Hugh MacPherson and Kate Thomas
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 4

This article reports on a highly significant, high-quality randomised controlled trial to determine whether GP referral to a short course (up to 10 individualised sessions) of traditional acupuncture might improve longer term outcomes for patients with chronic low back pain in primary care, and at a cost that would be affordable by the NHS. 241 patients were recruited to the trial with 160 being randomised to the acupuncture group and 81 to the control group which received usual GP care alone. The results indicate that when patients in primary care with low back pain are referred to a BAcC acupuncturist for a short course of treatment, they will, on average, improve over time and show greater improvement than if they had received usual GP care alone. Although the course of acupuncture only lasted around 3 months, their situation improved over time, and continued to improve between 12 and 24 months. The authors' recommendation from this study is that GPs should consider referring patients with low back pain to a qualified acupuncturist.
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Rebecca Avern
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 3

This article describes the case histories of three women diagnosed with various blood clotting disorders. The blood clotting disorders had impaired the ability of each of them to carry a baby to full term. The article looks at the similarities and differences between the women in terms of TCM patterns, and Five Element Constitutional Factor (CF). It describes how the medication they were prescribed affected the choice of treatment principles and also their response to acupuncture treatment. It ends with the author’s reflections on the experience of treating them.
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Roisin Golding
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 3

Much archaic acupuncture theory is considered ‘superstitious’ by modern practitioners. The author wanted to find out if the application of some of the older principles of treatment as outlined in the Nei Jing made any difference to treatment. The article reports on the treatment of a 29-year old woman who sought treatment for infertility associated with polycystic ovaries and anovulation. Using tonfication and sedation techniques according to the phases of the lunar cycle, the patient’s periods were restored and eventually a pregnancy was successfully taken to term.

Beverley de Valois
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 3

Following encouraging results from research investigating the use of individualised, traditional acupuncture to manage treatment side effects in women with early breast cancer, the author conducted a follow-up study to explore the use of the NADA protocol in the same clinical context. This article charts her discoveries in applying the NADA protocol as a standardised treatment in a group setting. She discusses its flexibility and potential, and considers its limitations. Case studies present a range of different experiences and perceived benefits for three women who received this treatment, including their reactions to being treated in a group setting.

Angel Wang Hanbing with Dominic Harbinson
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 3

The term pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to a range of physiological and psychological symptoms which women commonly experience some 7-10 days before their period. The symptoms tend to increase in severity as the period approaches and then disappear once it begins, although in severe cases they may arise or persist outside the pre-menstrual phase. This article gives a brief outline of how traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) understands PMS and presents five Chinese herbal medicine formulae (plus clinically relevant modifications) devised by well-known TCM gynaecologist doctors from China for the treatment of some of the various manifestations of PMS. The formulae are presented according to the main presenting condition and the TCM pattern being treated, namely: breast distension due to liver qi depression, abdominal distension and pain due to qi stagnation and blood stasis, emotional problems due to liver and kidney yin deficiency, and headache due to liver qi depression and liver and kidney yin deficiency.

Richard Graham
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 3

The catalyst for this article was a Problem Back Masterclass for physiotherapists held at Highgrove under the auspices of the Prince of Wales. The article describes the author’s personal experience of chronic back pain and the inspirational influence of the maverick Australian physio, Sarah Keys. The ability of the spine, given the right condition, to heal itself of even the most recalcitrant problems is highlighted. Pointing to acupuncture’s ability to provide simple, safe and highly effective treatment for back pain, the author concludes by affirming that: ‘We have much to learn from western medicine, but western medicine has much to learn from us. This is what real integration is all about.’

Qu Lifang and Mary Garvey
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 2

The Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon) contains numerous references to ‘spirits’ that are said to reside within the body. The term ‘shen-zhi’ means ‘spirit-mind’ and telescopes the five spirits (shen, hun, po, yi, zhi) of early Chinese medical theorising. Shen-zhi theory explains the principles for understanding Chinese medicine’s perspective on human consciousness. The theory describes how each of the wu shen (five spirits) govern certain aspects of mentality and are closely related to sensory faculties, body tissues, visceral systems, and physiological substances according to the wu xing (five phase) framework of correspondence and relationship. Spirit activities thereby provide the human organism with its distinctive array of mental and sensory abilities including intelligence, insight, focused attention and memory. Shen-zhi theory is derived from key sections of the Neijing that define the nature of the wu shen, their physiological activities and relationships. When these resources and relationships are disrupted a variety of common or more serious disorders may result. We discuss some of these, and a number of specific disorders that have a particular connection with the five spirits and shen-zhi theory. Broadly speaking, they are ‘mind’ or ‘mental’ disorders. Analysis of their signs and symptoms illustrates the theory and clarifies its diagnostic relevance for modern clinicians. 
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Neil Quinton
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 2

This article gives the practitioner’s perspective of acupuncture treatment delivered in a group setting within a mental health day service at the Broadway North Resource Centre in Walsall. The clients all had enduring mental health problems, most having been diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression, along with a number of people suffering from bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia. The practicalities of running the project are clearly outlined and common disease pathomechanisms are identified – highlighting the centrality of liver/spleen disharmony – along with typical treatment principles and points. Although there is still considerable resistance to acupuncture from some quarters and a frustratingly prevalent perception that the benefits of acupuncture are confined to ‘relaxation’, the author’s experience shows that acupuncture has a huge amount to contribute to mainstream mental health services and to the quality of life of service users.

Dr Friedrich Staebler
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 2

This paper, which complements part 1, published in EJOM Vol. 5 No. 1, 2005, discusses the general principles of treating cancer with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), especially the contribution which acupuncture and moxibustion can make, both in slowing down the spread of tumours and in counteracting the side effects of radio- and chemotherapy. The latter is given particular prominence, since the paper argues that acupuncture and moxibustion should be used primarily as a back-up, and concomitant to conventional cancer treatment. This is followed by the introduction of a simple and effective treatment protocol the author has developed, using moxa to combat bone marrow depression (the drop in red and white blood cells) during chemotherapy. The paper concludes with two case histories chosen to give practical examples, and to show the strengths and limitations of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of cancer.

Doreen Till
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 2

This paper, based on research conducted as part of an MA in Community Mental Health, explores service users’ experiences of acupuncture delivered in a group setting within a mental health day service at the Broadway North Resource Centre in Walsall. The majority of service users felt that acupuncture had improved their health both mentally and physically. Whilst some individuals found a group setting slightly intimidating at first, they also found benefits in the peer support that such a setting facilitated. All participants in the study thought that acupuncture should be more widely available within mental health services, and that a greater range of therapies should also be provided. Acupuncture within a group setting can be a cost-effective way of delivering a popular treatment that service users perceive as helpful to their health.

Dominic Harbinson and Patricia Ronan
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 2

The medical treatment of psychosis continues to be limited, often with severe side effects. This paper sets out to examine the literature available on the treatment of psychosis and schizophrenia with acupuncture, to outline the evidence already available and to highlight the case for research into this treatment approach in the UK.  A literature search was carried out using Ovid, Medline, Psych-info, Yahoo, Google and author contact to discover what research has taken place to date. This yielded evidence that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of psychosis. Although most of the research is from China and is somewhat dated, a number of studies have also been conducted in the West with promising outcomes. Given the poor prognosis for schizophrenic patients and the side effects implicit in the chronic use of conventional medication, there would appear to be good grounds for further research into acupuncture as a potential treatment modality. Carrying this out under modern scientific research conditions would help clarify whether and how this treatment might work.  However obstacles such as ethics, funding and how such a study might be controlled will have to be overcome.

Dr Friedrich Staebler
EJOM Vol. 5 No. 1

This paper is written for acupuncturists to examine the challenges we are faced with when treating patients with cancer. It looks at what cancer is, both in the western and TCM paradigm, and examines the role of the emotions in the development of cancer. Questions are asked: What happens to patients when they are diagnosed with cancer? What are the treatment options? When are we, as acupuncturists, called upon and what is our role as carers and as acupuncturists? What can acupuncture and Chinese medicine contribute in the treatment of cancer, and where are the limitations? The aim of this paper is to encourage acupuncturists to participate in the fight against cancer without being unrealistic and over-confident about the treatment outcome.

Dr Sanjeev Rastogi and Dr Atul Rastogi
EJOM Vol. 4 No. 6

This case study, based upon the trial of acupuncture in a patient with lumbar canal stenosis, opens up a new vista in conservative management protocol to deal with this condition. Spinal canal stenosis, being a multi-level disorder and an associate of age-related co-morbidities, poses a considerable difficulty in selection of the right approach of management. Surgical decompression does not always result in reversal of neurological deficits and can lead to reluctance in choosing this option. Conservative management, on the contrary, often results in good patient compliance and substantial improvements. The addition of acupuncture to conventional conservative management makes it more likely to lead to a measurable and positive outcome, as is evident in the case study presented here.

Ruth Young
EJOM Vol. 4 No. 6

This case study concerns a boy of 12 who had become school phobic after being severely bullied on moving to secondary school. The author initially trained in Five Element acupuncture at Leamington followed by a TCM course at Reading which aimed to integrate the two styles of acupuncture. The study, which includes information on the patient’s background, diagnosis, treatment plan, diet and lifestyle advice and treatment outcome, is presented as an illustration of how successful very simple Five Element acupuncture can be in the treatment of quite severe mental health and emotional problems.

Elisa Rossi
EJOM Vol. 4 No. 6

This article – drawn from the book Shen – Psychological Aspects of Chinese Medicine: the Classics & Contemporary Practice (currently in translation) – examines the various pathologies associated with emotional illness, paying particular attention to their links to fire. The concepts of constraint (yu) and stagnation (zhi) of qi, fire (huo), phlegm (tan), blood stasis (xueyu), empty fire and ‘restlessness and agitation’ (fanzao) are discussed with reference to classical Chinese texts by authorities such as Liu Wansu, Li Dongyuan and Zhu Danxi.

Inga Heese
EJOM Vol. 4 No. 5

A case study dealing with the treatment of acute capsulitis of the shoulder, often referred to as frozen shoulder, a common complaint in an acupuncture clinic, occurring most frequently in middle age and more commonly in women. Symptoms include reduced mobility and pain. The author covers the examination and diagnosis of the patient and the relevant treatment principles, treatment protocol and outcome. The main treatment aim was to restore the function of the shoulder and to stop the pain. She chose to needle the local channels and collaterals to stimulate the flow of qi and blood. In addition she used some general points to increase qi and blood production and circulation. She concludes that acupuncture can be a powerful tool when treating dysfunction of the muscular system. In frozen shoulder the acute inflammatory phase can be recovered easily and progression to the adhesive stage can be prevented through successful treatment.

Beverley A Lawton
EJOM Vol. 4 No. 4

This case study describes the treatment of a patient who suffered from increasing anxiety, depression and panic since the birth of her only child two years previously. She also experienced no desire for social interaction not for sexual contact with her partner, the child’s father, despite what appeared to be a long-term loving and supportive relationship. The diagnosis, pathology and aetiology are discussed, treatment principles are listed in a chart, and the treatment plan is described step by step. The author also deals with lifestyle guidance. By the end of a course of 10 treatments, the patient no longer suffered from postnatal depression, and no longer required Seroxat medication. She continues to have regular acupuncture in order to maintain the benefits of treatment.

April Joslin
EJOM Vol. 4 No. 3

The author uses a short case study to demonstrate how, by a careful examination both of a patient's own condition and of the symptoms induced by chemotherapy, acupuncture treatment may result in significant improvements leading to the beginning of a process of self-healing.

Nick Johnson, Dominique Joire, James Tomkinson, Sammy Reid, Lola Boix, Alex Murray and Paloma Sparrow
EJOM Vol. 4 No. 2

This study observes and monitors the effect of 6 months of traditional Chinese medicine on a group of NHS patients with essential hypertension. The management was in both terms of symptomatology and blood pressure levels. It provides a background, treatment protocol and results, along with specific reports on 8 patients.

Julian Scott
EJOM Vol. 4 No. 1

In the treatment of children, symptoms which relate to kidney deficiency, such as poor memory, difficulty in concentrating, enuresis or thin or weak bones are often seen. The author has differentiated three main types of kidney deficiency which are kidney jing deficiency, kidney organ weak and kidney qi xu. Signs and symptoms of the three patterns and their different treatment and outcomes are explored.

Warren M Cochran
EJOM Vol. 4 No. 1

Much has been written on the socio-economic and religio-philosophical impact of epidemic disease on the apparent frailty of human existence. However, medical historiography has not always addressed the issue of how changing disease patterns may have influenced therapeutic strategies. The theme of this article focuses on this aspect of medical history by considering how disease manifestations as perceived by physicians of Chinese medicine, have helped shape medical notions and determine therapeutic response.

Ann Bradford
EJOM Vol. 3 No. 6

This case study shows how simple techniques such as acupuncture, acupressure and tui na were used successfully in the treatment of a child diagnosed with congenital nephrotic syndrome. The author explains how parents who are taught simple acupressure and massage techniques were able to participate in their child's treatment. The case shows how simple techniques given frequently can have very beneficial effects, even in such complex cases as this, and how such beneficial effects also extended to the family, who felt included and necessary in the treatment of their son.

Julian Scott
EJOM Vol. 3 No. 6

This is a case history outlining the deep changes that can occur when a sick child receives acupuncture. The patient is a 13 months old boy seriously ill with asthma, who was already on heavy doses of steroids and who had had seven 10-day courses of antibiotics in the previous 5 months. The case history covers his road to recovery through a healing crisis which led to no further attacks of asthma.

Margaret Pinnington
EJOM Vol. 3 No. 5

This article explains the development of AcuDetox (Acupuncture Detoxification) to treat the growing drug addiction problem. The Lincoln Hospital model is outlined, as are the roots of NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) NADA US, NADA UK and NADA UK training. Research published in The Lancet and the Archives of Internal Medicine is mentioned, proving the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating chronic addiction.

Avi Magidoff
EJOM Vol. 3 No. 3

In this article the reader is introduced to other forms of diagnosis and treatment of male uro-genital problems. The standard TCM concepts of kidney deficiency, yin fire, and damp heat, while often useful, do not always provide the best treatment strategies for all patients. With the ability to utilise other points of view, readers may be able to benefit patients with problems that have not responded to the standard TCM approaches.
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Yu Lehua
EJOM Vol. 3 No. 3

This article reports on the effects of modern silver acupuncture (MSA) on chronic soft tissue lesions in the lower back. A study involving the treatment of 89 patients suffering from severe lower back pain is described. The techniques involved in carrying out the treatment are detailed. The results of the study are analysed. It is concluded that MSA is an effective treatment, especially for soft tissue lesions from conversion of acute injuries and chronic overuse injuries in the lower back.

Pang Jun, Huang Bo-ling, Li Yu-shun, Zhou Yu-yan, Han Zhi-yong and Faye Richardson
EJOM Vol. 3 No. 3

Gout is a systemic disease which involves the impediment of protein metabolism. Abnormal protein metabolism results in hyperuricemia with acute clinical manifestations of redness, swelling and hot pain of affected joints. Repeated bouts form gouty calculae in joints. Western medical treatment concentrates on managing symptoms. Traditional Chinese medicine, with its theory of differentiating diagnosis and treatment based on syndrome analysis, holds that gout is caused by the inability of the kidney to transform fluids and failure of the spleen to conduct normal transporting functions, and to distinguish between clearness and turbidness thus leading to the generation of internal heat and dampness. Principles of clinical treatment aim to clear heat and remove dampness, dredge collaterals to stop pain and regulate functions of the spleen and kidney. By utilising the main acupoints, St 36 zu san li, St 40 feng long, Sp 6 san yin jiao, the researchers achieved a 90% efficacy rate in treating patients with gout (improved visceral functions manifested by normal uric acid and ESR levels) and its symptoms (joint swelling and pain alleviated) without side effects, increasing their acceptance and satisfaction with acupuncture.

Dr Zhang Jia Sheng
EJOM Vol. 3 No. 3

This article (translated from Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion 1987 Vol. 7 No. 1) reports on the treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion of 248 cases of male infertility over the period 1981-1985. Treatment was deemed effective in 166 cases. Patients with impotence and ejaculatory dysfunction responded better than cases with sperm abnormalities. Translated by Xiao Y Zhang.

Qing Zhang
EJOM Vol. 3 No. 3

Acute prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland, usually affecting men between the ages of 30 and 50. Traditional Chinese medical theory sees prostatitis as Lin Syndrome, with the urinary tract symptoms being due to dampness and heat accumulating in the lower jiao, causing disturbance to water circulation and distribution. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treatment for this condition are outlined and a case study is presented in which successful resolution of acute protatitis was achieved in three treatments.

Jane Lyttleton
EJOM Vol. 3 No. 1

This article presents a case study of a woman in her 30s suffering from a number of chronic disorders including headaches, back pain and depression as well as erratic ovulation and possible early menopause. Treatment involved both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine and focussed initially on her general health and on regulating her menstrual cycle with specific fertility treatments commencing two years later. The case study highlights many of the sorts of questions which practitioners have to deal with in trying to help women seeking treatment to aid fertility, and provides a good example of how useful the information from basal body temperature (BBT) charts can be and how it can influence the course of treatment. 
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Felicity Moir
EJOM Vol. 3 No. 1

The beginning of the menstrual cycle, puberty, and the end of the menstrual cycle, menopause or the climacteric are extremely important events in a woman’s life, both personally and in relation to their role in society. While most girls move smoothly into puberty and establish regular pain-free cycles, there are some who never establish a pattern and the resultant imbalances lead to pain, pre-menstrual tension and irregularity which daunts them physically and emotionally for many years and leads to problems later such as infertility and fibroids. Similarly, most women in the climacteric also move into the next phase of their lives with few symptoms, but for 20-30% there can be major problems, and for a further number the fear and dread around the menopause generates low self image and subsequent illness and loss of power. This article examines these issues through the prism of 2 case studies, one involving a teenage girl suffering from irregular painful periods accompanied by nose bleeds, and the other involving a woman in her mid-50s who had recently started to experience hot flushes and night sweats, along with a number of other symptoms.

David Mayor
EJOM Vol. 2 No. 5

In this second article on chronic pain and its measurement (the first was published in EJOM Vol 2, No 4), Mayor provides a thorough literature analysis about the complex inter-relationships between pain, anxiety and depression. He discusses which comes first - pain or anxiety. He also explores how the emotional state of a patient relates to the task of pain prevention, particularly in regard to chronic pain sufferers.

David Mayor
EJOM Vol. 2 No. 4

When treating patients with pain, it is important to at least try to understand what pain is. This first article in a series on chronic pain covers some general aspects of pain and its taxonomy, in particular the differences between acute and chronic pain, and between nociceptive and neurogenic pain. The next article will explore the psychology of pain, and in particular the relationships between pain, anxiety and depression. A follow-up article will be devoted to some of the thorny issues of pain measurement. The references given should be useful as a starting point for anyone embarking on their own exploration of the literature on chronic pain.
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Karen Simporis
EJOM Vol. 2 No. 4

From 1985-1988, the author worked at the Rocky Mountain Regional Pain Management Centre in Colorado. This article is about the role of acupuncture within the holistic framework of a pain management centre. The treatment of pain by acupuncture is seen as symptomatic by many and therefore less subtle than other 'holistic' approaches. Western acupuncture prescriptions are symptomatic, simplistic and undifferentiated. They treat the biao only which may work well for some acute problems, but the ben must be tackled in chronic disorders. Additionally untreated pain can lead to further problems; spiritual, emotional and physical. As western medicine comes to realise that the piecemeal treatment of pain is rarely effective, the comprehensive approach of traditional Chinese medicine becomes increasingly relevant.

Adrian Lyster
EJOM Vol. 2 No. 4

Pain relief is the most widely practised application of acupuncture. Research evidence suggests that acupuncture is credible but conceals a number of unanswered questions that are of relevance to practitioners of TCM. What is the nature of the relief provided, is it palliative or therapeutic and is acupuncture a clinical match to different pain conditions? What method of acupuncture is used in research trials and does it correspond with clinical practice? What are the different descriptive and explanatory models for chronic pain? This article critically reviews the current models and examines some of the implications for both our understanding of pain and our application of acupuncture.

Pamela Boxx
EJOM Vol. 2 No. 4

As a consultant obstetrician and TMC acupuncturist, Boxx conducted a trial into the use of acupuncture analgesia during labour. The results were generally very favourable with patients expected to need pethidine or entonox getting by without either. Babies born to mothers using only acupuncture as an intrapartum analgesia mostly emerged 'howling lustily and in the pink'. The 'pros' and 'cons' of acupuncture during labour are discussed as are practical issues of justifying the acupuncturists presence in the delivery room.

Yi Zhen Jia
EJOM Vol. 2 No. 4

This article discusses the treatment of Bi Syndrome. Traditional herbal methods follow the principal of expelling the pathogenic factor. However in modern times the addition of herbs to invigorate blood and move qi has made these formulae much more effective. The herbs to invigorate blood are discussed and modern pharmacological research showing the reason for their success is considered. Translated by X Y Zhang

Tony Brewer
EJOM Vol. 2 No. 4

Brewer presents his personal view of changes in patterns of lower back pain presented over the last 25 years. It appears that the causes of lower back pain vary with the type of patient seen, for example Chinese in China may match the 'text book' models, however when working in western society this is clearly not the case. In fact much of the lower back pain presented is caused by retardation in the flow of qi rather than pathogenic factors. This leads to stiffness with the result that the muscle is more prone to spasm. Brewer presents a very clear list of signs and symptoms and discusses them from TCM and western physiology perspective. He describes thorough examination by palpation, the use of distal and local points and methods of needling.

Geoff Wadlow
EJOM Vol. 2 No. 2

Three cases of migraine are presented where the presenting conditions and the treatment approach of Chinese medicine are similar, but where the details surrounding a patient’s life can often explain why a treatment may not work rather than the prescription of points chosen.

Bob Flaws
EJOM Vol. 2 No. 2

In this article, the author presents functionally translated abstracts of a number of Chinese journal articles on the treatment of chronic and ulcerative colitis. Protocols include both orally administered decoctions and retention enemas.

Dr Huang Xing Yi
EJOM Vol. 2 No. 2

This article discusses the acupuncture treatment of 3 different cases of hysterical disease, where patients suffer from real and often severe symptoms for which no organic pathology has been found. Translated by Tom Dey.

Alan Rouse
EJOM Vol. 2 No. 1

Two cases of herpes zoster are described and their treatment with acupuncture and adjunctive therapies discussed.
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Marian Fixler
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 6

Marian Fixler, an acupuncturist at the London Lighthouse, who is involved with the Immune Development Trust, reports on the conference, at Columbia University, New York which was sponsored by HIV/AIDS organisations and clinics of Chinese medicine serving the HIV population across the USA. The report covers the different workshops relating to AIDS treatment and reports on the various treatments and research being carried out.

Dr Fan Yongping
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 5

Dr Fan Yongping writes of 62 cases of children's fever that he treated successfully with the Chai Qin Tang formula of herbs. He describes how the formula mediates the shao yang channel, expelling exogenous factors such as cold and removing endogenous heat. His treatment brought down fever quickly, making a relapse unlikely. Translated by Mr Xy Zhang.

Professor Shi Zaixiang and Dr Xu Chunhong
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 5

Professor Shi Zaixiang, chief consultant for heart and kidney disease at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and Dr Xu Chunhong, of the Chinese Medical Department of the Shihu Hospital Liaoning, use two contrasting cases of headache and neck stiffness to illustrate the Zhang Zhongjing treatment strategies in the Shanghan lun (Discussion of Cold Damage) and the Jingui yaolui (Synopsis of Prescriptions from the Golden Casket) and give appropriate herbal formulae. Translated by Volker Scheid.

Guo Zhiqiang
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 5

Guo Zhiqiang, professor of Chinese Medicine at Beijing University and president of Gynecologic Teaching Room of Dangzhimen Hospital, explains the various reasons for infertility in both men and women, and gives his recommended formulae for the treatment of specific problems. Seven different clinical patterns are discussed.

Hao Zhen and Wang Engui
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 5

Hao Zhen and Wang Engui, of the Department of Paediatrics at the Affiliated Hospital of Beijing College of Acu-moxibustion and Orthopaedics, discuss their treament, which combines tuina (massotherapy) and herbal medicine. They illustrate points on the hand which are massaged to stimulate spleen and stomach activity and give their herbal treatments for specific problems. Translated by Chao Baixiao.

Ken Lloyd
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 4

The Immune Development Trust was set up in the late 1980s to promote, preserve and protect the good physical and mental health of the public, particularly in relation to immune related conditions such as ME. HIV and AIDS. The author, one of the founders of the IDT, describes the ethos of the organisation, and the services it offers to both its practitioners and clients with particular reference to Chinese medicine. The article concludes with a brief outline of three cases treated at the IDT clinic, the first an HIV-positive man suffering from an acute herpes simplex infection, the second an HIV-positive woman suffering from chronic insomnia. The final case involves an HIV-positive man suffering from acute dysentery caused by endamoeba histolytica.

Seung Cheong-Wong
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 4

93 patients were selected for treatment by either direct moxibustion (65 cases of arthritis, all presenting with yang deficient symptoms and signs) or indirect moxibustion (28 cases suffering from multi-neuritis, all of whom were also diagnosed as yang deficient). Cellular immune function was assessed before and after. The results suggest that treatment with moxibustion has a modulatory effect on immune function.

Bob Flaws 
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 4

The author takes issue with some of the statements on allergic asthma made by Giovanni Maciocia in EJOM Vol 1, No 3. The author's argument is based on a translation of a recent Chinese journal article on the treatment of paediatric eczema. In particular the author suggests that Giovanni, in the creation of his theory on allergic asthma, has not paid enough attention to Li Dong-Yuan's concept of yin fire and to modern western notions of candidiasis as it relates to allergic conditions. The author ends by describing the most common internal Chinese medicine formulas he uses in the treatment of allergic asthma in both children and adults.

Gretchen De Soriano
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 4

A short retrospective pilot study shows that ME follows the pattern described in the Shang Han Lun, a traditional Chinese medical text. The Shang Han Lun describes the symptom patterns and treatment for acute diseases using diagnostic techniques based on the six divisions, while its sequel, the Jin Gui Yao Lue, describes those for chronic disease using diagnostic techniques based on the three substances.The article suggests that significant understanding towards relief from the suffering of ME can be achieved using these Kanpo diagnostic techniques which are explained using modern Japanese commentaries on the original text.

John Tindall
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 3

The Gateway Clinic has five levels of approach to sufferers of drug abuse, HIV or AIDS. Relaxation and outreach starts a detoxification programme. A general balancing of the patterns of ill health presented follows this. Level 3 looks at specific procedures for acute episodes that invariably characterise the conditions. At the fourth level difficult patterns are dealt with - infections, complications, a variety of medical conditions. Level 5 involves the practice of qi gong. All levels depend on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) analysis. The aim is to create optimum levels of health, physically, mentally and spiritually, regardless of the stage at which the client might present.
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Anonymous
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 3

A short article from a sufferer of ME who writes about their experience of acupuncture and the belief that it provides one of the very few forms of treatment that genuinely facilitates the healing process.

Sandra Hill
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 3

Medical tests show no positive results. Patients are not believed. It is all in the mind. Acupuncture procedures are slow but effective. A learning process for practitioners and patients alike.

Giovanni Maciocia
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 3

A chapter from the author's book The Practice of Chinese Medicine deals with early onset asthma especially in children and young adults. The connections and differences between Xiao-Chuan (wheezing-breathlessness) and allergic asthma follow pathology and aetiology of allergic asthma in western medicine. The chapter concludes with a new theory of allergic asthma in Chinese medicine.

Hugh MacPherson and Richard Blackwell
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 3

This review article has three sections. The introduction looks at the western medical understanding of RA and identifies a role for Chinese medicine. There follows a critique of a number of controlled trials and studies. The final section considers Chinese medicine in clinical practice, its approach to treatment and patient management.

Anonymous
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 3

An example of an AIDS patient who 'came back' from a severe state of illness and distress.

Oran Kivity
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 3

An approach to catastrophic illnesses, diseases which are more than life threatening, they are life overturning. Self-empowerment is as important as the relief of symptoms. Such illnesses can be a powerful catalyst for positive change.

Richard James
EJOM Vol. 1 No. 1

Discussion of the nature of meridians is followed by the results of the author's research into the coincidence of various linear rashes in conditions such as eczema and psoriasis and the pathways of the channels.