Features & Articles in this issue
The Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer with Constitutional Conditional Acupuncture
Author: Peter Eckman
Constitutional Conditional Acupuncture (CCA) is a novel style of acupuncture based on traditional Chinese, Korean and Indian medical texts and practices. While effective in the treatment of a broad range of health conditions, it appears to be remarkably useful in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer - treating the illness itself in addition to relieving the presenting symptoms and the side-effects of orthodox medical treatment. This article presents protocols for treating cancer on the basis of constitutional diagnosis, and describes a pulse diagnostic signal that correlates with metastatic activity. The encouraging results of a pilot study of ten cases from the clinical practice of the author are reported.
Buy this article (free for JCM subscribers)
Twenty Years of Nèijīng Research: What Has Been Learned? Part 1. Background and Principles
Author: Edward Neal
By the 1980s, a majority of early Chinese texts had been placed on computer databases. This undertaking allowed new, potentially paradigm-shifting, approaches to classical text research. While the full potential of this research has yet to be realised, information discovered to date significantly alters our picture of the early practices and theories of Chinese medicine and presents a wide-ranging collection of new research and clinical opportunities to be explored. This information has the potential to change the way Chinese medicine is understood, taught and practised in significant ways. As such, it affirms the profession by providing new challenges and opportunities, and at the same time presents unique challenges by requiring the reevaluation of core concepts. Part one of this article reviews work done over the past 20 years on the Huángdì nèijīng and presents some of the findings discovered using these research approaches. Part two will review the clinical methods that have been developed from this research.
Buy this article (free for JCM subscribers)
Treating the Psoas Muscle Using Electroacupuncture
Author: Stephen Lee
Musculoskeletal pain is one of the conditions most commonly encountered in clinical practice. This often occurs in the lower back and can be successfully addressed by treating the affected muscles directly. However the psoas muscles are often overlooked because of their location and the consequent difficulty in treating them. This article outlines how the psoas can be effectively treated using electroacupuncture.
Buy this article (free for JCM subscribers)
The Top Five Clinical Tips for Treating Male Infertility with Chinese Medicine
Author: Olivia Pojer
On average one out of six European couples experience infertility, which is defined as one year of unsuccessfully trying to conceive while having frequent intercourse. Looking at the reasons for unfulfilled parenthood, approximately 50 per cent are due to female pathology and 50 per cent are due to male issues. However, society as well as medicine (both Western and Eastern) tends to focus on treating the female side of childless couples. Since the percentage of male factor infertility is the same as that for female infertility, treatment of the male partner is under-represented. On top of this, male factor plays an important role in early pregnancy loss and should be treated in order to prevent miscarriage. This article explains the importance of treating the male partner of the infertile couple and offers tips for clinical success.
Buy this article (free for JCM subscribers)
Professor Huang Huang’s Clinical Application of Da Chai Hu Tang He Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan (Major Bupleurum Decoction combined with Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill)
Author: Lim Shin Mun
The clinical use of the formula Da Chai Hu Tang He Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan (大柴胡汤合桂枝茯苓丸, Major Bupleurum Decoction combined with Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill), although unusual in the past, has become more and more frequent in recent years. The following article is based on research together with clinical observation of Professor Huang Huang (黄煌教授) in Nanjing, China. The objective of this article is to present the formula presentation (方证) of Da Chai Hu Tang He Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan in order to define the characteristics of the typical patient for whom it is prescribed, the spectrum of diseases it can treat and the typical symptoms for which it is indicated, thereby improving safety and effectiveness of treatment.
Buy this article (free for JCM subscribers)
Acupuncture for Menopause: Evidence Summary
Author: Natalie Chandra Saunders and Katherine Berry
Menopause is associated with an array of symptoms that range in severity from mild to debilitating. Furthermore, post-menopausal women are at increased risk of a variety of chronic health conditions. This article is a review of the current evidence for some of the most common of these issues, including hot flushes, depression and anxiety, insomnia, osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome and cognitive decline.
Buy this article (free for JCM subscribers)
The Unique Aspects of Diagnosing and Treating the Face in Chinese Medicine
Author: Michelle Gellis
The human face is unique. The anatomy of the face and the diseases to which it is susceptible set it apart from the rest of the body. Needling acupuncture points on the face is often regarded merely as a way to bring qi to the area to treat a local issue such as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction or sinus congestion. In fact, needling the face can bring forth global changes, initiating emotional, physical and spiritual healing that cannot always be accomplished through body points. The face holds tremendous wisdom and innate gifts that can be actualised through diagnosis and treatment. As acupuncturists, it is crucial that we are aware of the inimitable aspects of this microcosm of the self. However, needling the face poses challenges due to its heavily vascularised anatomy, relatively dense innervation and delicate and complex muscularisation. This paper will elaborate on many of the unique facets of diagnosis and acupuncture treatment of the face.
Buy this article (free for JCM subscribers)
Guidelines for Patient-Practitioner Contact and TCM Management in Post-COVID Syndromes (free sample article)
Author: Dan Jiang
COVID-19 is an infectious disease that has been spreading throughout the world since the beginning of 2020, becoming a pandemic. As reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), by 10th January 2021 the disease had spread to more than 200 countries, infecting more than 88 million people and claiming nearly two million lives. These figures are increasing daily. In the UK at the time of going to print, there have been more than three million cases, more than 80 thousand confirmed deaths and more than 50 thousand people are infected daily. With such a large number of cases, post-COVID syndromes are also emerging, where patients who recover from the disease - with or without undergoing medical treatment - still suffer symptoms, some of which are serious and could affect them for the rest of their lives. Traditional Chinese medicine can offer significant help. In this article I discuss some of the presentations of post-COVID syndrome that I have treated: reduced lung function, gastrointestinal tract dysfunction, psychiatric disorders, post-viral chronic fatigue syndrome and chronic inflammation of the sexual organs; I describe how they were managed with Chinese herbal medicine alone, as the cases were seen during the first UK lockdown when clinics had to close to face-to-face consultations. Traditional Chinese medicine, whenever possible with the full spectrum of its treating modalities, can play an important role in the treatment of post-COVID syndromes.
This issue's free sample article
Treating Psoriasis with Chinese Herbal Medicine by Sabine Schmitz
Deepening Perspectives on Chinese Medicine by Lonny Jarrett
Receive our beautifully printed journal on your doorstep three times a year in February, June and October and get 24/7 access to our vast digital archive of back content.
