Acupuncture Techniques

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Gua Sha continues to amaze me

April 3, 2010 in Acupuncture Techniques, Season of Spring, Topics in Muscles Bones and Joints | No comments

“It’s 5am and I’m sitting at the airport and am in complete amazement! I woke up with a full range of motion in my neck and not an ounce of pain. I haven’t even taken any advil yet.  I can hardly believe it! I am one happy girl.”

That is an email I received from a patient who had come in the day before with acute neck pain. Because she was flying the following day, she was desperate to get some relief from pain and the limited range of motion in her neck which had been plagueing her for 3 days. Advil took the edge off, but wasn’t giving her complete relief, and was doing nothing for her inability to turn her head to the right.

Upon palpation I found several very tight areas between her spine and her scapula on the right side, and also in the muscles on the right side of her neck. I did acupuncture locally, and also used a combination of points on her wrists and ankles on the acupuncture channels that traverse the upper back and neck.

The acupuncture certainly contributed to her quick recovery, but I think the key to treatment success in this case was the gua sha which I applied to her upper back following the acupuncture.

Gua sha is an ancient technique in which a smooth-edged tool, usually a ceramic soup spoon, is scraped along the skin in one area repeatedly. The technique stimulates blood flow and produces heat which releases toxins and helps muscles to relax. The feeling is one of a strong massage, and can leave reddish marks referred to as “petichiae”. Using gua sha on the muscles of my patient’s neck and upper back were the key to her relief from pain and return to normal range of motion. I use gua sha quite a bit in the spring when neck pain and spasm are a common phenomenon.

More About Moxibustion

July 16, 2009 in Acupuncture Techniques, Season of Fall, Season of Winter | No comments

moxa

Moxibustion is a wonderful wintertime therapy as it disperses cold, eliminates damp and warms yang. It is one of the best methods for general health and well-being in the Chinese Medicine repertoire. Moxa used daily on the point ZuSanLi is said to prevent all illness and promote longevity. The sensation is generally one of warmth and relaxation, and very popular among patients of Chinese Medicine.

Moxibustion is a form of therapy that developed independently of acupuncture, and may actually pre-date it. There are areas in the northern, colder regions of China in which practitioners use moxibustion in lieu of acupuncture.

The moxa is made from the herb Ai Ye, or Mugwort, which is harvested and laid in the sun to dry. It is then crushed and passed through a sieve repeatedly until it maintains a fine, downy texture. In this form it is referred to as “moxa punk” and is formed into small cones.

The practitioner then places the cone on top of an acupuncture needle or directly onto the skin. The moxa is lit with a stick of incense and the warming and moving properties of the Ai Ye plant enter the point. A slice of ginger or garlic can also be placed between the moxa and the point, infusing the properties of these herbs into the body as well.

Moxa punk can also be made into rolls or small sticks which are placed in a metal tool called a Tiger Warmer. This tool is then moved along the course of a meridian, allowing the moxa to enter the body.

“When a disease cannot be treated by needling it should be treated with moxa.” – Ling Shu

When a Baby is Breech

July 15, 2009 in Acupuncture Techniques, Topics in Pediatrics | No comments

Near the end of pregnancy, when the due date begins to loom, most babies will position themselves head down and facing the mother’s back. This is the ideal position for labor and delivery. When a baby is in this position the head descends and puts pressure on the mother’s cervix which helps initiate labor and leads to effective, productive contractions during labor. This position is also ideal for the descent of the baby through the birth canal and out into the world.

While turning head down is the norm, not all babies move into this position on their own. Giving birth to a breech baby who is butt down or feet down is possible, but it carries a higher risk to the baby and mother and most care providers are not willing to do it.

There are two choices in Western medicine when it comes to breech babies. One is to attempt a manual version from the outside. The midwife or OB will use their hands on the outside of the mother’s abdomen to try and turn the baby into the ideal position. This is done with the aid of an ultrasound machine while the heart rate of both baby and mother are monitored closely. It is not without risk and not all practitioners are willing to perform this technique. Some women find it to be painful and opt out of trying it. The second choice, when manual version is not an option, or is undesired, is to schedule a cesarean section.

Chinese medicine offers another option. 

There is a simple technique that can be quite successful if applied correctly and daily within a specific time period.

Moxibustion is applied to the point Zhiyin (BL-67) on both feet for 15 minutes every day.

A practitioner of Chinese Medicine can perform the technique once, showing the woman and a partner how it is done, and then the woman can have it done at home every day for up to 5 days. After 5 days, the pregnant woman should be checked to see if the baby has in fact turned. If not, another 5 days of moxa can be applied.

The ideal week of gestation for applying moxa is week 34, but anywhere between 30 and 38 can be done. If it is applied too early, the baby may turn back into the breech position, while attempting too late may not be successful if the baby doesn’t have enough amniotic fluid or room to make the move.

There have been several studies performed testing the efficacy of this technique. The success rates vary from 60% to 80% success, depending on the study. Most of these studies also conclude that the 34th week of pregnancy is the ideal time to perform moxibustion for turning breech babies.

I have personally seen this technique succeed and feel that it is usually worth trying when cesarean section is the only other option.

Why Is My Practitioner Scraping My Skin With a Spoon?

July 15, 2009 in Acupuncture Techniques | 2 comments

Gua Sha, which literally means “friction for congestion”, is an ancient technique used to move stagnation and draw out toxins. It is both diagnostic and therapeutic.

The technique involves the use of a smooth-edged tool, typically a ceramic soup spoon, that is rubbed or scraped repeatedly over areas of the body creating heat and activity in that area. When this friction is applied in repeated, even strokes, the “sha” surfaces as tiny red dots, or petichiae. When a lot of sha appears, it tells the practitioner that there was a lot of stagnation in that area. This discoloration disappears within hours to a couple of days. Most patients find that it relieves mild to severe muscle tension, soreness, and pain in a similar way that cups do. Like cupping, gua sha is mainly used for musculoskeletal complaints, but can also be used to treat internal health problems.

What is Cupping?

July 15, 2009 in Acupuncture Techniques | No comments

cuppingCupping is an ancient technique, likely predating acupuncture and the use of herbal medicines. Glass or plastic cups are kept in place on the skin by suction. A vacuum is created in the cup with fire or a pump. The cups may be left in place, but are sometimes moved across larger body areas, such as the back, giving the feeling of a moderate massage.

This technique invigorates the area, moving stagnation of qi and blood and drawing out toxins. Skin is not broken with this technique, however the technique may leave temporary marks which look like small “hickies”. Your practitioner is most likely to use cupping over sore, achy muscles, but they may be used to treat internal issues as well.

Cupping gained national media attention when actress Gwyneth Paltrow wore a strapless dress to a movie premier, revealing what appeared to be reddish-colored bruise marks on her back. Paltrow had been to her acupuncturist and received a cupping treatment.

What is Moxibustion?

July 15, 2009 in Acupuncture Techniques, Season of Fall, Season of Winter | 1 comment

Moxibustion is a wonderful wintertime therapy as it disperses cold, eliminates damp and warms yang. It is one of the best methods for general health and well-being in the Chinese Medicine repertoire. Moxa used daily on the point ZuSanLi is said to prevent all illness and promote longevity. The sensation is generally one of warmth and relaxation, and very popular among patients of Chinese Medicine.

Moxibustion is a form of therapy that developed independently of acupuncture, and may actually pre-date it. There are areas in the northern, colder regions of China in which practitioners use moxibustion in lieu of acupuncture.

The moxa is made from the herb Ai Ye, or Mugwort, which is harvested and laid in the sun to dry. It is then crushed and passed through a sieve repeatedly until it maintains a fine, downy texture. In this form it is referred to as “moxa punk” and is formed into small cones.

The practitioner then places the cone on top of an acupuncture needle or directly onto the skin. The moxa is lit with a stick of incense and the warming and moving properties of the Ai Ye plant enter the point. A slice of ginger or garlic can also be placed between the moxa and the point, infusing the properties of these herbs into the body as well.

Moxa punk can also be made into rolls or small sticks which are placed in a metal tool called a Tiger Warmer. This tool is then moved along the course of a meridian, allowing the moxa to enter the body.

“When a disease cannot be treated by needling it should be treated with moxa.” – Ling Shu