This is what the patient has to say:
"After enduring over 12 months of chronic pain, and experiencing a severely reduced amount of range of motion with a torn rotator cuff, Josh Zimmer has produced amazing results within only seven weeks and eight treatments. By utilizing Tuina massage, acupuncture, and electro-acupuncture, he has reduced my chronic pain from the previous continual level of a "7", down to a "2." I actually go through whole days without any pain in the affected arm. I have also achieved almost 80% of a full range of motion.
"As an avid yoga enthusiast, golfer, and arm-weight lifter, I look forward to the remaining treatments that I know will restore my full range of motion and alleviate my pain. Josh also took the time to investigate the myriad reasons for this injury and suggested exercises that went beyond my physical therapy routine of several months ago. I also found the acupuncture treatments helpful in relieving stress and I noticed I enjoyed a more sound sleep. I commend Josh Zimmer at Harmony Health for his dedication in finding relief for my health crisis and my chronic pain management."
C.H. Sarasota, FL
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Rotator Cuff Problems - Try This First
Don't accept an underperforming rotator cuff as a fact of life.
There's a lot that Chinese Medicine can do to restore your motion and sense of independence. My recent experience with an active, healthy 48-year-old female patient is a case in point.
This patient hurt her shoulder last year while sailing. She's still not sure how - or why - it happened. But like a lot of people who suffer unpredictable motion injuries, she was enjoying life one minute and all of a sudden found herself in excruciating pain. Over the coming months, the problem in her right shoulder didn't get any better. Everyday tasks like putting on a bra and shaving her underarms became unwelcome challenges. A natural righty, she began using her left arm in new ways. She had no choice.
Coincidentally, she said many women suffer from rotator cuff issues. Maybe she's hit on something that deserves a further look.
The rotator cuff consists of four muscles, commonly referred to as "SITS". They are the:
Supraspinalus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
Together, they connect the shoulder bones, form a shield around them and enable joint movement. Problems in this muscle group make regular movements difficult and painful, such as placing one's hand behind their back, moving one's arm to the side and raising it above parallel and crossing one's upper chest with full extension.
In a world of pain killers, surgery, physical therapy and chiropracty, what can Chinese Medicine do then?
The answer is a lot.
I began by checking this patient's range of motion, which was severely restricted - not just in the shoulder joint but in the shoulder and neck muscles, as well. So there was an obvious connection between all the muscle groups in that area. It immediately told me that massage would be key to breaking through all the tightness and stagnation that had built up over time. I already knew acupuncture would help loosen up all aspects of the joint by improving blood circulation, reducing inflammation and lowering the pain threshhold through the release of natural opioids that I felt optimistic about improving her condition in a major way.
That's what happened in fairly rapid fashion.
Over 6-8 weeks, we managed to improve her range of motion and decrease her pain. Sometimes I added electro-acupuncture and moxibustion to the treatments. Now she believes her overall function is up to 80%. That's still not 100%, but she's patient enough to see just how much better she can get. Already, life has changed for the better. She feels more like her old self and is more optimistic.
That's what chronic pain does to people. It chips away at their happiness.
The good news is there's no reason these techniques, with minor variations, can't work for a wide variety of shoulder issues.
There's a lot that Chinese Medicine can do to restore your motion and sense of independence. My recent experience with an active, healthy 48-year-old female patient is a case in point.
This patient hurt her shoulder last year while sailing. She's still not sure how - or why - it happened. But like a lot of people who suffer unpredictable motion injuries, she was enjoying life one minute and all of a sudden found herself in excruciating pain. Over the coming months, the problem in her right shoulder didn't get any better. Everyday tasks like putting on a bra and shaving her underarms became unwelcome challenges. A natural righty, she began using her left arm in new ways. She had no choice.
Coincidentally, she said many women suffer from rotator cuff issues. Maybe she's hit on something that deserves a further look.
The rotator cuff consists of four muscles, commonly referred to as "SITS". They are the:
Supraspinalus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
Together, they connect the shoulder bones, form a shield around them and enable joint movement. Problems in this muscle group make regular movements difficult and painful, such as placing one's hand behind their back, moving one's arm to the side and raising it above parallel and crossing one's upper chest with full extension.
In a world of pain killers, surgery, physical therapy and chiropracty, what can Chinese Medicine do then?
The answer is a lot.
I began by checking this patient's range of motion, which was severely restricted - not just in the shoulder joint but in the shoulder and neck muscles, as well. So there was an obvious connection between all the muscle groups in that area. It immediately told me that massage would be key to breaking through all the tightness and stagnation that had built up over time. I already knew acupuncture would help loosen up all aspects of the joint by improving blood circulation, reducing inflammation and lowering the pain threshhold through the release of natural opioids that I felt optimistic about improving her condition in a major way.
That's what happened in fairly rapid fashion.
Over 6-8 weeks, we managed to improve her range of motion and decrease her pain. Sometimes I added electro-acupuncture and moxibustion to the treatments. Now she believes her overall function is up to 80%. That's still not 100%, but she's patient enough to see just how much better she can get. Already, life has changed for the better. She feels more like her old self and is more optimistic.
That's what chronic pain does to people. It chips away at their happiness.
The good news is there's no reason these techniques, with minor variations, can't work for a wide variety of shoulder issues.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Mapping Acupuncture's Effects On The Brain
Just how does acupuncture work?
Modern brain imaging techniques are helping us understand the science behind this ancient practice.
The work, much of it out of Harvard University, involves a variety of technologies, including functional MRIs and Positron Emission Tomography. The results are considered the first step in determining why acupuncture is so effective.
An early - and logical - focus of this research is the nervous system, according to Vitaly Napadow, PhD. Napadow, a licensed acupuncturist and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, wrote about this hot field in a recent article for The American Acupuncturist, the official publication of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. I would be glad to e-mail copies of this fascinating article.
Studies, he says, show acupuncture acts upon many areas of the brain. Not surprisingly, it stimulates somatosensory regions that pertain to our ability to consciously sense and respond
to environmental stimuli. However, studies make clear that acupuncture stimulates unconscious parts of the brain located in the brain stem, limbic system and cerebellum.
Acupuncture - Chinese Medicine in general - attempts to bring balance and harmony to the body. A modern medical term for this homeostasis. The nervous system is responsible for maintaining homeostasis throughout the body by maintaining hormonal levels, gaseous diffusion, water balance and nutrient absorption.
Writes Napadow:
"From the very early days of acupuncuture research, the brain was a prime target of investigators ... Since acupuncture has been applied to many different disorders, it is tempting (and logical) to think that acupuncture somehow taps into an overarching system in the body, which holistically mediates and regulates proper homeostasis in all the body's different organs. Thus when disease subverts this homeostasis, acupuncture can be used to restore proper bodily function. From decades of scientific research, the leading (but, of course, not only) candidate for such an overarching system of homeostasis is in fact the nervous system, which permeates or influences every organ and tissue in our body."
[In the article, Napadow says some of the best acupuncture have been achieved when the needler obtains the "deqi" sensation. This is the Chinese term for the zone - the moment - in which the Qi is accessed through acupuncture. It's different in every person. The reluctance of many American students and practitioners to access a real Qi sensation for fear of scaring patients is a pet peeve of mine. We must be careful not to cause pain. This takes practice. But if we are using Qi to treat people we have to learn to activate it for maximum results.]
Napadow himself points out that this research may be purely academic if it is not somehow compared to real life clinical outcomes.
He seems to be saying that through technology we can learn how the brain responds to acupuncture. What's most important, however, is understanding how the patient responds to the acupuncture and how this knowledge can be used to achieve results.
"Unfortunately, the relationship of this brain response to clinical outcome measures has been less readily studied, an important questions future studies need to address," he writes.
On a promising note, he says preliminary studies are already looking at acupuncture's neurological impact on stroke, fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel syndrome patients.
Modern brain imaging techniques are helping us understand the science behind this ancient practice.
The work, much of it out of Harvard University, involves a variety of technologies, including functional MRIs and Positron Emission Tomography. The results are considered the first step in determining why acupuncture is so effective.
An early - and logical - focus of this research is the nervous system, according to Vitaly Napadow, PhD. Napadow, a licensed acupuncturist and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, wrote about this hot field in a recent article for The American Acupuncturist, the official publication of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. I would be glad to e-mail copies of this fascinating article.
Studies, he says, show acupuncture acts upon many areas of the brain. Not surprisingly, it stimulates somatosensory regions that pertain to our ability to consciously sense and respond
to environmental stimuli. However, studies make clear that acupuncture stimulates unconscious parts of the brain located in the brain stem, limbic system and cerebellum.
Acupuncture - Chinese Medicine in general - attempts to bring balance and harmony to the body. A modern medical term for this homeostasis. The nervous system is responsible for maintaining homeostasis throughout the body by maintaining hormonal levels, gaseous diffusion, water balance and nutrient absorption.
Writes Napadow:
"From the very early days of acupuncuture research, the brain was a prime target of investigators ... Since acupuncture has been applied to many different disorders, it is tempting (and logical) to think that acupuncture somehow taps into an overarching system in the body, which holistically mediates and regulates proper homeostasis in all the body's different organs. Thus when disease subverts this homeostasis, acupuncture can be used to restore proper bodily function. From decades of scientific research, the leading (but, of course, not only) candidate for such an overarching system of homeostasis is in fact the nervous system, which permeates or influences every organ and tissue in our body."
[In the article, Napadow says some of the best acupuncture have been achieved when the needler obtains the "deqi" sensation. This is the Chinese term for the zone - the moment - in which the Qi is accessed through acupuncture. It's different in every person. The reluctance of many American students and practitioners to access a real Qi sensation for fear of scaring patients is a pet peeve of mine. We must be careful not to cause pain. This takes practice. But if we are using Qi to treat people we have to learn to activate it for maximum results.]
Napadow himself points out that this research may be purely academic if it is not somehow compared to real life clinical outcomes.
He seems to be saying that through technology we can learn how the brain responds to acupuncture. What's most important, however, is understanding how the patient responds to the acupuncture and how this knowledge can be used to achieve results.
"Unfortunately, the relationship of this brain response to clinical outcome measures has been less readily studied, an important questions future studies need to address," he writes.
On a promising note, he says preliminary studies are already looking at acupuncture's neurological impact on stroke, fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel syndrome patients.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Knee Pain? Try This First ...
Knee pain is one of the most common complaints to send people to the doctor.
The most frequent response in our health system is to operate and/or medicate. Considering the costs involved, the percentage of unsuccessful surgeries and the way many people become hooked on pain killers, it's not necessarily the best way to go.
Think about effective alternatives first, such as physical therapy, proper exercise, changes in eating habits and the application of traditional Chinese Medicine techniques, such as acupuncture, herbs and massage.
The World Health Organization webiste lists knee pain on a long directory of conditions acupuncture has been shown to treat through clinical trials and experience [http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4926e/5.html]. Acupuncture, by stimulation of Qi and blood, improves circulation and reduces inflammation. This not only reduces joint pain but also puts the healing process in motion.
Healthy blood circulation is important for several reasons.
Bone is not static; like every other part of the body it requires a constant blood supply to grow, adapt and regenerate. Secondly, joints contain synovial fluid, a viscous substance that cushions these high-pressure areas and benefits from good blood flow.
Tuina is also effective at improving Qi and blood circulation. Developed over the centuries and inspired by martial artists who needed to repair their tired muscles and bones every day, tuina is a combination of bodywork techniques that have the ability to restore function to any part of the body.
Electro-acupuncture is another powerful tool. Herbal formulas can address underlying patterns that in many cases created the foundation for the knee problem. Licensed Acupuncturists certified in acupoint injections, as I am, can make effective use of anti-inflammatory homeopathics to reduce pain and increase function.
Either alone or in combination, acupuncture and other traditional modalities work on all kinds of knee issues, including:
sore bone
inflamed mensci and bursa
torn or stretched tendons and ligaments.
You also can help yourself by gearing exercise to your body's ability and eating a low-inflammatory diet. Try eating lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and water, while cutting down on processed foods and sugars.
If you've been overcompensating for years in response to structural issues, a good physical therapist can put your joints back into proper alignment.
Don't feel locked in to standard treatment for knee pain. Before going to the orthopedic surgeon or pain management doctor for your bad knee, give alternative medicine a try.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Open House
Thanks to everyone who made it to our open house last weekend.
We had a steady, happy bunch of people coming through the doors, taking advantage of the different practitioners we managed to bring together for the day. There was massage therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy and more. What people may have noticed for the first time is how versatile massage therapists are. Just ask the people who received foot scrubs and a restful nap on one of special guest Jim Gabriel's warm, crystal-laden mats. I'll vouch for it myself. Lying on that mat, perched upon a massage table, was the perfect end to a busy day.
Some stayed around longer than the usual open house. You could see them going from one treatment room to the next, including mine. Never underestimate the power of relaxation! We live overly stressful lives, often for no better reason than our go-go society doesn't allow our brains to rest. A busy head is a busy body. Stress throws off our hormones and neurotransmitters, as well our metabolism.
All in all, it's great to see so much interest in natural medicine. Modalities like massage and Chinese should not be considered "extras" but an integral part national health care system. The same holds for exercise systems, such as Qi Gong and Tai Qi. This is just scratching the surface. These techniques not only treat people when they're sick, but perhaps more importantly they are preventative. If we made a stronger committment to keeping people healthy we'd all be happier and have more money in our pockets.
We had a steady, happy bunch of people coming through the doors, taking advantage of the different practitioners we managed to bring together for the day. There was massage therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy and more. What people may have noticed for the first time is how versatile massage therapists are. Just ask the people who received foot scrubs and a restful nap on one of special guest Jim Gabriel's warm, crystal-laden mats. I'll vouch for it myself. Lying on that mat, perched upon a massage table, was the perfect end to a busy day.
Some stayed around longer than the usual open house. You could see them going from one treatment room to the next, including mine. Never underestimate the power of relaxation! We live overly stressful lives, often for no better reason than our go-go society doesn't allow our brains to rest. A busy head is a busy body. Stress throws off our hormones and neurotransmitters, as well our metabolism.
All in all, it's great to see so much interest in natural medicine. Modalities like massage and Chinese should not be considered "extras" but an integral part national health care system. The same holds for exercise systems, such as Qi Gong and Tai Qi. This is just scratching the surface. These techniques not only treat people when they're sick, but perhaps more importantly they are preventative. If we made a stronger committment to keeping people healthy we'd all be happier and have more money in our pockets.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Word of the Day
Normally I don't eat "raw". Just a lot of vegetables ... in cooked form most of the time.
Chinese Medicine doesn't do the raw food thing. Uncooked vegetables are considered cold in nature, which in turn cools the metabolism. In Chinese Medicine, you always need to guard your warmer Yang energy.
But for dinner tonight, I decided to give the raw menu a whirl. Polenta with a mushroom ragout seemed like a good option. Both are delicious.
When the plate arrived, there were a few extras - a salad, a slice of "pizza" and a couple of dark-brown felafel-sized pieces smothered in sauce over a bed of zucchini spaghetti (a creative bunch, those raw foodies).
My waiter came over to explain. The balls, she said with a smile, were "rawsage".
Yes, rawsage. Or is it spelled "rausage" for a truer metaphorical food experience? Not sure and she didn't volunteer. How does one define accuracy in a raw food world that tries to mimic many mainstream dishes using uncooked food.
For the record, they tasted fine. But I couldn't resist text messaging some friends about it. The comments came back sharp and quick:
"Oh dear ..."
"Wash it down with some raw sewage."
"Anything like snausages ... the dog version?"
"Mmmmm."
Sense the sarcasm from these dedicated meat eaters (of which I'm one)?
Raw foodies ... you've got an uphill battle. But don't fret; you're not alone.
It's tough being an acupuncturist, too.
Chinese Medicine doesn't do the raw food thing. Uncooked vegetables are considered cold in nature, which in turn cools the metabolism. In Chinese Medicine, you always need to guard your warmer Yang energy.
But for dinner tonight, I decided to give the raw menu a whirl. Polenta with a mushroom ragout seemed like a good option. Both are delicious.
When the plate arrived, there were a few extras - a salad, a slice of "pizza" and a couple of dark-brown felafel-sized pieces smothered in sauce over a bed of zucchini spaghetti (a creative bunch, those raw foodies).
My waiter came over to explain. The balls, she said with a smile, were "rawsage".
Yes, rawsage. Or is it spelled "rausage" for a truer metaphorical food experience? Not sure and she didn't volunteer. How does one define accuracy in a raw food world that tries to mimic many mainstream dishes using uncooked food.
For the record, they tasted fine. But I couldn't resist text messaging some friends about it. The comments came back sharp and quick:
"Oh dear ..."
"Wash it down with some raw sewage."
"Anything like snausages ... the dog version?"
"Mmmmm."
Sense the sarcasm from these dedicated meat eaters (of which I'm one)?
Raw foodies ... you've got an uphill battle. But don't fret; you're not alone.
It's tough being an acupuncturist, too.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Alzheimer's Research: Acupuncture Helps With Depression and Anxiety
Call me a miner.
I admit it: I’m always plumbing the Internet for scientific research that supports the effectiveness of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. I know how hard it is for many people to take acupuncture and Chinese Medicine seriously, so when there’s a “find” I have a “Eureka!” moment. Very satisfying.
In this case, the issue was acpuncture's role in treating the anxiety and depression that often accompany Alzheimer's Disease.
The background.
In one of his recent newsletters, which I read all the time, Dr. Joseph Mercola publicized the results of a long-term Alzheimer’s study showing how a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables – basically a Mediterranean Diet – lowered the chances of coming down with this debilitating disease. Conversely, according to the collaborative German study with Italian and American researchers www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909064910.htm, people who ate less healthy food were more likely to experience Alzheimer’s.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s are an insidious mix of physical and mental decline. Early signs are confusion, loss of memory and inability to understand a joke. As it progresses, victims lose more memory, cognitive function, ability to relate and general bodily independence.
Rates in the United States, which has one of the worst national diets in the Western world, are on the upswing. Already, as many as 2.4- to 4.5-million people are living with Alzheimers, according to the National Institute on Aging.
But I’ll mention at least two ways in which acupuncture and Chinese Medicine enter the picture.
One, it’s now very clear from extensive research that the same lifestyle and dietary habits that contribute to heart disease also increase one’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s. Although China is adopting many of our unhealthy eating habits as it modernizes, the classic Chinese diet is very heart friendly – low in fatty animal protein and high in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Chinese medicine practitioners recognized long ago the dangers of greasy, fatty meals.
Chinese Medicine's sensitivity to the whole person can help practitioners spot long-term threats to the heart and mind. Acupuncture, especially when combined with herbal formulas and Qi Gong exercises, can help keep both healthy.
Secondly, research supports the use of acupuncture for the anxiety and depression. My source this time was the first World Conference on Alzheimer’s in July 2000 in Washington, D.C., where attendees heard about research from a pair of studies, including one by the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=27681
The World Health Organization long ago deemed acupuncture an effective treatment for depression. The Wellesley study focused specifically on dementia. It took 11 elderly patients – average age 76 – with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s or Vascular Dementia. For three months, they received acupuncture two to three times a week. They also continued using their prescribed medication.
At the end of three months, researchers concluded that acupuncture reduced anxiety and depression. Not only that, the patients had less pain and more energy.
“Acupuncture appears to be very helpful in relieving anxiety, improving mood, increasing energy, improving some aspects of well-being and decreasing mood-related behaviors,” the study said.
The results underscored what Chinese Medicine practitioners already know: that acupuncture improves neurological function. In recent years, neurological mapping by Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor of Radiology Vitaly Napadow has begun to demonstrate just how acupuncture acts on the nervous system, the ultimate arbiter of mental and physical homeostasis in the body. In addition, by keeping the patients on their current medication, the study once again showed that acupuncture need not replace a patient’s existing care.
Typical of holistic practitioners, Chinese Medicine physicians believe they can reduce many peoples’ drug loads. But they also know that, except in rare cases, acupuncture doesn’t interfere with Western medical care. In fact, as this study once again proves, it only makes Western Medicine better.
I admit it: I’m always plumbing the Internet for scientific research that supports the effectiveness of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. I know how hard it is for many people to take acupuncture and Chinese Medicine seriously, so when there’s a “find” I have a “Eureka!” moment. Very satisfying.
In this case, the issue was acpuncture's role in treating the anxiety and depression that often accompany Alzheimer's Disease.
The background.
In one of his recent newsletters, which I read all the time, Dr. Joseph Mercola publicized the results of a long-term Alzheimer’s study showing how a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables – basically a Mediterranean Diet – lowered the chances of coming down with this debilitating disease. Conversely, according to the collaborative German study with Italian and American researchers www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909064910.htm, people who ate less healthy food were more likely to experience Alzheimer’s.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s are an insidious mix of physical and mental decline. Early signs are confusion, loss of memory and inability to understand a joke. As it progresses, victims lose more memory, cognitive function, ability to relate and general bodily independence.
Rates in the United States, which has one of the worst national diets in the Western world, are on the upswing. Already, as many as 2.4- to 4.5-million people are living with Alzheimers, according to the National Institute on Aging.
But I’ll mention at least two ways in which acupuncture and Chinese Medicine enter the picture.
One, it’s now very clear from extensive research that the same lifestyle and dietary habits that contribute to heart disease also increase one’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s. Although China is adopting many of our unhealthy eating habits as it modernizes, the classic Chinese diet is very heart friendly – low in fatty animal protein and high in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Chinese medicine practitioners recognized long ago the dangers of greasy, fatty meals.
Chinese Medicine's sensitivity to the whole person can help practitioners spot long-term threats to the heart and mind. Acupuncture, especially when combined with herbal formulas and Qi Gong exercises, can help keep both healthy.
Secondly, research supports the use of acupuncture for the anxiety and depression. My source this time was the first World Conference on Alzheimer’s in July 2000 in Washington, D.C., where attendees heard about research from a pair of studies, including one by the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=27681
The World Health Organization long ago deemed acupuncture an effective treatment for depression. The Wellesley study focused specifically on dementia. It took 11 elderly patients – average age 76 – with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s or Vascular Dementia. For three months, they received acupuncture two to three times a week. They also continued using their prescribed medication.
At the end of three months, researchers concluded that acupuncture reduced anxiety and depression. Not only that, the patients had less pain and more energy.
“Acupuncture appears to be very helpful in relieving anxiety, improving mood, increasing energy, improving some aspects of well-being and decreasing mood-related behaviors,” the study said.
The results underscored what Chinese Medicine practitioners already know: that acupuncture improves neurological function. In recent years, neurological mapping by Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor of Radiology Vitaly Napadow has begun to demonstrate just how acupuncture acts on the nervous system, the ultimate arbiter of mental and physical homeostasis in the body. In addition, by keeping the patients on their current medication, the study once again showed that acupuncture need not replace a patient’s existing care.
Typical of holistic practitioners, Chinese Medicine physicians believe they can reduce many peoples’ drug loads. But they also know that, except in rare cases, acupuncture doesn’t interfere with Western medical care. In fact, as this study once again proves, it only makes Western Medicine better.
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