farmingdale, and at Gouverneur Healthcare Services, an urban hospital serving Lower Manhattan. The Mineola clinic contains a complete herbal dispensary with a state-of-the-art quality control system.

This series of clinical practice levels includes Clinical Observation, Clinical Assistantship, Junior Internship and Senior Internship. Before starting the Junior Internship, in Trimester 5 or 6 of the Acupuncture Program, or Trimester 6 or 7 of the Oriental Medicine Program, the student will have to take a Clinic Entrance Examination. In addition, before embarking on their Senior Internships, all students will have to pass a Clinical Skills Assessment Test and OM students will have to pass a test on herbal formulas.

Read more about New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Training for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine students. 

I entered NYCTCM in 2000 as a non-matriculated student, intending only to get a foundation in Chinese medicine as a first step to studying Tibetan medicine and naturopathy. Suffering an accident to my head and neck shortly after beginning study, I had to take a leave of absence while recuperating and receiving acupuncture treatments at NYCTCM's clinic. 

                   By: Billy Shonez Singh, M.S., L.Ac., Dipl. C.H. (NCCAOM)

                                                      ©2010

 

"Dedicated to my family, my patients, my teachers, and my colleagues.  ¡Hasta La Victoria Siempre (Always Towards Victory)!"

 

Moxibustion is another procedure used in East Asian medicine and it involves the burning of an herb called mugwort (ài yè in Mandarin) on different points and areas of the body.  Moxibustion is one of the many sub modalities in the acupuncturist's arsenal.  Modern TCM theory says the needles are used to move qì while moxa is used for supplementing it. That is modern TCM view on acupuncture and moxibustion.  Thus the modern view of moxibustion being a supplementing entity is correct in that respect.  Classical literature has shown that moxa is used for either supplementation or for dispersion just as much as acupuncture can used for either moving qì or supplementing qì.  Before I discuss the proper functionalities of moxa (ài yè), let us look at the Chinese characters of moxa, jiǔ huǒ. 

The character  "jiǔ" when translated from Mandarin to English is "something that endures; long-standing." 

The character  "huǒ" means "fire." 

Putting those characters together,   "jiǔ huǒ" translates to "long burning fire."  This implies that the effects of moxibustion heats up the body and its effects are long lasting.

 

Moxibustion works on these levels:

1. Increasing metabolic vacuities within the body (or supplementing the qì or Blood)
2. Providing analgesic effects (or moving qì and Blood to stop pain)
3. Building up the immune system (or supplementing the wèi qì)
4. Lowering blood pressure (or sedating Liver yang when applied to Kid-1{Yǒng Quán} or Du-20{ Bái Huì})

 

The way moxa works on body based on scientific thinking starts in the second century.  In the second century, Buddhism arrives in China from India along with Ayurveda and breathing techniques (pranayama).  According to the philosophy of yoga, chanting "Om" during meditation is based on the concept that everything vibrates.  This is the sound that the earth's core makes.  That form of thinking goes into Chinese medicine.  Moxa has a vibratory effect because there is movement while it's being burnt.  The human cell vibrates at a rate of 600 to 900 amgstroms per second.  When moxa burns, vibrates at a rate of 900 amgstroms per second.  Therefore, its vibrations affect the human body.

 

The application of moxa depends on the following factors:

1. The point(s) used
2. The treatment principle: supplementation or dispersion
3. Transfer mediums:
1. aconite (Fù Zi)
2. Ginger (Shēng Jiāng)
3. Garlic (Da Suàn)
4. Salt
5. Deer Antler (Lù Róng)
6. Tangerine Peel (Chén Pí)
7. Poria (Fú Líng)
8. Potato
9. Rice
4. direct application on the skin (cones)
1. has it been burned 2/3's of the way down
2. has it been burned all the way down

      5.   being burned on top of the needle (needle-head)

 

The cone-style moxa affects the wèi, qì, and yíng levels of the body, thus making it effective in treating vacuities in the body (qì level) or supporting the immune system (the wèi and yíng levels).  Needle-head moxa, where the moxa wool is placed on top of the needles, affects the xuè (blood) level.  When moxa in cone form is burnt an odd number of times, its function (depending on which point is being used) becomes supplementing.  When moxa cones are being burnt an even number of times (again, depending on the point used) becomes regulatory.  Now it's not just the number of cones being used but also the amount of heat being transferred through the points.  When the moxa cones are burnt 2/3's of way and the patient feels "warm" the effects are supplementing and the heat is spread put in a smaller quantity.  This will affect the wèi, qì, and yíng levels of the body.  Similarly, if the cones are burnt 2/3's of the way almost to the surface of the skin, the effects are more dispersive.  It will feel "hot" and the circulatory system is increased and the heat is spread out throughout the body.  This technique will affect the yin and blood levels of the body.  The heat emitted from the burning moxa on top of the needles (in the needle-head technique) conducts itself through the needle to affect the xuè level.  Thus, it is effective in treating muscle, tendon, and joint related conditions thereby invigorating the flow of blood to those specified areas. 

 

Another point I want to mention is that moxa overall helps with regulating the zhēng qì (the correct qì).  The definition of zhēng qì is the qi that defends the body from exogenous pathogens and gives rise to other forms of qì such as wèi qì, yíng qì, zàng fǔ qì , and jīng luò qì.  With that in mind, the zhēng qì is needed for the proper energy dynamics within the body to maintain health.  When, the zhēng qì is compromised in serious illnesses such diabetes or autoimmune disease, then the other aforementioned types of qì becomes compromised.  As stated before, moxa helps regulate the zhēng qì.  In essence, moxa leads to a natural reorganization of the body into its normal components.

 

 

Bibliography

 

Jackowicz, M.Ac., L.Ac., Ph.D., Dr. Stephen J., "Moxibustion Boot Camp," Lecture Notes 2007.

 

Jackowicz, M.Ac., L.Ac., Ph.D., Dr, Stephen J., "Dr. J- Moxa Seminar Excerpt- History" http://www.youtube.com/user/holisticceus#p/a/u/1/aOivgbDwMdU November 11th, 2008.

 

Jackowicz, M.Ac., L.Ac., Ph.D., Dr, Stephen J., "Moxa Theory Excerpt," http://www.youtube.com/user/holisticceus#p/a/u/0/BRvdf3l2MqI November 11th, 2008.

 

Easton, Darlene, Fundamental Theory of Oriental Medicine, Lecture Notes 2002.

 

 

Billy Shonez Singh is a licensed acupuncturist and a board certified Chinese herbalist by the NCCAOM.  He is currently practicing in Westbury, NY.  His primary focus with East Asian medicine is stress, pain management, diabetic complications, and treating chemotherapy side-effects. He is also the President & CEO of Zen-Ohs Botanicals, Inc.