Some people are interested in the ingredients of the MIC or lipo injections. THe ingredients are below in various quantities. This is considered very safe for 5 or 6 times and the side effects can include headache or insomnia from the increased energy. People with depression seem to enjoy the boost and of course it will greatly aid in a diet and exersize program with the added energy boost and augmented fat burning.
It is not magic but nothing is and if you continue and use these in conjunction with a real college try at reducing intake and upping calorie expenditures than you can see a real change for sure.
So to give some understanding of the ingredients read below. I am not an expert on weight loss however I have had good luck with my treatment techniques I used on a cruise ship and in private practice. Because of this I take a very conservative approach and limit all clients to only one shot once per week. The difference here is it is more gentle but other clinics will give up to three shots per week. I am not comfortable with this nor should you be. Use the shot as a support and an aid to another program of diet water and daily work outs.
Weight Loss Injections:
L-Carnitine
The primary function of carnitine in the body, is to regulate fat
oxidation (burning). L-Carnitine is responsible for transporting fat to
the fat furnace in our cells called mitochondria. Unless fat makes it to
the mitochondria, it cannot be oxidized, no matter how much you diet
and exercise.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Vitamin B6 is a water soluble vitamin and functions as a coenzyme,
essential in the breakdown and utilization of carbohydrates, fats, and
proteins. natural and mild diuretic, metabolizes fats, carbs and protein
assists in the conversion of tryptophan to seratonin (helps regulate mood)
boosts body's natural cortisone
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)
Vitamin B12 is often referred to as the “longevity vitamin” due to
its contribution to energy and increased activity of the nervous
system. It is essential for normal acceleration of cell renewal,
especially red blood cells. Vitamin B12 is required for all metabolic
function, and assists in stress management. Vitamin B12 improves,
stamina, concentration, memory and regulates mood.
AMP (Adenosine Monophosphate)
Investigators preformed a study to see if AMP, when given to
patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, would have improvement of their
symptoms. Incidentally, it was found a significant number of the
patients lost inches without dieting.
1) Releasing stored fat from fat cells
2) Increase in energy levels
3) inch loss around the mid-section of the body
LIPO-B (Methionine, Inositol, Choline, Cyanocobalamin)
Lipotropic literally means "fat-loving" and the term is used
to refer to subsatnces that are able to help the liver metabolize fats
and remove from the blood stream.Increases metabolizing of fa tCleanse
the liver of stored fat lowers Cholesterol
B-Complex
B-Complex has been found to break down carbs and proteins and boost
energy levels. It plays a role in the formation of Hydrochloric Acid,
therefore, aids in digestion. B-Complex cannot be stored in the body,
therefore it needs to be constantly replenished.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Monday, December 17, 2012
How I Treat Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain.
My Protocol for Plantar Pain and Heel PainMY UNDERSTANDING OF PLANTAR PAIN AND ITS PATHOPHYSIOLOGYThere are four causes will causing heel pain: (1) Inflammation of fatty pad. (2) Strained tendon and Tendonitis. (3) Osteological spurs. (4) Bursitis. For each of the above problems I have a similar protocol however for each of the above problems the there can be varied degrees of response to this treatment. The reason I have the same protocol is I do not address any of those problems directly I go for the main cause. The main cause to me is what is stopping the body from resolving the above four problems. In my opinion the main cause is muscle pain and tightness which blocks the body from being able to heal itself of these four problems. All of these four areas get very little direct circulation. If the trickle of vascular support to these areas is compromised in the slightest it results in the wear and tear of daily walking and standing becoming injurious. The body when resting at night cannot keep up to the strain of the day. If you however are able to increase the circulation to these areas even for a short time you can make up for years of wear and tear. It took years to create the problem but a massive increase in blood and nutrients to an area and a continued good circulation can work miracles or what seems like anyway. In my approach I address specifically the circulation and muscles. A tight muscle will not allow for a free flow of blood and fluids through or around it. However, once the area is supple and relaxed then lymphatic drainage and blood oxygenation and nutrients can flow to help an area renew itself. This will result in a reduction in pain as well as inflammation. The area will feel stronger and all connected areas will also feel better. The body knows how to heal humans have had these problems since the beginning and a human that cannot walk does not eat. So with this simple logic let us trust aid the body circulation and it will fix its own problems we still cannot fathom the amazing healing abilities of our bodies. MY TREATMENT TECHNIQUE In the initial treatment of Plantar Pain I use gentle approach with TCM acupunture protocol along with electro stimulation. This usually uses balancing points like P7 on the wrist or other ashi or tender points around the wrist or elbow area. Also ear seeds on the heel area of the ear are also used. The electrostimulation is usually in the local area of pain or up in the calf area on motor points relating to the muscles that connect to the achilles or plantar ligaments and tendons. This is usually followed by a mild massage with instructions to soak the feet in a detox bath. The self massage is shown to be most important and it should be painful to a point to get results. The theory is that if there is pain there is a blockage to remove the blockage acupuncture is used around the wrist. This tells the body to adjust the circulation around the heel and foot. When the circulation increases then healing occurs and the body starts to catch up on the viscous circle of inflammation and pain. The ear points have been found to influence the brain and how it interprets pain as well as change circulation patterns in various areas in the body to aid healing in areas of chronic inflammation and pain. This first protocol is not always effective but it is gentle and comfortable for the client and along with other interventions have been found to be very effective. Should the client be comfortable with trigger point therapy and has been using a ball to massage the feet calf and gluteal areas and still has not found adequate relief then more direct approaches are used. Dry needling or wet needling with procaine 1% and Hydroxal Cobalamin (B12) in a 2cc/1cc repsective syringe. This protocol can sometimes be used earlier if the client is interested and understands the medical theory behind trigger point injection. Also it is generally more effective to use trigger point injection and will lead to a faster recovery. If time is an issue then the added risk and expense with some discomfort can be a factor to move to trigger point injection before the above TCM procedure. If there are allergy issues then a dry needle approach would be used however the wet needle is generally more comfortable due to the procaine also there is a more lasting effect on the muscles as a result. The main muscles to be needled are the Soleus, Quadratus Plantae, The Flexor Digitorum Brevis, and ABd Hallucis depending on tenderness on palpation. Other muscles assessed for tenderness due to thier supporting function will be Gastroc, Flexor Digitorum Longus, Flexor Hallucis Longus, peroneus longus; peroneus brevis); tibialis anterior; extensor hallucis longus; extensor digitorum longus Loading muscles like gluteus maximus; gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are almost always included since they are major drivers so to speak for the lower body. These major muscles are large in size and will effect the whole body if they are tight or problematic with trigger points. When needling the gluteal area I usually clear the whole area and it does not take very long and is one of the safest and most comfortable area to have needled in this way. Other lesser loading muscles can be the piriformis, tensor fascia latae on the side of the leg; adductor longus; adductor magnus; adductor brevis, semitendinosis; semimembranosis and biceps femoris. These would be assessed later unless they are reported by the client as tender or part of a pain pattern that recognizes these muscles. When I needle a muscle Trigger Point the response looked for is a twitch or a dull ache or heavyness or a reproduction of the pain. After the needling the pain should have subsided. The needle is used to find and release tight stuck muscle tissue. The amount of work done on a particular treatment will depend on the clients comfort and tolerance. Ususually only around 5 or so of the above muscles will be needled in a treatment. Bruising and discomfort or heavyness for up to 12 hours after treatment and sometimes as long as a week can occur. A series of 6 treatments should be enough to resolve even difficult cases. If however the pain still in not resolved then tendon attachments will be assessed for tenderness. If these are tender and relate to the pain then it is assumed there is some tendon weakness or damage leading to the muscle trigger points being activated despite being released previously. In this case then dextrose can be introduced to induce the regrowth of the tendon. This can profoundly improve the muscle function and thus reduce the pain in the area. If there is still slow progress then Herbal medicine can be used to increase the circulation and strengthen the bodies resources to help heal and calm the pain in the foot. Other complications can be disease, smoking and poor diet or emotional health. Usually one will see a direct change in the first treatment it is usually just a matter of seeing how long it lasts. Sometimes one or two treatments are enough along with other interventions and self care. If not then we need to add other components to support the body in its imbalance. Herbal patent remedies for heel and foot pain can include Dang Gui Di Huang Yin Wan, (Tangkuei and Rehmannia Decoction) for KIdney and Liver Yin deficiency where you can see circulation is poor and problem is chronic. In a more acute healthy person I would recomend TCM along with Myofacial Trigger point theory make for a powerful combination for any pain problem. In this case of plantar pain we also have orthotics as well as a wealth of physiotherapy information one can draw upon to prevent the recurrance of this debilitating pain. I hope this is helpful for clients and practitioners alike. I have found this approach to be effective and I encourage more to use this protocol. I want to reference the study I drew from to develop part of this treatment. www.jfootankleres.com/content/4/1/5/table/T1 | ||||||||
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
WHY DO ACUPUNCTURISTS USE NEEDLES
(A humourous explanation of why I am still an acupuncturist)
"One Small Needle Cures a Thousand Illnesses”. Ancient Chinese Saying.
Many people do not like needles and as an acupuncturist I do not really like them either however I am growing to love them as the years go by.
If anything worked better than a needle I would most certainly go for it and use that rather than having to nurse people through the anxiety of their first acupuncture experience. I say first because most after one session kinda get it and see the light so to speak. Often just one acu-point is enough to convince one that hey there is nothing to it. As in did you put it in yet? Is is really done I didn't feel anything. And yes this is true and no exaggeration and you are being a bit ridiculous if you are still convinced the needles are to scarey.
So this is for you newbies who are still traumatized by nurse Kratchet in grade one getting your booster shot. I don't stab people I gently place the needles in the appropriate feel good spots not inside your deltoid muscle tendon attachment which hurts for a good minute or two. I do not inject a burning substance either.
Also the "needle" if you can call it that is more of a filament or a wire not a needle for it has no hole in the middle. In fact you can fit 5 acupuncture needles inside one hypodermic. I actually proved it just now.
There is more like 4.5 but you get the idea and if you translate the amount of possible discomfort by the size well right of the bat you have about 10 times less discomfort from an acupuncture needle. No doubt this is logarithmic scale as well.
So also the needles or filaments are coated to be extra smooth, microscpopically sharpened to be again extra pain free. Also the method of inserting the needles is practiced for at least a month or so on potatoes, oranges and all sorts of fruit before even attempting on one self. And yes the next level of training is on oneself for a while to get a feel for painless insertion. Then you get to try it on your classmates for a good year or so. They are not very forgiving patients and if you are not gentle then you are not getting any practice next class.
So after all that then you try it under supervision of your professor on some well chosen patients. This you do for another year. Then finally you are ready to insert needles safely into where ever on the body they are needed.
So this is why I started to like needles one I used them so much it was a relationship that was well developed and nurtured for four years before even practising. Also the so called pain people fear is always less than any other therapy I know.. It is even less painful than swallowing a pill.
I still do allot of massage and when I do it is always amazing how you can press your elbow into a muscle and still it does not even budge. That sore knot sometimes will never go away. But, a small needle painlessly almost mysteriously placed and magic it just melts away. It is amazing.
Also I have massaged shoulders for a half hour and little or no improvement. Two needles and in 5 seconds the shoulder pain disappears and mobility increases. The main reason I am learning to love needles as well as my clients is they work magic. Well scientifically tested magic for you sceptics wanting to sound alert bells. He said "Magic" I smell woo woo here. Calm down it is just a muscle twitch its not really magic.
Another reason I like needles is because I only have two thumbs. Yea so you may say me two. Well in this fast paced world what if you don't have time to spend an hour pressing on more than a few points. What if you want to press on a few areas for a long time. Well that's what needles are for. They allow one to stimulate multiple areas at the same time. As an acupunturist you now have not two but ten or more thumbs all working painlessly in concert with very little effort on your part. If you see a few clients an hour you can multiply that by up to ten so its like having 100 thumbs. They can all work away pressing while you have a nice cup of herbal tea and check on the rest of your schedule for the day or your blog for that matter. Isn't that great. No sore hands just happy clients.
Whats not to love about that. Am I starting to get your attention why needles are really the greatest health invention yet.
Needles even can replace exersize. This sounds rediculous does it not. But its true. You can stimulate blood flow, energize limbs, organs all in the same way exersize does. This is great for bedridden people or tired stiff or sick people. You don't need to walk you can even help asthma and breathing with needles. Whats not to love.
Now you might still be wondering or thinking about the movie Hell Raiser one of the worst horror films ever but everyone seems to know it. So I will say many famous movie stars and not so famous housewives love to have needles in thier face. What? Thats disgusting thats terrible I am never getting acupunture period now. That is it. BUT WAIT. Why do they do this well... its because it removes wrinkles and makes you look years younger. True fact. It is less painful than a facial or a scrub. The results are instant and last for years often. So what is not to love about that. Painless, natural and beautiful. Yes acupunture needles make you look beautiful. I am ashamed to say it but many of my clients come only for that very reason. They love the results of getting needles in their wrinkles.
So needles work your muscle knots out instantly, are painless, remove wrinkles, allow you to have multiple areas treated and clients treated at the same time these are just a few reasons I am starting to Love Needles.
You might wonder why it is the oldest documented medicine, the most popular health care in the world by population anyway and why it just won't go away. Now we are seeing Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, Medical Doctors, Naturopaths, Nurses and a few other medical professionals using Needles. With all the tools they have why would they want to scare their patients away with needles. Well I would say because they just work so great on pain problems especially.
So in why do we use needles? Only for one reason and thats because they work better than massage, counselling, exersize, stretching, herbal medicine if they did not I personally would avoid them altogether. Why go through the hassle the insurance the protocols to avoid infection, the everything they are needles and a medical sharp at that. Why do that? Because I want to help people feel better, be better and to make a better world by empowering people to achieve their best.
Sounds lofty I know but it has been only through using a simple thin steel filament that has given me the most satisfaction the best results and a feeling of real pride in what I do. It is not for the money thats for sure anything else would be more lucrative than acupuncture. I have some attachment to needles as you can see but I am always looking for the next best thing. So far I have not seen it accept for maybe injections into muscles but that is a bigger needle and another blog. Lasers might be the ticket we will see.
I hope when you experience the needle guiding your body to create a new healing reaction you remember all the reasons why you decided to use needles for your healing too. Oh yea and I forgot to mention the wonderful euphoria you get from acupuncture that lasts often the whole day.
(A humourous explanation of why I am still an acupuncturist)
"One Small Needle Cures a Thousand Illnesses”. Ancient Chinese Saying.
Many people do not like needles and as an acupuncturist I do not really like them either however I am growing to love them as the years go by.
If anything worked better than a needle I would most certainly go for it and use that rather than having to nurse people through the anxiety of their first acupuncture experience. I say first because most after one session kinda get it and see the light so to speak. Often just one acu-point is enough to convince one that hey there is nothing to it. As in did you put it in yet? Is is really done I didn't feel anything. And yes this is true and no exaggeration and you are being a bit ridiculous if you are still convinced the needles are to scarey.
So this is for you newbies who are still traumatized by nurse Kratchet in grade one getting your booster shot. I don't stab people I gently place the needles in the appropriate feel good spots not inside your deltoid muscle tendon attachment which hurts for a good minute or two. I do not inject a burning substance either.
Also the "needle" if you can call it that is more of a filament or a wire not a needle for it has no hole in the middle. In fact you can fit 5 acupuncture needles inside one hypodermic. I actually proved it just now.
There is more like 4.5 but you get the idea and if you translate the amount of possible discomfort by the size well right of the bat you have about 10 times less discomfort from an acupuncture needle. No doubt this is logarithmic scale as well.
So also the needles or filaments are coated to be extra smooth, microscpopically sharpened to be again extra pain free. Also the method of inserting the needles is practiced for at least a month or so on potatoes, oranges and all sorts of fruit before even attempting on one self. And yes the next level of training is on oneself for a while to get a feel for painless insertion. Then you get to try it on your classmates for a good year or so. They are not very forgiving patients and if you are not gentle then you are not getting any practice next class.
So after all that then you try it under supervision of your professor on some well chosen patients. This you do for another year. Then finally you are ready to insert needles safely into where ever on the body they are needed.
So this is why I started to like needles one I used them so much it was a relationship that was well developed and nurtured for four years before even practising. Also the so called pain people fear is always less than any other therapy I know.. It is even less painful than swallowing a pill.
I still do allot of massage and when I do it is always amazing how you can press your elbow into a muscle and still it does not even budge. That sore knot sometimes will never go away. But, a small needle painlessly almost mysteriously placed and magic it just melts away. It is amazing.
Also I have massaged shoulders for a half hour and little or no improvement. Two needles and in 5 seconds the shoulder pain disappears and mobility increases. The main reason I am learning to love needles as well as my clients is they work magic. Well scientifically tested magic for you sceptics wanting to sound alert bells. He said "Magic" I smell woo woo here. Calm down it is just a muscle twitch its not really magic.
Another reason I like needles is because I only have two thumbs. Yea so you may say me two. Well in this fast paced world what if you don't have time to spend an hour pressing on more than a few points. What if you want to press on a few areas for a long time. Well that's what needles are for. They allow one to stimulate multiple areas at the same time. As an acupunturist you now have not two but ten or more thumbs all working painlessly in concert with very little effort on your part. If you see a few clients an hour you can multiply that by up to ten so its like having 100 thumbs. They can all work away pressing while you have a nice cup of herbal tea and check on the rest of your schedule for the day or your blog for that matter. Isn't that great. No sore hands just happy clients.
Whats not to love about that. Am I starting to get your attention why needles are really the greatest health invention yet.
Needles even can replace exersize. This sounds rediculous does it not. But its true. You can stimulate blood flow, energize limbs, organs all in the same way exersize does. This is great for bedridden people or tired stiff or sick people. You don't need to walk you can even help asthma and breathing with needles. Whats not to love.
Now you might still be wondering or thinking about the movie Hell Raiser one of the worst horror films ever but everyone seems to know it. So I will say many famous movie stars and not so famous housewives love to have needles in thier face. What? Thats disgusting thats terrible I am never getting acupunture period now. That is it. BUT WAIT. Why do they do this well... its because it removes wrinkles and makes you look years younger. True fact. It is less painful than a facial or a scrub. The results are instant and last for years often. So what is not to love about that. Painless, natural and beautiful. Yes acupunture needles make you look beautiful. I am ashamed to say it but many of my clients come only for that very reason. They love the results of getting needles in their wrinkles.
So needles work your muscle knots out instantly, are painless, remove wrinkles, allow you to have multiple areas treated and clients treated at the same time these are just a few reasons I am starting to Love Needles.
You might wonder why it is the oldest documented medicine, the most popular health care in the world by population anyway and why it just won't go away. Now we are seeing Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, Medical Doctors, Naturopaths, Nurses and a few other medical professionals using Needles. With all the tools they have why would they want to scare their patients away with needles. Well I would say because they just work so great on pain problems especially.
So in why do we use needles? Only for one reason and thats because they work better than massage, counselling, exersize, stretching, herbal medicine if they did not I personally would avoid them altogether. Why go through the hassle the insurance the protocols to avoid infection, the everything they are needles and a medical sharp at that. Why do that? Because I want to help people feel better, be better and to make a better world by empowering people to achieve their best.
Sounds lofty I know but it has been only through using a simple thin steel filament that has given me the most satisfaction the best results and a feeling of real pride in what I do. It is not for the money thats for sure anything else would be more lucrative than acupuncture. I have some attachment to needles as you can see but I am always looking for the next best thing. So far I have not seen it accept for maybe injections into muscles but that is a bigger needle and another blog. Lasers might be the ticket we will see.
I hope when you experience the needle guiding your body to create a new healing reaction you remember all the reasons why you decided to use needles for your healing too. Oh yea and I forgot to mention the wonderful euphoria you get from acupuncture that lasts often the whole day.
Monday, December 3, 2012
NEVER ICE AN INJURY HERE IS WHY.
RICE is WRONG?
RICE Rest Ice Compression and Elevation is considered the standard for sprains and muscle injury. Here is a short review of why MECH Movement, Elevation, Compression and Heat is better. I have looked at numerous studies from various sports medicine sources in this short review to convince you next time not to use ice on your next sports injury.
As a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner we have always said heat is better for circulation and one should never use ice ever.
However, most people do not buy into this theory despite its 2000 years success so we better use some science to convince all you folk why ice does not do anything to help an injury old or new.
Firstly Why Ice? Well most would say to reduce swelling and pain. Well if you want to reduce pain then it will work great however it will not help the healing or the swelling of the area. Also for traumatic injury that is so painful there is a risk of shock then ice would be recommended just for the pain. However, most medical professionals say incorrectly yes ice reduces swelling in fact here is a quote from a spine health web site. I think you will find most medical professionals agree with this.
Ice should be applied soon after the injury occurs. The coldness makes the veins in the tissue contract, which reduces circulation in the area. After the cold compress is removed, the veins overcompensate and dilate. Once that happens, the blood rushes into the area and brings with it the nutrients necessary to heal the injured area.
A review of studies with cryotherapy on acute sprain and concluded based on practice expert opinion that ice is good.
However there was only one study that concluded that ice was good out of all the 66 studies reviewed. It was also stated that there was conflicting outcomes in the other studies. This is the kind of information that led me to believe perhaps RICE is WRONG. Looking closer we can find a few reviews that try to convince one that RICE is the right way to go.
For example a 2007 review evaluated 66 publications and found only 1 randomized controlled trial conducted on humans. The intervention in this trial involved applying cold gel 4 times a day for the first 14 days after the injury. The control group received a room-temperature gel application; neither group was aware of the temperature differential.
The study found significant reduction in pain at
rest, pain with movement, and functional disability at intervals of 7, 14, and 28 days post injury (P<.001) among patients receiving cold-gel applications. Patients receiving cold-gel treatment also reported increased satisfaction with treatment compared with the controls. At 28 days, cold-gel treatment patients scored 71 on a 100-point satisfaction scale compared with 44 for controls (P<.001). Inconclusive results or significant design flaws limited the validity of all other trials cited in this review.
Collins NC. Is ice right? Does cryotherapy improve
outcome for acute soft tissue injury? Emerg Med J.
2008;25:65-68.
According to this it would seem the coolness seemed to help. This would make one think well perhaps RICE is RIGHT.
But lets look at the physiology. When an injury occurs the swelling actually has nothing nothing to do with circulation of blood and the swelling fluid from the lymphatic system is made of large protiens too big to be taken up by the blood vessels so the blood circulation part kind of misses the whole point. To reduce swelling you need to increase the lymphatic drainage of the area injured.
Here is a detailed explanation of what happens with ice.
"When ice is applied to a body part for a prolonged period, nearby lymphatic vessels begin to dramatically increase their permeability (lymphatic vessels are ‘dead-end’ tubes which ordinarily help carry excess tissue fl
Here is another review of ice therapy from various sources finding there is no proof that ice therapy improves injury outcomes.
“Is Ice Right? Does Cryotherapy Improve Outcome for Acute Soft Tissue Injury?” JEM, 2008; Feb. 25; 65–68 Abstract: Aims: The use of ice or cryotherapy in the management of acute soft tissue injuries is widely accepted and widely practiced. This review was conducted to examine the medical literature to investigate if there is evidence to support an improvement in clinical outcome following the use of ice or cryotherapy.
Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed and all human and animal trials or systematic reviews pertaining to soft tissue trauma, ice or cryotherapy were assessed. The clinically relevant outcome measures were: (1) a reduction in pain; (2) a reduction in swelling or edema; (3) improved function; or (4) return to participation in normal activity.
Results: Six relevant trials in humans were identified, four of which lacked randomization and blinding. There were two well conducted randomized controlled trials, one showing supportive evidence for the use of a cooling gel and the other not reaching statistical significance. Four animal studies showed that modest cooling reduced edema but excessive or prolonged cooling is damaging. There were two systematic reviews, one of which was inconclusive and the other suggested that ice may hasten return to participation.”
Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to suggest that cryotherapy improves clinical outcome in the management of soft tissue injuries.
The interesting point of all this is none of the studies looked at compression or movement of the lymphatic system.
If one looks at the definitions of how the lymph system works it is like a vacuume type pump. Protiens and water in the interstitial connective tissue can only be moved by mechanical means. That is muscle movement, stretching and massage or compression.
The drainage happens when sections of the lymphatic system pulsate. The dilation and contraction like when walking for example create a paristalsis. This is helped by the nerves that control the lymph vessels and how they absorb and coordinate the suction of the swelled or injured area.
Ice will numb the nerves controlling the absorption and the polarization and mechanical reactions of the lymph vessels. This is why it will cause a reversal of the fluid. And compression and some stretching and movement will increase the vasomotor lymph drainage.
The action of external mechanical factors like muscle movements, pulsation of arteries as well as the diaphragm when breathing all help to make the lymph system work. But placing a bandage on the injury with pressure while moving gently will do the most to enhance the drainage of swelling. Also to enhance one would place a tens unit and electrically stimulate the muscles above and below the injury to create a continuous pulsing to help move the fluid.
Gerald Weissmann, editor of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology journal, said: “For wounds to heal we need controlled inflammation, not too much, and not too little.
RICE Rest Ice Compression and Elevation is considered the standard for sprains and muscle injury. Here is a short review of why MECH Movement, Elevation, Compression and Heat is better. I have looked at numerous studies from various sports medicine sources in this short review to convince you next time not to use ice on your next sports injury.
As a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner we have always said heat is better for circulation and one should never use ice ever.
However, most people do not buy into this theory despite its 2000 years success so we better use some science to convince all you folk why ice does not do anything to help an injury old or new.
Firstly Why Ice? Well most would say to reduce swelling and pain. Well if you want to reduce pain then it will work great however it will not help the healing or the swelling of the area. Also for traumatic injury that is so painful there is a risk of shock then ice would be recommended just for the pain. However, most medical professionals say incorrectly yes ice reduces swelling in fact here is a quote from a spine health web site. I think you will find most medical professionals agree with this.
Ice should be applied soon after the injury occurs. The coldness makes the veins in the tissue contract, which reduces circulation in the area. After the cold compress is removed, the veins overcompensate and dilate. Once that happens, the blood rushes into the area and brings with it the nutrients necessary to heal the injured area.
A review of studies with cryotherapy on acute sprain and concluded based on practice expert opinion that ice is good.
However there was only one study that concluded that ice was good out of all the 66 studies reviewed. It was also stated that there was conflicting outcomes in the other studies. This is the kind of information that led me to believe perhaps RICE is WRONG. Looking closer we can find a few reviews that try to convince one that RICE is the right way to go.
For example a 2007 review evaluated 66 publications and found only 1 randomized controlled trial conducted on humans. The intervention in this trial involved applying cold gel 4 times a day for the first 14 days after the injury. The control group received a room-temperature gel application; neither group was aware of the temperature differential.
rest, pain with movement, and functional disability at intervals of 7, 14, and 28 days post injury (P<.001) among patients receiving cold-gel applications. Patients receiving cold-gel treatment also reported increased satisfaction with treatment compared with the controls. At 28 days, cold-gel treatment patients scored 71 on a 100-point satisfaction scale compared with 44 for controls (P<.001). Inconclusive results or significant design flaws limited the validity of all other trials cited in this review.
Collins NC. Is ice right? Does cryotherapy improve
outcome for acute soft tissue injury? Emerg Med J.
2008;25:65-68.
According to this it would seem the coolness seemed to help. This would make one think well perhaps RICE is RIGHT.
But lets look at the physiology. When an injury occurs the swelling actually has nothing nothing to do with circulation of blood and the swelling fluid from the lymphatic system is made of large protiens too big to be taken up by the blood vessels so the blood circulation part kind of misses the whole point. To reduce swelling you need to increase the lymphatic drainage of the area injured.
Here is a detailed explanation of what happens with ice.
"When ice is applied to a body part for a prolonged period, nearby lymphatic vessels begin to dramatically increase their permeability (lymphatic vessels are ‘dead-end’ tubes which ordinarily help carry excess tissue fl
uids
back into the cardiovascular system). As lymphatic permeability is
enhanced, large amounts of fluid begin to pour from the lymphatics ‘in
the wrong direction’ (into the injured area), increasing the amount of
local swelling and pressure and potentially contributing to greater
pain.” The use of Cryotherapy in Sports Injuries,’ Sports Medicine, Vol.
3. pp. 398-414, 1986
So according to Sports medicine physiology of cold the use of ice will increase the swelling not decrease it.
Dr. Nick DiNubile, Editor in Chief of The Physician And Sports Medicine Journal (physsportsmed.com) is quoted as saying in response to icing and anti inflammatory meds “Seriously, do you honestly believe that your body’s natural inflammatory response is a mistake?” He bases this on an estimated 2 million years of evolution and that early humans no doubt had numerous sprains and strains.
Dr DiNubile also goes on to suggest that the use of ice is misunderstood on a basic physiological level by most medical professionals. The use of ice can in fact slow down recovery and impair the bodies natural healing response. From this we could conclude that using RICE as a first aid in the long term would lead to a poorly healed injury leading to longer recovery. He also says that to move the lymph fluid associated with swelling you need compression and muscle movement. Or a manual massage would also help.
This might be why we see so many inconsistencies in the use of ice among medical professionals. This is because the result of reduction of swelling would not be because of ice but compression and muscle movement.
Here is a study showing how inconsistent one of the most common medical practices is in sports medical textbooks. In 45 sports medicine textbooks no consensus was found in the use of ice therapy.
Dr. Nick DiNubile, Editor in Chief of The Physician And Sports Medicine Journal (physsportsmed.com) is quoted as saying in response to icing and anti inflammatory meds “Seriously, do you honestly believe that your body’s natural inflammatory response is a mistake?” He bases this on an estimated 2 million years of evolution and that early humans no doubt had numerous sprains and strains.
Dr DiNubile also goes on to suggest that the use of ice is misunderstood on a basic physiological level by most medical professionals. The use of ice can in fact slow down recovery and impair the bodies natural healing response. From this we could conclude that using RICE as a first aid in the long term would lead to a poorly healed injury leading to longer recovery. He also says that to move the lymph fluid associated with swelling you need compression and muscle movement. Or a manual massage would also help.
This might be why we see so many inconsistencies in the use of ice among medical professionals. This is because the result of reduction of swelling would not be because of ice but compression and muscle movement.
Here is a study showing how inconsistent one of the most common medical practices is in sports medical textbooks. In 45 sports medicine textbooks no consensus was found in the use of ice therapy.
Objective: To study ice therapy guidance in sports medicine textbooks.
Data Sources: A systematic search of a convenience sample of textbooks.
Study Selection: 45 general sports medicine texts were included in the study.
Data Extraction: The indices and chapter headings of
each text were searched using key words ice, cryotherapy, soft tissue
injury, muscle, and bruise.
Data Synthesis: In 17 of the textbooks, there was no
guidance on the duration, frequency, or length of ice treatment or on
the use of barriers between ice and the skin. Advice on treatment
duration was given in 28 texts but recommendations differed depending on
the particular ice therapy, injury location, or severity. There was
considerable variation in the recommended duration and frequency of
advised treatments.
Conclusion: There was little guidance in the standard
textbooks on ice application, and the advice varied greatly. There is a
need for evidence-based sport and exercise medicine with a consensus on
the appropriate use of ice in acute soft tissue injury.
Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine:
April 2001 - Volume 11 - Issue 2 - pp 67-72
Here is another review of ice therapy from various sources finding there is no proof that ice therapy improves injury outcomes.
“Is Ice Right? Does Cryotherapy Improve Outcome for Acute Soft Tissue Injury?” JEM, 2008; Feb. 25; 65–68 Abstract: Aims: The use of ice or cryotherapy in the management of acute soft tissue injuries is widely accepted and widely practiced. This review was conducted to examine the medical literature to investigate if there is evidence to support an improvement in clinical outcome following the use of ice or cryotherapy.
Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed and all human and animal trials or systematic reviews pertaining to soft tissue trauma, ice or cryotherapy were assessed. The clinically relevant outcome measures were: (1) a reduction in pain; (2) a reduction in swelling or edema; (3) improved function; or (4) return to participation in normal activity.
Results: Six relevant trials in humans were identified, four of which lacked randomization and blinding. There were two well conducted randomized controlled trials, one showing supportive evidence for the use of a cooling gel and the other not reaching statistical significance. Four animal studies showed that modest cooling reduced edema but excessive or prolonged cooling is damaging. There were two systematic reviews, one of which was inconclusive and the other suggested that ice may hasten return to participation.”
Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to suggest that cryotherapy improves clinical outcome in the management of soft tissue injuries.
The interesting point of all this is none of the studies looked at compression or movement of the lymphatic system.
If one looks at the definitions of how the lymph system works it is like a vacuume type pump. Protiens and water in the interstitial connective tissue can only be moved by mechanical means. That is muscle movement, stretching and massage or compression.
The drainage happens when sections of the lymphatic system pulsate. The dilation and contraction like when walking for example create a paristalsis. This is helped by the nerves that control the lymph vessels and how they absorb and coordinate the suction of the swelled or injured area.
Ice will numb the nerves controlling the absorption and the polarization and mechanical reactions of the lymph vessels. This is why it will cause a reversal of the fluid. And compression and some stretching and movement will increase the vasomotor lymph drainage.
The action of external mechanical factors like muscle movements, pulsation of arteries as well as the diaphragm when breathing all help to make the lymph system work. But placing a bandage on the injury with pressure while moving gently will do the most to enhance the drainage of swelling. Also to enhance one would place a tens unit and electrically stimulate the muscles above and below the injury to create a continuous pulsing to help move the fluid.
Gerald Weissmann, editor of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology journal, said: “For wounds to heal we need controlled inflammation, not too much, and not too little.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
TYPES OF THERAPY I LIKE TO USE IN MY PRACTICE
I am on the constant search few new innovative ways to combine traditional therapies to enhance and compound the benefits. I have been a traditional orthodox practitioner for much of my early career to allow a deeper understanding of how acupuncture works and how best to apply it.
However, we no longer have traditional clients we cannot rely on people to come in regularly three times a week for treatments and I often only see people a few times before they give up and seek other means or decide perhaps acupuncture is not for them. People need in this internet world fast results and instant relief. So I have changed my work to accommodate this trend . I still believe the old fashioned way is superior because we are working from the ground up on the root of the problem but for those busy people who believe they just need their pain fixed and that's it, well we can help that too.
I like being client directed however I would warn when one just asks for their pain problem and nothing else there is an opportunity for change that is being ignored. The body is talking or even yelling in some instances and it is not like a car just change the part and the rest will be fine. Prevention is the opportunity here and it is often overlooked as one of the main reasons to ever come to an acupuncturist. So I would just like to share a bit of wisdom here that when you look for the big change in your symptom it is like the tree in the forest. Fixing one tree is not going to do much for the forest. However, it is a good start and the reduction in stress and pain is often a catalyst for change and gratitude for life. So one treatment is better than no treatment but ongoing visits are more important for the client than the acupuncturist.
With that preamble here are some of the methods I have studied and practiced and developed over the years to help make people feel better and prevent future problems. They are all natural and the side effects are usually pleasant surprises like my sleep has improved or my golf game is better or can acupuncture help my memory cause I seem to be remembering things easier.
Before you read further I would say to a common question WHY DO YOU DO ACUPUNCTURE? My answer is always if there was anything that worked better, was more natural and had less side effects I would do it instead. I still stand by this and I wish there was anything more effective than acupunture for so many things and really there is not. Most people who come dread it and only try it because they have tried everything else then like a miracle, at least to them it helps. What other profession has more pressure more complex cases and more doubt and resistance than acupunture. Yet we still get amazing results almost all the time. I hope you enjoy this short explanation below or some of the wonderful ways I like to do acupuncture.
TYPES OF |ACUPUNCTURE I PRACTICE
TRADITIONAL CHINESE ACUPUNCTURE
The strength of this is the diagnosis of internal organ problems. I use this diagnostic system with every client to have an idea of the root cause and to gauge how long and how strong the treatment should be. This style goes deeper and uses longer needles. The idea is the energy can be deeper than on the surface and it seems to be true with studies on reflex and blood flow changes in the body. This style is very balancing and focuses on the root and branch both or the cause and the symptom both. Treatments with this style are very complex and require numerous visits but the results are slow but really worth it. This is the best way to work in my opinion but it is time consuming and requires an deep relationship between client and practitioner. Herbs should also be included in this approach and an ongoing treatment plan with a minimum of four visits per year when symptom free is required to really benefit from this approach. This is the real deal when it comes to acupuncture but it is the slow and easy way which some people don't have the patience for.
JAPANESE MERIDIAN ACUPUNCTURE
This is also very traditional and involves seeing a problem more as a meridian flow problem. One reroutes energy by using point often on the opposite side of the problem to balance the energy deficit or blockage in a particular area. One example that works quite well is treating the left leg to treat the right shoulder. Palpation plays a major role in this method and finding points that are tender to the touch are often most effective.
This method usually uses more needles and smaller ones and going just below the skin is often enough. Results here are quick and instant literally within a minute or two you notice a difference in pain in particular. However the results need to be reinforced and weekly visits are important for a few weeks usually if the problem is old and chronic. People are impressed with this method because it works so fast they think you are a magician or something. This is great for a first visit and builds trust and proves there is some clear benefit to acupuncture.
MOXIBUSTION
This involves using an herb mugwort or infrared heat from a lamp or laser to warm the points. Both Japanese and Chinese styles use this and I find it is very good for slow to heal infections like bed sores or ulcers on the leg or foot. This method increases and stimulated blood flow to the area as well as boosts the white blood cell count. This is great for weak and chronic problems that have been difficult to get movement or progress on. This is a more intensive treatment and can be included in the above even on a first visit but because of the smell usually I use a heat lamp. People love the dry heat when focused on a painful pain for example.
CUPPING
Cupping is an amazing way to also bring stimulation to an area also to relieve stagnant swollen stiff joints. It tends to straighten out fascia in the area cupped and when used in a sliding manner is great on the back and tends to have a lasting effect on how the blood flows in an area weeks after ward. I find energy levels and metabolism generally increase also. The bruising that can be avoided or used to advantage deposits blood in an area delivering platelets which help to heal joints and tendons and torn muscles. This uses the bodies own natural healing mechanism similar when a bruise occurs.
ELECTRO-STIMULATION-ACUPUNCTURE
This has has been found to enhance the production of human growth hormone in the body and works great to reduce energy in the body. It is kind of the opposite of cupping and moxabustion in that is is great for acute problems that are fairly new or a problem that is in excess. A overly energetic person or to gently simulate a muscle or area when a person is overly sensitive. I also have used it to numb an area to allow some deeper needling to be done more comfortably. It is wonderful to help a person deeply relax as well as to suppress the appetite.
GERMAN AURICULAR MEDICINE & EAR ACUPUNCTURE
The german system is based on the early french and chinese ear system but takes it a step further using fMRIs and vascular autonomic system responses to map out the ear points to a precise degree, This system can treat almost any pain, addiction, emotional problems, and many functional problems like high blood pressure allergies and more. It is another complete system which I use almost daily to great success. The added benefit is tiny metal pellets can be placed with tiny skin colored band aids to keep the treatment working for a week or more at a time. Great for quitting smoking or any ongoing problems anxiety high blood pressure or even back pain.
DRY NEEDLING
This is a way of manipulating the needles to find trigger points inside painful muscles. A twitch response is usually the outcome in the muscle being needled. It is less uncomfortable than having the area pressed or massaged and instantly the muscle relaxes knots disappear and the flexibility is regained. Some soreness due to the muscle relaxing not because of the needling occurs for a few hours to a few days. This works great when the pain is chronic and keeps coming back when other methods have failed to retain pain free functioning.
ACUPOINT INJECTION THERAPY
This involves all of the above methods accept an added benefit of safety is added using a more sturdy needle. This allows for deeper muscles to be safely addressed. The other added benefit is the use of homeopathics and vitamins to aid in the healing response. B12 is very common to use for it speeds up the healing response in a muscle as well as the detoxification of any stored waste materials in the muscle. The homeopathics used are trameel, zeel and lymphocet all these are used for inflammation pain and swelling and can be used in combination if one has two or three problems. I have been using these only in the last year and have found the results to be remarkable. I can say for many pain issues this is one of the fastest methods available to resolve old or new injuries and any chronic pain. Back pain, heel pain knee pain wrist pain all of these require multiple and ongoing often treatment. However with injection the healing time and number of treatments is cut easily in half. As an acupuncturist this is an amazing leap in practice and a great way to help people especially the most difficult of cases.
OTHER THINGS I DO.
HYPNOSIS
EFT
MINDFULLNESS
MASSAGE
COUNSELLING
NUTRITION
HERBAL MEDICINE
TAI CHI- QIGONG
However, we no longer have traditional clients we cannot rely on people to come in regularly three times a week for treatments and I often only see people a few times before they give up and seek other means or decide perhaps acupuncture is not for them. People need in this internet world fast results and instant relief. So I have changed my work to accommodate this trend . I still believe the old fashioned way is superior because we are working from the ground up on the root of the problem but for those busy people who believe they just need their pain fixed and that's it, well we can help that too.
I like being client directed however I would warn when one just asks for their pain problem and nothing else there is an opportunity for change that is being ignored. The body is talking or even yelling in some instances and it is not like a car just change the part and the rest will be fine. Prevention is the opportunity here and it is often overlooked as one of the main reasons to ever come to an acupuncturist. So I would just like to share a bit of wisdom here that when you look for the big change in your symptom it is like the tree in the forest. Fixing one tree is not going to do much for the forest. However, it is a good start and the reduction in stress and pain is often a catalyst for change and gratitude for life. So one treatment is better than no treatment but ongoing visits are more important for the client than the acupuncturist.
With that preamble here are some of the methods I have studied and practiced and developed over the years to help make people feel better and prevent future problems. They are all natural and the side effects are usually pleasant surprises like my sleep has improved or my golf game is better or can acupuncture help my memory cause I seem to be remembering things easier.
Before you read further I would say to a common question WHY DO YOU DO ACUPUNCTURE? My answer is always if there was anything that worked better, was more natural and had less side effects I would do it instead. I still stand by this and I wish there was anything more effective than acupunture for so many things and really there is not. Most people who come dread it and only try it because they have tried everything else then like a miracle, at least to them it helps. What other profession has more pressure more complex cases and more doubt and resistance than acupunture. Yet we still get amazing results almost all the time. I hope you enjoy this short explanation below or some of the wonderful ways I like to do acupuncture.
TYPES OF |ACUPUNCTURE I PRACTICE
TRADITIONAL CHINESE ACUPUNCTURE
The strength of this is the diagnosis of internal organ problems. I use this diagnostic system with every client to have an idea of the root cause and to gauge how long and how strong the treatment should be. This style goes deeper and uses longer needles. The idea is the energy can be deeper than on the surface and it seems to be true with studies on reflex and blood flow changes in the body. This style is very balancing and focuses on the root and branch both or the cause and the symptom both. Treatments with this style are very complex and require numerous visits but the results are slow but really worth it. This is the best way to work in my opinion but it is time consuming and requires an deep relationship between client and practitioner. Herbs should also be included in this approach and an ongoing treatment plan with a minimum of four visits per year when symptom free is required to really benefit from this approach. This is the real deal when it comes to acupuncture but it is the slow and easy way which some people don't have the patience for.
JAPANESE MERIDIAN ACUPUNCTURE
This is also very traditional and involves seeing a problem more as a meridian flow problem. One reroutes energy by using point often on the opposite side of the problem to balance the energy deficit or blockage in a particular area. One example that works quite well is treating the left leg to treat the right shoulder. Palpation plays a major role in this method and finding points that are tender to the touch are often most effective.
This method usually uses more needles and smaller ones and going just below the skin is often enough. Results here are quick and instant literally within a minute or two you notice a difference in pain in particular. However the results need to be reinforced and weekly visits are important for a few weeks usually if the problem is old and chronic. People are impressed with this method because it works so fast they think you are a magician or something. This is great for a first visit and builds trust and proves there is some clear benefit to acupuncture.
MOXIBUSTION
This involves using an herb mugwort or infrared heat from a lamp or laser to warm the points. Both Japanese and Chinese styles use this and I find it is very good for slow to heal infections like bed sores or ulcers on the leg or foot. This method increases and stimulated blood flow to the area as well as boosts the white blood cell count. This is great for weak and chronic problems that have been difficult to get movement or progress on. This is a more intensive treatment and can be included in the above even on a first visit but because of the smell usually I use a heat lamp. People love the dry heat when focused on a painful pain for example.
CUPPING
Cupping is an amazing way to also bring stimulation to an area also to relieve stagnant swollen stiff joints. It tends to straighten out fascia in the area cupped and when used in a sliding manner is great on the back and tends to have a lasting effect on how the blood flows in an area weeks after ward. I find energy levels and metabolism generally increase also. The bruising that can be avoided or used to advantage deposits blood in an area delivering platelets which help to heal joints and tendons and torn muscles. This uses the bodies own natural healing mechanism similar when a bruise occurs.
ELECTRO-STIMULATION-ACUPUNCTURE
This has has been found to enhance the production of human growth hormone in the body and works great to reduce energy in the body. It is kind of the opposite of cupping and moxabustion in that is is great for acute problems that are fairly new or a problem that is in excess. A overly energetic person or to gently simulate a muscle or area when a person is overly sensitive. I also have used it to numb an area to allow some deeper needling to be done more comfortably. It is wonderful to help a person deeply relax as well as to suppress the appetite.
GERMAN AURICULAR MEDICINE & EAR ACUPUNCTURE
The german system is based on the early french and chinese ear system but takes it a step further using fMRIs and vascular autonomic system responses to map out the ear points to a precise degree, This system can treat almost any pain, addiction, emotional problems, and many functional problems like high blood pressure allergies and more. It is another complete system which I use almost daily to great success. The added benefit is tiny metal pellets can be placed with tiny skin colored band aids to keep the treatment working for a week or more at a time. Great for quitting smoking or any ongoing problems anxiety high blood pressure or even back pain.
DRY NEEDLING
This is a way of manipulating the needles to find trigger points inside painful muscles. A twitch response is usually the outcome in the muscle being needled. It is less uncomfortable than having the area pressed or massaged and instantly the muscle relaxes knots disappear and the flexibility is regained. Some soreness due to the muscle relaxing not because of the needling occurs for a few hours to a few days. This works great when the pain is chronic and keeps coming back when other methods have failed to retain pain free functioning.
ACUPOINT INJECTION THERAPY
This involves all of the above methods accept an added benefit of safety is added using a more sturdy needle. This allows for deeper muscles to be safely addressed. The other added benefit is the use of homeopathics and vitamins to aid in the healing response. B12 is very common to use for it speeds up the healing response in a muscle as well as the detoxification of any stored waste materials in the muscle. The homeopathics used are trameel, zeel and lymphocet all these are used for inflammation pain and swelling and can be used in combination if one has two or three problems. I have been using these only in the last year and have found the results to be remarkable. I can say for many pain issues this is one of the fastest methods available to resolve old or new injuries and any chronic pain. Back pain, heel pain knee pain wrist pain all of these require multiple and ongoing often treatment. However with injection the healing time and number of treatments is cut easily in half. As an acupuncturist this is an amazing leap in practice and a great way to help people especially the most difficult of cases.
OTHER THINGS I DO.
HYPNOSIS
EFT
MINDFULLNESS
MASSAGE
COUNSELLING
NUTRITION
HERBAL MEDICINE
TAI CHI- QIGONG
Friday, November 2, 2012
90% of us have HOLES in our Head. Or in our Brain scans anyway.
The Following is a summary of much of the information from
CHANGE YOUR BRAIN, CHANGE YOUR LIFE
As we grow older we are seeing more need to preserve our mental capacity if we want to continue to grow and explore the world well into retirement. This is a list of general and specific suggestions on how to preserve and even enhance brain function.
Dr Amen the author and his research team took over 40,000 brain scans using SPECT imaging to determine how different areas of the brain are effected. They found only 90 out of 3000 brains they measured are actually healthy. That means you and I probably have unhealthy brains and are at risk of some serious senility later in life. Or more literally we have holes in our head.
As we grow older we are seeing more need to preserve our mental capacity if we want to continue to grow and explore the world well into retirement. This is a list of general and specific suggestions on how to preserve and even enhance brain function.
Dr Amen the author and his research team took over 40,000 brain scans using SPECT imaging to determine how different areas of the brain are effected. They found only 90 out of 3000 brains they measured are actually healthy. That means you and I probably have unhealthy brains and are at risk of some serious senility later in life. Or more literally we have holes in our head.
Dr. Amens team found that unhealthy brains will have holes of inactivity where function is absent. These are seen from a range of a few empty areas to more in a drug addict and large holes in Alzheimer patients.
This list is a summary and below are specific suggestions for particular areas of the brain.
He suggests these foods and activities as GOOD FOR THE BRAIN lessen Holes in brain scan or SPECT readings.
1. Blueberries are the best, my favorite stock up and freeze when cheap.
2. Avocados great all the time for the fatty acids similar to brain matter.
3. Walnuts 3x more healthy fatty acids than almonds shaped like a brain too.
4. Green tea decaf is seen as better.
5. Fish oil, or flax or hemp oil for omega 3. take or cook with daily.
6.Get enough sleep – less than a minimum of six hours decreases blood flow to the brain
7. Exercise - dance - play table tennis – the best sport because it utilizes eyes, hands and feet. Exercise is found to be better than any cognitive activity like reading or chess in retaining healthy senior brain function.
8. Keep learning, languages are the most beneficial since they create massive new neuro interconnections or musical instrument.
9. Water is critical to brain - drink plenty through the day - 80% of the brain is water
10. Take a multivitamin daily.
11.Best brain diet is lean protein, good complex and low glycemic carbohydrates
Green leafy vegetables and vegetables in general of many colors which increase antacids. Turkey, tuna and other lean meat are great for maintaining the tissue of the brain.
12. Broccoli for folate.
13. Vitamin C, citrus or red peppers daily.
14. Avoid hits to the Head most serious for brain function.
Bad for the brain Increase holes in brain scan or Spect readings.
1. Too much caffeine
2. Alcohol
3. Inhaling fumes gas, sprays, paint all add up like a rain barrel effect.
4. Organic toxins- avoid pain and anxiety medications if you can
5. Head injuries - wear a helmet that fits; use your seat belt, repair your vehicle, use snow tires, drive safe, bike safe ect.
6. Stress and lack of sleep both decrease blood flow to brain when chronic will slowly dry the brain out causing holes.
SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF BRAIN FUNCTION To better understand how the brain works and what to be aware of when preventing or understanding problems.
1st principle – The brain determines how you think, feel, act and get along with others. Your personality, character and soul. This is why it should be seen as very important.
2nd Principle – When the brain works right you work right, and when it is not working right you don’t work right When your brain is healthy you are focused, happy, relaxed, loving and affectionate When your brain is not working right you are distracted, sad, anxious, angry, and not as affective
3rd principle – The brain can lose up to 85000 connections a day when compromised.
4th principle –Wear a helmet the brain is like jello in a hard skull. Brain injuries are very debilitating as we see in boxers and hockey players concussions can make a big difference in brain function.
5th principle - Many things can hurt or help the brain
Things that hurt:
- Drugs
- Head injuries are very bad
- Alcohol (take only one or two drinks a week) Drinkers have smaller brains
- Lack of exercise
- Not enough sleep – less than six hours a night decrease blood flow to the brain.
- Stress
- Smoking ages the brain and dehydrates it.
- Too much caffeine. Only one or two dehydrates the brain and blood flow.
- Negative thinking reduces blood flow to the brain.
Things that help:
• New learning makes new connections• Healthy diet
• Daily vitamins and fish oil
• Exercise
• Great sleep
• Social connections of family hobby, club
• Positive thinking especially gratitude. Your brain is more coordinated
when you are grateful
• Meditation is amazing for brain function. It activates the most thoughtful
part
• Regular sexual activity helps mood and pain relief. Having sex three times
a week reduces heart and stroke problems by 50% and decreases pain by
50%
6th principle – One (size) does not fit everyone’s diagnosis. Depression is a symptom
Causes:
- Chemical imbalance
- Grief
- Chronic stress
- Financial losses
- Relationship problems
- Low thyroid
Only 90 out of 3000 brains are healthy drugs and smoking cause more damage than you can imagine. Smoking is number one cause of strokes in the brain.
________________
SPECIFIC BRAIN PART FUNCTIONS PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS.
Pre frontal cortex – Humans have 30%, chimps 14% (?) dogs 7% and cats 0%
Controls:• Focus
• Forethought
• Judgment
• Empathy
• Impulse control
• Learning from mistakes
Problems cause:
Short attention span, Don’t learn from mistakes, Act like cat that lacks impulse control, Procrastination, Bad judgmentNot much empathy, ADD – low activity version
Weak conscience, Low persistence
Low energy depression
Need to be upset in order to concentrate
Things that help:
Develop and maintain clear focus (One page miracle)Focus on what you like a lot more than what you don’t like
Have meaning, purpose, stimulation, and excitement in your life
Get organized; get help when you need it
Consider brain - wave biofeedback training
Try audiovisual stimulation
Don’t be another person’s stimulant
Consider prefrontal cortex stimulation
Watch your prefrontal cortex nutrition
Try Mozart for focus
Write out goals in all aspects – relationship, money, physical, spiritual
Exercise – intense aerobic
High protein, low carbohydrate diet
Fish oil
Cingulate brain - at front of brain
Controls:
Brain’s ability to shift gearsTo be flexible and go with the flow
Sees options
Idea to idea movement
Error detection
Problems cause:
If it works too hard serotonin gets too low
Get stuck in thoughts, hurts, grudges
Argumentative
Fault finding
Micro managers
Rigid
Appears selfish
Inflexible
Things that help:
Notice when you are stuck, distract yourself, and come back to theproblem later
Think through answers before automatically saying no
Write options and solutions when you feel stuck
Seek the counsel of others when you feel stuck
Memorize and recite the serenity prayer when bothered by repetitive
thoughts
Don’t try to convince someone else who is stuck: take a break and come
back later
Try making paradoxical requests
Learn how to deal with oppositional children. Give them options or use
reverse psychology (Baby powder is an aphrodisiac for women who say
no to sex)
Consider cingulated medications
Try nutritional interventions
Exercise boosts serotonin
Best diet is high carbohydrate and low protein
Carbohydrates boost serotonin
Dark chocolate
Take 5 http supplement
Limbic system
Controls:
Emotional brainOur bonding
Processing pain, smell, sex and libido
Drive us to love and work
Our mood, happy or sad
Cinnamon is an aphrodisiac for men
Problems cause:
Sadness, DepressionNegativity
Automatic negative thoughts
Thoughts lie a lot
Isolation
Less interest in things usually
Things that help:
Exercise is critical at least 4 x a week (works better than drug Zoloft)Fish oil is low in depressed people. Countries where people who ate the
most fish had lowest depression
Write out negative thoughts and talk back to them – Ask is this true?
Natural food supplements
Deep Limbic System
Functions:
• Sets the emotional tone of the mind• Filters external events through internal states (creates emotional coloring)
• Tags events as internally important
• Stores highly charged emotional memories
• Modulate motivation
• Controls appetite and sleep cycles
• Promotes bonding
• Directly processes the sense of smell
• Modulates libido
Problems:
• Moodiness, irritability, clinical depression• Increased negative thinking
• Negative perception of events
• Decreased motivation
• Flood of negative emotions
• Appetite and sleep problems
• Decreased or increased sexual responsiveness
• Social isolation
SOLUTIONS:
• Kill the ANTS (automatic negative thoughts)
• Kill the ANTS/ Feed your anteater
• Surround yourself with people who provide positive bonding
• Protect your children with limbic bonding
• Build people skills to enhance limbic bonds
• Recognize the importance of physical contact
• Surround yourself with great smells
• Build a library of wonderful memories
• Consider limbic medications
• Try physical exercise
• Watch your limbic nutrition
Basal Ganglia
Controls:
Integrates feeling and movementShifts and soothes fine motor behaviors
Suppresses unwanted motor behaviors
Sets the body’s idle speed or anxiety level
Enhances motivation
Mediates pleasure/ecstasy
Problems cause:
Anxiety, nervousnessPanic attacks
Physical sensations of anxiety
Tendency to predict the worst
Conflict avoidance
Tourette’s syndrome/tics
Muscle tension, soreness
Tremors
Fine motor problems
Headaches
Low/excessive motivation
Things that help:
Kill the fortune telling ANTS (automatic negative thoughts)Use guided imageryTry diaphragmatic breathing
Try meditation /self hypnosis
Learn how to deal with conflict
Consider basal ganglia medications
Watch your basal ganglia nutrition
The temporal lobes
Controls:
Dominant side (usually the left)• Understanding and processing language
• Intermediate-term memory
• Long term memory
• Auditory learning
• Retrieval of words
• Complex memories
• Visual and auditory processing
• Emotional stability
Non dominant side (usually the right)
• Recognizing facial expressions
• Decoding vocal intonation
• Rhythm
• Music
• Visual learning
Problems with the dominant (Usually left) Temporal Lobe
• Aggression, internally or externally directed• Dark or violent thoughts
• Sensitivity to slights; mild paranoia
• Word-fining problems
• Auditory processing problems
• Reading difficulties
• Emotional instability
Problems with the Nondominant (Usually right) Temporal Lobe
• Difficulty recognizing facial expression• Difficulty decoding vocal intonation
• Implicated in social-skill struggles
Problems with Either or Both Temporal Lobes
• Memory problems• Headaches or abdominal pain without a clear explanation
• Anxiety or fear for no particular reason
• Abnormal sensory perceptions, visual or auditory distortions
• Feelings of déjà vu (that you have previously experienced something when
you haven’t) or jamais vu (not recognizing familiar people or places)
• Periods of spaciness or confusion
• Religious or moral preoccupation
• Hypergraphia, exercise writing
• Seizures
Things that help:
Create a Library of wonderful experiencesSing whenever/wherever you can
Use humming and toning to tune up your brain
Listen to Classical music
Learn to play a musical instrument
Move in rhythms
Consider temporal lobe medications
Get enough sleep
Eliminate caffeine and nicotine
Watch your nutrition
Try EEG biofeedback
Sunday, October 28, 2012
BIOPUNCTURE A CURE FOR PAIN
This is an article taken from Lee Wolfer, MD
An Alternative Cure for Pain: Biopuncture
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that approximately 4 in 10,
or 75 million, Americans live with chronic pain (back pain, arthritis, joint
pain, tendonitis, shoulder pain, nerve pain, overuse injuries etc). To put this
into perspective, pain afflicts more people than diabetes, heart disease/stroke
and cancer combined according to American Academy of Pain Medicine. Among other
factors, we know that pain is more common in women, with increasing age, and
also after traumatic injuries. Arguably, chronic pain needs to be on every
physician’s short list of the top health issues facing patients.
Further research tells us that pain is one of the top 3 reasons for a patient to visit their doctor. What is wrong with this picture? What are we missing? The lack of effectiveness, as well as numerous, often serious, side effects of conventional treatments for chronic pain (e.g. medications, cortisone shots or surgery) are primary reasons that 40 million Americans look for a complementary alternative medicine (CAM) practitioner to help them find relief from pain. Common CAM therapies include: massage, manipulation, acupuncture, reiki, herbal medicines, homeopathy, vitamins, supplements, yoga, pilates, tai chi, qigong, etc.
New to such therapies is biopuncture, a recently introduced European injection therapy used to treat common pain and inflammatory problems. Although many injection-based therapies have been in existence for decades in Europe and the United States, the term biopuncture was coined by its founder, Belgian family practice physician Jan Kersschot, MD, in 1991. He introduced biopuncture to the United States in 2008.
Biopuncture is grounded in conventional diagnosis. Based on several decades of clinical experience and research, biopuncture is a safe, effective new tool to fight pain. It can be used alongside conventional treatments or when conventional or alternative treatments fall short. It is not a stand-alone treatment. Typically, in a sport, spine and pain practice, the best results occur when the patient can combine biopuncture with good nutrition, which improves their body’s ability to heal and lessen tissue inflammation. Exercise and physical therapy are important treatments used alongside biopuncture to give patients strength, endurance and better posture so the problem does not return.
How does biopuncture work?
Biopuncture is a therapy using mostly plant-based ultra-low dilution product formulas which are injected into specific body regions to relieve pain and inflammation. The majority of injections are micro-injections with a very small needle just under the skin or into the muscle. One of the benefits of directly injecting the area of pain appears to be a “turbo effect,” or a much faster healing response.
In conventional medicine, the drug you take suppresses your symptoms immediately. That is why you need to take high doses of chemical substances in order to suppress pain or inflammation. But as soon as the medication stops working, you have to take another pill to “kill the pain” again.
However, in biopuncture, small doses of products are injected in order to stimulate or “wake up” the natural healing processes. The healing effect comes from “inside” your body – not from the products themselves. It’s the reaction of your immune system, which will produce the proper reactions to regain natural healing.
What is injected?
The two most commonly injected products are ultra-low doses (ULDs or “micro-doses”) of mainly medicinal plant and mineral-based products and/or glucose. The plant and mineral derived formulas were introduced in Germany in the 1930s. Currently, more than 100 million injectable vials are used per year throughout Europe, and in the United States.
Glucose has been injected by primarily United States physicians for over 50 years for both its pain-relieving and inflammatory-regulating effect. Traumeel® is also thought to inhibit the release of pain- and inflammation-causing chemicals from nerves. Glucose stimulates the release of growth factors to repair tissue. Injections given just under the skin and into the muscle affect the peripheral nervous system, which is in charge of tissue repair and degeneration. The top neuroscience researchers are targeting the nerves in a pain region as the primary players responsible for directing the delicate balance between tissue repair and dysfunction.
How is biopuncture different from acupuncture?
Biopuncture is not the injection of homeopathic formulas into acupuncture points. Biopuncture does not follow acupuncture meridians; the skilled practitioner instead looks for local “pain points” and “origin points” in the affected region. A pain point is likely to be a tender superficial nerve, inflammed tissue or trigger point (muscle knot).
What are the most common micro-dose formulas used in the US?
The most common products used in sports medicine and pain practices are Traumeel®. Lymphomyosot®, Spascupreel® and Zeel®. Traumeel® is used to reduce pain and swelling. Lymphomyosot is used for lymphatic drainage. Zeel® is used for arthritis. Spascupreel® is used for muscle spasm. Each of these formulas contains a combination of botanical and mineral ingredients, i.e. Traumeel ® has arnica montana to reduce swelling, comfrey to decrease joint pain, chamomile and St. John’s Wort to reduce pain, and calendula (marigold) and echinacea to stimulate the immune system. The product which is best researched and most widely used in oral, topical and injectable forms is Traumeel®. (Ed. note: The author has no financial relationship with Traumeel®; however, much of the published research focuses on this product.)
What conditions are typically treated with biopuncture?
The common factor is pain and inflammation, be that in a soft tissue or joint or in the lining of the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract. Each of these tissues has nerves that become chronically inflamed and cells that secrete chemicals that initiate and maintain pain and inflammation.
What kind of physician can practice biopuncture?
Make sure you work with an experienced doctor or skilled and ideally a licenced acupuncturist. The physician must be knowledgeable about biopuncture. They must have superior knowledge of anatomy and great skill with injections and acupuncture. Each case must be individualized.
It is also important to note that plant-based or herbal medications should only be given by a qualified physician or licensed professional. (Remember, just because a product uses the word “natural” does not necessarily make it safe and effective.) In a few states and provinces like BC the medical boards have granted injection privileges to non-MDs, such as licensed acupuncturists. Biopuncture is not covered by insurance at this time and prices vary by the practitioner.
How safe and effective is biopuncture as compared to conventional treatments?
Common over the counter and prescription NSAIDs and steroid injections in fact may not help (particularly in the longterm) and may cause harm. The current best evidence for use of NSAIDs suggests it may be helpful in the short-term for 1-2 weeks, but longterm use is associated with increased risk of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, kidney complications and death. Also, increasingly, animal research is showing that use of NSAIDs may interfere with the normal tissue repair process and ultimately weaken the tissue and increase the chances of a recurrent problem. In terms of safety and side effects, we know that steroids are sometimes necessary; however, a single knee injection can suppress the immune system for a month.
What can a patient expect if they choose to pursue biopuncture treatment?
Most people, unless they have a true needle phobia, are surprised by how well they tolerate the injections. Very small needles are used for the majority of injections. The number of injections per session depends on the nature and severity of your problem.
An elbow problem typically requires 5-10 specific injections. Common ankle sprains or acute injury heal within a few weeks, usually more quickly than if left without treatment. Chronic pain over many months or years may require several weeks or a few months of treatments. I tell most of my patients that they will have treatments up to about 2 months; usually by week 4, both the patient and I can see objective results. If a patient has significant medical illnesses, the course may be longer or ineffective. This treatment does require more patience than cortisone injections for instance because we are trying to heal the problem and not simply suppress the symptoms. Biopuncture is not meant to treat serious illnesses such as infections or cancer. Patients with severe depression, fibromyalgia, auto immune disease (lupus), multiple sclerosis or other major illness may not respond at all or may only be partial responders.
Symptomatic relief may take a while, especially when the problem has been there for months or years. However, when dealing with fresh injuries, these injections can give results very quickly.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BIOPUNCTURE Please email kscrimgeour@hotmail.com
Further research tells us that pain is one of the top 3 reasons for a patient to visit their doctor. What is wrong with this picture? What are we missing? The lack of effectiveness, as well as numerous, often serious, side effects of conventional treatments for chronic pain (e.g. medications, cortisone shots or surgery) are primary reasons that 40 million Americans look for a complementary alternative medicine (CAM) practitioner to help them find relief from pain. Common CAM therapies include: massage, manipulation, acupuncture, reiki, herbal medicines, homeopathy, vitamins, supplements, yoga, pilates, tai chi, qigong, etc.
New to such therapies is biopuncture, a recently introduced European injection therapy used to treat common pain and inflammatory problems. Although many injection-based therapies have been in existence for decades in Europe and the United States, the term biopuncture was coined by its founder, Belgian family practice physician Jan Kersschot, MD, in 1991. He introduced biopuncture to the United States in 2008.
Biopuncture is grounded in conventional diagnosis. Based on several decades of clinical experience and research, biopuncture is a safe, effective new tool to fight pain. It can be used alongside conventional treatments or when conventional or alternative treatments fall short. It is not a stand-alone treatment. Typically, in a sport, spine and pain practice, the best results occur when the patient can combine biopuncture with good nutrition, which improves their body’s ability to heal and lessen tissue inflammation. Exercise and physical therapy are important treatments used alongside biopuncture to give patients strength, endurance and better posture so the problem does not return.
How does biopuncture work?
Biopuncture is a therapy using mostly plant-based ultra-low dilution product formulas which are injected into specific body regions to relieve pain and inflammation. The majority of injections are micro-injections with a very small needle just under the skin or into the muscle. One of the benefits of directly injecting the area of pain appears to be a “turbo effect,” or a much faster healing response.
In conventional medicine, the drug you take suppresses your symptoms immediately. That is why you need to take high doses of chemical substances in order to suppress pain or inflammation. But as soon as the medication stops working, you have to take another pill to “kill the pain” again.
However, in biopuncture, small doses of products are injected in order to stimulate or “wake up” the natural healing processes. The healing effect comes from “inside” your body – not from the products themselves. It’s the reaction of your immune system, which will produce the proper reactions to regain natural healing.
What is injected?
The two most commonly injected products are ultra-low doses (ULDs or “micro-doses”) of mainly medicinal plant and mineral-based products and/or glucose. The plant and mineral derived formulas were introduced in Germany in the 1930s. Currently, more than 100 million injectable vials are used per year throughout Europe, and in the United States.
Glucose has been injected by primarily United States physicians for over 50 years for both its pain-relieving and inflammatory-regulating effect. Traumeel® is also thought to inhibit the release of pain- and inflammation-causing chemicals from nerves. Glucose stimulates the release of growth factors to repair tissue. Injections given just under the skin and into the muscle affect the peripheral nervous system, which is in charge of tissue repair and degeneration. The top neuroscience researchers are targeting the nerves in a pain region as the primary players responsible for directing the delicate balance between tissue repair and dysfunction.
How is biopuncture different from acupuncture?
Biopuncture is not the injection of homeopathic formulas into acupuncture points. Biopuncture does not follow acupuncture meridians; the skilled practitioner instead looks for local “pain points” and “origin points” in the affected region. A pain point is likely to be a tender superficial nerve, inflammed tissue or trigger point (muscle knot).
What are the most common micro-dose formulas used in the US?
The most common products used in sports medicine and pain practices are Traumeel®. Lymphomyosot®, Spascupreel® and Zeel®. Traumeel® is used to reduce pain and swelling. Lymphomyosot is used for lymphatic drainage. Zeel® is used for arthritis. Spascupreel® is used for muscle spasm. Each of these formulas contains a combination of botanical and mineral ingredients, i.e. Traumeel ® has arnica montana to reduce swelling, comfrey to decrease joint pain, chamomile and St. John’s Wort to reduce pain, and calendula (marigold) and echinacea to stimulate the immune system. The product which is best researched and most widely used in oral, topical and injectable forms is Traumeel®. (Ed. note: The author has no financial relationship with Traumeel®; however, much of the published research focuses on this product.)
What conditions are typically treated with biopuncture?
The common factor is pain and inflammation, be that in a soft tissue or joint or in the lining of the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract. Each of these tissues has nerves that become chronically inflamed and cells that secrete chemicals that initiate and maintain pain and inflammation.
- Musculoskeletal problems: sprains and strains, joint pain, tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, shoulder pain (rotator cuff syndrome, impingement), mild to moderate arthritis, back/neck pain, nerve pain, painful scars, residual pain after surgery
- Medical problems: asthma, hay fever, irritable bowel, eczema, bronchitis, migraine headaches and irritable bowel syndrome
What kind of physician can practice biopuncture?
Make sure you work with an experienced doctor or skilled and ideally a licenced acupuncturist. The physician must be knowledgeable about biopuncture. They must have superior knowledge of anatomy and great skill with injections and acupuncture. Each case must be individualized.
It is also important to note that plant-based or herbal medications should only be given by a qualified physician or licensed professional. (Remember, just because a product uses the word “natural” does not necessarily make it safe and effective.) In a few states and provinces like BC the medical boards have granted injection privileges to non-MDs, such as licensed acupuncturists. Biopuncture is not covered by insurance at this time and prices vary by the practitioner.
How safe and effective is biopuncture as compared to conventional treatments?
Common over the counter and prescription NSAIDs and steroid injections in fact may not help (particularly in the longterm) and may cause harm. The current best evidence for use of NSAIDs suggests it may be helpful in the short-term for 1-2 weeks, but longterm use is associated with increased risk of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, kidney complications and death. Also, increasingly, animal research is showing that use of NSAIDs may interfere with the normal tissue repair process and ultimately weaken the tissue and increase the chances of a recurrent problem. In terms of safety and side effects, we know that steroids are sometimes necessary; however, a single knee injection can suppress the immune system for a month.
What can a patient expect if they choose to pursue biopuncture treatment?
Most people, unless they have a true needle phobia, are surprised by how well they tolerate the injections. Very small needles are used for the majority of injections. The number of injections per session depends on the nature and severity of your problem.
An elbow problem typically requires 5-10 specific injections. Common ankle sprains or acute injury heal within a few weeks, usually more quickly than if left without treatment. Chronic pain over many months or years may require several weeks or a few months of treatments. I tell most of my patients that they will have treatments up to about 2 months; usually by week 4, both the patient and I can see objective results. If a patient has significant medical illnesses, the course may be longer or ineffective. This treatment does require more patience than cortisone injections for instance because we are trying to heal the problem and not simply suppress the symptoms. Biopuncture is not meant to treat serious illnesses such as infections or cancer. Patients with severe depression, fibromyalgia, auto immune disease (lupus), multiple sclerosis or other major illness may not respond at all or may only be partial responders.
Symptomatic relief may take a while, especially when the problem has been there for months or years. However, when dealing with fresh injuries, these injections can give results very quickly.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BIOPUNCTURE Please email kscrimgeour@hotmail.com
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