Acupuncture May Work Better Than A Patch For Lazy Eye

The December issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology published a small Chinese study that found acupuncture worked better than an eye patch in older kids with lazy eye. Below are some excerpts from an article about the study, written by Alan Mozes for HealthDay.

~ Acupuncture may be an effective way to treat older children struggling with a certain form of lazy eye, new research from China suggests, although experts say more studies are needed.
Lazy eye (amblyopia) is essentially a state of miscommunication between the brain and the eyes, resulting in the favoring of one eye over the other, according to the National Eye Institute. ~

~ Study author Dr. Dennis S.C. Lam, from the department of ophthalmology and visual sciences and Institute of Chinese Medicine at the Joint Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and Chinese University of Hong Kong, and his colleagues report their observations in the December issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.

In the search for a better option than patch therapy, Lam and his associates set out to explore the potential benefits of acupuncture, noting that it has been used to treat dry eye and myopia. Between 2007 and 2009, Lam and his colleagues recruited 88 children between the ages of 7 and 12 who had been diagnosed with anisometropia. ~

~ After about four months of treatment, the research team found that overall visual acuity improved markedly more among the acupuncture group relative to the patch group. In fact, they noted that while lazy eye was successfully treated in nearly 42 percent of the acupuncture patients, that figure dropped to less than 17 percent among the patch patients. ~

Read the whole article in HealthDay - Acupuncture Might Treat Certain Kind of Lazy Eye

The 6 Most Popular Posts Of 2010

1. Flowers Used In Chinese Herbal Medicine

Long before western pharmaceutical drugs, flowers were used as herbal remedies and recorded use goes back to 500 AD. Chinese medicine for example has used flowers in herbal remedies to heal a huge variety of afflictions. Here are a few examples...

2. Doctors Using Acupuncture in Iraq During Drug Shortage

Iraqi doctors faced with a shortage of anesthetic drugs in a capital city hit by years of conflict have successfully used acupuncture to treat mothers during cesarean section births. 

3. Celine Dion Used Acupuncture To Improve Her Chances Of Getting Pregnant

CNN reported she used acupuncture to improve her chances of getting pregnant. Not only a wonderful singer but also a smart lady! Combining acupuncture treatment with IVF is becoming increasingly popular due to the good results and continued positive research. 

4. Acupuncture is Effective for Crohn's Disease 

Crohn's disease is an autoimmune disease which involves chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The main symptoms of Crohn's disease are abdominal pain, fever, fatigue and persistent, watery diarrhea. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and can come and go with periods of flare-ups.
In a study published in the journal, Digestion, acupuncture was found effective for treating Crohn's disease.

5. Sandra Bullock Gets Acupuncture 3 Times A Week!

“Sandra gets the treatment three times a week whether she’s at home on or on set” a source revealed. “It’s in her contract that studios have to pay for it!”
 
6. Groundbreaking Study ~ Identifies How Acupuncture Regulates Stress Hormones That Impact Ovulation.

Most of us have assumed that stress has a negative impact on ovulation – it makes sense.  Well, we were right.  But better than being right, a new study identifies how acupuncture can regulate the stress hormones that impact ovulation and help women become pregnant

Merry Christmas !

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday !

Want To Learn About Chinese Medicine? These 3 Books Are A Good Place To Start

Chinese Medicine Can Keep You Healthy This Winter

It is so cold here in Chicago, I am ready to move the Caribbean. A few years ago I was on vacation in Belize and spied an acupuncture office right of the beach. Maybe I should check back and see if the acupuncturist I met there needs a partner? Very tempting right now as I sit at the computer near my radiator which is not working! Anyway....

Traditional Chinese Medicine has a more temperate view on winter. Here is Amy from The Portland Acupuncture Blog to tell us about it.

~ Winter has arrived. The weeks of rain, wind, and colder temperatures have notified us that the season is here. Staying indoors and sleeping are more appealing as our bodies try to keep warm, and cravings for certain foods may also be at the forefront of our minds.

In Traditional Chinese medicine, each season has an organ that belongs to it. Winter is the season of the Kidneys, which holds the essence of  our being and the root of our energy. Winter is also the season that has the most “Yin” aspect of Chinese medicine (think of the black side of the Taiji or YinYang symbol).

Yin is dark, movement is slow, and it represents cooler temperatures (in contrast to the Yang summer season, which is light, with more activity and warmth).



If you have an acupuncture treatment in the winter, the practitioner may use moxibustion to warm your cold extremities, low back, or abdomen. Moxibustion is a wonderful way to warm the body slowly, with lasting effects. Your acupuncturist may also recommend herbs to fight off colds, or to help with overeating that often occurs with the holidays.

A book that I often recommend to patients is “Staying Healthy with the Seasons,” by Elson Hass, MD. This book discusses how to eat and exercise with each season and the changes that occur in nature and within our own bodies. In winter, it’s best to eat warm foods such as nourishing soups (my favorite is Chinese chicken herbal soup) and hearty stews help our bodies be still and keep warm.

It’s also important to keep up with some form of exercise routine, such as yoga, pilates, or your usual gym workouts. Even though we may not be sweating as much, out bodies still need water in this season. After all, it is the season of the Water element… ~

Lovely, Unique & Healthy Gift Ideas From Your Chicago Acupuncturist

Blooming Tea  - It's beautiful, unique, tasty, healthy and great for parties.

                               Tea Sampler From Traditional Medicinals
- My favorite tea brand. One of the few that has good quality herbs. As many of my patients know I often recommend their ginger tea.


Eye Pillow  - I love these, and use one almost every night. This eye pillow has wonderful lavender scent. It feels relaxing and helps shut out any extra light.








A Tempurpedic Pillow - I have one and I bought one for both my mother and sister. It is expensive for a pillow but if you or someone you love is prone to neck pain/tension these pillows are awesome !

  

Insight

How often do you have a "light bulb" moment ? For me it does not happen often, but when it does it is always a defining moment. What do therapists say about it ? Find out in this post from my new favorite blog; Life Ain't For Sissies. written by my mother Dr. Linda Edelstein.

Psychologists call it insight but the feeling when it happens to you is, “AHA!”  It is a satisfying feeling of discovery, even if you don’t like the information. My daughter tells me that Oprah speaks about her “Ahas” often.

~ I try to educate my mother on popular culture. I also happen to think she would be a great guest for Oprah. ~ 

It is an interesting experience.  When you have this feeling, you know that the pieces have correctly fallen into place.  After listening to people for years, I think that the “aha” moment is arrived at in the following way:

1. You register “clues.” Clues are bits of information that you file away in your mind, not consciously thinking they will lead you toward some special understanding;   but clues seems to stick.

2. The clues pile up, almost to seeing the picture, but you don’t have the puzzle entirely put together yet. You are becoming more aware and maybe you are beginning to vaguely wonder.

3. Someone makes a comment and uses the right word or phrase.  Or, someone behaves in a certain way. Or, you read or see something that results in click, click, ping, and you feel a satisfying thud as the pieces fall into place and lock.

4. And then you know. It is like finding a name for something you knew existed but, up until now, it had been nameless. Aha, I know that to be true.

If you know of any studies that have actually figured out this process, please let me know.  I’d like to see how close I come to understanding the aha moment.

Acupuncture Changes How The Brain Perceives Pain

The most common question asked about acupuncture is, “How does it work?” A close second is, “Is it all in your head (is it a placebo effect?)” A new study gets close to answering those questions. Researchers at the University Hospital in Essen, Germany, and their colleagues at University of Duisburg-Essen were able to locate the areas of the brain that are activated by acupuncture.  Using fMRIs (functional magnetic resonance imaging) before and after needles were inserted into the ankles of volunteers, the researchers found that areas of the brain corresponding to ankle pain were quieted during acupuncture.  Their
conclusion:  needles actually do cause a change in the way that the brain perceives and processes pain.

The study was small, using only 18 volunteers but it helped to clarify how and where the brain processes pain.  What's most exciting, says Brant-Zawadzki, an adjunct professor of radiology at Stanford University, commenting on the study, is that the brain regions identified may lead researchers to find a more standardized approach to treating pain that may help more sufferers.

They acknowledge that it is too soon to draw conclusions but they are willing to admit, “ that brain activity in all regions of interest was lessened under acupuncture.”

*This article was first published on Technorati

What Are You Worried About ?

"As a rule, men worry more about what they can't see than about what they can."

 

Julius Caesar

Come to Northwestern Hospital's Integrative Medicine Event This Saturday

Northwestern Memorial's Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness in cooperation with the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University Presents; 

 Integrative Approaches to Cancer Care: Wellness, Health and Healing

Time: Saturday, December 11, 2010: 12:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Prentice Women's Hospital Room L North (3rd Floor) 250 E. Superior St., Chicago
Price: FREE

Explore and experience holistic approaches to enhance your sense of well-being. Get the latest research findings for integrative approaches in cancer. Find out about complementary approaches to manage symptoms such as pain, fatigue and neuropathy. Learn and participate in demonstrations of various complementary approaches such as Reiki, Massage and Tai Chi.

*Other topics include

Integrative Medicine 101
Integrative Approaches to Manage Symptoms
Break/Yoga Stretch Main Room
Mindfulness Meditation
Energy and Massage Therapies
Naturopathic Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Tai Chi, Qi gong, Yoga

I will be at the Pac Herbs booth, stop by and say hi.

*Pac Herbs was founded by Cathy Margolin L.A.c. and offers Packets of traditional Chinese herbs to help relieve menopause and PMS symptoms as well as Isleep for insomnia. The Packets are air and moisture sealed so herbs stay fresh and potent without chemical fillers, manufactured under strict CGMP standards.

ACUPUNCTURE WORKS !

That is the title of an article from Time Magazine. They say, “the National Institutes of Health last week assembled a panel of experts… After three days of analyzing studies and interrogating practitioners, the panel was unexpectedly upbeat. ‘It's time to take acupuncture seriously,’ said its chairman, David Ramsay, president of the University of Maryland. ‘There are a number of situations where it really does work.’”  The article went on to talk about acupuncture’s effectiveness treating many types of pain and concluded,  “Acupuncture's one great advantage over Western medicine is that it does no harm; unlike drugs and surgery, acupuncture has virtually no side effects.”

Now here’s the kicker - this article was published in 1997 !

So, why is acupuncture discovered over and over again with surprise and bewilderment?  I think that some of the answer lies in the fact that acupuncture springs from a system of science that Western scientists find almost incomprehensible and, it is always difficult to step outside our comfort zones and try something new. But remember: Acupuncture is not new! It has been around much longer than conventional Western medicine.

What do you think?

Acupuncture Can Keep You Healthy In Cold & Flu Season

Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture and cupping can all be very helpful treating colds, flu and sinus infections. If you take certain herbs or get occasional tune up treatments you often can avoid getting sick. in this article, from Acufinder.com, Diane Joswick L.A.c.  focuses on how acupuncture can remedy colds and flu.

Acupuncture for Prevention - Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can prevent colds and flu by strengthening the immune system with just a few needles inserted into key points along the body's energy pathways. In Oriental Medicine, disease prevention begins with a protective layer around the exterior of the body called wei qi or defensive energy. There are acupuncture points known for strengthening the circulation of blood and energy and for consolidating the outer defense layers of the skin and muscle (Wei Qi) so that germs and viruses cannot enter through them. If you catch colds easily, have low energy and require a long time recuperating from an illness your wei qi may be deficient.

Acupuncture Point: Du 14

One particularly important point to attend to is Du 14. Located below the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebrae, approximately where the collar of a T-shirt sits on the neck. Du 14 activates the circulation of blood and Qi to strengthen the outer defense layers of the skin and muscle (wei qi) so that germs and viruses cannot enter through them. This point is often used to ward off as well as shorten the duration colds and flu.

Seasonal acupuncture treatments just four times a year also serve to tonify the inner organ systems and can correct minor annoyances before they become serious problems.

How To Have A Terrific Holiday Party ~ 5 Surefire Tips For Success

Are you a good hostess ? I try to be, but I know I'm still a work in progress. Lucky for me, and all of you reading this post. My mom has a Ph.D. and is here to help.

~We are headed into the season of social gatherings. For many people (especially those who suffer from anxiety), these get-togethers can be awkward or uncomfortable.  Hosts and hostesses hope that their guests will be comfortable, mingle, and have a good time. Of course, guests want exactly the same thing.  So, the question becomes, “How can you help your guests?”  Here are some ideas from psychology, group dynamics, and watching real pros at work.
            

 5 Tips for Hosts and Hostesses

 1. Welcome begins at the door. Keep an ear on the buzzer and an eye on the door. Greet people enthusiastically so they know that they are welcome.

2. Give guests something to do.  Don’t ask them to make your bed but, when the first guest, or a lone guest comes in, give her a useful task like filling the ice bucket. In that way, she becomes involved immediately and naturally meets people while she passes a plate of appetizers or opens a bottle of wine.

3. Create your guest list with intention. You can invite people who already know each other and that makes mingling easier, but you are playing it safe. Mixing your friends is more interesting but, when you do that, keep an eye on the outsiders. You can think ahead and decide which guests might need help making connections. Also, encourage guests who will not know anyone else to bring a friend.

4. Be an active host. Don’t hesitate to take a shy or singleton guest by the arm and walk her over to another friend. Let them know what they have in common, i.e., they both love the Cubs, know the same people, have twins, enjoy Gregorian chants, or work in the same industry. You have broken the ice for them.

5. Build a team. You know everyone on the guest list so, plan ahead. Enlist the help of a couple of good friends and ask them to watch out for so-and-so and to step in if he looks lost.~

*To read more from mom, checkout her blog ~ Life Ain't For Sissies

Chinese Medicine Has Solutions For Insomnia

No matter what complaint a patient presents to me, I listen for information about the two things that are vital to making anyone feel better. They are good sleep and regular bowel movements. This post, by Julie Lee, the founder of Unique Acupuncture, in Oregon, focuses on how to improve your sleep. We'll save "being regular" for another day. : )

~ One research study from the University of Chicago found that when mice are deprived of sleep, they live only 17 days. This demonstrates the power of sleep – or lack thereof.
 

According to Chinese Medicine, when you sleep, your blood is governed and restored by the liver. This pertains to seeing, listening, speaking, and general activity in our life. If you have less blood in your body, you have rough skin, blurry vision, ringing in the ears, and loss of hair. It also greatly affects woman's health, such as irregular periods, painful menstruation, infertility and obesity. It is best to get at least 6 hours a day. However, more important than counting sleep hours is how deeply you sleep and wake refreshed in the morning. If you are prone to insomnia, avoid coffee, soda or consuming any other caffeinated product at night. ~

Boiled squash is good for insomnia because it is warming and improves qi energy circulation. It helps you to fall asleep easily and awake refreshed. If you do not like boiled squash, you can mix squash with honey to make honey squash. Squash’s sweet flavor influences the spleen-pancreas and stomach and reduces inflammation. When you boil 300g of squash, put together with 150g of roasted Suan Zao Ren (Ziziphi Spinosae Sm). After you cook it, making mash them together and take 1 cup three or four times a day. Suan Zao Ren nourishes the Heart and calms the spirit, so it helps to quiet the nerves; you roast and brew of Suan Zao Ren to drink a tea.

I also recommend the walnut for insomnia. It has a sweet flavor and nourishes the kidneys, adrenals, and brain. For men, it also enriches sperm. An easy way to eat walnuts is to put roasted walnut powder in your tea and drink after each meal. But, avoid taking walnuts in cases of loose stools and heat signs. ~

To read all of Julie's helpful suggestions click here 

Happy Hanukkah !

Acupuncture Is The NFL's Secret For Top Performance

How about having your own traveling acupuncturist?  That’s the height of luxury for most of us but, for some, flying your acupuncturist to your location is a necessity. If you are a professional football player whose body is treated violently every week, you will do almost anything to reduce your pain and increase the length of your career.  I don’t think of football players as people who generally embrace alternative medical treatments but 40 of the top players in the NFL scheme to get onto the acupuncturist’s schedule as close to game time as possible. 

The New York Times (11/30/10) profiled Lisa  Ripi, an acupuncturist who travels around the country to treat her football player patients and reduce their soreness, pain, and bruising. Ripi focuses on sore areas, using her needles to increase blood flow, thereby relaxing the player’s tight muscles. Acupuncture has long been known for its effectiveness in treating pain and, as an added benefit, these athletes don’t have to worry about side effects or having drugs in their system.

*Article first published as NFL Players Say Acupuncture Gets Them in Top Shape for Games on Technorati.