Acupuncture & Digestion: The TCM Perspective

TCM states that the stomach receives food, while the spleen transports, distributes and transforms nutrients. They both share the work and coordinate to fulfill the task of the digestion and absorption of food. When the function of the spleen in transporting and transforming the nutrients is in disorder, symptoms such as poor digestion, poor appetite, abdominal distension, weakness of the limbs and weight loss may occur.

The small intestine receives the food content that has been partially digested by the stomach and then completes the digestion and absorbs it. In the light of modern medicine, most of the carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the food are absorbed by duodenum and jejunum, while the bile salts and vitamin B12 are absorbed by ileum. Water and electrolytes are also exchanged in the small intestine. The endocrine function of the pancreas also contains various digestive enzymes important to digestive function.

So what does that all mean for your acupuncture treatments? Acupuncture stimulates energy to the liver, gall bladder, stomach and spleen (the four main channels for digestion) along with the small intestine, large intestine and even lung or heart channels (depending on the particular patient). Acupuncture isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment. Needles can be placed at specific points to maximize the effectiveness for the patient, and those “patterns” will somewhat change from session to session based on exactly how the patient is doing that day and responding to treatment.

Acupuncture & Digestion: The Process

Every patient is different. Some patients have varying degrees of “excessive heat” in their system causing problems, while others have varying degrees of “excessive cold” creating symptoms. Through a consultation we’ll discuss your main issue, the type and intensity of your discomfort and when that discomfort occurs. We’ll discuss your diet and lifestyle and eating habits to determine if there’s anything contributing to the problem. And the acupuncture sessions will combine treatments and nutritional counseling.

It can be wonderfully empowering for a patient to not only feel better and experience better digestion from acupuncture treatments, but also feel he or she has more control over how to stay healthy moving forward.

In the next post, we’ll discuss the effect of the “American diet” on digestion and how acupuncture treatment and nutritional changes can lead to radical digestive improvements.

Alcohol Detoxification with Acupuncture

Long before alcoholism, for most people there was a time when they didn’t actually like the taste of liquor. Over time, the body got used to the alcohol and eventually became chemically and/or emotionally dependent on it. One of the things acupuncture can do is stimulate certain chemicals in the body that help it return to its natural state of disliking the taste of alcohol again. When the body doesn’t “want” alcohol, it’s a lot easier to stay away from it.

Alcohol Detox: The Process

When a patient comes in for alcohol detox (or other forms of detox), we talk about their reasons for drinking. We talk about the details of consumption now — as well as in the past. Once I fully understand the nuances of that particular patient situation, we begin slowly easing into the detox process. We reduce the alcohol intake slowly while beginning with the acupuncture treatments. We use acupuncture to stimulate the body’s liver to help with the detoxification and eliminate toxins easier and faster. We use acupuncture to help the patient get out of the “stuck” patterns and lifestyle of drinking and for their energy to begin following again in ways that support change. We balance weak meridians, increase strength and inner strength … and often through doing so increase self-worth and will. We further reduce any emotional dependency on alcohol (or drugs) by helping the patient feel different in their body —feel as they did before addiction.

Acupuncture Detox Beyond Alcohol

Acupuncture is amazing support for detoxification from drugs such as cocaine as well as smoking and sugar addictions. In these cases, acupuncture helps balance the chemicals in the brain so that the patient doesn’t have the same urges and cravings.

I worked with a senior who began smoking at age 19. After a lifetime of trying, he finally quit with the help of acupuncture. Our work together was both about balancing the body and helping him find the habits and activities in life to replace the time he used to spend smoking. Another patient had a serious sugar addiction, and as her body chemistry changed from the acupuncture treatments, her cravings ceased. We supplemented the acupuncture with conversations about nutrition so that she would know how to eat differently (and think differently about food) once the cravings were completely gone.

Detox and withdrawal symptoms would be a challenge for even the most mentally and physically fit person. Fortunately, acupuncture is there to simplify and accelerate the detoxification process, while improving overall health at the same time.

Quite frequently, people come to Eastern Medical Center looking for help with getting off “lifelong” Western medications. Often I hear about symptoms such as sluggishness and tingling in the fingers and toes, which are common side effects of many drugs. Fortunately, acupuncture is a powerful tool for getting off of medications while balancing the body so that it doesn’t “need” the pills to sustain stable health. We can use acupuncture to taper off medications in a safe, gradual way and balance the chemicals in the brain so that the patient doesn’t suffer withdrawl symptoms.

It doesn’t matter if the patient has just been diagnosed and still has a prescription slip in hand or has been taking the same medication for a decade. In either case, there’s almost always an alternative to a lifetime of medication use.

It’s also important to reiterate that someone can appreciate the benefits of Western medications while still desiring to get off of them. Western treatment and drugs play a critical role in medical care — especially in acute, short-term situations. But that doesn’t mean we want to be at the mercy of medications for a lifetime! I often say that pills can create temporary stability, but acupuncture can achieve sustainable natural health.

In the next post, I’ll discuss how acupuncture can help the body detoxify from drugs (recreational or medical) and alcohol. This is a key piece of the puzzle because after the body has been subjected to external influences over an extended period of time, it needs to flush out all those toxins before truly being well again. So please stay tuned for that!

I recently treated a patient who had been diagnosed with Wegner’s granulomatosis (inflammation of the blood vessels affecting the kidneys, lungs and other organs).  He was on immunosuppressants, steroids and in horrifying joint pain. Everything was inflamed, from his knees to his arms to his wrists to his ankles. He had been told that he’d be dealing with this forever, and this person who you could tell had once been bursting with energy and zest for life was now a shell of himself. He loved to travel and felt that part of his life was over. He loved an active lifestyle and thought that part of his life was over. All this, based on the idea that he’ll never change. I would argue that there is change from day to day, hour to hour, albeit subtle and small. There is always change.

He only ended up in my office because his daughter had been coming for acupuncture and persuaded him to give it a try when he lost hope. After weekly visits for a month, he began to notice little changes. He was sleeping better and some body functions were normalizing. By two months, he was riding his bike again (a favorite activity). By the time we finished the critical phase of his treatment, he was flying internationally again. This person thought his life was over. In just a few months of acupuncture and complementary nutrition, he had his life back.

A body is not a car. It will get worse if left untreated and will improve when healing is stimulated. Nothing in the body stays the same forever. Anytime someone tells you or someone you love that “no change is possible,” they may honestly believe that … but you don’t have to.

We can positively affect our health regardless of diagnosis. We can move — step by step — from where we are closer to where we want to be.

Part of the issue is that Western diagnoses take a snapshot of your health and project out the rest of your life based upon how you’re doing in that moment. That would be fine if you were a broken down car in need of new parts: A car isn’t going to improve on it’s own. A car doesn’t have natural healing mechanisms where if you park it on the lawn for a month with a cover on it, after that month is up it’ll run like new again. With a car, you fix the parts or you trade it in or you junk it. Well, people do sometimes “junk” their bodies in terms of the food they put in it, but generally speaking we are not cars; we are people.

Our bodies know how to heal themselves. Cut your finger and it will heal … without you focusing on it or trying to make it heal. It just will. Balance the body’s energy systems and it can heal and improve. Just because you’re in one state of health on Tuesday doesn’t even mean you’ll feel the same way on Thursday — must less for the rest of your life. That’s why Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on the body’s “engine” rather than just its parts. The engine is what keeps the car going. The engine is what keeps us going.

Please read Part II for a patient story that illustrates how The Body Can Change – Despite a Diagnosis.

All of these patients ultimately got pregnant, but they all came in for very different reasons:

The Endometriosis Patient

This woman came to Eastern Medical Center experiencing intense pain from a recent surgery. On a scale of 0-10, she said her pain level was a “10.” All she wanted from acupuncture was some pain relief — and after one treatment she reported an “90 percent” reduction of her pain. She returned one more time to get rid of the rest of that pain for good.

Once she wasn’t dealing with excruciating pain, she was again clear and relaxed enough to consider, and talk about, her other health goals. The big one revolved around fertility. She wanted to get pregnant, but physicians had told her that it would be difficult for her to get pregnant considering her endometriosis condition. We started addressing that through acupuncture by removing blockages and increasing blood flow. The acupuncture helped stimulation to the uterus and vascularize the lining and keep the area open from obstructions or imbalances. We strengthened her energy so that she could hold the pregnancy. And soon after, she got pregnant!

The Arthritis Patient

This woman came in with arthritis in her hands. As that condition improved with acupuncture, she mentioned that she wanted to have another child but had a very particular concern: She once had an abortion that might affect a new pregnancy. From an Eastern medical perspective, this abortion left a bruise, stagnant blood that we wanted to get rid of so that the energy could flow properly again. We also didn’t want there to be any cellular memory of the abortion to be there, as that could increase the possibility of a miscarriage. She was already exercising regularly, which was a big help. So, we used acupuncture for stimulation, blood circulation and good energy flow through the meridians in her body to help boost her metabolism. After four treatments, she got pregnant and we kept working together to support her body and prevent any problems throughout the pregnancy.

The ‘Cravings’ Patient

This woman wanted to lose weight and needed help with the various addictions in her life. Through acupuncture, we helped her stop smoking, reduce her cravings for junky foods and reduce her appetite. Yet, she still wasn’t seeing the weight loss she wanted. An investigation into that concern revealed that she wasn’t losing weight because she, in fact, had gotten pregnant! So, our acupuncture started focusing on alleviating “morning sickness” and helping her body feel good throughout the pregnancy.

Many women experience morning sickness because of energetic weakness. Energy is meant to go down through the stomach channel. But when there’s a bulge and if the body is weak, the energy tries to go down but fails … and begins to reverse flow. And when what’s supposed to be going down reverses flow and comes back up, that’s what morning sickness looks and feels like.

Acupuncture is a tremendous resource for dealing with the various conditions women experience when pregnant — from food cravings to morning sickness to arthritis, swelling and migraines. Sometimes a woman’s body runs so hot during pregnancy that no amount of air conditioning will give her relief. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs help her reduce those problems naturally, without medications.

So, if you or someone you care about either wants to get pregnant or is concerned about ensuring a healthy pregnancy, please contact me at Eastern Medical Center to see how acupuncture can help. And if any of the other conditions mentioned in this post (endometriosis, arthritis, addiction, intense pain) ring a bell, we’d love to help with that, too.

Simply put, when your body’s energy systems and blood flow are brought back into a natural, balanced state through acupuncture, the body can do what it’s designed to do: function properly. Health conditions are various forms of dysfunction in the body as a result of toxins and clogging and imbalances. A body that’s in balance is a healthy body. We may never put a needle at the sight of your health issue; but when the needles that are placed help to correct the underlying imbalances, the health issue becomes less and less noticeable … and in many cases just vanishes completely. That’s not magic; that’s just a body working the way it’s meant to do.

Many people have been in discomfort or pain or illness for so long that they’ve forgotten what being healthy actually feels like. That’s the state acupuncture helps restore.

Now, let’s be clear: There is certainly a time and a place in our society for taking your concern directly to Western medicine. If someone’s in a car accident and is in critical condition, that person should go directly to the hospital for acute care. But in pain management, accelerating recovery and rehabilitation, acupuncture would be of great service to that individual.

Major Conditions Treated by Acupuncture:

According to sources as official and recognized as the World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health, acupuncture is useful in the treatment of:

Chronic and acute pain: Injuries, headaches, neck and back pain, tendonitis, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia

Neurological disorders: Post-stroke recovery, Bell’s palsy & Trigeminal neuralgia, movement disorders

Upper respiratory disorders: Asthma, allergies, bronchitis, sinusitis, sore throat, laryngitis, colds and flu

Digestive disorders: Irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, constipation, diarrhea, gastritis, heartburn, food allergies, ulcers

Urinary and reproductive disorders: Cystitis, menstrual cramps, irregular or heavy periods, infertility, menopausal symptoms

Immune function: Recurrent infections, supportive treatment for cancer and AIDS patients

Addictions: Dependency on nicotine, alcohol or drugs

Eye and ear disorders: Tinnitus, Meniere’s disease

Depression, anxiety & insomnia

Much more … Please click this link for additional details about our acupuncture services and benefits.

If you or someone you care about has a specific health concern (whether on this list or not), please feel free to call us at Eastern Medical Center at (925) 847-8889 to discuss how acupuncture or other forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine might be able to help.

Eastern Medical Center offers a number of complimentary acupuncture brochures both in the office and right here in this post, which can be downloaded and printed:

‘Your First Visit’ Acupuncture Brochure

Download: (Acupuncture brochure – Your First Visit)

It’s easy for us in California’s Bay Area to forget that acupuncture is still a mystery (or even a scary unknown) to some. But once a person understands what to expect from their first visit, things are quickly demystified and comfortable. From there, newbies often get quite excited about the benefits and possibilities of acupuncture.

Here’s an excerpt from the “Your First Visit” Acupuncture Brochure:

Initial visits generally last from 30 to 90 minutes. Your acupuncturist will take a detailed health history and a physical exam and will provide you with your unique treatment plan.

During the first exam, your acupuncturist will spend time getting to know you and your health concerns. You may be asked a wide range of questions about your symptoms, eating, exercise, sleep habits and emotional states — anything that may offer insight into your health. Once your acupuncturist has gathered enough information, you’ll receive a comprehensive diagnosis and a treatment plan that will explain:

• Your underlying imbalances
• Your timeline of care
• What types of treatment you will receive

‘Acupuncture Questions & Answers’ Brochure

(Click here to download)

What is acupuncture? What will my acupuncturist do? What is cupping? Will my insurance cover this? This “Questions & Answers” acupuncture brochure will put your mind at ease — quickly answering the most common acupuncture questions on people’s minds.

Here’s an excerpt from “Acupuncture Questions & Answers”:

How safe is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is extremely safe. It is an all-natural, drug-free therapy, yielding no side effects except for feelings of relaxation and well-being. There is little danger of infection from acupuncture needles because they are sterile, used once, and then discarded.

‘Acupuncture & Sports’ Brochure

(Click here to download)

More and more recreational to professional athletes are utilizing the benefits of acupuncture to heal faster and perform better. If there’s an athlete in your life, he or she should take five minutes to read this “Acupuncture & Sports” brochure. It could change their life — or at least get them back to the sport they love far faster.

Here’s an excerpt from “Acupuncture & Sports”:

In today’s hectic lifestyle, we often don’t allow adequate time to heal. We use painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications to dull the aches and pains and reduce inflammation. It’s a quick and easy approach, but only a temporary fix … Acupuncture can provide a competitive edge, leading to improved performance. It is also a viable therapy in the treatment of acute sprains, strains and pains. This ancient and effective form of health care can reduce swelling, improve range of motion, strengthen your body, speed recovery time and address any underlying problems that could contribute to a future injury. Acupuncture can help create a healthier, strong, faster and more agile You.

Purchases of cholesterol and diabetes prescription drugs by elderly Medicare beneficiaries reached nearly $19 billion in 2007 — about one-fourth of the approximately $82 billion spent for medications for the elderly, according to the latest News and Numbers report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). And according to a recent AARP study, the average prices of many brand-name prescription drugs widely used by elderly Americans rose more than twice as fast as general inflation during a three-year span. Moreover, we have all seen news reports about elderly Americans having to choose between paying for food or paying to fill their prescriptions — and the difficult side effects they have to try to live with.

On top of the skyrocketing costs and side effects, most of these drugs are designed to treat (or cover up) symptoms rather than address root causes of illness and pain. That approach ensures elderly patients will be taking — and paying for — these medications for the rest of their lives and may never truly feel they way they did before the illness presented itself.

This isn’t a pretty picture, which is why it’s so essential that we all play a part in educating the senior part of our population about the benefits and possibilities of acupuncture and other forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In California and many other parts of American today, acupuncture is well known, accepted and celebrated for its natural and lasting health benefits. But for our American seniors, acupuncture isn’t so “mainstream.” Many elderly Americans have never experienced an acupuncture treatment or even heard a thorough explanation of how acupuncture works and helps people heal.

For all Americans, acupuncture holds the promise of treating the root cause of illness by balancing the whole body, so it can heal itself. Every case and every person is different, but for many, acupuncture treatments can gradually remove the need for taking prescription medications at all — even those prescribed “for a lifetime.” For some seniors, acupuncture may give them a feeling of health and vitality and energy that they sacrificed long ago and never thought they’d get back.

Our commitment at Eastern Medical Center is to do everything we can to help our patients find relief, comfort and healing, regardless of age or circumstance. If you or someone you know is a senior suffering from an illness or the cost and side effects of drugs associated with illness, please call us to set up a consultation where we can discuss what’s possible with acupuncture. It may be something “different,” but it also may be something positively life-changing.