AOMA Blog

Hypertension is a series of clinical symptoms marked by increase of blood pressure in the arteries of blood circulation, according to the criteria suggested by the World Health Organization. Adults with systolic pressure greater than 140 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure greater than 90 mmHg can be diagnosed with hypertension (the result of three tests taken intermittently in one day).

How does Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnose hypertension?

Hypertension is similar to dizziness and vertigo in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It is usually thought to be caused by emotional factors, constitutional deficiencies, diet and stress that lead to an imbalance of yin and yang in the liver, spleen and kidney*. Eventually this can result in hyperactivity of liver fire, or phlegm disturbing the upper, or frequent weakness of kidney yin and the failure of yin to control yang.

How does TCM usually treat hypertension?

It is essential to differentiate hypertension which is caused by excess from that which is caused by deficiency. TCM usually treats hypertension with body acupuncture, ear acupuncture, and herbs, but depending on the cause, the acupuncture points selected, techniques, and herbs will be different. The treatment for the excess type is to calm the liver to stop wind, eliminate fire and resolve phlegm. For hypertension caused by deficiency the approach is to replenish qi and blood, while nourishing the liver and kidney.

Case Study – Mr. High

Mr. High, 65 years old, has been diagnosed with hypertension for 10 years. He told Dr. Tan that he was experiencing dizziness, headaches, red eyes, a bitter taste in his mouth, restlessness, irritability, and poor sleep. He came for acupuncture twice a week for a month and was prescribed Chinese herbs.

Dr. Tan used the following acupuncture points: GB 20, LI 11, LI 4, SP10, ST 40, LR 3, and HT7. His herbal prescription was a modified Longdan Xiegan Tang formula. One month after the treatment, all his symptoms were relieved and his blood pressure was stabilized.

Dr. Tan’s Tips

Dr. Tan also recommends qigong exercises to help his body to regain the balance of yin and yang, calm the liver, eliminate fire, and replenish qi and blood. From a TCM perspective, it would also be better for hypertensive patients to eat more fruits and vegetables and less greasy and spicy food. Also it is advisable to avoid seafood which from the TCM perspective is stimulating and cold in nature. Food that is cold in nature promotes dampness and phlegm, which can make dizziness and vertigo worse. Fish is relatively better than shrimp and crab.

Herbal Foot Soak

This herbal foot soak can help to relieve vertigo, tinnitus, headache, limb numbness, and insomnia. To prepare the foot soak, cut the herb Gouteng (Gambir vine stems) into small pieces and wrap in a cloth with a littleBingpian (Borneol) and steep them in warm water. Soak the feet twice a day after getting up and before going to bed, 30-45 minutes each time and 10 days as a treatment course. These herbs require an herbal prescription.

Unique Herbal Prescriptions

Patients who suffer from high blood pressure should make an appointment with a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist as every person is unique. The practitioner will take a full medical history and do pulse and tongue diagnosis to determine the best acupuncture plan and herbal prescription.

*organs in italics refer to meridians in Chinese medicine, not actual organs.

Written by:

Dr. Shengyan ‘Grace’ Tan is a faculty member at AOMA and sees patients in the professional clinic.

The military seems to be leading the pack with the use of acupuncture in the treatment of psychosocial pain. To be more specific, the US Army has implemented several programs incorporating complementary and alternative medicine to treat symptoms of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). One of these programs happens to be right here in Texas at Ft. Hood. The program is titled Warrior Combat Stress Reset Program (WCSRP).

The WCSRP is an eleven week program combining the use of traditional Western therapies with traditional Eastern approaches to treat soldiers with PTSD symptoms. Various methods of complementary medicine are offered, such as acupuncture, massage, reflexology, sound therapy, meditation, reiki/bio-energy therapies, as well as mind-body practices such as yoga and tai chi. The WCSRP is a time-intensive program, requiring soldiers to show up every day for the first three weeks, participate in group-counseling, as well as individual counseling, and determine an individualized treatment plan incorporating complementary treatment methods which then continues over the following eight weeks.

Due to the success of programs like the WCSRP, there is growing support to make complementary medicine a standard in psychosocial treatment programs.

DISCLAIMER:

The views expressed in article titled "Acupuncture Used in Military Warrior Combat Stress Reset Program" (January 2013 AOMA Blog) are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Marines, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations herein are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the U.S. Army, the U.S. Marines, and the U.S. Navy.

A stroke, or cerebrovascular accident (CVA), is the rapid loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to lack of blood flow or a hemorrhage. Depending on the area of the brain that is affected patients may suffer from an inability to move one or more limbs on one side of the body, an inability to understand or formulate speech, or an inability to see one side of the visual field.

Risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol,smoking, old age, previous stroke, and atrial fibrillation. High blood pressure is the most important risk factor of stroke. It is the third leading cause of death in the US, behind heart disease and cancer. Stroke affects more than 700,000 individuals annually in the United States. About 500,000 of these are first attacks, and 200,000 are recurrent attacks.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be used to prevent and treat the stroke patients.

Chinese medicine can be very helpful for preventing stroke and its associated risk factors. Acupuncture and herbs can help offset the systemic imbalances that contribute to stroke. These are issues such as long-term emotional and physical stress, being overworked, poor diet and dietary habits such as eating too fast, at odd hours, etc. and an overall lack of relaxation. Of course, the patient has to be willing to adapt their lifestyle, too.

On the rehabilitative side, acupuncture and Chinese herbs can improve muscular strength, muscle tone, speech disorder, and swallowing function. I usually choose points on Liver and Kidney channels since there are most commonly involved channels in stroke. However, different patients have their own characteristics. I will make a differential diagnosis for each stroke patient based on the stroke history and manifestation from tongue and pulse. In addition, I typically use scalp needles and attach mild electrical stimulation to the needles to speed-up the recovery.

As an acupuncturist and physician, I worked at the neurological center in China Sichuan State Hospital & Sichuan Provincial Academy of Medical Science for 13 years, where I treated 30-40 stroke patients daily in ICU and the regular wards.

A stroke patient came to see me in the AOMA clinic with his wife two weeks after the onset of the stroke. I could feel how stressed the couple was. The patient once was very happy with a positive attitude to his life. When he came into my office he was so depressed. He couldn’t walk, speak, or dress himself. After collecting all the medical history from him and his wife, I observed his tongue and felt his pulse. Then I gave a therapeutic plan for him. One month later, he already started walking and his fingers could grasp tightly. His life attitude completely changed. He is happy again after realizing that he can live normally under my care.

Sometimes, during the acupuncture treatment, I will give some Chinese herbs based on individual needs. For certain people the herbs can be very helpful in stroke recovery. I also give dietary recommendations to each patient to make sure the risk factors of stroke are under strict control and patient’s diet is balanced and healthy.


Dr. Nelson Song Luo is a faculty member at AOMA and sees patients in the professional clinic.

Fu Fang Ban Lan Gen Chong Ji (granule of Isatis root formula) contains Nan ban lan gen (Southern Isatis Root), Pu gong ying (Dandelion), Zi hua di ding (Herba Violae), and cane sugar. It’s primary function is to clear toxic heat, or in lay terms flu symptoms like fever, sore throat, yellow phlegm, etc.

 We often have patients come in with fever and sore throat who see quick improvement after taking this formula. It can also be used preventatively. This formula was used in China when they experienced the SARS outbreak and has become a staple in many household medicine cabinets.

For acute symptoms you should take the formula 3-4 times daily for 1-2 weeks. For prevention, it is best if you can start 1-2 weeks ahead, but definitely as soon as you notice those around you displaying symptoms. Herbal treatment for children can start as young as 3 months old, but they would need to see a licensed practitioner and get a prescription based on age and body weight.

Some brands of Fu Fang Ban Lan Gen Chong Ji are packaged in easy-open, one dosage packets. All you need to do is dissolve the granules in hot water and drink up. Some patients may experience loose stools or poor appetite after taking it.

Written by:

Dr. Violet Song offers acupuncture and herbal treatments for female disorders, stress, insomnia, digestive disorders, the common cold, cough, as well as pediatric herbal consultations.

 

1. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

2. Rest.

When you are tired, your body is susceptible to illness. Stay home and rest when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. Rest is some of the best medicine around!

3. Cover your mouth and nose.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Remind others to cover their mouth and nose, too.

4. Clean your hands.

Washing your hands for 10 seconds will often help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

5.  Drink a lot of water. 

When colds and the flu are going around, one of your best defenses is to keep your body fully hydrated so that your respiratory tissues aren’t easily irritated.

6. Stay warm and cozy. 

Oriental medicine believes that wind invasions can weaken your body and make catching a cold more likely.  Cover your neck and chest, and keep your feet warm and dry.

7.  Try Chinese medicine. 

Treatments can help strengthen your body’s immune system.  Oriental medicine includes things such as acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

 

Tips compiled by Song Luo LAc, PhD, MD (China)

 

Zheng Gu Shui (juhng goo shway) is a Chinese herbal liniment known for its analgesic properties. The Chinese word "zheng gu" means "bonesetting" and "shui" means water. So, Zheng Gu Shui means "bonesetting water" or liquid. This external analgesic is known to relieve blood stagnation, promote healing, and soothe pain. As the name suggests, this herbal remedy can help promote the healing of broken bones. If the skin is not broken, it can be applied topically to the area of injury to relieve pain until the bone is set at the hospital.

 Well known in many athletic and martial arts circles, this “miracle” balm can be used for all sorts of injuries, including those involving muscle and nerve pain.  The most common indications are traumatic injuries, bruises, and sprains. Many people have found Zheng Gu Shui helpful for all kinds of pain from carpal tunnel to arthritis.

The Chinese medical explanation of how it works is by dispelling blood stagnation, moving qi, opening the channels, and invigorating the blood which will help to relax tendons and muscles, and reduce swelling.

The herbal formulation contains mostly camphor and menthol. Other ingredients include: alcohol, polygonum cuspidatum, camphor wood, fragrant angelica, moghania, zedoary, san-qi ginseng, and water.

The medicinal effects of the herbs are as follows:

Polygonum cusidatum rhizome (Bushy Knotweed): relieves pain, reduces inflammation, stops bleeding

Camphor Wood (Radix Crotonis crassifolii, Chinese Ji Gu Xiang): increases local circulation, relieves pain

Frangrant Angelica (Bai Zhi): anti-inflammatory, relieves pain, treats muscle spasms and cramps

Moghania (Yi Tiao Gen): relieves musculoskeletal pain, stiffness, and soreness

Zedoary rhizomeor curcuma (a different species than Turmeric): anti-inflammatory relieves pain (especially shoulder pain)

San-Qi Ginseng (Tian Qi): stops bleeding, reduces bruising, swelling, inflammation and pain, relieves trauma

The suggested use is to apply the ointment directly to the (external) area of pain 2-3 times a day or as needed. Wrap the area with gauze, as it may stain clothing. Wash hands thoroughly after applying. Do not use Zheng Gu Shui on open wounds. Do not use Zheng Gu Shui near an open flame as it is flammable.

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) serves as the authority for health and health care within the United Nations system and is leader on global health matters. In addition to playing a key role in medical research, establishing health care standards and policy, the WHO also monitors and assesses emerging trends in global health.

 

In 2003, the WHO published a review of clinical trials of acupuncture, Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials. As a result of this publication, the WHO recognizes 28 diseases, symptoms, or conditions for which acupuncture has been proven to be an effective form of treatment. These include:

-Adverse Reactions to radiotherpy and/or chemotherapy -Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever) -Biliary colic -Depression -Dystentery, acute bacillary -Dysmenorrhea, primary -Epigastralgia -Facial pain -Headache

-Hypertension, essential -Hypotension, primary -Induction of labour -Knee pain -Leukopenia -Low back pain -Malposition of fetus -Morning sickness -Nausea and vomiting -Neck pain

-Pain in dentistry -Periarthritis of shoulder -Postoperative pain -Renal colic -Rheumatoid arthritis -Sciatica -Sprain -Stroke -Tennis elbow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The WHO also recognizes acupuncture’s therapeutic effects for over 55 diseases, symptoms, or conditions, but noted additional controlled trials are needed.

 

Acupuncture is a system of medical care that originated in China thousands of years ago which has since become widely used in health care systems throughout the world. During acupuncture treatment, thin needles are inserted into the patient’s body at specific points to treat disease, alleviate symptoms, or relieve pain. The application of needles can also be combined with moxibustion (the burning of particular herbs over the skin) to stimulate certain points.

 

One of the most well-known modalities within Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture is often used by practitioners in conjunction with herbal medicine, dietary therapy, Asian bodywork therapies, and mind-body exercise to treat patients.

Food is medicine and ancient cultures like China and India have been implementing this knowledge for centuries. Michelle Schreiber also takes this statement seriously at her acupuncture practice Sage Acupuncture in Austin, Texas.  Schreiber is a successful AOMA alumni who combines clinical counseling with traditional Chinese medicine.  She utilizes theories in the Traditional Chinese Medicine models and couples it with western nutritional research to find a plan that is specific to her clients’ needs.  Schreiber has always been interested in nutrition and after she graduated in 2003 from AOMA she continued to get training from the Center for Mind Body Medicine at Georgetown University Medical School and became a certified Nutritional Consultant by the American Association of Nutritional Consultants (AANC).

 

Recently Schreiber has been focusing her practice on treating cancer patients.  She was inspired to work with cancer patients after watching her dad go through various cancer treatments for 10 years.  Schreiber said, “I wish I had lived closer to him to provide consistent treatment. Additionally, I believe that many practitioners are afraid to treat cancer patients, even though Chinese medicine has a lot to offer them.”

AOMA students learn from faculty who are engaged in clinical practice as well as having expertise in their academic field. Many of AOMA’s faculty members are internationally recognized for their research, teachings, and presentations published internationally in training programs around the globe.  Schreiber was encouraged by AOMA faculty member Dr. Yuxin He’s work with cancer patients.  She said, “He specializes in treating cancer and to have a role model let me know that it can be done and gave me that extra confidence.”

Another inspiration for choosing to specialize in oncology is studying with, Jeffrey Yuen, a Daoist priest and acupuncturist based out of American University of Complementary Medicine ( AUCM ) who is on the frontier for bringing the spiritual roots back to Chinese medicine. Yuen reminds Schreiber that she is treating people not just diseases and that this is what makes all the difference in cancer treatments.  Yuen emphasizes the importance of diet for cancer patients and gives special attention to treating the kidneys because of the fear and shock most people experience when they deal with the reality of their prognosis.  Schreiber has also integrated this technique into her practice and has seen great results.

Schreiber currently sees all stages of cancer.  Every day she helps her patients deal with the side effects and toxicity of long range chemotherapy treatments by helping them keep their immune systems strong. She says most oncologists have been supportive of acupuncture and some have even gone out of their way to recommend it to their patients.  This may be due to a recent study published in Hamburg, Germany that showed acupuncture decreased the pain and nerve signals in cancer patients just after ten treatments.

Schreiber has not been as fortunate with medical doctors supporting herbal supplements.  She has found that medical doctors need more education about herbs to feel comfortable because they fear that the herbs are going to decrease the efficacy of the chemotherapy.  However, in her professional practice, Schreiber has found otherwise and observed patients who have combined herbs with their chemotherapy treatments improve faster and with fewer side effects.  Schreiber says she is in the process of increasing communication and education with oncologists in hopes that more medical doctors come to know the valuable combination that herbs and acupuncture have to offer this unique population.

 

Cupping is a technique where a glass or plastic cup or bamboo jar is suctioned onto the body and allowed to sit for about ten minutes or is moved around with oil used for lubrication. This technique stimulates circulation, relieves swelling, and greatly enhances an acupuncture treatment. 

 
Cupping is used for many conditions including: 

back pain,  

shoulder pain,  

neck pain,  

gastrointestinal disorders,  

common colds,

influenza,  

cough and asthma


"The cupping method has the function of warming and promoting the free flow of qi and blood in the meridians, dispelling cold dampness, diminishing swellings and pains." (Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Cheng Xinnong).  


The suction created during a cupping procedure penetrates deep into one's tissues and can help the release of toxins from the body. Cupping therapy is most commonly done on one's back. There are several yang meridians on the back which are stimulated by the cupping therapy allowing the internal energy to flow through the whole body.

 
The two most common ways of suctioning the cups to the body are "fire" cupping and manual suction cupping. To do "fire" cupping, the practitioner will light an alcohol soaked cotton ball on fire and briefly place the fire inside the glass cup, creating a vacuum. Then he or she will quickly place the cup on the skin. The amount of suction can then be adjusted by sliding or moving the cup. Manual suction cups use a pump to create the vacuum between the cup and the soft tissue.

 
Cupping can leave marks on the skin which indicates that the stagnation or disease has been moved from the deeper tissue layers to the surface, aiding in the healing process. The marks from a cupping treatment can range anywhere from light pink to dark purple circles. It is rare for these "hickies or bruises" to be painful and they will dissipate in a few days.

 
All of the practitioners at AOMA can perform cupping. Call to make an appointment today! Or request an appointment online.