'Inner-Pass' Acupuncture Point Improves Health By Reducing Stress

(NaturalNews by: Lindsay Chimileski) Pericardium 6 or Inner Pass (PC6, Neiguan) is one of the most well-known, highly researched and often utilized Acupuncture points. It is indicated to calm the spirit and regulate the heart, making it useful for conditions like heart pain, palpitations, hypertension, insomnia, fear, mania, nausea and menstrual irregularities to name a few. How can one little point benefit so many vastly different conditions? Because it works to treat the underlying cause and common denominator of most illnesses: stress.

Recent studies are proving that PC6 stimulation has powerful effects in the body - acting to relieve stress, as well as to repair the damage stress has already caused. It is also a well-known acupressure point for nausea. This action has been utilized by the development of wristbands that stimulate the point to treat motion sickness.

PC6 is located on the inner forearm, 2 cun distal from the crease of the wrist. Cun are the measurements used by acupuncturists to locate points on the body. Its measure is unique to each individual's anatomical structure, to compensate for differences in body types. 1 cun is approximately the width of the individual's thumb.

New Research on Inner Pass

One recent study by Kim et al. looked at both the detrimental effects of stress and the subsequent relief and restoration of health PC6 can provide. Rats exposed to chronic mild stress exhibited decreased memory and retention as well as significantly lowered Acetylcholine esterase (AchE). In the study, PC6 was then stimulated while biochemical and behavioral changes were monitored. The study found that, AchE, or Acetylcholinesterase, brain activity was increased by PC6 stimulation and that the rats who received acupuncture at PC6 were able to restore AchE activity faster than those in the control group.

AchE, which is found primarily in the cholinergic nervous system and neuromuscular junctions, plays a vital role in synapse transmission. It is responsible for neurotransmitter conversion and the breakdown of acetylcholine to choline and acetate. It is responsible for the termination of synaptic transmission, which allows relaxation to occur.

AchE levels are directly related to Acetylcholine levels. Without AchE, Acetylcholine is allowed to build up. Depending on the degree of excess, high Acetylcholine can cause a spectrum of symptoms, including aggression, depression, neuromuscular paralysis and even asphyxiation. Low levels can be detrimental as well, causing impaired memory function. This proves the importance of having balanced Acetylcholine levels. Acupuncture's ability to balance AchE is beneficial because it works to balance Acetylcholine levels, resulting in both improved memory and relaxation.

This study also looked at behavioral changes of the rats using passive avoidance tests: the rat would be trained not to step into a hole and then repeatedly tested every day for 6 days to monitor retention. The group exposed to chronic mild stress exhibited impaired memory, but again, the group that then received treatment at PC6 had much better retention, improved memory, and learned skills than the control. The study concluded that PC6 could be used to improve memory, increase AchE hippocampus reactivity and repair stress-induced damage to learning and memory.

Keep in mind, TCM is a highly complex medical system that functions within a paradigm all its own. There at least 360 standard acupuncture points on the classical meridians and over 100 extra points. Most importantly, treatments are tailored to the individual, so any study using standardized treatments are not utilizing the medicine completely. These studies are helpful to show some of the many potential changes acupuncture induces within the body, but its healing powers may simply go beyond the parameters we can currently measure.

Sources for this article include
Brett, J. Point Location I & II. University of Bridgeport Acupuncture Institute. Bridgeport, CT. 2011.

Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. 2001. Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications. England

H.Y. Kim, H.J. Park, S.M. Han, D.H. Hahm, H.J. Lee, K.S. Kim, I. Shim, The effects
of acupuncture stimulation at PC6 (Neiguan) on chronic mild stress-induced
memory loss, Neurosci. Lett. 488 (2011) 225-228.

H.Y. Kim, H.J. Park, S.M. Han, D.H. Hahm, H.J. Lee, K.S. Kim, I. Shim, The effects
of acupuncture stimulation at PC6 (Neiguan) on chronic mild stress-induced
biochemical and behavioral responses, Neurosci. Lett. 460 (2009) 56-60.



About the author:
Lindsay Chimileski: I am a graduate medical student currently pursuing dual degrees in Naturopathic Medicine and Acupuncture, expecting to graduate in 2013. I have a passion for health education, patient empowerment and the restoration of balance, both on the individual and communal level. I believe all can learn how to live happily, in harmony with nature and in ways that support the body's innate ability to heal itself.

Please note: I am not a doctor and not giving any medical advice, just spreading the word of natural living, and the pressing health revolution.

http://blossomingconsciousness.com/

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/034467_acupuncture_inner-pass_stress_reduction.html#ixzz1hNwbEOEu

Acupuncture and Pain Relief - Discover How It Really Works

(NaturalNews by: James Schreiber) Let's be real here: Attending frequently with chronic low back pain can be distressing for both patient and doctor. Because conventional treatment options tend to be ineffective and limited, many sufferers now seek help from licensed acupuncturists, who have repeatedly provided the safest, quickest, and most effective treatment available. The secret to its effectiveness, however, lies in our brain.

It's common knowledge that acupuncture relieves pain and treats migraines, but until recently, we didn't know why - the mechanisms of acupuncture responsible for pain reduction were unclear. Dr. Aziz Asghar and his colleagues at the University of York and the Hull York Medical School discovered that it may be because of acupuncture's ability to deactivate areas in the brain associated with the processing of pain.

Their 2010 study, published inBrain Research, revealed that patients receiving acupuncture treatment experience a sensation known as "deqi", which triggers changes in certain neural structures, leading to the aforementioned brain deactivations. "The results are fascinating," says Asghar, who believes that the new research will help raise awareness of acupuncture as a widely accepted treatment option for patients with various ailments. "Whether such brain deactivations constitute a mechanism which underlies or contributes to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture is an intriguing possibility which requires further research," he adds.

Coping with Pain through Acupuncture

Another study, presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, confirmed the beneficial impact of acupuncture on reducing pain. Researchers in Germany utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare 18 individuals, who agreed to take part in the study, to determine how the brain processes pain with and without acupuncture.

During the fMRI sessions, scientists captured pictures of the brain while patients were exposed to an external pain stimulus. The interesting part? The obtained data revealed that significantly reduced was not only the pain perception, but the patient's expectation of pain, too.

"Activation of brain areas involved in pain perception was significantly reduced or modulated under acupuncture," explained Dr. Nina Theysohn, who led the research at University Hospital in Essen. "Our findings support that both these nonspecific and specific mechanisms exist, suggesting that acupuncture can help relieve pain."

Sources used:
University of York. "Study maps effects of acupuncture on the brain." ScienceDaily, 5 Feb. 2010. Web. 25 Aug. 2011.

Radiological Society of North America. "Acupuncture changes brain's perception and processing of pain, researchers find." ScienceDaily, 30 Nov. 2010. Web. 25 Aug. 2011.

JAMA and Archives Journals. "Real And Simulated Acupuncture Appear More Effective Than Usual Care For Back Pain." ScienceDaily, 15 May 2009. Web. 25 Aug. 2011.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033574_acupuncture_pain_relief.html#ixzz1YqjKZAdn

Pregnancy Stress & Anxiety - Acupuncture During Pregnancy, relief right to the point

By Phyllis Edgerly Ring

In most medical treatment, the words "needle" and "relaxing" don't generally go together.

One Harvard University study estimates that Americans visit acupuncturists more than five million times a year. The National Institutes of Health reports ever increasing use of acupuncture by thousands of doctors, dentists and other practitioners to treat or prevent many illnesses.

But when Holly Buchanan of Newmarket, N.H., turned to acupuncture to induce labor at 42 weeks, she experienced "a wave of warmth and realization that gave me a moment to reflect on my body, instead of having my head filled with worry over my first baby being overdue."

As more women seek drug-free treatment for the conditions of pregnancy, this ancient Chinese healing art has much to offer, says acupuncturist and midwife Valerie Hobbs, director of the Boulder, Colo., campus of Southwest Acupuncture College. With no contraindications, it can treat many conditions for which there is rarely another lasting or effective remedy.

Chinese medicine identifies more than 2,000 acupuncture points connected with pathways called meridians that conduct vital energy or qi (pronounced "chee") throughout the body. Illness or symptoms are associated with an imbalance of this vital energy. Acupuncture uses hair-thin, disposable needles to stimulate specific areas associated with organ functions in order to restore balance and help the body maintain its own health.

Pointing the Way to Healthy Pregnancy

Acupuncture treatment during pregnancy benefits both Baby and Mother, Hobbs says. "Certain [infant] organ systems develop at certain points in the pregnancy. Babies may be influenced by what is termed 'maternal toxins,' resulting in a childhood tendency for higher fevers when sick, more frequent childhood illness and a tendency for skin problems such as diaper rash and eczema. Regular balancing treatments throughout pregnancy enhance the health of the mother, prevent complications and influence the development of the baby."

Treatments are normally given once a month until the last month, when weekly sessions help prepare for labor, she says. An average session lasts 45 minutes, and women usually only feel a mild sensation such as a feeling of slight heaviness at the site of needle insertion.

Among the many benefits of acupuncture during pregnancy, a recent study has shown its particular effectiveness in relieving morning sickness or the potentially more dangerous hyperemesis gravidarum (severe vomiting during pregnancy). The Australian study published in the journal Birth reportes that of 593 women less than 14 weeks pregnant who participated, those who received traditional acupuncture reported having less frequent and shorter periods of nausea than the women who received no acupuncture. These improvements were felt immediately and lasted throughout the study's four-week duration. In the first trimester, acupuncture can also relieve fatigue, migraines and bleeding.

While some treatments may cause a slight increase in fetal movements, no treatment, unless intended to start labor, should significantly increase uterine activity, Hobbs cautions. In most states except California, acupuncturists must be nationally certified as a diplomate of acupuncture. An additional national certification is available in Chinese herbology, says Hobbs, who holds both certifications.

Third-trimester treatment can bring much-needed relief from sciatica, backache, pubic and joint pain and even carpal tunnel syndrome, and benefits are sometimes immediate, notes Hobbs. This is also the time when special attention is given to proper positioning of the baby. "By 32 to 34 weeks, the acupuncturist should begin to encourage a head-down position," she says. "In the last four to six weeks, the mother will receive treatments to normalize and optimize labor."

As it helps maintain balance during the second trimester, acupuncture can alleviate heartburn, hemorrhoids and stress. While acupuncture can also be used to treat edema, elevated blood pressure or excessive weight gain, the root cause of these may be deeper complications, says Hobbs. "Acupuncturists with adequate training in the care of pregnant women would recognize the potentially serious nature of these symptoms and only offer care concurrent with adequate Western medical care."

Birth and Beyond

Research reported in a November 1998 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that an aspect of acupuncture called moxabustion, when applied to 130 pregnant women with breech presentations, significantly increased the number of head-first births. Used for centuries in China to turn breech babies, moxabustion employs long sticks of the herb moxa to produce a gentle, smoldering heat and a smoke that are held close to an acupuncture point in the little toe. The treatment, most effective at 32 to 36 weeks, should only be used in healthy pregnancies.

Acupuncture is used during labor itself mainly to facilitate pain relief and boost energy. But if needed, it can also help stimulate contractions without the use of drugs, says Hobbs. "This is best accomplished over two to three successive days of one-hour treatments, so early referral is essential."

Buchanan first sought acupuncture for relief from a prolonged asthma attack. Successful treatment made her more confident about acupuncture as a means to induce labor. "It has less impact on an unborn baby than the drugs that are used," she says. Although she didn't receive acupuncture during labor itself, Buchanan did receive acupressure during labor with her second child. "It helped tremendously with low back pain, as my babies have big heads and were posterior [deliveries]," says Buchanan.

Acupuncture can provide other benefits post-delivery, too. "Right after her baby was born, a friend of mine started to bleed very heavily," Buchanan says, remembering. "My acupuncturist got out her needles and poked my friend's toe, and it was like a faucet had been immediately turned off."

Postpartum is one of the most critical times for a woman to receive regular preventative care from a Chinese medical practitioner, says Hobbs. Acupuncturists can often offset years of "suboptimal" lifestyle and stress in the first few weeks postpartum, as well as intercept abnormalities in lochial flow to rectify years of menstrual irregularities and prevent them from occurring. "We theoretically prevent serious postpartum depression from occurring by addressing the normal recuperative cycle in the woman," she says.

In addition to restoring a mother's energy levels after the stress of birth and alleviating depression and anxiety, acupuncture can be used postpartum to relieve backache, perineal or other kinds of pain. Isabel Viana of Durango, Colo., has appreciated acupuncture's effectiveness ever since it relieved a 30-year-old pain in her lower back related to undiagnosed food allergies. Two years ago, she sought acupuncture again to help with healing after the Cesarean section that delivered her daughter.

"I recovered rather fast and completely," Viana says. "I had two treatments, once a week, starting about a week after I gave birth. Two weeks after surgery, my abdomen was pain free. I've heard from other moms who still feel pain in their scar years after surgery. My doctor, who had a C-section herself, said that seven years later, she still felt a numbing in the area."

Acupuncture can provide serious help, but Buchanan notes that it can have its light moments, too. During the induction of her labor, "my practitioner applied electrical stimulation to some of the needles, and the machine, for some reason, kept on playing 'Happy Birthday' over and over!" she says. "She couldn't get it to shut off, and it made us all laugh since we were trying to stimulate labor. I took it as a good sign."

www.pregnancytoday.com

What does it mean to be ABORM certified?

A new chapter has opened for me in that I have now become board certified by the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (ABORM). This is a specialty board that qualifies practitioners of Chinese medicine for treating reproductive issues. They are devoted to teaching, research and the practice of Oriental Medicine as it relates to the treatment of reproductive disorders. I devoted a few hours a day for months in advance in preparation for the annual 6 hour exam. This certification has broadened my knowledge of treatments further providing solutions for reproductive challenges. This certification requires me to take continuing education classes in reproductive medicine every year to remain current with the board. This requirement ensures that the Fellows will always be abreast of new Oriental and Western treatments of reproductive disorders.

For more information on the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine visit them at www.aborm.org.