Category Archives: Acupuncture

Try a Different Approach to Asthma

Asthma2Asthma makes breathing difficult for more than 34 million Americans. . Asthma in children is also on the rise, but with proper treatment for symptoms kids and adults can live well. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can be powerful allies in the management of asthma, and they work well in conjunction with other types of treatment.

The Truth About Asthma

Asthma is an inflammatory disease in which the airways become blocked or narrowed, causing symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. Some people have long periods without symptoms, while others may always experience difficulty breathing. Asthma attacks occur when something triggers the inflammation of the respiratory system. Flare ups can be severe—sometimes even life-threatening.

Teamwork for Health

It is important to remember that you are a key part of controlling your asthma. Here are a few ways you can take an active part in your treatment:

  • Try keeping an asthma diary to track your specific asthma triggers.
  • Be sure to keep all of your health care providers fully informed. This includes talking to them about any medications or herbs you may be taking, as well as any changes in your symptoms.
  • Follow your practitioner’s recommendations for self-care. These might include exercises such as Qi Gong, yoga, dietary changes, or stress-relief measures such as meditation.

By making positive lifestyle choices and working closely with your practitioner, you’ll truly be taking charge of your asthma and your life.

What can cause an Asthma attack? The attacks are generally prompted by many things, including:

  • A cold, flu, bronchitis, or sinus infection
  • Allergens including dust mites, tree and grass pollen, mold, and animal dander
  • Irritants that include tobacco smoke, strong fragrances, and air pollution
  • Certain foods and food additives
  • Aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Strenuous exercise
  • Changes in weather
  • Strong emotions such as anxiety, stress, grief and anger

Generally, the available approach of asthma treatment is to try and prevent attacks. This is usually done with regular use of anti-inflammatory medications, inhaled steroids and leukotriene inhibitors. Once an asthma attack is underway, quick-acting medications like corticosteroids may be able to relieve it.

Most of these medications can cause side effects such as nausea, headaches, muscle tremors, and insomnia. However, many people have found that acupuncture treatment may help reduce asthma attacks, improve lung function, and even lower the amount of medication needed.

A Whole Body approach to Asthma

In TCM, asthma is known as “Xiao Chuan”, which means “wheezing” and “shortness of breath”. It is caused by a variety of factors that involve an imbalance with Wei Qi (pronounced “way chee”), and an imbalance with one or more of the organ systems, generally the Lungs, Spleen or Kidney.

Asthma according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) goes beyond a simple diagnosis of “asthma”.

Below are some of the more common TCM diagnoses that your acupuncturist may discover and treat.

  • Invasion of Wind
  • Lung weakness
  • Kidney weakness
  • Spleen weakness
  • Liver imbalance
  • Liver Heat
  • Wei Qi deficiency
  • Phlegm/damp in the Lungs

An acupuncturist will take a holistic, or whole-body approach in order to determine what areas of the body are affected and out-of-balance and contributing to the attacks.

Since acupuncture and TCM take into account your overall well-being, your practitioner may also address other issues that may be contributing to your asthma, such as exercise, diet and stress. Acupuncture is a safe, effective, and pain-free approach to many conditions, and you may find that your overall health improves along with your asthma symptoms.

Dr. Jay Sordean and The Redwood Clinic in Berkeley, California can help manage your asthma. Call us at today (510) 849-1176 to set up a consultation.

Pain Relief for Fibromyalgia

FibromyalgiaThe pain of fibromyalgia can be felt worldwide. Recent reports suggest that fibromyalgia affects about hundreds of millions with a greater prevalence among women. People diagnosed with fibromyalgia experience a wide range of symptoms, including fatigue, pain, stiffness, aches, headaches and muscle tenderness. Sleep disorders and digestive problems may also occur.

One of the diagnostic test used to confirm fibromyalgia is when eleven out of eighteen specific points on the body are painful on application of gentle pressure. Quite interestingly, many of these painful points closely correspond to the location of ancient acupuncture points.

How Does Acupuncture And Chinese Medicine Help.

According to the theories of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, an imbalance in the flow of Qi can create symptoms and signs that reflect a Western diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Qi (pronounced “chee”) is the vital energy that animates and supports the functions of the body. It flows through specific pathways, called meridians, and provides nourishment for the entire body.

When Qi is abundant and freely circulating throughout the body, there is health and pain-free living. When Qi becomes “blocked,” or the supply is inadequate, pain, stiffness

and other symptoms related to fibromyalgia can appear.

Can Acupuncture Help?

An acupuncturist will take a complete health history in order to find out where Qi has become blocked, and/or why the amount of Qi within the body has changed. He or she will then develop a treatment plan tailored to address the meridian pathways that are out of balance. The goal of such a plan will be to eliminate visible symptoms, while addressing the root cause(s) and underlying imbalances.

What Is Out of Balance?

The body constantly strives to maintain a healthy balance of Qi traveling through the meridian pathways. When the flow of Qi has been disrupted, or the supply of Qi has changed, the body becomes unbalanced and the meridians cannot properly nourish the body. This is when signs and symptoms appear.

Most cases of fibromyalgia fit into the Chinese diagnosis of a Liver, Spleen, and/or Heart disharmony. This does not mean that these organs have a problem, it means that the functions of these organ/meridian pathways according to Chinese medical diagnosis are out of balance.

  • Liver: The functions related to the Liver organ, according to Chinese medicine, are to control the smooth flow of blood, Qi, and emotions and to nourish the tendons. When the Liver meridian becomes blocked there will be an inadequate supply of blood and Qi flowing throughout the body. The tendons and muscles will not be properly nourished, leading to stiffness and pain. Other symptoms of a blocked Liver are depression, anger, anxiety, and insomnia. A Liver imbalance may be caused by improper diet, stress, deep, unexpressed anger, drugs, and alcohol.
  • Spleen: The Chinese function of the Spleen is to transform the food that we ingest into Qi and blood. The health of the Spleen is affected by diet, over-concentration, and worry. An unbalanced Spleen can result in fatigue, digestive troubles, muscle stiffness, and pain.
  • Heart: When there is an insufficient amount of Qi and blood produced by the Spleen, the Heart organ will be affected. The role of the Heart is to pump blood throughout the body. It is also considered to be the home of the Spirit. If the Spleen cannot generate enough blood to nourish the Heart, the Heart Qi does not have enough control to properly house the Spirit. Symptoms can include anxiety, palpitations, insomnia, and emotional unrest.

A study conducted in 2010, suggests that acupuncture treatment is effective in relieving pain and improving quality of life for fibromyalgia patients. Not only can Acupuncture treat the pain and discomfort, but it can also address the underlying problems that have caused the imbalance. In other research, subjects who received acupuncture experienced an overall improvement in fatigue, anxiety and the hypersensitivity associated with fibromyalgia.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can provide a safe alternative in the effective treatment of fibromyalgia. Along with acupuncture, natural herbal formulas, dietary recommendations and calming exercises can also help promote balance and health.

Dr. Jay Sordean and The Redwood Clinic in Berkeley, California can help you cope with fibromyalgia. Call us at today (510) 849-1176 to set up a consultation.

Help Rejuvenate Your Image

ImageCan Acupuncture Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) provide a safe, effective, natural, and drug-free approach to reducing the signs of aging? Yes! Facial rejuvenation using this ancient technique can improve muscle tone of the face and neck while addressing underlying imbalances that may have contributed to the aging process.

Why Does Our Skin Show Our Age?

According to TCM, wrinkles begin internally from a constitutional imbalance and fundamental weakness of Qi (pronounced “chee”). Qi circulates throughout the body within a series of pathways called meridians. Flowing through these pathways, Qi provides nourishment, support, and energy to every cell, tissue, muscle, and organ.

As we get older it becomes more difficult for Qi to flow upwards to “lift” the face. This leads to inadequate muscle tone, and over time, wrinkles and sagging skin. A variety of factors can contribute to this—poor diet, digestion and circulation, or emotional and environmental stresses.

Enjoy The Lift!

A facial rejuvenation using acupuncture, tightens pores, improves muscle tone and dermal contraction, while enhancing and increasing the elasticity of the skin. Acupuncture can reduce signs of aging by strengthening and stimulating the circulation of Qi within the meridian pathways, especially those of the face. You will look and feel more energetic, calm, vibrant and healthy.

Acupuncture treatments may be combined with herbal supplements, exercise and acupressure in order to maximize results.

Facial rejuvenation with acupuncture and TCM is virtually painless, and a non-surgical method to reduce the signs of aging. Before using drugs or surgery to improve appearance, consider acupuncture. It is an effective, natural, safe, drug free and painless alternative. It helps your whole body to look and feel younger.

Helpful Hints for Home:

  • Herbal poultice—Thoroughly clean face. Make a poultice using equal parts of ground organic almonds, lavender and rose flowers, ground flax seeds, and oats. Add water and French clay, and stir into a thick paste. Apply to the face, avoiding the eyes, and let dry. Wash off after 15-20 minutes.
  • Stay hydrated— drink plenty of fresh spring water. This can keep the muscles and skin hydrated to prevent drying.
  • Self Massage— Gently massage the face.
  • Exercise— Walk at least 20 minutes a day, and remember to breathe deeply.

Dr. Jay Sordean and The Redwood Clinic in Berkeley, California can help rejuvinate your image. Call us at today (510) 849-1176 to set up a consultation.

See How Acupuncture Can Help You Fight Depression!

DepressionWorldwide millions of people suffer every day with depression and the debilitating effects that is has on themselves and their loved ones. The prolonged feelings of sadness, discouragement and hopelessness greatly affect the quality of life. Unfortunately the various medications used in treating depression often leave a multitude of new symptoms.

At one time or another, most of us have experienced some form of depression. It is a healthy response to events in our lives that seem overwhelming. When we are balanced, physically and emotionally, we can easily bounce back from a depressed state and move on with our lives. When negative feelings and emotions become constant and continual, depression may set in.

The Journal of Affective Disorders in 2010 reviewed 207 clinical studies conducted on the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating depressive disorders. According to this, the efficacy of acupuncture was comparable to antidepressants alone in improving clinical response and alleviating symptom severity of Major Depressive Disorder. Additionally, the incidence of side adverse reactions in acupuncture treatment was significantly lower than that of antidepressants.

Helping Depression by Acupuncture

With the incorporating thousands of years of experience, Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are able to help in treating depression. Not only can they help to alleviate the signs and symptoms accompanying depression, but they can address the root cause(s) and underlying imbalances that have contributed to the problem, safely and naturally.

Acupuncturists are aware of the powerful interaction between our body and our emotions, and that the two are interwoven. When we experience emotional upset, our physiological state may become disrupted. Likewise, when we experience physical problems, our emotions can become greatly affected.

How to Regain Balance?

As time passes this disruption leads to what an acupuncturist calls “stagnant” or “depressed” Qi, (pronounced “chee”) or vital energy. Qi is a concept unique to the theories and principles of TCM. According to these theories, Qi is the vital energy that animates the body and protects it from illness and pain. Qi flows through the body in pathways called meridians. When Qi becomes stagnant or depressed, physical and/or emotional symptoms may affect our physical and emotional well-being, i.e. depression. Practitioners of acupuncture and TCM are specifically trained to detect and correct the balance and movement of Qi within the human body. Treatments are focused on balancing and activating the Qi by manipulating corresponding points on the body.

What to Expect

If you choose to go the safe and natural treatment of acupuncture, this what you may expect.

The acupuncturist will take a complete health history in order to find out where, why, and how Qi has become stagnant or depressed. After the full consultation, they will develop a specific treatment plan tailored to the individual´s symptoms and signs.

The goals of such a plan will be to activate the movement of Qi throughout the entire body, as well as to address the root cause(s) and underlying imbalances. By treating the body as a whole and unique organism, your acupuncturist will support you in your recovery from illness and disease, moving you toward health and happiness. Maximum benefits and long lasting results can be found when following the entire course required for the body to heal.

Helpful Tools to Fight Against Depression:

  • Surround yourself with people whom you trust to provide objective and unbiased input and insight. Develop a support network of friends, loved ones, family, or co-workers who can lend an ear and listen.
  • Breathe, relax, and think things through. Do not make many life changes all at once. Small and Steady.
  • Take a daily walk of approximately twenty minutes.
  • Please remember, you are not alone. Others are having similar experiences.
  • Most of All – Smile.

Dr. Jay Sordean and The Redwood Clinic in Berkeley, California can help alleviate your depression. Call us at today (510) 849-1176 to set up a consultation.