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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. 

                   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.

 

 By: Billy Shonez Singh, MS, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac., Dipl. CH (NCCAOM)

                                                              ©2010

 

    People have often asked me a lot of questions about herbs.  "How much do I give patients,"  "How long do they have to take them", and "can I take them with my current medication my doctor gave me?"  These are causes of concern however they are abated with some of the information that I obtained for the course of time from other veteran herbalists. 

 

Dosage.

This factor is based on two different factors.  (1). If a patient is suffering from a chronic condition, the patient is placed on a low dosage and is increased on a gradual basis unless the signs and symptoms are disappearing.  The dosage for each ingredient in an herbal formula starts off at three grams instead of the standard nine to twelve.  While on the subject on chronic conditions, I also give my patients a trial dosage for two to four days.  If there are no adverse reactions, then we increase it to a week supply.  (2). If a patient is suffering from an acute condition that has persisted for a number of days, then we start them on a higher dose. 

 

How Often Should I Take These Herbs?

In the past, I have given my patients a two week supply of herbs.  After two weeks has gone by, I ask them how they are feeling after two weeks.  If they are making suitable progress, then we take the frequency down from two weeks to one week.  Once that is done, then we do a follow-up and we look together what kind of progress has been made.

 

Herb-Drug Interactions.

This is often the cause of concern among Americans since most of them are using another form of medical treatment or taking vitamins, supplements, green tea, etc.  Another cause for concern is about the cautionary and contraindications.  Some of them are very valid such as prescribing peach kernels (Tao Ren) and safflower flower (Hong Hua).  Both of these herbs are used in moving and invigorating blood.  However, from a scientific perspective, you would not use these herbs with someone who is on blood thinning medications like coumadin, warfarin, etc.  According to a few sources, other contraindications and cautionary about herbal medicine are purely hypothetical and clinically miniscule.  If someone asks me if they should stop taking their medications in favor of herbs, I respond by saying, "that is entirely up to your primary care physician."  The reason for that is because ethically and legally it is not up to me to do so since I am not an MD.  According to Dr. John K. Shen, author of Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology what you can do to avoid any potential herb-drug interactions is that their patients can take the herbal medicine an hour apart from taking their Western medication.  The principle is based on the concept of two children fighting each other.  In order to stop children from fighting each other, you pull them apart.  Same thing with conflicting medications; take one remedy an hour apart from the other remedy. 

 

 

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 President and CEO of Zen-Ohs Botanicals, Inc.

 

By: Billy Shonez Singh, MS, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac., Dipl. CH (NCCAOM)

                                                     ©2010

 

Herbal medicine is another pillar of East Asian medicine along with acupuncture, physical manipulation (tui na), and energetic breathing techniques (qi gong).  It is used as a stand-alone form of treatment and sometimes it is used together as an addendum to one's acupuncture treatment to expedite the healing process and strengthen the body.  Like most countries, China developed a system of herbal medicine that involved the use of different herbs.  These herbs consisted of different substances:

• Plants (eg. cinnamon twigs [Gui Zhi], astragalus [Huang Qi], loquat leaf [Pi Pa Ye], etc.)
• Minerals (eg. gypsum [Shi Gao])
• Foods (eg. garlic [Da Suan], ginger [Sheng Jiang], reishi mushroom [Ling Zhi], etc.)
• Animal products (eg. turtle shell [Gui Ban], deer horn gelatin [Lu Lu Jiao], etc.)  

 

Today, herbal medicine is used in treating a wide range of ailments just like in times of antiquity in Asia.  In my experience, they have been very useful in treating lower back pain, insomnia, PMS, fatigue, and much more.  Aside from being an addendum to one's acupuncture treatment, herbal treatments provide another practical use.  It gives patients an active role in their treatments when they are not coming for acupuncture on certain days of the week.  When properly administered and used, they rarely ever cause any side-effects, when compared to Western medications.

           

Herbs are often administered as a formula; a group of herbal ingredients to help treat disease as opposed to just using one ingredient.  Each ingredient in an herbal formula comes in four groups:

• "King" - it is the main ingredient that exerts the maximum effect.
• "Minister" - it is the secondary ingredient that supports the main ingredient.
• "Assistant" - it reinforces the King herb or the Minister herb, reduces the harshness or the toxicity either ingredient.
• "Envoy" - it synergizes all the ingredients to work together and focuses each ingredient on treating a particular pathway, organ, or system in the body.

 

Chinese herbal medicine is given in two different forms.  The first type is internal formulas and the second type is external formulas. 

 

Internal formulas come in different forms for ingestion:

·         Raw herbs

·         Powdered formulas/ granule extracts

·         Pills and tablets

·         Tinctures

External formulas come in different forms as well:

• Liniments
• Ointments
• Soaks
• Powders
• Plasters

 

Most herbal formulas are not certified by the FDA but are in compliance with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices).  They have no heavy metals, toxins, preservatives, or fillers that can cause harm to the body. 

           

In my clinic I often use herbal formulas in powdered form.  The powdered herbal formulas are ingested by adding to hot water and drinking it as a tea.  Another form I use for my patients are pills and tablets.  The formulas that are ingested are usually for patients with problems not necessarily related to pain, but useful for treating systemic conditions such as high blood pressure.  For my patients with aches and pains due to trauma, I give liniments and ointments such as Die Da Jiu ("Hit Fall Wine").  The reason I often use powdered formulas, tablets, and pills is because they are much more convenient for patients to consume because of increased compliance.  The second reason is that it is a lot less time consuming than cooking raw herbal formulas.  The time frame for raw herbal formulas usually takes thirty minutes to forty-five minutes to prepare.  Whereas with powdered formulas, based on my experience, take no more than five minutes to prepare.  Lastly, the use of pills and tablets has been instrumental in that patients can take them anywhere on the run; for example, if they are on vacation and their powdered formulas are rather cumbersome to carry around.  That is one usage of how herbal medicine can be used in pill form.  Also, herbs in pill and tablet form are usually given at the end of patient's treatment once they have made suitable progress with other formulas whether they are powdered form or raw form.

           

            Next time, I'll address the issue regarding dosage, frequency, and other medications that are also being used.

 

To be continued...

 

 

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 President and CEO of Zen-Ohs Botanicals, Inc.

 

The Tennis Times has an article about how tennis injuries can be successfully treated with acupuncture.  The writer quotes famous tennis players' who treated their injuries with acupuncture. "Sania Mirza, who when her right wrist fell apart and she was unable to compete after the Olympics last year (thinking her career might be over) visited an acupuncturist during the fall and amazingly recovered and now says she has her full range back. Another one would be Gael Monfils who used it at last year's US Open to recover after his often exhausting games..."

"The tennis elbow, one of the most common diseases in tennis is probably also one of the easiest to treat with acupuncture and cupping. It shows a success rate of about 90%. Another name for tennis elbow is epicondylitis. It is due to constant over rotation of the wrist and forearm, which of course is why it is called tennis elbow, since this is one of the basic movements in tennis.Acupuncture tennis elbow treatment works effectively in this condition because it works towards improving the blood flow in the area and also the entire body, in an attempt to provide permanent relief from pain and to decrease effectively inflammation."

Affordable Acupuncture Treatments in Manhattan at NYCTCM Teaching Clinic.

Arthritis is one of the most pervasive diseases in the United States and is the leading cause of disability. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention one out of every three Americans (an estimated 70 million people) is affected.

For most people arthritis pain and inflammation cannot be avoided as the body ages. In fact, most people over the age of 50 show some signs of arthritis. Joints naturally degenerate over time. Fortunately, arthritis can often be managed Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis isn't just 1 disease; it's a complex disorder that comprises more than 100 distinct conditions and can affect people at any stage of life. Two of the most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While these 2 forms of arthritis have very different causes, risk factors, and effects on the body, they often share a common symptom--persistent joint pain.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in the United States, affecting an estimated 21 million adults. OA begins with the breakdown of joint cartilage, resulting in pain and stiffness.
OA commonly affects the joints of the fingers, knees, hips, and spine. Other joints affected less frequently include the wrists, elbows, shoulders, and ankles. When OA is found in a less frequently affected joint, there is usually a history of injury or unusual stress to that joint. Work-related repetitive injury and physical trauma may contribute to the development of OA. If you have a strenuous job that requires repetitive bending, kneeling, or squatting, for example, you may be at high risk for OA of the knee.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can affect many different joints and, in some people, other parts of the body as well, including the blood, the lungs, and the heart. Inflammation of the joint lining, called the synovium, can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, warmth, and redness. The affected joint may also lose its shape, resulting in loss of normal movement. RA can last a long time and can be a disease of flares (active symptoms) and remissions (few to no symptoms).

Diagnosis and Treatment of Arthritis with Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

According to Chinese medical theory, arthritis arises when the cyclical flow of Qi in the meridians becomes blocked. This blockage is called, "bi" type pain and is widely studies and successfully treated using a combination of acupuncture and/or Chinese herbs.

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine have been found to be extremely effective at treating the pain and inflammation associated with all types of arthritis. The acupuncture points and herbs that are used depend on if the blockage of Qi (arthritis) is caused by the pathogen wind, cold, damp or damp-heat.

Traditional Chinese Medicine does not recognize arthritis as one particular syndrome. Instead, it aims to treat the specific symptoms that are unique to each individual using a variety of techniques such as acupuncture, Chinese herbs, bodywork, lifestyle/dietary recommendations and energetic exercises to restore imbalances found in the body. Therefore, if 10 patients are treated with Oriental medicine for joint pain, each of these 10 patients will receive a unique, customized treatment with different acupuncture points, different herbs and different lifestyle and diet recommendations.

Your acupuncturist will examine you, take a look at the onset of your condition and learn your signs and symptoms to determine your Chinese diagnosis and choose the appropriate acupuncture points and treatment plan.

The Acupuncture Treatment

Acupuncture points to treat Arthritis are located all over the body, not just directly over the affected area. During the acupuncture treatment, tiny needles could be placed along your legs, arms, shoulders, and perhaps even your little toe!

There seems to be little sensitivity to the insertion of acupuncture needles. They are so thin that several acupuncture needles can go into the middle of a hypodermic needle. Occasionally, there is a brief moment of discomfort as the needle penetrates the skin, but once the needles are in place, most people relax and even fall asleep for the duration of the treatment.

The length, number and frequency of treatments will vary. Typical treatments last from five to 30 minutes, with the patient being treated one or two times a week. Some symptoms are relieved after the first treatment, while more severe or chronic ailments often require multiple treatments.

Chinese Herbs for Arthritis

There are many Chinese Herbal formulas that are prescribed for arthritis. Your acupuncturist will examine you, take a look at the onset of your condition and learn your signs and symptoms to determine which herbs are best for you.

Here are some commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formulas for arthritis:

• Remove Painful Obstruction Decoction (juan bi tang)- For joint pain that increases with cold and is possibly accompanied by heaviness and numbness in the limbs.
• Cinnamon Twig, Peony, and Anamerrhena Decoction (gui zhi shoa you zhi mu tang)- For swollen and painful joints that are warm to the touch and worse at night.
• Angelica Pubescens and Sangjisheng Decoction (du huo ji sheng tang)- For heavy and painful sensations at fixed locations in the lower back and lower extremities accompanied by weakness and stiffness.

Studies on Acupuncture and Arthritis

Several studies have shown that acupuncture can help people with arthritis and related auto-immune diseases.

In one Scandinavian study 25 percent of arthritis patients who had been scheduled for knee surgery cancelled their operations after acupuncture treatment. In the study, researchers compared acupuncture with advice and exercise for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip. Thirty-two patients awaiting a total hip replacement were separated into 2 groups. One group received one 10-minute and five 25-minute sessions of acupuncture, and the other group received advice and hip exercises over a 6-week period.

Patients were assessed for pain and functional ability: Patients in the acupuncture group showed significant improvements, while no significant changes were reported in the group that received advice and exercise therapy. The results of this study indicate that acupuncture is more effective than advice and exercise for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip.

Another study at the University of Maryland showed that elderly arthritis patients with knee pain due to arthritis improved significantly when acupuncture was added to their treatment.

The randomized clinical trial, performed at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, determined whether acupuncture was a clinically safe and effective adjunctive therapy for older patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

The study addressed these questions:

1. Would the addition of acupuncture to conventional therapy produce an added measure of pain relief?
2. Would the effects of acupuncture last for 4 weeks following the end of treatment?
3. Would acupuncture have any side effects?

Seventy-three patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group received twice-weekly acupuncture treatments and conventional therapy for 8 weeks, and the other group received conventional therapy only. Patients who received acupuncture had significant pain relief and showed improvement in function. Those who did not receive acupuncture showed no significant change. No patients reported side effects from any acupuncture therapy session.

Safe Alternative to Medication

Even without the studies, the popularity of acupuncture for arthritis continues to grow because more and more people have found significant relief from Oriental Medicine without the negative side effects that come from Western pharmaceuticals.

Lifestyle and Dietary Instructions

Your diet plays a crucial role in helping you avoid or control arthritis. The first objective of a healthy diet is to help you lose weight if you are overweight. Being overweight can cause additional stress to your joints.

The second way a balanced, varied diet can help ease the pain of arthritis is by providing vitamins and minerals that keep your joints healthy and avoiding "damp" foods such as dairy products and greasy or spicy foods.

If you have arthritis or knee or hip pain, vitamin C and vitamin D can help prevent bone and cartilage destruction. And a multivitamin can help ensure that you always get the nutrition you need.

Here are some other healthy (and delicious) choices to include in your diet.

• Ginger - A natural anti-inflammatory, available as powdered extracts in capsules as well as alcohol-based extracts. Follow the dosing directions on the label. Or make tea by combining one-half teaspoon of grated ginger root with eight ounces of boiling water. Cover and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain and add honey to taste.
• Fresh pineapple - Bromelain, an enzyme in pineapple, reduces inflammation. Be sure the pineapple is fresh, not canned or frozen.
• Cherries - Recent research has shown that tart cherries are an excellent source of nutrients that may help to reduce joint pain and inflammation related to arthritis.
• Fish - Cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep joints healthy as well as reduce pain and swelling. If you don't care for fish, consider supplementing your diet with fish oil capsules.
• Turmeric - Another natural anti-inflammatory. Look for an extract of whole turmeric, in health-food stores; follow the dosage directions on the label.

Find an Acupuncturist

Today, acupuncture is an acknowledged and respected field of medicine which requires formal training and certification in order to practice. In most States, provinces and countries, acupuncture is legislated in order to assure quality of treatment.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is an art and a science that takes years to master. Look for an acupuncturist with formal training and experience in the treatment of Arthritis on www.Acufinder.com or at the NYCTCM Find an Acupuncturist page.

Community Healthcare at NYCTCM's Teaching Clinic

New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NYCTCM)'s Teaching Clinic offers Acupuncture and Chinese Healing Arts to the community while providing our advanced students with a clinical internship.

Our interns are senior-level students at the acupuncture school in New York who have passed a series of qualifying exams that allow them to diagnose and prescribe therapies for the patients who come to our clinic. Licensed Acupuncturists and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners supervise our interns. Many of our supervisors have M.D. degrees from China, and all have considerable clinical and teaching experience.

Acupuncture Treatments in NYC and Mineola

Clinic at NYCTCM's school in Mineola, Long Island, New York

Initial visit -- $35; Subsequent visits -- $25. Phone: 516-739-1545

Clinic at NYCTCM's school in Manhattan, New York

Initial visit -- $35; Subsequent visits -- $25. Phone: (212) 685-0888.

References:

Rheumatology in Chinese Medicine, 2002. By G. Guillaume & M. Chieu
Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 1990. By Dan Bensky & Randall Barolet
Acupuncture: A Comprehensive Text By Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1981

This article is reproduced from Acufinder.com - Acupuncture for Arthritis

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By: Billy Shonez Singh, MS, L.Ac. 

©2009

 

                  It is a disease that is defined as a metabolic disorder that is characterized by either abnormally low or high blood sugar levels that lead to a variety of metabolic derangements.  It is commonly characterized by fatigue, excessive urination, excessive thirst, and excessive hunger.  In this country, it is the biggest cause of death or disability.  In developed countries, the incidence of diabetes has doubled in the last 15 years and its going to double in the next 15 years.  The worst part of this situation is that one out of three people do not know they have diabetes.  For those that are diagnosed have had it for much longer amount of time and wind up with complications such as neuropathies.  According to Clinton J. Choate's article "Diabetes Mellitus (Part One)", it is estimated that 60% to 70% of diabetics have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage.

The symptoms range from:

• Pain in the feet and legs.
• Cramping, tenderness, and muscle weakness.  They can occur in the legs and feet along with the arms and hands.
• Paraesthesias- pricking, tingling, or numbness along the skin.
• Blurred vision.
• Impotence

 
In allopathic medicine, the treatment for diabetic neuropathies involve physical therapy, medications and in severe circumstances, surgical intervention.  The some of the medications used to treat paraesthetic pain and other neuropathies are tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.  Even though these specific medications are used in the treatment of depression, they are also used in treating peripheral neuropathies.  However the side-effects are numerous and seem counterintuitive when one looks at them.  For example, the antidepressant Imiprine (Tofronil) treats peripheral neuropathies by releasing norepinephrine in the central pain modulating pathways located in the brainstem and spinal cord.  However a side-effect of Imiprine is impairment of mental or physical abilities and cardiovascular disease.  When you look at those side-effects and compare them to the risk that diabetics have with cardiovascular disease, it seems rather counterproductive.
According to Subhuti Dharmanada, "Acupuncture therapy is a common approach to treating diabetes in China.  Many Americans assume that acupuncture is only suitable for treating pain, perhaps because the initial introduction of acupuncture was mainly for this application.  Increasingly, people with pain and other health problems for which acupuncture is selected also have diabetes."  Acupuncture can treat neuropathies by bringing blood flow and nerve conduction to the skin to treat numbness and tingling in the extremities.  Another point to mention is that blood flow and nerve restoration can also be accomplished in regards to the treatment of blurred vision and impotence.  Unlike the medications mentioned, acupuncture has no side-effects.  
 
 

 

Bibliography
Dharmanda Ph.D., Subhuti "Treatment of Diabetes with Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture" web posting date: January 2005 www.itmonline.org pg.14
 
Choate, Clinton J. "Modern Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine: Diabetes Mellitus (Part One)" Journal of Chinese Medicine Number 58 September 1998 pg.4
 
Echeverry, MD, MPH, Diana M. "Diabetic Neuropathy: Treatment and Medication" updated April 4th, 2007 http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/315434-treatment

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

                                          www.zenohs.com  ©2010

 

A 69 year old woman came into my office in October 2009.  Her main complaint for the past eight years has been multiple joint pains in her body due to Rheumatoid Arthritis.  Since her diagnosis, she was placed on thirteen different medications.  Four of them were for treating joint and muscle pain associated with her main complaint.  The other four of the medications were used in lowering her cholesterol and her blood pressure.  The side-effects of the medications were headache, bone pain, jaw pain, muscle weakness, swelling of the ankles and feet, and joint pain- among other things.  The last five of her medications were unrelated to her main complaint but were used in treating the side-effects.  She described her joint pain as severely sharp and stabbing variety located in her neck, lower back, knees, feet, shoulders, wrists, and fingers.  The pain would get exacerbated by damp, cold, and rainy environments as well as walking up a flight of stairs.  In addition to this, I noticed that she had swelling along the fingers and toes.  The swelling was due to the inflammation in the joints and had fluid build-up (edema) in both her ankles.  In her previous history she mentioned that she was a pack-a-day smoker but quit smoking fifteen years ago.  Lastly, she consumed two to three cups of coffee a day.  After treating her with acupuncture for seven months at once a week intervals, we both noticed dramatic improvements in the signs and symptoms.  The swelling in her fingers and toes had decreased.  Her ability to walk with more fluidity and speed was noted as well without any stiffness and debility in her knees and ankles.  It was also indicated that her handwriting appeared less rugged and more fluid after the swelling was alleviated in her fingers and hands.  In any case she now visits me every other week for maintenance-style treatments.  After all the progress we had witnessed together, here is what she had to say:

 

                         "I have been suffering with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis for about eight years.  After researching alternative methods of pain management I came across Billy Singh's web site and was impressed by his credentials.  I have been seeing him for acupuncture treatments for several months with excellent results.  The treatments have given me great relief from the inflammation in my knees, feet, and shoulders. 

            I am thrilled with the results I am getting from the treatments and would highly recommend them as a compliment to conventional medicine."

-          Janet M.

 

In my humble opinion, after getting a testimonial like this, all I can say is that I am sorry but decrease in severity of signs and symptoms of a disease is one of side-effects of East Asian Medicine.

 

 

 

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. 

                         By: Billy Shonez Singh, MS, L.Ac. (NCCAOM)

                                        http://www.zenohs.com ©2009

 

 

            There have been many misconceptions about acupuncture that many people in the Western world have inferred. When I see and hear all of these misconceptions, it causes me to start rolling my eyes in disbelief. So it is time to set the record straight.

           

The first misconception is that it is used for dealing only with stress.  Now this statement is misleading because while certain people do use it for stress, it is not the only reason.  We do look at stress as being the cause of some diseases but not all of them.  If you look at certain diseases such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or chronic fatigue syndrome, the root cause is stress.  However, certain conditions that acupuncture can treat such as sinusitis or diabetes, the root cause is not stress obviously.  Usually the cause of certain diseases can be environmental, genetic, dietary, or psychological.  Another misconception that caught my attention a couple of years ago was on Oprah Winfrey's talk show with Dr. Oz.  The subject on her show was about acupuncture and the acupuncturist treating Oprah was asked, "Do you need to be sick in order to receiving acupuncture?" The practitioner's answer was, "no."  Now, I find this to be not only a misconception but a dangerous answer to give because there are cases from East Asia that shows that acupuncture to be a useful medical tool.  Furthermore, the World Health Organization states that acupuncture is useful in the treatment of immune system issues up to the side-effects of chemotherapy.

 

Next is the subject of health insurance covering acupuncture treatments is another misconception.  Health insurance companies are only going to cover diseases treated with acupuncture by a medical doctor who is a certified acupuncturist.  I must say again that medical doctors practicing acupuncture have only three-hundred hours of acupuncture training.  Whereas, licensed acupuncturists are not covered by health insurance companies despite having two-thousand hours of training than certified doctors practicing acupuncture. 

 

Lastly, a misconception is that acupuncture is considered unscientific by the Western allopathic community.  Furthermore is that they feel that acupuncture is more of a mystical, intuitive, and an exotic art form of medicine.  The misconception of East Asian medicine being unscientific is also based on false postcolonial assumptions that date back to the 18^th and 19^th centuries regarding Eastern cultures by European imperialists according to Edward Said, the author of Orientalism.  What people fail to realize is that the Western medical viewpoint grows out of the scientific model.  The majority of individuals unfortunately fail to realize that science is a point of view without any more purchase on truth than the world views.  This gives Western medicine an air of certainty which it does not necessarily deserve anymore than acupuncture and East Asian Medicine does.       

 

            This concludes some of the many misconceptions about East Asian Medicine that have been circulating within the country.

           

 

 

Billy Shonez Singh is a licensed acupuncturist and 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.