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December 4th, 2012 at 6:53 pm
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Arthritis is one of the most pervasive diseases in the United States and is the leading cause of disability. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention one out of every three Americans (an estimated 70 million people) is affected.
For many people arthritis pain and inflammation cannot be avoided as the body ages. In fact, most people over the age of 50 show some signs of arthritis. Joints naturally degenerate over time. Fortunately, arthritis can often be managed with Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis isn't just one disease; it's a complex disorder that comprises more than 100 distinct conditions and can affect people at any stage of life. Two of the most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While these two forms of arthritis have very different causes, risk factors, and effects on the body, they often share a common symptom—persistent joint pain.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in the United States, affecting an estimated 21 million adults. OA begins with the breakdown of joint cartilage, resulting in pain and stiffness.
OA commonly affects the joints of the fingers, knees, hips, and spine. Other joints affected less frequently include the wrists, elbows, shoulders, and ankles. When OA is found in a less frequently affected joint, there is usually a history of injury or unusual stress to that joint. Work-related repetitive injury and physical trauma may contribute to the development of OA. If you have a strenuous job that requires repetitive bending, kneeling, or squatting, for example, you may be at high risk for OA of the knee.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can affect many different joints and, in some people, other parts of the body as well, including the blood, the lungs, and the heart. Inflammation of the joint lining, called the synovium, can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, warmth, and redness. The affected joint may also lose its shape, resulting in loss of normal movement. RA can last a long time and can be a disease of flares (active symptoms) and remissions (few to no symptoms).
Diagnosis and Treatment of Arthritis with Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
According to Chinese medical theory, arthritis arises when the cyclical flow of Qi in the meridians becomes blocked. This blockage is called, "bi" type pain and is widely studies and successfully treated using a combination of acupuncture and/or Chinese herbs.
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine have been found to be extremely effective at treating the pain and inflammation associated with all types of arthritis. The acupuncture points and herbs that are used depend on if the blockage of Qi (arthritis) is caused by the pathogen wind, cold, damp or damp-heat.
Traditional Chinese Medicine does not recognize arthritis as one particular syndrome. Instead, it aims to treat the specific symptoms that are unique to each individual using a variety of techniques such as acupuncture, Chinese herbs, bodywork, lifestyle/dietary recommendations and energetic exercises to restore imbalances found in the body. Therefore, if 10 patients are treated with Oriental medicine for joint pain, each of these 10 patients will receive a unique, customized treatment with different acupuncture points, different herbs and different lifestyle and diet recommendations.
Your acupuncturist will examine you, take a look at the onset of your condition and learn your signs and symptoms to determine your Chinese diagnosis and choose the appropriate acupuncture points and treatment plan.
The Acupuncture Treatment
Acupuncture points to treat Arthritis are located all over the body, not just directly over the affected area. During the acupuncture treatment, tiny needles could be placed along your legs, arms, shoulders, and perhaps even your little toe!
There seems to be little sensitivity to the insertion of acupuncture needles. They are so thin that several acupuncture needles can go into the middle of a hypodermic needle. Occasionally, there is a brief moment of discomfort as the needle penetrates the skin, but once the needles are in place, most people relax and even fall asleep for the duration of the treatment.
The length, number and frequency of treatments will vary. Typical treatments last from five to 30 minutes, with the patient being treated one or two times a week. Some symptoms are relieved after the first treatment, while more severe or chronic ailments often require multiple treatments.
Chinese Herbs for Arthritis
There are many Chinese Herbal formulas that are commonly prescribed for arthritis. Your acupuncturist will examine you, take a look at the onset of your condition and learn your signs and symptoms to determine which herbal are best for you.
Studies on Acupuncture and Arthritis
Several studies have shown that acupuncture can help people with arthritis and related auto-immune diseases.
In one Scandinavian study 25 percent of arthritis patients who had been scheduled for knee surgery cancelled their operations after acupuncture treatment. In the study, researchers compared acupuncture with advice and exercise for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip. Thirty-two patients awaiting a total hip replacement were separated into 2 groups. One group received one 10-minute and five 25-minute sessions of acupuncture, and the other group received advice and hip exercises over a 6-week period.
Patients were assessed for pain and functional ability: Patients in the acupuncture group showed significant improvements, while no significant changes were reported in the group that received advice and exercise therapy. The results of this study indicate that acupuncture is more effective than advice and exercise for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip.
Another study at the University of Maryland showed that elderly arthritis patients with knee pain due to arthritis improved significantly when acupuncture was added to their treatment.
The randomized clinical trial, performed at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, determined whether acupuncture was a clinically safe and effective adjunctive therapy for older patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.
The study addressed these questions:
- Would the addition of acupuncture to conventional therapy produce an added measure of pain relief?
- Would the effects of acupuncture last for 4 weeks following the end of treatment?
- Would acupuncture have any side effects?
Seventy-three patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group received twice-weekly acupuncture treatments and conventional therapy for 8 weeks, and the other group received conventional therapy only. Patients who received acupuncture had significant pain relief and showed improvement in function. Those who did not receive acupuncture showed no significant change. No patients reported side effects from any acupuncture therapy session.
Safe Alternative to Medication
Even without the studies, the popularity of acupuncture for arthritis continues to grow because more and more people have found significant relief from Oriental Medicine without the negative side effects that come from Western pharmaceuticals.
Lifestyle and Dietary Instructions
Your diet plays a crucial role in helping you avoid or control arthritis. The first objective of a healthy diet is to help you lose weight if you are overweight. Being overweight can cause additional stress to your joints.
The second way a balanced, varied diet can help ease the pain of arthritis is by providing vitamins and minerals that keep your joints healthy and avoiding “damp” foods such as dairy products and greasy or spicy foods.
If you have arthritis or knee or hip pain, vitamins C and vitamin D can help prevent bone and cartilage destruction. And a multivitamin can help ensure that you always get the nutrition you need.
Here are some other healthy (and delicious) choices to include in your diet.
- Ginger - A natural anti-inflammatory, available as powdered extracts in capsules as well as alcohol-based extracts. Follow the dosing directions on the label. Or make tea by combining one-half teaspoon of grated ginger root with eight ounces of boiling water. Cover and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain and add honey to taste.
- Fresh pineapple - Bromelain, an enzyme in pineapple, reduces inflammation. Be sure the pineapple is fresh, not canned or frozen.
- Cherries - Recent research has shown that tart cherries are an excellent source of nutrients that may help to reduce joint pain and inflammation related to arthritis.
- Fish - Cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep joints healthy as well as reduce pain and swelling. If you don't care for fish, consider supplementing your diet with fish oil capsules.
- Turmeric - Another natural anti-inflammatory. Look for an extract of whole turmeric, in health-food stores; follow the dosage directions on the label. We recommend these productsCURCUMIN 97, ARTH-9 available at our store:
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is an art and a science that takes years to master. Rheumatology in Chinese Medicine, 2002. By G. Guillaume & M. Chieu
Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 1990. By Dan Bensky & Randall Barolet
Acupuncture: A Comprehensive Text By Shangha
Best of Health!
Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for top prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!
Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN
Naturopath
Acupuncturist
Clinical Nutritionist
Professional Vitamins and Supplements
Chinese Herbs
Natural Skin Products
Arlington Heights, IL
www.apple-a-day-clinic.com
We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders! Please contact us for a free consultation! I do work long distance. Thank you from the bottom of our cart! We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals! They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.
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November 27th, 2012 at 9:56 pm
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I promised this uplifting story last month and elected to put it in today as it is SUCH an important health issue for young women and men. Cervical dysplasia is a change in the cells lining the cervix which untreated can lead to cervical cancer.
Risk Factors include:
Sexual Intercourse before age 20: With age, the squamo-columnar junction moves further up into the
endo-cervical canal. However, in younger women it may be more exposed, thus increasing the risk of
infecting those cells during sexual activity.
An increased number of sexual partners or having partners who themselves have had many sexual
partners. This is simply due to the logic that the more sexual partners one has, the more likely it is
that one will have a partner who is carrying an STD.
Socioeconomic status: Low income and socioeconomic status is a risk factor for cervical cancer.
Incomplete Pap testing is most common among African, Native Indian and Inuit, Hispanic, the poor,
elderly, women infected with HIV and people living in rural areas.
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV): otherwise known as viral warts, is one of the strongest links between
cervical dysplasia and its evolution into cancer. The viral wart implicated in cervical dysplasia is
genital warts. Genital warts are benign non-cancerous tumors, transmitted through skin-to-skin contact
and encouraged by tissue trauma and moisture.
Women who have HPV, or whose partners have had HPV, are at a higher risk of developing abnormal
cells, although not everyone who has HPV goes on to develop cervical cancer. Cancer related HPV
might increase the likelihood that mild abnormalities may progress to more severe conditions.
When hearing about HPV it's common to assume that this STD is a virus that ‘someone else' contracts.
However, it is alarming to note the frequency with which this infection occurs. HPV is the most
commonly occurring STD.
1% of all sexually active Americans have visible warts, and the virus can live in the body for months,
years or even a lifetime without giving rise to observable symptoms. throughout the world. The Albert Einstein College estimates that HPV is found in 90 to 95% of cervical dysplasia cases.
HPV lesions and DNA testing can be a tool for determining the route of holistic support. Viral infection can damage DNA and other parts of the cell. It is thought that HPV produces proteins that interfere with cell
functions that normally prevent excessive cell growth.
Medical treatment focuses on the removal of any raised growth, while nothing is offered to strengthen
the body's reserves to deter a viral outbreak. An important fact to note: since genital warts are viral, a
holistic treatment protocol which includes strengthening the immune system does wonders for
diminishing the infection and encouraging visible warts to disappear on their own (though the virus may
still remain dormant in the body).
Abnormal Pap's are sometimes incorrectly diagnosed as Human Papilloma Infections. To complicate the
situation, atypical cells from HPV can mimic abnormal cells, precancerous conditions and even invasive
cancer. Therefore it is crucial that any possible infections are correctly diagnosed and cleared up,
before repeating a PAP test and scheduling surgery.
Herpes Simplex 2 Virus (Genital Herpes) and Chlamydia exposures are both linked with a 2-6 times
increased risk of cervical cancer than when compared to the general population22. It is thought that
chlamydia interferes with one of the body's natural safety mechanisms that work to destroy unhealthy
cells.
Cigarette smoking: Statistics show that women with cervical cancer are most likely to be current
smokers. The risk appears to increase with the daily number of cigarettes a woman smokes and with
every year she has smoked23. A 1982 study from the American Journal of Epidemiology theorizes over
the impact cigarette smoke has on the health of the cervix “since the products of tobacco smoke are
circulated in breast fluids of non-lactating woman fifteen minutes after smoking a cigarette, it is
possible that a carcinogen can be inhaled from cigarette smoke, transported through the blood system
and secreted by the cervical surface cells where it may act as a promoter or co-carcinogen on the
cervical cells.24” Cigarette smoking has also been found to deplete the body of cancer-fighting
nutrients, including Vitamin C25, E and beta-carotene.
Diethylstilbestrol (DES): A toxic synthetic estrogen drug used during the 1940's through 1970's,
mistakenly used to prevent miscarriages, resulted in numerous birth defects, DES increased the
Katolen Yardley, MNIMH Published in the British Journal of Phytotherapy, Vol. 5 No. 4 Copyright © 2001
ISSN 0959-6879
incidence of cervical changes in women whose mothers were given the drug26. Incidentally, for the last
20 years DES has been commonly prescribed as a morning after pill27.
Oral Contraception: The epithelium or squamo/columnar cells of the cervix respond to hormonal
changes and long term use of birth control pills are associated with cancer of the cervix28. Studies
indicate a strong correlation between the pill and cervical dysplasia, one reference theorizes that “one
in every five pill users develops a suspicious pap after 3-4 years29”. Birth control pills have been found
to decrease nutrient levels of Vitamin C, folic acid, Vitamin B6, B12, riboflavin and zinc30.
Additional studies report that abnormal cervical cells found in Pap tests of oral contraceptive users
mirror those abnormal changes found in women with a folate deficiency. Therefore one could speculate
that at least some abnormal PAP's could be really showing a folate deficiency.
According to Health Canada, June 1995, close to 70 million women take oral contraceptives, making
birth control pills one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. By using oral contraceptives, is a
woman unknowingly setting herself up for abnormal PAP's, results that could really be indicating a
nutritional deficiency caused by using the oral contraceptive?
Intra Uterine Devices used for birth control can also be a concern. The IUD string that penetrates the
cervical opening can lead to an inflammation that mimics abnormal cancer cells. After an IUD has been
removed it is best to wait up to 3 months before retaking a PAP test.
Depo Provera: one of the latest forms of birth control, an injectable contraceptive that suppresses
ovulation and renders women infertile for 3-6 months, has been linked to the rise in cervical cancer in
third world countries by studies conducted by the World Health Organization32.
Tampons and Synthetic Estrogens are two not so known risk factors. Tampons contain carcinogens
such as talc fibers, bleach and asbestos, thus it is best to discontinue use and switch to non-bleached
tampons or non-synthetic cotton pads. Lowering contact with synthetic estrogens found in the
environment (otherwise known as xenoestrogens) is recommended, as estrogens are directly associated
with gynecological cancers and abnormal cell growth. Some considerations include pesticide residue,
agricultural chemicals, plastics (soft worse than hard), paint and saran wrap, birth control pills (as
already mentioned), meats and dairy (due to injected hormones) and alcohol, particularly beer (a yeast
used in the fermentation process, saccharomyces, produces estrogen which can have an effect upon
vulnerable tissues33).
Immune System Health goes a long way toward suppressing viruses and abnormal growths. An immune
system weakened by medications, infection, excessive stress, trauma, or surgery, may be unable to
prevent abnormal conditions from surfacing. Thus individuals with a poor diet, those dealing with long
term viruses, persons undergoing prolonged treatment with steroids and individuals receiving
medication to suppress the immune system, are more likely to develop cancerous lesions. According to
the book “A Feminist Approach to PAP Tests”, other drugs that may influence the immune system and
create abnormal pap results include: digitalis, antihistamines, tetracycline, valium, aspirin, allergy
shots and thyroid medication34.
Case Study I have had MANY successful outcomes here is Molly's...
1½ years ago I saw a 29-year-old female client whose main concern was cervical dysplasia. She was
currently single, though had a common-law partner and one son age 10. Some relevant points from her
case history included: a history of smoking for 1 year as a teen and since childhood she experienced
cold sore outbreaks (Herpes simplex 1) occurring usually once a year. As a teen, she was diagnosed
with genital warts and treated with liquid nitrogen. At age 19, she experienced a recurrence of the
warts when pregnant and again was treated with liquid nitrogen. At age 21, she was first diagnosed
with cervical dysplasia, CIN 1 (mild dysplasia) and freezing was route of treatment, she then returned
for yearly pap tests. In 2000 the dysplasia returned, worse, classified as moderate dysplasia CIN II. Her
oral contraceptive history began at age 16, she used the same birth control on and off for 14 years,
until age 25, when she changed oral contraceptive to Menistrin and experienced menstruation only 2
times per year, due to the drug. She presented with a yellow white discharge once a month (which the
client recalled, began with the onset of birth control pills). Swabs identified candida yeast infections,
which were in the past treated with over the counter creams and suppositories. Her general health
presented with no respiratory, musculoskeletal, urinary or cardiovascular complaints. With digestion
she experienced bloating and gas. Her diet was high in red meat, eaten 7 days per week, she loved
sweets, consumed dairy and had a low intake of fruits and vegetables
Treatment Protocol
The treatment protocol was focused on strengthening her immune system, improving tissue integrity of
the reproductive tract and reducing yeast and discharge.
• As this woman was a typical ‘meat and potato' person, my dietary recommendations
encouraged a gradual decrease of red meat with a goal of switching to hormone-free white
meats (turkey, chicken and fish).
• I recommended eliminating refined sugars and refined foods and increasing her intake of fresh
fruits and vegetables, emphasing the importance of organic.
• I strongly encouraged other alternative contraceptive options
• Acupuncture Once per week for 2 months to increase pelvic circulation
Supplements: A cocktail of antioxidants, high dose carotenoids, vitamin C, and folic acid along with
high doses of B vitamins for six months.
Internal Herbal Tincture: 5 ml of tincture was taken three times per day, mixed in warm water, taken
before meals.
Thuja occidentalis 20 ml
Larrea mexicana 15 ml
Hydrocotyl asiatica 20 ml
Chamomilla recutita 15 ml
Probiotic and treatment of the underlying yeast disorder.
Great news! Sheila got a normal pap smear four months later and continues to be normal to this day, and a great fan of natural therapies. Since this is so common I have seen dozens of young women with long term successful outcomes.
I will be featuring adventures in healing stories in this forum. All cases are strictly confidential and names and other identifying characteristics will be withheld.
Please let me know if you'd like us to share your healing story. Visit my store where:
Best of Health!
Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for top prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!
Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN
Naturopath
Acupuncturist
Clinical Nutritionist
Professional Vitamins and Supplements
Chinese Herbs
Natural Skin Products
Arlington Heights, IL
www.apple-a-day-clinic.com
We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders! Please contact us for a free consultation! I do work long distance. Thank you from the bottom of our cart! We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals! They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.
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