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.
Lurking Evil - Changes That Happen When You Treat Children
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.
Acupuncture Detoxification (AcuDetox) Treatments in Addiction Settings
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.
Male Uro-Genital Diseases: Prostatitis, Testicular Problems and Erectile Dysfunction
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. Read the whole article
Modern Silver: The Effect of Acupuncture on Chronic Soft Tissue Lesions in the Lower Back
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.
Male Infertility: Clinical Treatments of 248 Cases
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.
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.
Falling Pregnant While Fending off Menopause and Cajoling Ovaries
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. Read the whole article
Women's Cycles: Two Case Studies
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.
The Hurts, the Angst, the Blues: The Tangle of Pain, Emotion and Psychopathology
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.
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. Read the whole article
Acupuncture and the Management of Chronic Pain
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.
Formula and Experience - Acupuncture and Chronic Pain: A Critical Reflection
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.
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.
The Function of Invigorating Blood and Transforming Blood Stasis in the Treatment of Bi Syndrome
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
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.
Three Cases of Migraine: Similarities and Particularities
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.
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.
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.
Innovations in the Treatment of Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
Alan Rouse EJOM Vol. 2 No. 1
Two cases of herpes zoster are described and their treatment with acupuncture and adjunctive therapies discussed. Read the whole article
A Report on the 3rd International Conference on HIV/AIDS and Chinese Medicine
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.
62 Cases of Children's Fever Treated with Chai Qin Tang
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.
2 Cases of Headache & Neck Stiffness Treated by Employing Zhang Zhongjing's Pattern Differentiation
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, 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.
Tuina and Chinese Herbal Medicine in the Treatment of Childhood Anorexia
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.
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.
Human Immune Activity in Arthritis and Multi-Neuritis Treated by Different Moxibustion Methods
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.
Thoughts on Paediatric Eczema as an Allergic Disease and its Relationship to Yin Fire
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.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) - A Japanese Perspective: Some Conclusions from a Pilot Study
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.
The Gateway Clinic Experience: The Treatment of HIV and AIDS using TCM
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. Read the article as a PDF file (562Kb)
A Patient's Viewpoint: Acupuncture and the Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
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.
The Superwoman and the Victim: A Discussion of Two Cases of ME
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.
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.
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.
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.
