Qi Mail™
The Acupuncture Newsletter May 2010
Barbara Burns, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist, Traditional Chinese Medicine
41 East Foothill Boulevard, Suite 200
Arcadia, CA 91006
626-446-5900 www.barbaraburns-lac.com
The Acupuncture Newsletter May 2010
Barbara Burns, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist, Traditional Chinese Medicine
41 East Foothill Boulevard, Suite 200
Arcadia, CA 91006
626-446-5900 www.barbaraburns-lac.com
In This Issue
- Acupuncture for Arthritis
- Studies on Acupuncture for Arthritis
- Anti-inflammatory Diet
- Barbara's May Update: Arthritis Pain Relief with Acupuncture and Omega-3-Rich Oils
Acupuncture for Arthritis
May is National Arthritis Month and there's no better time to take action. If you suffer with arthritis, acupuncture can help.
Arthritis is one of the most pervasive diseases in the United States and is the leading cause of disability. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every three Americans (an estimated seventy million people) is affected.
For most people, arthritis pain and inflammation cannot be avoided as the body ages. In fact, most people over the age of fifty show some signs of arthritis as joints degenerate over time. Fortunately, arthritis can often be managed with acupuncture.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is not just one disease; it is a complex disorder that comprises more than one hundred distinct symptoms and can affect people at any stage of life. Two of the most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While these two forms of arthritis have very different causes, risk factors and effects on the body, they share a common symptom—persistent joint pain.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in the United States. OA begins with the breakdown of joint cartilage, resulting in pain and stiffness. Commonly affected joints include the fingers, knees, hips, and spine. Other joints affected less frequently include the wrists, elbows, shoulders, and ankles. When OA is found in a less frequently affected joint, there is usually a history of injury or unusual stress to that joint. Repetitive injury and physical trauma may contribute to the development of OA. If you have a strenuous job that requires repetitive bending, kneeling, or squatting, for example, you may be at high risk for OA of the knee.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. Inflammation of the joint lining, called the synovium, causes pain, stiffness, swelling, warmth, and redness. The affected joint may also lose its shape, resulting in loss of normal movement.
Eastern View of Arthritis
In Oriental medicine, arthritis is called "Bi Syndrome." Bi Syndrome manifests as pain, soreness, or numbness of muscles, tendons and joints. Arthritis is treated according to which type of Bi Syndrome it falls into:
1. Moving (Wind) Bi Syndrome: Pain in the joints is widespread and moves from one area of the body to another. This is often accompanied by fever and chills.
2. Stationary (Damp) Bi Syndrome: The pain is localized and does not move. The body and limbs feel heavy and there is numbness and swelling.
3. Painful (Cold) Bi Syndrome: Severe pain in one part, or over one half of the body which becomes worse with cold and diminishes with warmth.
4. Heat Bi Syndrome: The flesh is hot, the area of pain is red and swollen, and the pain increases upon contact.
The type of Bi Syndrome the arthritis falls into will determine which acupuncture points and other treatment options will be utilized. The purpose of acupuncture is to trigger your body's innate ability to self heal. Treatments take all of your symptoms into account and are aimed at balancing the energy within the body, increasing the flow of qi and blood to the affected area, bringing down swelling and inflammation, relieving pain, and helping to prevent re-occurrence of the arthritis.
If you have arthritis and would like to learn more about how acupuncture can help, call now for a consultation.
Arthritis is one of the most pervasive diseases in the United States and is the leading cause of disability. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every three Americans (an estimated seventy million people) is affected.
For most people, arthritis pain and inflammation cannot be avoided as the body ages. In fact, most people over the age of fifty show some signs of arthritis as joints degenerate over time. Fortunately, arthritis can often be managed with acupuncture.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is not just one disease; it is a complex disorder that comprises more than one hundred distinct symptoms and can affect people at any stage of life. Two of the most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While these two forms of arthritis have very different causes, risk factors and effects on the body, they share a common symptom—persistent joint pain.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in the United States. OA begins with the breakdown of joint cartilage, resulting in pain and stiffness. Commonly affected joints include the fingers, knees, hips, and spine. Other joints affected less frequently include the wrists, elbows, shoulders, and ankles. When OA is found in a less frequently affected joint, there is usually a history of injury or unusual stress to that joint. Repetitive injury and physical trauma may contribute to the development of OA. If you have a strenuous job that requires repetitive bending, kneeling, or squatting, for example, you may be at high risk for OA of the knee.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. Inflammation of the joint lining, called the synovium, causes pain, stiffness, swelling, warmth, and redness. The affected joint may also lose its shape, resulting in loss of normal movement.
Eastern View of Arthritis
In Oriental medicine, arthritis is called "Bi Syndrome." Bi Syndrome manifests as pain, soreness, or numbness of muscles, tendons and joints. Arthritis is treated according to which type of Bi Syndrome it falls into:
1. Moving (Wind) Bi Syndrome: Pain in the joints is widespread and moves from one area of the body to another. This is often accompanied by fever and chills.
2. Stationary (Damp) Bi Syndrome: The pain is localized and does not move. The body and limbs feel heavy and there is numbness and swelling.
3. Painful (Cold) Bi Syndrome: Severe pain in one part, or over one half of the body which becomes worse with cold and diminishes with warmth.
4. Heat Bi Syndrome: The flesh is hot, the area of pain is red and swollen, and the pain increases upon contact.
The type of Bi Syndrome the arthritis falls into will determine which acupuncture points and other treatment options will be utilized. The purpose of acupuncture is to trigger your body's innate ability to self heal. Treatments take all of your symptoms into account and are aimed at balancing the energy within the body, increasing the flow of qi and blood to the affected area, bringing down swelling and inflammation, relieving pain, and helping to prevent re-occurrence of the arthritis.
If you have arthritis and would like to learn more about how acupuncture can help, call now for a consultation.
Studies on Acupuncture for Arthritis
Studies show that acupuncture can stimulate the production of hormones that reduce pain and inflammation.
In a German study, 3,500 people with osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee received 15 sessions of acupuncture combined with their usual medical care. The results showed that the patients that had acupuncture had less pain and stiffness, improved function and better quality of life than their counterparts who had routine care alone. The improvements occurred immediately after completing a three-month course of acupuncture and lasted for at least another three months, indicating osteoarthritis is among conditions treated with acupuncture.
Another study, published in the journal Pain, looked at the effects of acupuncture among 40 adults with osteoarthritis of the knee. Among the patients in the study, those who had a daily acupuncture session for 10 consecutive days reported greater improvement in their pain compared with patients who received a "sham" version of the therapy.
Resources:
Pain Online, December 15, 2009.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, November 2006; vol 54: pp 3485-349
In a German study, 3,500 people with osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee received 15 sessions of acupuncture combined with their usual medical care. The results showed that the patients that had acupuncture had less pain and stiffness, improved function and better quality of life than their counterparts who had routine care alone. The improvements occurred immediately after completing a three-month course of acupuncture and lasted for at least another three months, indicating osteoarthritis is among conditions treated with acupuncture.
Another study, published in the journal Pain, looked at the effects of acupuncture among 40 adults with osteoarthritis of the knee. Among the patients in the study, those who had a daily acupuncture session for 10 consecutive days reported greater improvement in their pain compared with patients who received a "sham" version of the therapy.
Resources:
Pain Online, December 15, 2009.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, November 2006; vol 54: pp 3485-349
Anti-inflammatory Diet
Your diet plays a crucial role in helping you avoid or control arthritis.
The first objective of a healthy diet is to help you lose weight if you are overweight. Being overweight can cause additional stress to your joints. Another way a balanced, varied diet can help ease the pain of arthritis is by providing vitamins and minerals that keep your joints healthy and avoiding “damp” foods such as dairy products and greasy or spicy foods. Here are some other healthy and delicious choices to include in your diet. • Ginger - Ginger has been found to be a natural anti-inflammatory. make tea by combining one-half teaspoon of grated ginger root with eight ounces of | boiling water. Cover and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain and add honey to taste. • Fresh pineapple - Bromelain, an enzyme in pineapple, reduces inflammation. Be sure the pineapple is fresh, not canned or frozen. • Cherries - Recent research has shown that tart cherries are an excellent source of nutrients that may help to reduce joint pain and inflammation related to arthritis. • Fish - Cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep joints healthy as well as reduce pain and swelling. If you don't care for fish, consider supplementing your diet with fish oil capsules. • Turmeric - Another natural anti-inflammatory. You can sprinkle turmeric on scrambled eggs, add it to soups, or mix it into sauces or salad dressings. |
Barbara's Update:
Arthritis Pain Relief with Acupuncture & Omega-3-Rich Oils
Let’s take a further look at how acupuncture, nutrition and exercise can reduce inflammation, that provocateur of arthritis and other diseases.
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE FOR ARTHRITIS WORK? Simply, the needles target the inflamed joint and their insertion causes the body’s alerted IMMUNE SYSTEM to increase circulation to the area. The increased flow of cooling, nourishing blood and plasma reduces the inflammation and RESTORES NORMAL CIRCULATION and relieves pain.
WHAT HAS INFLAMMATION TO DO WITH ARTHRITIS PAIN? Any medical condition ending in “-ITIS” has “inflammation” as a primary component if not the cause: TENDINITIS (inflammation of the tendons); BURSITIS (inflammation of a bursa), ARTHRITIS (inflammation of the joints), etc. And the INFLAMMATION MAKES THE CELLS “MISBEHAVE” and then create disease symptoms including pain, swelling, dysfunction and malformation.
HOW DOES CHINESE MEDICINE LOOK AT INFLAMMATION? All pain has lack of circulation as its cause. And when the area HEATS UP or “inflames” like in arthritis, it compromises normal circulation and causes pain.
HOW DOES NUTRITION PLAY A PART IN PAIN RELIEF? Nutrition is a key partner to conquer the INTERNAL INFLAMMATION which provokes heart, brain, eye and JOINT PROBLEMS. Nature offers natural inflammation controls through CERTAIN FOODS. All we have to do is eat those foods routinely and/or find supplements that deliver similar food-derived protection.
WHICH FOODS/WHAT SUPPLEMENTS? A recent Los Angeles Times article said the anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, contained in fish and other oils (flax, hemp, walnut, pumpkin, soy) included these results of decreased inflammation:
HOW MUCH SHOULD I TAKE? Though the U.S. does not have governmental dosage standards for these fatty acids, the recommendations RANGE FROM 250 mg. (low end) to ONE GRAM A DAY (each of EPA and DHA) for people with heart disease (American Heart Association), to even more for those with high triglycerides, under medical supervision. People in arthritis studies have taken up to 3.5 grams of omega-3s daily for up to a year without any problems. The most “CLOSE TO NATURE” RATIO OF DHA TO EPA IS 3:1 occurring in these natural proportions in fish. So, get online or call me and see what sort of recommendations are suggested for your “-itis” then talk it over with me or other healthcare professional to come to an educated conclusion about your dose. Check the back of the product you pick for the exact amounts of each type of fatty acid (EPA and DHA) included. They will be listed.
WILL EATING FISH GIVE ME ENOUGH DHA/EPAs TO DO THE TRICK? To get your fish oils from eating fish, stick with the oily varieties like wild-caught salmon, herring, and mackerel. Remember that amounts of DHA/EPAs can VARY depending on the fish’s diet while alive, so if you have a special condition you are trying to reverse, the consistent dose of a pill may be your best choice. But don’t stop eating the fish! FOR VEGETARIANS, flaxseed oil omega-3s are just as potent as those in fish. Sea algaes and other aquatic plants contain significant amounts as well.
DOES EXERCISE CONTROL INFLAMMATION? According to a study in the May issue of Brain, Behavior and Immunity, if you engage in CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE (that’s aerobics, power walking, jogging and anything else that elevates your heart rate for a prolonged period) you will reduce levels of inflammation in your body. Flexibility, balancing and stretching exercises did not have the same effect. But don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. A balanced program of cardiovascular exercises THREE TIMES A WEEK, 45 – 60 MINUTES EACH TIME plus the flex/stretching (ex: yoga) is a good compromise for the WHOLE body. And that’s what good health is all about.
Thumb, knee, hip and shoulder joints -- all joints, in fact -- respond very well to this approach, so I hope you will tell those you know and love about this potent possibility for pain relief. Of course, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE about their particular arthritic issues and questions if they are interested in exploring this path. Email your comments and we will post them on the website. You can go there now to see more on arthritis and its treatment with acupuncture BarbaraBurns-LAc.com.
See you next month!
Barbara
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE FOR ARTHRITIS WORK? Simply, the needles target the inflamed joint and their insertion causes the body’s alerted IMMUNE SYSTEM to increase circulation to the area. The increased flow of cooling, nourishing blood and plasma reduces the inflammation and RESTORES NORMAL CIRCULATION and relieves pain.
WHAT HAS INFLAMMATION TO DO WITH ARTHRITIS PAIN? Any medical condition ending in “-ITIS” has “inflammation” as a primary component if not the cause: TENDINITIS (inflammation of the tendons); BURSITIS (inflammation of a bursa), ARTHRITIS (inflammation of the joints), etc. And the INFLAMMATION MAKES THE CELLS “MISBEHAVE” and then create disease symptoms including pain, swelling, dysfunction and malformation.
HOW DOES CHINESE MEDICINE LOOK AT INFLAMMATION? All pain has lack of circulation as its cause. And when the area HEATS UP or “inflames” like in arthritis, it compromises normal circulation and causes pain.
HOW DOES NUTRITION PLAY A PART IN PAIN RELIEF? Nutrition is a key partner to conquer the INTERNAL INFLAMMATION which provokes heart, brain, eye and JOINT PROBLEMS. Nature offers natural inflammation controls through CERTAIN FOODS. All we have to do is eat those foods routinely and/or find supplements that deliver similar food-derived protection.
WHICH FOODS/WHAT SUPPLEMENTS? A recent Los Angeles Times article said the anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, contained in fish and other oils (flax, hemp, walnut, pumpkin, soy) included these results of decreased inflammation:
- less joint pain and morning stiffness (arthritis)
- reduced blood pressure (hypertension)
- reduced triglyceride levels (cholesterol marker)
- normalized heart rhythms (heart disease)
- pregnant women had kids with higher IQs thru age 4, lower rates of allergies, better sleep patterns and better vision AND these moms also had lower rates of postpartum depression.
- better brain functioning (Alzheimer’s)
HOW MUCH SHOULD I TAKE? Though the U.S. does not have governmental dosage standards for these fatty acids, the recommendations RANGE FROM 250 mg. (low end) to ONE GRAM A DAY (each of EPA and DHA) for people with heart disease (American Heart Association), to even more for those with high triglycerides, under medical supervision. People in arthritis studies have taken up to 3.5 grams of omega-3s daily for up to a year without any problems. The most “CLOSE TO NATURE” RATIO OF DHA TO EPA IS 3:1 occurring in these natural proportions in fish. So, get online or call me and see what sort of recommendations are suggested for your “-itis” then talk it over with me or other healthcare professional to come to an educated conclusion about your dose. Check the back of the product you pick for the exact amounts of each type of fatty acid (EPA and DHA) included. They will be listed.
WILL EATING FISH GIVE ME ENOUGH DHA/EPAs TO DO THE TRICK? To get your fish oils from eating fish, stick with the oily varieties like wild-caught salmon, herring, and mackerel. Remember that amounts of DHA/EPAs can VARY depending on the fish’s diet while alive, so if you have a special condition you are trying to reverse, the consistent dose of a pill may be your best choice. But don’t stop eating the fish! FOR VEGETARIANS, flaxseed oil omega-3s are just as potent as those in fish. Sea algaes and other aquatic plants contain significant amounts as well.
DOES EXERCISE CONTROL INFLAMMATION? According to a study in the May issue of Brain, Behavior and Immunity, if you engage in CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE (that’s aerobics, power walking, jogging and anything else that elevates your heart rate for a prolonged period) you will reduce levels of inflammation in your body. Flexibility, balancing and stretching exercises did not have the same effect. But don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. A balanced program of cardiovascular exercises THREE TIMES A WEEK, 45 – 60 MINUTES EACH TIME plus the flex/stretching (ex: yoga) is a good compromise for the WHOLE body. And that’s what good health is all about.
Thumb, knee, hip and shoulder joints -- all joints, in fact -- respond very well to this approach, so I hope you will tell those you know and love about this potent possibility for pain relief. Of course, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE about their particular arthritic issues and questions if they are interested in exploring this path. Email your comments and we will post them on the website. You can go there now to see more on arthritis and its treatment with acupuncture BarbaraBurns-LAc.com.
See you next month!
Barbara
