We Got Scorpions!

Check this out! These are not stock photos, my friends! 

Despite what my sister says, Robert and I did not get these just because they are cool (they are so cool! ...and terrifying!). Actually, we've been seeing a lot of patients lately complaining of paralysis, paresthesia, numbness and tingling, spasming muscles, etc., and this is an extremely important medicinal for treating such things. 

Quan Xie, or scorpion, extinguishes wind and stops tremors and convulsions. Big deal - so do uncaria vine, gastrodia rhizome, caltrop fruit, and abalone shell. But what they don't do is the special action of "tracking down wind and unblocking the collaterals." This is something at which critters of various types are particularly good. 

In many of the ancient medical systems that developed out of physicians' experience with nature and the environment around them, there exists a principle called the Doctrine of Signatures. The Doctrine of Signatures is essentially the idea of using something that resembles part of the body to treat that part of the body. This is why we say that walnuts are good for the brain and use the bark or peel of a plant to treat skin conditions. This idea is extended to the behaviors of insects and how it directly influences their medicinal actions. 

Bugs typically burrow and eat their way through the ground or wood, and so we carry things like earthworm, wingless cockroach, and scorpion(!) which, when used medicinally, energetically burrow through the Meridians and unblock the collapsed or damaged parts to restore free-flow, thus improving spasms, numbness, and even paralysis in some cases.  So typically, the interesting and slightly scary stuff is used when we need to bring out the big guns. However, we've also got cicada shells, which benefit the throat and voice; how nice that these loud summertime singers can relieve your sore throat in the winter. 

Now I expect all of you to be really excited about the creepy-crawly section of our herbal pharmacy, but I understand if one or two of you just think this stuff is gross. The 10th century Song Dynasty herbalist Kou Zong-Shi said regarding usage of Tu Bie Chong (ground beetle), "If breast milk does not flow, grind one [and boil] in half a cup of water, then filter it clear. Have the patient drink it - but do not let her know [what it is]." Well, I'll try not to trick my patients like that, but sometimes, bugs are good for you! 

Migraines and the Meridian System

I thought I'd write a quick little note about treating migraines since it seems to be another one of the more common problems patients ask about.

Migraines, like other types of pain, are caused by stagnation of Qi in the Meridians of the head. In my experience, the most commonly affected Meridian is the Gall Bladder Meridian. Take a look.

The GB Meridian zigzags across most of the head and down into the neck. It interacts with the eyes and ears, accounting for visual and auditory disturbances during migraines as well as visual and auditory triggers. Looking at it's path, one can also see why a tight neck and shoulders might trigger a migraine.

They're always worse with stress!

Well, the Gall Bladder and the Liver are what we call internally/ externally paired organs. Another way to say this is that the Gall Bladder is the Yang to the Liver's Yin. Together, these 2 organs are responsible for keeping all of the Meridians open so that Qi can flow freely. They're also the organs that process the emotions of anger, frustration, and unfulfilled desires. So when we're stressed and become frustrated or anger, the Liver and Gall Bladder become less efficient, and Qi in the body stagnates, especially in their associated Meridians. When this occurs in the Gall Bladder Meridian and causes a migraine, I get to use my favorite point, GB 41, located between the tendon and bone of your little toe. It works wonders! 

Of course there are other causes of migraines, such as not enough Qi rising to the head to nourish the Sea of Marrow, but I see LV/GB Meridian Qi stagnation way more. So don't stress! Go out, and enjoy this beautiful day!

Back Pain and the Meridian System

Acupuncture is probably most well known in the United States for its effectiveness in treating pain. It is very good at relieving chronic pain over time, and many patients even experience "on the table" improvement. This is because Chinese medicine has a unique understanding of the cause of pain: disruption of proper function of the body's MERIDIAN system. Allow me to explain.

This is a Chinese phrase famous in our medicine meaning, "If there is free flow, then there is no pain; if there is pain, then there is no free flow" (Tong zhi bu tong; bu tong zhi tong). Normal physiology says that Qi, or energy, flows through the Meridians the way that blood flows through blood vessels, and these Meridians traverse the entire body to allow Qi to nourish, warm, and activate the various body muscles, tissues, and organs. When that flow is impeded in some way, Qi and blood stagnate in the Meridian, and the body experiences pain along that Meridian - either locally or farther down the stream. This is way bruises are painful; they are essentially stuck blood (and Qi).

What causes stagnation in the Meridians? For most pain cases it's trauma or injury, and this could include things like surgery or overuse. Cold can also cause stagnation. Think of a creek freezing solid in the winter. That's why we typically don't recommend icing a strained muscle. Things like stress and emotional constraint also contribute to pain, so have a glass of wine and relax once in a while!

At the Meridian clinic (you've probably guessed by now what inspired our name!), we see a lot of patients complaining of back pain. Many have had injuries - ruptured discs, crushed vertebrae, strained muscles - and many just have the natural degeneration that from with decades of hard work and compromised posture. A large portion of patients has already had back surgery and haven't found relief (and in some cases developed new symptoms). Unfortunately, operations leave scars, and scar tissue is essentially blood stasis, a permanent bruise that impedes free flow. It is our job to utilize the Meridians that enter the spine and cross the back muscles to restore proper flow.

These are the two Meridians most often contributing to back pain, the Urinary Bladder Meridian and the Du Meridian. As you can see in these images taken from Deadman's A Manual of Acupuncture, these Meridians cover the whole length of the back and directly connect with the spine and erector spinae muscles, common sites of back pain. The cool thing about using the Meridian system is that the stagnation is in the Meridian, not just individual muscles, meaning that if you have pain in your mid-back, we can needle your low back or legs along that same Meridian to elicit a change. In fact, one of the best acupuncture points for back pain is directly behind the knee. Needling this area helps to invigorate the entire Meridian, getting things moving again and restoring free flow. Removing a dam in the river quickens the flow of the current many miles away. 

So next time you're lying on the table wondering why there are needles in your feet when it's your upper back that's sore, remember that the body is interconnected thanks to the Meridian system!

Back to School: Stay Healthy with Herbal Medicine (Part 2)

Last week we discussed Jade Windscreen Powder and how it can protect against catching a cold this fall season. Today, we're going to talk about what to do when you start to come down with something.

Let's say you're starting to notice some fever and chills, headache, stiff neck, nasal congestion, maybe the beginnings of an upset stomach, and sweating doesn't seem to relieve the symptoms. Well, your acupuncturist is likely to tell you that you have what we call externally-contracted wind-cold, or a wind-cold invasion. Basically, you caught the flu.