The primary purpose of the JTA is to provide a blueprint for the development of the NCCAOM certification examinations, which serve as gateway and prerequisite for entry-level practice of AOM in 43 states, plus the District of Columbia. The JTA survey identifies the importance and frequency of tasks performed by NCCAOM Diplomates from various regions of the country, in different practice settings, as well as at different points in their AOM career. These results serve to validate the knowledge, skills and abilities, i.e., competencies, performed by an entry-level AOM practitioner in the United States.
The AOM profession is evolving all the time; therefore, it is extremely important to continually review and update the content of the NCCAOM certification examinations. Best practices in validation of examination content is to perform a JTA a minimum of every five years. This report serves to provide the examination content validity verification for the years 2009 though 2013."
The study showed that 57.9% of the respondents were certified in Acupuncture, and 23% were certified in Oriental Medicine. A massage therapy license was also held by 7.3% of the respondents, and 5.2% are Registered Nurses. Women hold 69.7% of NCCAOM certifications, and men hold 30%.
The primary style of practice taught is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) at 83.9%. The mean student loan debt of Diplomates who responded was $45,891, and 70% of the Diplomate respondents said they earned less than $60,000 a year, while 21% earned between $60,000 and $121,000 a year. Their earnings depended on hours worked and years of experience, with higher earnings reported from Diplomates who received their certification in the last 11-15 years.
91% of the respondents were self-employed, and 30% are both self-employed and working for someone else. 58% of the Diplomates who are not eclusively self-employed in solo practice work in a multidisciplinary group practice with other health care providers or with other AOM practitioners.
The study found that musculoskeletal pain is the most frequent symptom for which patients sought treatment, followed by reproductive system disorders.
You can read the whole 2008 Job Task Analysis at the NCCAOM website. Practitioners, students and people considering entering the career of acupuncture and Oriental Medicine will find it very informative.
Anyone considering an alternative treatment for their health problems should read this article "Should you try acupuncture? from the Huffington Post. It explains what acupuncture is, addresses insurance concerns, and says that the new medical model of integrative medicine in patient centered and embraces any and all effective solutions to patient's health problems.
"According to the TCM view, a vital energy called qi flows through the body along channels called meridians. I like to think of these channels as a sprinkling system for the body, bringing qi to vital organs and extremities in much the way hoses bring water to your garden. In the TCM model of health and disease, when qi flow is blocked it stagnates. Stagnating qi causes illness. Acupuncture therapy unblocks the qi flow, strengthens or weakens the qi (think opening and closing the garden spigot) and directs it to areas of need.
A holistic practice, acupuncture seeks to re-establish the body's healthy equilibrium and function, as opposed to forcing healing using surgery or pharmaceuticals. Interestingly, Chinese practitioners were not the only (and may not have been the first) to identify these energy pathways in the body. The frozen body of a man recovered well-preserved from the Alps features tattoos that correspond to Chinese acupuncture's qi meridians."
"Some folks, including older Western M.D.s, still talk about whether or not they "believe" in acupuncture. Such thinking is ill-informed and outdated. One might as well speculate about whether to believe in aspirin, morphine, insulin, surgery or an MRI. The question is not whether acupuncture works, but how it works, and whether it is the appropriate therapy for a particular syndrome, problem, symptom, disease or patient. In a clinical setting and performed by a licensed professional (licensure is by state) acupuncture is effective for a variety of complaints."
I entered NYCTCM in 2000 as a non-matriculated student,
intending only to get a foundation in Chinese medicine as a first step to
studying Tibetan medicine and naturopathy. Suffering an accident to my head and
neck shortly after beginning study, I had to take a leave of absence while
recuperating and receiving acupuncture treatments at NYCTCM's clinic.
Once
recovered, I decided to matriculate at NYCTCM: "The treatments allowed me to
appreciate the real power of Chinese medicine and convinced me that TCM was the
path of study that I needed to take."
Anthony
Visit the NYCTCM website for information on Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Programs.
The Chinese Herbology Certificate Program is designed for licensed acupuncturists and graduates of acupuncture degree programs who wish to add herbal expertise as a component of their professional practices without having to complete an entire Oriental Medicine degree program.
There are a total of 34 credits (510 hours) of didactic courses and 13 credits (390 hours) of clinical training in the program, offered over a span of five trimesters (one year and eight months). The didactic courses introduce the student to over 400 individual herbs and 250 major formulas, including patent formulas, and move on to herbal treatment strategy, application of the herbal formulas for treatment of commonly seen clinical syndromes, consideration and analysis of specific cases, and toxicity/safe use of herbs.
The clinical progression moves from Observation and Assistantship, where students learn herbal pharmacy skills, to Internship, where students assume responsibility for the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Certificate Program students will have to take exams to qualify for Junior Internship (focusing on individual herbs), for Senior Internship (focusing on herbal formulas), and for graduation from the program By the end of internship training, students must also submit a minimum of 100 case reports.
NYCTCM's Chinese Herbology Certificate Program meets ACAOM guidelines for Herb Certificate Training Programs and qualifies students to sit for the NCCAOM Chinese Herbology examination. Passing the Chinese Herbology examination will qualify licensed acupuncturists to apply for Diplomate status in Chinese Herbology and (in most cases) Oriental Medicine. Although the practice of herbal medicine is currently not a licensed specialty in New York State, there are legislative initiatives going forward in this area; achievement of certification now in Chinese herbology would be a good way to anticipate future licensing requirements.
Applications are currently being accepted for students who wish to matriculate into the program. Tuition for the entire program is $15,105 ($280 per credit; $530 per credit for internship training). Transfer credit will be given for equivalent prior coursework.
Eliminating Waste in Practice: Dr. Tan's Eight Magic Points for All Digestive Disorders
By Lisajeanne Potyk, LAc
Most of the patients I see in my clinic suffer from a variety of digestive disorders. They do not effectively process their food. They have diarrhea, heartburn, and acid reflux disease. They're nauseated.
And who would expect any different? In this fast-paced, high-technology culture, we're overrun with time constraints and stressors of all kinds.
People unaware of what a good diet consists of rely on processed fast foods and meats packed with hormones and antibiotics. In the West, we're overprescribed antibiotics and other medications; women are reeling from the side-effects of birth control pills; and we regularly take any of a myriad of anti-inflammatories for the slightest ache. It's no wonder so many people are experiencing internal disharmony. And if all of that wasn't enough, most people either don't know how to, or are afraid to, release their emotions. Opting for a sense of control, they "hold." And they get constipated.
The digestive system is a mirror to how we process our external world on every level. Are we assimilating good nutritional, emotional and spiritual nourishment, and effectively eliminating what is toxic to us? Are we letting go of negative situations and allowing ourselves to be nurtured by positive ones? Without the foundation of a healthy, properly nourished body, we can't find the strength to feed into our emotions. If there's a backlog of undigested emotions, any digestive symptom can manifest. Once balance in the body is established by poor nutrition and digestive functions, we gain the platform to integrate our internal and external worlds.
Traditional Chinese medicine teaches us to properly diagnose and treat our patients using staid, ancient teachings recorded thousands of years ago. People don't change from century to century, but their circumstances do. The environment, food, medications, and stressors affecting our patients are very different today, and since the disharmonies that cause them are rampant, digestive disorders are also rampant. Diagnosis and treatment according to the TCM model, written in (and for) a different time, can therefore be complicated and confusing.
Now, imagine a group of acupuncture points that could be used to balance every kind of digestive disorder, including irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, ulcerative colitis, indigestion, and more. Imagine that the points are simple, easy to follow, and quite effective. There is no need to take the pulse, no need to consult a textbook, and no need to fumble through myriad causes. Wouldn't that be magic? It is, thanks to Dr. Teh Fu "Richard" Tan.
Dr. Tan has dedicated his life to experimenting with combinations of points, which are used with excellent clinical results, often instantaneously. Isn't that what we, as practitioners, want - to insert our needles, see an immediate change, and know our treatment is working? With the eight magic points, Dr. Tan offers the ability to elicit consistent, positive results.
One could consult any number of the core books written on TCM theory, but isn't the practice of acupuncture - of healing - about how much better the patient feels after being treated? Better to learn the laws of acupuncture, become skilled at them through knowledge and discipline, and then break out into your own successful expression of them.
Dr. Tan's Eight Magic Points
Points on one side: LI 4, SJ 5, Liv 8 (Dr. Tan's liver point), Sp 9
Points on other side: Lu 7, P 6, St 36, GB 34p (Dr. Tan's gallbladder point)
Liver 8 (Dr. Tan's liver point) and GB 34p (Dr. Tan's gallbladder point) are found in locations not traditionally known. According to Dr. Tan, needling these points is more effective. Dr. Tan's liver point is located anterior to Sp 9 on the medial condyle of the tibia, a rich region oddly ignored throughout history. The area can sometimes be very painful to the touch, but it can be more useful than Liver 3 in treating any stagnation in the Liver channel, especially when it is attached to the emotional disorders of resentment and anger.
GB 34p is located posterior to GB 34, just under the head of the fibula, where the tendon attaches. When penetrated, the point radiates electrically down to the foot, just as P 6 goes to the finger. It works better than GB 34, and is more sensitive. If both Liver 8 and GB 34p are tender, it can indicate an emotional component to the disorder. I regularly use this treatment for digestive ailments, with excellent results.
Case Studies
A 28-year old female came to me with anxiety and constant, burning pain in her epigastric area, something she'd experienced for much of her adult life. She was highly sensitive to many foods and didn't eat much. Most of the medical specialists she consulted gave her the same patent answer: "There's nothing wrong with you; it's all in your head." She was very nervous and skeptical about acupuncture, but she was also desperate.
After the third treatment with the eight magic points, her gastric burning and discomfort began to diminish. I continued seeing her twice a week. A month later, she was eating comfortably, and was fairly calm. She's received so much relief from the eight magic points that even a job transfer hasn't kept her from traveling to continue occasional treatments with me.
I have found the eight magic points useful for patients undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation, as it is a wonderful balancing treatment. A 40-year old female with breast cancer was just finishing her course of radiation when she came to me for acupuncture. She looked literally lifeless. Mostly bedridden, she had become frail, pale and weak. Given her delicate digestion and poor appetite, she wasn't getting the nutrients she needed to recover her strength. I kept the treatment simple, using light needling with the eight magic points. When she returned to me for our second session, a light had already turned on in her eyes. Even her family noticed the dramatic difference in her qi. Continuing treatments, she began her recovery from the adverse effects of radiation.
A pregnant woman, 28, experiencing severe vomiting and persistent nausea, came to my clinic for help. I chose to use the eight magic points, but substituted LI 3 for LI 4, which is forbidden during pregnancy. Her symptoms abated immediately. She continued with me throughout her pregnancy, and ultimately had an unusually easy delivery. She is now the mother of a healthy, contented newborn.
The eight magic points performs wonders on people experiencing emotional upset, especially women with hormonal imbalances. A 42-year old female experiencing perimenopausal symptoms came to see me for her emotional distress. Hypersensitive to everything and everyone, she felt deeply depressed and completely controlled by her emotions. She was so anxious that she couldn't eat; she couldn't even lie still on my table for more than 20 minutes without getting antsy. I explored my toolbox of protocols and decided intuitively to try the eight magic points. At her next treatment session, she raved about how much better she felt. I continued using the eight magic points, which became the antidote for her intense emotional imbalance.
Learning From Dr. Tan
The first six months of my apprenticeship with Dr. Tan consisted of simply observing him in his bustling clinic. I was to ask no questions. He told me, "Once you learn it in your heart, your mind will understand." The Chinese teach by familiarity, which leads to an instinctual knowing (the tiger). Once the ground of knowing is established, the "why" is understood (the wings). The student becomes familiar by watching; masterful and responsive through doing and observing results; and, once they've grown their wings, creative, by developing a style uniquely theirs.
I'm just getting my wings under Dr. Tan, but my clinical practice has long taken flight with the success of these treatments and the tremendous results my patients experience. The beauty of a protocol like this is that, as with magic, we don't have to understand why it works, because we see for ourselves that it works. Consider the eight magic points. See for yourself that it is magic.
Arthritis is one of the most pervasive diseases in the United States
and is the leading cause of disability. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention one out of every three Americans (an
estimated 70 million people) is affected.
For most people arthritis pain and inflammation cannot be avoided as
the body ages. In fact, most people over the age of 50 show some signs
of arthritis. Joints naturally degenerate over time. Fortunately,
arthritis can often be managed Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis isn't just 1 disease; it's a complex disorder that
comprises more than 100 distinct conditions and can affect people at any
stage of life. Two of the most common forms are osteoarthritis and
rheumatoid arthritis. While these 2 forms of arthritis have very
different causes, risk factors, and effects on the body, they often
share a common symptom--persistent joint pain.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in
the United States, affecting an estimated 21 million adults. OA begins
with the breakdown of joint cartilage, resulting in pain and stiffness. OA
commonly affects the joints of the fingers, knees, hips, and spine.
Other joints affected less frequently include the wrists, elbows,
shoulders, and ankles. When OA is found in a less frequently affected
joint, there is usually a history of injury or unusual stress to that
joint. Work-related repetitive injury and physical trauma may contribute
to the development of OA. If you have a strenuous job that requires
repetitive bending, kneeling, or squatting, for example, you may be at
high risk for OA of the knee.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can affect many different joints
and, in some people, other parts of the body as well, including the
blood, the lungs, and the heart. Inflammation of the joint lining,
called the synovium, can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, warmth, and
redness. The affected joint may also lose its shape, resulting in loss
of normal movement. RA can last a long time and can be a disease of
flares (active symptoms) and remissions (few to no symptoms).
Diagnosis and Treatment of Arthritis with Acupuncture and
Oriental Medicine
According to Chinese medical theory, arthritis arises when the
cyclical flow of Qi in the meridians becomes blocked. This blockage is
called, "bi" type pain and is widely studies and successfully treated
using a combination of acupuncture and/or Chinese herbs.
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine have been found to be extremely
effective at treating the pain and inflammation associated with all
types of arthritis. The acupuncture points and herbs that are used
depend on if the blockage of Qi (arthritis) is caused by the pathogen
wind, cold, damp or damp-heat.
Traditional Chinese Medicine does not
recognize arthritis as one particular syndrome. Instead, it aims to
treat the specific symptoms that are unique to each individual using a
variety of techniques such as acupuncture, Chinese herbs, bodywork,
lifestyle/dietary recommendations and energetic exercises to restore
imbalances found in the body. Therefore, if 10 patients are treated with
Oriental medicine for joint pain, each of these 10 patients will
receive a unique, customized treatment with different acupuncture
points, different herbs and different lifestyle and diet
recommendations.
Your acupuncturist will examine you, take a look at the onset of your
condition and learn your signs and symptoms to determine your Chinese
diagnosis and choose the appropriate acupuncture points and treatment
plan.
The Acupuncture Treatment
Acupuncture points to treat Arthritis are located all over the body,
not just directly over the affected area. During the acupuncture
treatment, tiny needles could be placed along your legs, arms,
shoulders, and perhaps even your little toe!
There seems to be little sensitivity to the insertion of acupuncture
needles. They are so thin that several acupuncture needles can go into
the middle of a hypodermic needle. Occasionally, there is a brief moment
of discomfort as the needle penetrates the skin, but once the needles
are in place, most people relax and even fall asleep for the duration of
the treatment.
The length, number and frequency of treatments will vary. Typical
treatments last from five to 30 minutes, with the patient being treated
one or two times a week. Some symptoms are relieved after the first
treatment, while more severe or chronic ailments often require multiple
treatments.
Chinese Herbs for Arthritis
There are many Chinese Herbal formulas that are prescribed for
arthritis. Your acupuncturist will examine you, take a look at the onset
of your condition and learn your signs and symptoms to determine which
herbs are best for you.
Here are some commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formulas for
arthritis:
Remove Painful Obstruction Decoction (juan bi tang)-
For joint pain that increases with cold and is possibly accompanied by
heaviness and numbness in the limbs.
Cinnamon Twig, Peony, and Anamerrhena Decoction (gui zhi
shoa you zhi mu tang)- For swollen and painful joints that are
warm to the touch and worse at night.
Angelica Pubescens and Sangjisheng Decoction (du huo ji
sheng tang)- For heavy and painful sensations at fixed
locations in the lower back and lower extremities accompanied by
weakness and stiffness.
Studies on Acupuncture and Arthritis
Several studies have shown that acupuncture can help people with
arthritis and related auto-immune diseases.
In one Scandinavian study 25 percent of arthritis patients who had
been scheduled for knee surgery cancelled their operations after
acupuncture treatment. In the study, researchers compared acupuncture
with advice and exercise for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip.
Thirty-two patients awaiting a total hip replacement were separated
into 2 groups. One group received one 10-minute and five 25-minute
sessions of acupuncture, and the other group received advice and hip
exercises over a 6-week period.
Patients were assessed for pain and functional ability: Patients in
the acupuncture group showed significant improvements, while no
significant changes were reported in the group that received advice and
exercise therapy. The results of this study indicate that acupuncture is
more effective than advice and exercise for the treatment of
osteoarthritis of the hip.
Another study at the University of Maryland showed that elderly
arthritis patients with knee pain due to arthritis improved
significantly when acupuncture was added to their treatment.
The randomized clinical trial, performed at the University of
Maryland School of Medicine, determined whether acupuncture was a
clinically safe and effective adjunctive therapy for older patients with
osteoarthritis of the knee.
The study addressed these questions:
Would the addition of acupuncture to conventional therapy produce an
added measure of pain relief?
Would the effects of acupuncture last for 4 weeks following the end
of treatment?
Would acupuncture have any side effects?
Seventy-three patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group
received twice-weekly acupuncture treatments and conventional therapy
for 8 weeks, and the other group received conventional therapy only.
Patients who received acupuncture had significant pain relief and showed
improvement in function. Those who did not receive acupuncture showed
no significant change. No patients reported side effects from any
acupuncture therapy session.
Safe Alternative to Medication
Even without the studies, the popularity of acupuncture for arthritis
continues to grow because more and more people have found significant
relief from Oriental Medicine without the negative side effects that
come from Western pharmaceuticals.
Lifestyle and Dietary Instructions
Your diet plays a crucial role in helping you avoid or control
arthritis. The first objective of a healthy diet is to help you lose
weight if you are overweight. Being overweight can cause additional
stress to your joints.
The second way a balanced, varied diet can help ease the pain of
arthritis is by providing vitamins and minerals that keep your joints
healthy and avoiding "damp" foods such as dairy products and greasy or
spicy foods.
If you have arthritis or knee or hip pain, vitamin C and vitamin D
can help prevent bone and cartilage destruction. And a multivitamin can
help ensure that you always get the nutrition you need.
Here are some other healthy (and delicious) choices to include in
your diet.
Ginger - A natural anti-inflammatory, available as
powdered extracts in capsules as well as alcohol-based extracts. Follow
the dosing directions on the label. Or make tea by combining one-half
teaspoon of grated ginger root with eight ounces of boiling water. Cover
and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain and add honey to taste.
Fresh pineapple - Bromelain, an enzyme in
pineapple, reduces inflammation. Be sure the pineapple is fresh, not
canned or frozen.
Cherries - Recent research has shown that tart
cherries are an excellent source of nutrients that may help to reduce
joint pain and inflammation related to arthritis.
Fish - Cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel
contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep joints healthy as well as
reduce pain and swelling. If you don't care for fish, consider
supplementing your diet with fish oil capsules.
Turmeric - Another natural anti-inflammatory. Look
for an extract of whole turmeric, in health-food stores; follow the
dosage directions on the label.
Find an Acupuncturist
Today, acupuncture is an acknowledged and respected field of medicine
which requires formal training and certification in order to practice.
In most States, provinces and countries, acupuncture is legislated in
order to assure quality of treatment.
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is an art and a science that takes
years to master. Look for an acupuncturist with formal training and
experience in the treatment of Arthritis on www.Acufinder.com or at the NYCTCM Find an Acupuncturist page.
Community Healthcare at NYCTCM's Teaching
Clinic
New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NYCTCM)'s
Teaching Clinic
offers Acupuncture and Chinese Healing Arts to the community while
providing our advanced students with a clinical internship.
Our interns are senior-level students at the acupuncture
school in New York who have passed a series of qualifying exams that
allow them to diagnose and prescribe therapies for the patients who come
to our clinic. Licensed Acupuncturists and Traditional Chinese Medicine
practitioners supervise our interns. Many of our supervisors have M.D.
degrees from China, and all have considerable clinical and teaching
experience.
Acupuncture Treatments in NYC and Mineola
Clinic at NYCTCM's school in Mineola, Long Island, New
York
Rheumatology in Chinese Medicine, 2002. By G. Guillaume
& M. Chieu Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies,
1990. By Dan Bensky & Randall Barolet Acupuncture: A
Comprehensive Text By Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese
Medicine, 1981
Recently my father became a vegetarian a couple of months ago.Since then, he has lost weight, his psorasis has cleared up, and he is much calmer and reserved than before.On the other hand, a 44 year old woman comes to my clinic with insomnia and irregular menstruation with blood clots and PMS and feels very cold especially during the summer.When I asked her about her diet, she says that she has been a vegetarian when she first came to this country from India.Now, these two highly different cases are related to being a vegetarian.Some people become vegetarian for political reasons as is the case in a few PETA members I have met.Other reasons are because of religious issues as in the case of Hindus and Buddhists.Whatever your reason is for getting into vegetarianism, you should know that there are a few pros and cons to becoming one.The pros of becoming a vegetarian are weight loss, lowered intake of chemicals and toxins that are associated with eating meat, and a much calmer disposition than non-vegetarians.According to history, Buddhist monks and those from the Brahmin caste in Hinduism would adopt a strict vegetarian diet not just for spiritual reasons, but the cooling nature of vegetarian foods helped them with their focus during meditation.However, based on my experience of what I have seen in my clinic, vegetarians present themselves with a disease pattern in Chinese medicine known as blood deficiency.In blood deficiency, the signs and symptoms are not typically related to Anemia; putting it simply, the quantity of blood has not been compromised; it's the quality of the blood.Therefore, a person with blood deficiency pattern associated with a vegetarian diet will have the following signs and symptoms:
Chills
Cold limbs
Pale complexion
Insomnia
Irregular menstruation
Intolerance to cold
Small and pale tongue
Thin pulse
Therefore, the only solution to all of this is either to start incorporating meat into their diet.If that is not an option for Hindus and Buddhists, then herbal medicine is a good solution to taking care of blood deficiency based signs and symptoms listed above.However I find that herbal medicine and dietary changes (such as eating meat) will produce better results together.For Hindus that cannot eat meat, there is a justifiable way you can get around that rule.The only caste within the caste system that can eat meat are the Kshatriyas (the warrior caste)."Vegetarianism is prescribed only for the Brahmin priests among the Hindus.This is not the original Vedic tradition, because if you go to the source texts in Ayurveda, they all contain tonic recipes and prescriptions for meat, including beef.Hindu fundamentalists have tried to resurrect Ayurveda in a vegetarian form after independence there in 1948, and this form is the dominant one in the US.But the actual source texts recognize the tonic qualities of meat (pg.2, Bergner)."
In conclusion, vegetarianism has its benefits while at the same time it has its downsides.After all according to Paul Bergner, "...in the vegetarian south India, there is a higher rate of heart disease, hypertension, and type II diabetes than in the US and Canada (pg2.)."In my experience, a balanced diet blending both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods ultimately ends up being the stand-alone preventative to the signs and symptoms associated with a long-term vegetarian diet.If having a vegetarian diet is nearly impossible to give up because of religious restrictions, at least make sure that all foods are cooked before eaten as opposed to having them raw.In Chinese medicine, raw food that has been eaten has a tendency to disturb the normal functioning of the digestive system resulting in the above mentioned signs and symptoms along with stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting.A good solution when eating vegetables is to incorporate spices such as ginger, garlic, fenugreek, and cinnamon. The properties of those particular spices are very warming and allow for proper digestion of raw vegetables in the stomach without any ill effects.
The Tao of Food: Diet in Taoist Practice states, "If you are a young healthy person, with no sickness, than a vegetarian diet is possible.But if you have lack of energy or some other deficiency, then meat broth should be consumed from time to time."It further states that, '...the diet should be composed of 30% leafy vegetables, 20% meat and 50% grain."Take care everyone and eat well.
It is a disease that is defined as a metabolic disorder that is characterized by either abnormally low or high blood sugar levels that lead to a variety of metabolic derangements. It is commonly characterized by fatigue, excessive urination, excessive thirst, and excessive hunger. In this country, it is the biggest cause of death or disability. In developed countries, the incidence of diabetes has doubled in the last 15 years and its going to double in the next 15 years. The worst part of this situation is that one out of three people do not know they have diabetes. For those that are diagnosed have had it for much longer amount of time and wind up with complications such as neuropathies. According to Clinton J. Choate's article "Diabetes Mellitus (Part One)", it is estimated that 60% to 70% of diabetics have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage.
The symptoms range from:
Pain in the feet and legs.
Cramping, tenderness, and muscle weakness. They can occur in the legs and feet along with the arms and hands.
Paraesthesias- pricking, tingling, or numbness along the skin.
Blurred vision.
Impotence
In allopathic medicine, the treatment for diabetic neuropathies involve physical therapy, medications and in severe circumstances, surgical intervention. The some of the medications used to treat paraesthetic pain and other neuropathies are tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Even though these specific medications are used in the treatment of depression, they are also used in treating peripheral neuropathies. However the side-effects are numerous and seem counterintuitive when one looks at them. For example, the antidepressant Imiprine (Tofronil) treats peripheral neuropathies by releasing norepinephrine in the central pain modulating pathways located in the brainstem and spinal cord. However a side-effect of Imiprine is impairment of mental or physical abilities and cardiovascular disease. When you look at those side-effects and compare them to the risk that diabetics have with cardiovascular disease, it seems rather counterproductive. According to Subhuti Dharmanada, "Acupuncture therapy is a common approach to treating diabetes in China. Many Americans assume that acupuncture is only suitable for treating pain, perhaps because the initial introduction of acupuncture was mainly for this application. Increasingly, people with pain and other health problems for which acupuncture is selected also have diabetes." Acupuncture can treat neuropathies by bringing blood flow and nerve conduction to the skin to treat numbness and tingling in the extremities. Another point to mention is that blood flow and nerve restoration can also be accomplished in regards to the treatment of blurred vision and impotence. Unlike the medications mentioned, acupuncture has no side-effects.
Bibliography Dharmanda Ph.D., Subhuti "Treatment of Diabetes with Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture" web posting date: January 2005 www.itmonline.org pg.14
Choate, Clinton J. "Modern Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine: Diabetes Mellitus (Part One)" Journal of Chinese Medicine Number 58 September 1998 pg.4
Echeverry, MD, MPH, Diana M. "Diabetic Neuropathy: Treatment and Medication" updated April 4th, 2007 http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/315434-treatment
A 69 year old woman came into my office in October 2009.Her main complaint for the past eight years has been multiple joint pains in her body due to Rheumatoid Arthritis.Since her diagnosis, she was placed on thirteen different medications.Four of them were for treating joint and muscle pain associated with her main complaint.The other four of the medications were used in lowering her cholesterol and her blood pressure.The side-effects of the medications were headache, bone pain, jaw pain, muscle weakness, swelling of the ankles and feet, and joint pain- among other things.The last five of her medications were unrelated to her main complaint but were used in treating the side-effects.She described her joint pain as severely sharp and stabbing variety located in her neck, lower back, knees, feet, shoulders, wrists, and fingers.The pain would get exacerbated by damp, cold, and rainy environments as well as walking up a flight of stairs.In addition to this, I noticed that she had swelling along the fingers and toes.The swelling was due to the inflammation in the joints and had fluid build-up (edema) in both her ankles.In her previous history she mentioned that she was a pack-a-day smoker but quit smoking fifteen years ago.Lastly, she consumed two to three cups of coffee a day.After treating her with acupuncture for seven months at once a week intervals, we both noticed dramatic improvements in the signs and symptoms.The swelling in her fingers and toes had decreased.Her ability to walk with more fluidity and speed was noted as well without any stiffness and debility in her knees and ankles.It was also indicated that her handwriting appeared less rugged and more fluid after the swelling was alleviated in her fingers and hands.In any case she now visits me every other week for maintenance-style treatments.After all the progress we had witnessed together, here is what she had to say:
"I have been suffering with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis for about eight years. After researching alternative methods of pain management I came across Billy Singh's web site and was impressed by his credentials. I have been seeing him for acupuncture treatments for several months with excellent results. The treatments have given me great relief from the inflammation in my knees, feet, and shoulders.
I am thrilled with the results I am getting from the treatments and would highly recommend them as a compliment to conventional medicine."
-Janet M.
In my humble opinion, after getting a testimonial like this, all I can say is that I am sorry but decrease in severity of signs and symptoms of a disease is one of side-effects of East Asian Medicine.
Billy Shonez Singh is a licensed acupuncturist and a board certified Chinese herbalist by the NCCAOM. He is currently practicing in Commack, NY. His primary focus with East Asian medicine is stress, pain management, diabetic complications, and treating chemotherapy side-effects.
Reading the title of this new article, you are probably thinking, "How is that possible?"By treating something as simple as back pain with acupuncture and Chinese medicine, you are taking a preventative measure against cancer.It may sound unlikely, or even impossible; but on the contrary, it's quite feasible.
It all starts with an injury.Let us say a 25-year-old man gets into a 30-mile-per-hour car accident.He survived the accident and now has minor upper and lower back pain due to the concussive force of the crash.Over time, the pain comes and goes but the concussive force remains, therefore leading to impeded blood flow to the connective tissues and muscles. In a great amount of time, impeded blood flow in this case leads to lack of oxygen to the surrounding tissues, which is known as ischemia.Ischemia leads to another process known as cell death, because no oxygenated blood is going to the tissues.Eventually, the severity of cell death turns into necrosis because cell death has now spread into other tissues surrounding those affected by the concussive force. Over time, the surrounding necrotized tissues go into a cellular process known as cytotoxicity, which is much more severe than necrosis.Toxins build up in the surrounding and localized muscle tissue, which later leads to cancer, which spreads into tissues.How many times have you heard about people dying of cancer, despite the fact that they did not have cancer in their family health history?
A perfect real-life example of this theory is the case of Sosai Masutatsu (Mas) Oyama.He was born in 1923 and was the founder of Kyokushin karate.He trained under harsh environments and conditioned his hands, legs and feet by striking rocks and trees.He challenged 300 fighters in Japan and fought all of them in a three-day kumite (which in Japanese means "free fight").In short, he pushed himself beyond the limits of human endurance.Yet despite his physical and spiritual strength, he died in 1994 of lung cancer as a non-smoker.Now this is where the theory of concussive force comes into play.As a fighter in his time, martial artists did not have protective equipment to shield their bodies as we do now.When you are fighting the way Masutatsu Oyama did, most of the concussive force coming to your body comes from your opponent's strikes to your ribs, among other body parts like the head, groin and stomach.Despite his physical strength, he was taking concussive force to his body (in his case, specifically the rib cage), which resulted in ischemic tissues, which over time resulted in his lung cancer.
Chinese medical practices like Gua Sha can help treat musculoskeletal problems before they can eventually turn into potentially life-threatening issues.Gua Sha is a modality that incorporates the use of a Chinese soup spoon, or any other hard device, to scrape the surface of the skin until there is bruising and redness.It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or it can be used with one's acupuncture treatment.The theory behind scraping the surface of the skin until it is very red is to bring up any stagnated blood and toxins to the surface of the skin.The stagnated blood and toxins that have been built up cause pain and eventually lead to other problems at a cellular level.Since there is bruising involved, capillaries are destroyed and allowed to regenerate, thus bringing in a fresh supply of nutrients and oxygenated blood to the connective tissues of the body that have been affected by injuries involving concussive force.The bruising and redness that occurs fade away within four to five days.If you want to see this technique done in action go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOF9kvjDPsk.
Billy Shonez Singh is a licensed acupuncturist and a board certified Chinese herbalist by the NCCAOM). He is currently practicing in Commack, NY. His primary focus with East Asian medicine is stress, pain management, diabetic complications, and treating chemotherapy side-effects.
I entered NYCTCM in 2000 as a non-matriculated student,
intending only to get a foundation in Chinese medicine as a first step to
studying Tibetan medicine and naturopathy. Suffering an accident to my head and
neck shortly after beginning study, I had to take a leave of absence while
recuperating and receiving acupuncture treatments at NYCTCM's clinic. 
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