Category Archives: colds

Acupuncture for Internal Medicine

Posted on January 7, 2013 by tmc| Leave a comment

Acupuncture for Internal Medicine

I recently had a question put to me as to whether acupuncture could be useful for internal medicine, for instance an intestinal disorder. The answer is yes. One of acupuncture’s main benefits is the regulatory effect that is has on the human nervous system. When the nervous system is balanced and in a state of homeostasis, every other system in the body will necessarily be affected for the better, including the circulatory systems and organ systems. In addition, utilizing pertinent acupoints on the corresponding acupuncture channels can affect internal organ systems directly. The needling of Stomach 36 for instance, along with electro stimulation has been shown to increase peristalsis according to a study published on Pub Med and Medline http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8257835.

So not only can acupuncture help to regulate and bring to homeostasis the main control system of the entire body: the nervous system, it also has been shown to enhance the immune system by increasing natural killer cells and helper T lymphocytes http://www.hawaii.edu/hivandaids/The_Mechanism_of_Acupuncture_and_Clinical_Applications.pdf, and to positively affect the functions of the internal organs themselves. Not to mention, it just plain makes you feel better:)

Here’s a link to one woman’s experience with acupuncture in treating diverticulitis. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5792722/how_can_acupuncture_help_with_diverticulitis.html?cat=5

So in short, acupuncture is not only a fantastic answer for many types of pain, injuries and other orthopedic issues, it is also a great way to treat many types of internal medicine concerns. Here is a partial list of the conditions known to be treatable by acupuncture:

•Addictions, Anxiety, Arthritis, Asthma, Allergies
• Bronchitis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue, Colitis, Common Cold, Constipation
• Dental Pain, Depression, Diarrhea, Digestive Problems, Dizziness, Dysentery
• Emotional Problems, Eye Problems
• Facial Paralysis, Fatigue, Fibromyalgia
• Gingivitis
• Headaches, Hiccups
• Infertility, Incontinence, Indigestion, IBS
• Low Back Pain
• Menopause, Menstrual irregularities, Migraines, Morning Sickness
• Nausea
• Osteoarthritis
• Pain, PMS
• Reproductive problems, Rhinitis
• Sciatica, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Shoulder Pain, Sinusitis, Sleep Disorders, Smoking Addictions, Sore Throat, Stress
• Tennis Elbow, Tonsillitis, Tooth Pain, Trigeminal Neuralgia
• UTI’s

- Terry Chen, L.Ac.

Acupuncture Eugene, OR.

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Posted in Acupuncture - Chinese Medicine, allergies, autoimmune, back pain, cancer, colds, emotional health, flus, immune system, inflammation, internal medicine, Mental Health, neurodegenerative disease, orthopedic acupuncture, pain medicine, running injuries, sports injuries

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Winter Proof Your Immune System

Posted on October 2, 2012 by tmc| Leave a comment

acupuncture for colds and flu in Eugene, ORDuring the season changes the body requires more energy to keep the immune system in tip top shape. It’s no secret that many people tend to come down with colds and flus when the weather starts to change. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the weather itself is considered a potential external pathogen, capable of breaching the body’s defense mechanisms and helping to usher in viruses.The immune system is a highly complex series of protective layers in the body that begins with the outer most layers of the skin and respiratory tract and continues into the gastrointestinal tract and into the very depths of the blood and bodily fluids themselves.

The outer most layer of the immune system; the layer that pertains to the skin and respiratory system is called “Wei Chi” in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is considered the first line of defense, a veritable energetic barrier that protects us from the first onslaughts of external pathogens. The quality of the “Wei Chi” is influenced by many factors including, quality of diet, quality of air we breathe, exercise, proper rest, emotional balance and of course genetic inheritance. These are all factors that we can consciously improve (minus the genetics part, just blame your parents or thank them for that one), during times of stress and transition, seasonal changes and other life changes. In addition to proper diet, exercise, rest and emotional and mental relaxation practices, acupuncture and cupping can be very useful therapeutic tools in the pursuit of optimal health. Acupuncture has the ability to strengthen and redistribute the body’s energy for optimal resistance to external pathogenic factors and improved immune function, while cupping can be useful for opening and ventilating the pores of the skin and respiratory system when the first signs of scratchy throat and sniffles have already commenced. Acupuncture and cupping have a long and successful track record for strengthening the immune system and fighting external pathogenic invasions such as colds and flus. Consider adding them to your health regimen this winter. Go see your local acupuncturist at the first sign of a sore throat, or better yet, before you have any symptoms at all!

Terry  M. Chen, Licensed Acupuncturist

Open Sky Acupuncture, Eugene Oregon 

(541) 343-4343


http://www.eugeneacupunctureclinic.com

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Posted in Acupuncture - Chinese Medicine, acupuncturist, colds, Eugene, flus, immune system

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Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture and the Immune System

Posted on July 30, 2012 by tmc| 3 Comments
Chinese Medicine and Immunity

Chinese Medicine for Immunity

The immune system is the name given to the body’s defensive and protective mechanisms. It is composed of many different layers and types of protection and its job is to protect the body from invasive pathogens: bacteria, viruses, parasites etc. Humans and all other verteberates, including most fish, reptiles, birds and mammals have what is called an “adaptive immune system”. If a pathogen makes it through the body’s basic innate immune response, the adaptive immune response can help the body identify pathogens and deploy specific mechanisms to eliminate them. When the pathogen has been eliminated the immune system remembers the pathogen and develops further refined responses to subsequent exposures.

In humans, the respiratory tract including the skin, nasal passages and lungs are the foremost barrier to incoming pathogens. Mucus helps protect the nasal passages, lungs and gastrointestinal tract, while other substances like tears help protect the eyes and urine flushes out the genitourinary tract. Many of the body’s defenses also have a chemical barrier built into them. Enzymes and anibacterial agents exist in many of the body’s fluids helping to protect the body on the exterior and interior.

In Chinese Medicine, all of the components that constitute an individual tend to be described in terms of different types of energy or “qi” (sometimes spelled chi). The Chinese parallel to the western immune system is what is called the “Wei Qi”. The Wei Qi is considered to be the protective energy that surrounds the body and protects it from invasion of external pathogens. The Wei Qi is considered to be closely related to the Qi of the kidneys, lungs, spleen and stomach and is basically the sum total of the body’s defenses, created by the harmonious interaction of the body’s internal organs and their respective roles in energy transformation. In a small nutshell, the energy derived from the food we ingest and the air we breathe is transformed in combination with our emotional energy and inherent genetic energy we possess, into the body’s defensive “Wei Qi”. Disharmony or weakness in any of the main organ systems can lead to insufficient Wei Qi and immunodeficiency; and predispose one to colds, flus, allergies, other types of infectious disease, autoimmune diseases and even cancer.

In summary, the healthy immune system, described as abundant Wei Qi in Chinese Medicine is the product of the harmonious interaction of all the body’s main energetic systems. The energy of the kidneys, lungs, spleen, stomach and liver must all be functioning correctly and efficiently in order for the Wei Qi to be generated at optimum levels. In instances of immune deficiency, acupuncture and Chinese Medicine offer specific treatment plans including herbal formulas, acupuncture point prescriptions and dietary and exercise recommendations to help fortify the individual and improve immune function directly.

Terry  M. Chen, Licensed Acupuncturist

Open Sky Acupuncture, Eugene Oregon 

(541) 343-4343

Open Sky Acupuncture

 

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Posted in Acupuncture - Chinese Medicine, acupuncturist, autoimmune, cancer, colds, emotional health, Eugene, flus, immune system, internal medicine, Mental Health, Nutrition - Lifestyle, OR

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