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The Treatment of Acute Ankle Sprain with Acupuncture

Author: John Kelly

This article presents a clinical approach to the acupuncture treatment of an extremely common injury: acute ankle sprain. Case histories from the author's sports medicine clinical practice are included to illustrate the theory and show the immediate results that can be obtained through proper treatment - which are especially important in cases where sportspeople require a rapid return to competition.

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Supportive Care for Cancer Patients During and After Chemotherapy Treatment

Author: Butch Levy

Chinese medicine can help cancer patients go through chemotherapy by effectively reducing the various side effects of treatment and enhancing quality of life. This article offers an introduction to the author's four-phase approach to cancer support, which is based on the stages that cancer patients typically go through during and after chemotherapy, each of which requires a specific approach to treatment and specific lifestyle advice.

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The Clinical Application of Gui Pi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction) in the Treatment of Skin Conditions

Author: Yizhen Jia

Gui Pi Tang 歸脾湯 (Restore the Spleen Decoction) is a well-known herbal formula for strengthening Spleen qi, nourishing Heart blood and calming the shen. It is frequently used to treat shen 神 (spirit)-type disorders such as insomnia, anxiety, palpitations and depression, as well as fatigue, menstrual disorders and digestive issues. However, if the appropriate signs and symptoms are present, Gui Pi Tang can be effective for a wide variety of other conditions. This article documents the clinical application of Gui Pi Tang to dermatological conditions by presenting three clinical cases of eczema, alopecia and herpes simplex.

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The Classical Roots and Clinical Application of the Saam Acupuncture Tradition

Author: Toby Daly

This is an introduction to the Chinese medical theory and classical text excerpts that underpin the Saam Korean monastic acupuncture tradition. The potential benefits and risks of utilising the tradition are discussed, and a case study illustrates the practical clinical application of the tradition.

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Abdominal Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Case Study

Author: Claudia Lorenz

This case history demonstrates the successful use of abdominal acupuncture to treat a patient with a long history of chronic low back pain. The immediate analgesic effect of the treatment was a great surprise to the patient, who had suffered from constant pain for many decades and was now pain-free for the first time. In situations where general acupuncture on the low back has been ineffective for cLBP, abdominal acupuncture treatment should be considered. This treatment, based on the methods of Dr. Bo Zhiyun, follows the traditional Chinese medicine principles of 'treating the back from the abdomen' and 'regulating yin to treat yang'.

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Fortune and the Pulse: Pulse Physiognomy in Mid and Late Imperial China

Author: Xing Wang

This paper explores pulse physiognomy in mid and late imperial China and looks at how the traditional Chinese medical knowledge of pulses and bodily channels is systematically used for mantic practices. The pulse is perceived in these medical/mantic texts as a cosmic and numerological phenomenon, and such an understanding of the pulse is the foundation for this medical divination technique. Pulse physiognomy shows the multiple nature of medical knowledge in the traditional Chinese context and the cosmological understanding of medicine and human physiology.

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Acupuncture for the Treatment of Lisinopril- Associated Diarrhoea: Case Report

Author: Michaela Falkner, Yong Deng & Jeffrey Langland

Up to 60 to 70 million Americans experience gastrointestinal distress, with a substantial portion of that associated with pharmaceutical drug side-effects. Acupuncture therapy has been shown to regulate the gastrointestinal system by both up- and down-regulation of motility, inducing the production of gastric secretions, and stimulating neuronal activity. Acupuncture offers powerful treatment options for gastrointestinal distress with minimal side-effects and has previously been utilised as an adjunct treatment for HIV retroviral therapy-induced diarrhoea. This case study illustrates the beneficial use of acupuncture for the treatment of lisinopril-associated diarrhoea.

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The Transformative Power of Deep, Slow Breathing

Author: Peter Deadman

Slow, deep, lower abdominal breathing – for millennia a mainstay of Asian internal cultivation practices – is a powerful tool for healing and transformation. A wide range of emotional and physical problems can be helped by slow breathing and in the clinic it can be easily taught to patients - both while lying on the couch and as home practice. For practitioners it is a tool to deepen into calm, centred and intuitive states that will enhance our interactions with patients. For all of us, the growing understanding of the physiology behind deep breathing offers a wonderful insight into the interplay of yin and yang in every aspect of our lives. This article examines the traditional Chinese medical and self-cultivation perspective on breathing, describes a simple breathing practice suitable for teaching to patients, delves into some of the burgeoning science behind breath regulation, and gives an overview of research on the use of breathing practice for the treatment of mental and physical disorders.

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The Importance of Clearing Blocks Prior to Facial Acupuncture Treatment

Author: Michelle Gellis

Rooted in traditional acupuncture theory, the method of clearing blocks before initiating further treatment is essential to facial acupuncture. A block is defined as a break in, or impediment to, the smooth flow of qi through the body. Blocks can prevent facial acupuncture treatment from being effective, and unless cleared can mean treatment can aggravate patients' symptoms. This article covers the theory, diagnosis and treatment of blocks as practised in the five element style of acupuncture, and discusses the importance of clearing these blocks in order for facial acupuncture to be safe and effective. Also included is a discussion of the feedback mechanism between our emotions, facial expressions and internal organs, and why clearing blocks is vital to this mutual exchange.

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