Ask an acupuncturist

[ChiDragon]

5 hours ago, Mark Foote said:

I wonder if there could be a relationship between dermatomes and acupuncture points.

 

What layer of skin is nerves?

dermis

The dermis houses blood vessels, nerve endings, hair follicles, and glands. There are many cell types found within the connective tissue of the dermis, including fibroblasts, macrophages, adipocytes, mast cells, Schwann cells, and stem cells.

Ref:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535346/

Edited December 28, 2023 by ChiDragon

[ChiDragon]

On 12/14/2023 at 12:31 PM, ChiDragon said:

Do you think that all of the acupoints is riding on all the nerves throughout the human body?

 I think it is.
Ref: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Diagram-of-meridians-and-acupuncture-points-or-acupoints-that-have-been-studied-with_fig1_45199092

[old3bob]

To begin with Maddie, best wishes for your practice.

 

I don't have a question but an observation/experience with a "licensed person" who thought he was qualified for acupuncture.  Case in point he was also an (MD) anesthesiologist who in my opinion wanted to get in on easy insurance money after some  companies approved funding for certain amounts acupuncture.  (that is if an MD did it) So he took some 8 week courses or however long they were,  and then hung acupuncture drawings on his office wall and  imo proceeded to experiment on people who came to him.  I was a client for one session wherein he continued to hurt me even after I told him of things were hurting,  but he acted like a know it all and said don't worry!!  (which is pure BS because in the past I had been through several sessions with a 4 year TCM trained acupuncture lady with decades of experience who never hurt me)  Anyway I wrote a complaint to him which he basically ignored or whitewashed and that was the end of it for me.  I imagine there are far worse horror stories out there where things went bad for people?

 

[Maddie]

4 hours ago, old3bob said:

To begin with Maddie, best wishes for your practice.

 

I don't have a question but an observation/experience with a "licensed person" who thought he was qualified for acupuncture.  Case in point he was also an (MD) anesthesiologist who in my opinion wanted to get in on easy insurance money after some  companies approved funding for certain amounts acupuncture.  (that is if an MD did it) So he took some 8 week courses or however long they were,  and then hung acupuncture drawings on his office wall and  imo proceeded to experiment on people who came to him.  I was a client for one session wherein he continued to hurt me even after I told him of things were hurting,  but he acted like a know it all and said don't worry!!  (which is pure BS because in the past I had been through several sessions with a 4 year TCM trained acupuncture lady with decades of experience who never hurt me)  Anyway I wrote a complaint to him which he basically ignored or whitewashed and that was the end of it for me.  I imagine there are far worse horror stories out there where things went bad for people?

 

 

Thank you! Oh yes this is one of my pet peeves, non-acupuncturists pretending to be acupuncturists. Imagine what the MD's would do if I took an eight week course and said "I'm an MD now"? lol

[Nintendao]

18 hours ago, Nungali said:

I dont think I would let anyone do that to me ever again !

 

aw c'mon, just hold still and......

 

 

 

[Nungali]

'video not available in your area '

 

probably just as well.

[Nintendao]

5 hours ago, Nungali said:

'video not available in your area '

D'oh!

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by Nintendao

[snowymountains]

1) what can TCM do for nerves pressed by spondyls

 

2) what can TCM do for slipped discs

 

3) ( unrelated to the above ) what do you think of acupressure, what conditions can it treat? Also, what forms of acupressure do you recommend for someone who wants to use it on themselves, ie is Japanese Jin Shin a reasonable choice?

[ChiDragon]

1 hour ago, snowymountains said:

1) what can TCM do for nerves pressed by spondyls

 

2) what can TCM do for slipped discs

 

3) ( unrelated to the above ) what do you think of acupressure, what conditions can it treat? Also, what forms of acupressure do you recommend for someone who wants to use it on themselves, ie is Japanese Jin Shin a reasonable choice?

The first two items TCM cannnot cure. Perhaps there are TCM specialists who is specialized in this area, but is very seldom now-a-day.

Acupressure is like replacing the acupuncture method. Instead of using a needle, it is by applying adequate pressure with fingers or an object to stimulate the acupoints indirectly. In acupuncture, a needle is actually goes into the acupoint directly. There is another method called moxibustion by using sufficient heat to stimulate the acupoints.

PS
The amount of pressure or heat to be applied is determined by the depth of the acupoints.

Edited December 31, 2023 by ChiDragon

[Cobie]

54 minutes ago, ChiDragon said:

… Acupressure is like replacing the acupuncture method …

 

Good to know, thanks. 
 

 

[Maddie]

18 hours ago, snowymountains said:

1) what can TCM do for nerves pressed by spondyls

 

2) what can TCM do for slipped discs

 

3) ( unrelated to the above ) what do you think of acupressure, what conditions can it treat? Also, what forms of acupressure do you recommend for someone who wants to use it on themselves, ie is Japanese Jin Shin a reasonable choice?

 

It can do a lot!

 

Usually when there's a problem the nervous system has been stuck in fight or flight which shuts down capillary circulation and causes the tissues to deteriorate.

 

Acupuncture moves the nervous system out of fight or flight thus increasing capillary circulation and rebuilding the tissues.

 

I think acupressure can be effective although not as effective as acupuncture but it's still good to know some good acupressure points.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Maddie

[snowymountains]

1 hour ago, Maddie said:

 

It can do a lot!

 

Usually when there's a problem the nervous system has been stuck in fight or flight which shuts down capillary circulation and causes the tissues to deteriorate.

 

Acupuncture moves the nervous system out of fight or flight thus increasing capillary circulation and rebuilding the tissues.

 

I think acupressure can be effective although not as effective as acupuncture but it's still good to know some good acupressure points.

 

Thank you 🙏

Re accupressure, I wanted to use it ( on myself ) for mild stuff, ie what I'd typically treat with non- prescription meds, ie some paracetamol, or a non-prescription syrup.

Things like a headache, a mildly unsettled stomach, a cold, mild cough etc or even physical exhaustion.

For anything with stronger symptoms, I'll go to my doctor.

 

Is there a form of accupressure you'd recommend for this sort of use?

[Maddie]

25 minutes ago, snowymountains said:

Things like a headache,

 

a mildly unsettled stomach,

 

a cold,

 

mild cough etc or

 

even physical exhaustion.
 

Is there a form of accupressure you'd recommend for this sort of use?

 

1. It depends on what part of your head.

 

   a. For your forehead use large intestine 4, which is in between your index finger and your thumb in that meaty pad.

 

   b. If it's your temples or the side of your head use sanjao 5, which is located on the lateral side of the forearm more or less in the center between the bones three fingers up from the wrist crease.

 

   c. If it's the back of your head you small intestine 3, which is on the lateral side of the side of your hand. 

 

2. For an upset stomach use pericardium 6, which is three fingers up from the wrist crease on the medial side of the arm.

 

3. A cold involves a lot of things but to boost the immune system use lung 7, on the bony part of the radial side of the arm.

  Large intestine 4 for stuffy nose and headaches. 

  Large intestine 11 to bring down fever, which is located on the lateral side of the elbow crease.

 

4. For a mild cough use lung 5 which is on the center medial side of the elbow crease.

 

5. For physical exhaustion use stomach 36 which is on the lateral side just below the knee.

 

It's probably easier just to Google these points to find their location but those are good points for those problems.

 

[snowymountains]

5 minutes ago, Maddie said:

 

1. It depends on what part of your head.

 

   a. For your forehead use large intestine 4, which is in between your index finger and your thumb in that meaty pad.

 

   b. If it's your temples or the side of your head use sanjao 5, which is located on the lateral side of the forearm more or less in the center between the bones three fingers up from the wrist crease.

 

   c. If it's the back of your head you small intestine 3, which is on the lateral side of the side of your hand. 

 

2. For an upset stomach use pericardium 6, which is three fingers up from the wrist crease on the medial side of the arm.

 

3. A cold involves a lot of things but to boost the immune system use lung 7, on the bony part of the radial side of the arm.

  Large intestine 4 for stuffy nose and headaches. 

  Large intestine 11 to bring down fever, which is located on the lateral side of the elbow crease.

 

4. For a mild cough use lung 5 which is on the center medial side of the elbow crease.

 

5. For physical exhaustion use stomach 36 which is on the lateral side just below the knee.

 

It's probably easier just to Google these points to find their location but those are good points for those problems.

 

Thank you !

[liminal_luke]

From a TCM point of view, is it healthy to eat a green salad daily?  Would it be better to get one´s greens cooked rather than raw, say in a soup?

[RobB]

Warm, cooked food almost always better than cold. Stomach is a cooking pot and prefers not to work harder than necessary to heat everything up.

[Taomeow]

12 hours ago, liminal_luke said:

From a TCM point of view, is it healthy to eat a green salad daily?  Would it be better to get one´s greens cooked rather than raw, say in a soup?

 

When I visited China, I found it amazing (and somewhat amusing) that in the restaurants they occasionally listed health benefits of various dishes on the menu -- this soup nourishes the Kidneys, this congee supports the Liver, and so on.  Many of those places (serving the locals, not the tourists) had an impressive variety of dishes to choose from, but you couldn't find a green salad anywhere.  Sometimes (rarely) there was this cucumber salad (just a peeled, sliced cucumber with a little vinegar), plus I've seen people eat cucumbers in the street straight up, the way we might eat an apple, they consider them fruits rather than vegetables.  

 

My TCM doctor of long ago here in the US used to ask me about my weekend at my Monday appointments, and at the time, a typical for me answer would be, "we went to a Japanese restaurant."  (We lived next door to a local Japanese community so there was an outcropping of good ones, and I am a big fan of Japanese food).  "You ate raw food?" he always doublechecked.  "Yuck!"      

[liminal_luke]

1 hour ago, Taomeow said:

 

 Sometimes (rarely) there was this cucumber salad (just a peeled, sliced cucumber with a little vinegar), plus I've seen people eat cucumbers in the street straight up, the way we might eat an apple, they consider them fruits rather than vegetables.  

 

My TCM doctor of long ago here in the US used to ask me about my weekend at my Monday appointments, and at the time, a typical for me answer would be, "we went to a Japanese restaurant."  (We lived next door to a local Japanese community so there was an outcropping of good ones, and I am a big fan of Japanese food).  "You ate raw food?" he always doublechecked.  "Yuck!"      

 

Here in Mexico street fruit vendors often sell cucmbers as fruits too.  You can get your mango, papaya, melon, or cucumber sliced up and served in a big plastic cup with optional salt, lime juice, and chile powder.

 

I´m making another push to eat healthy (whatever that means) and considering daily salads.  The angel in my ear wants me to use vegetables as a condiment; the devil, meat.  

Edited May 25 by liminal_luke

[Maddie]

Good answers, I have nothing to add :-)

[Taomeow]

44 minutes ago, liminal_luke said:

 

Here in Mexico street fruit vendors often sell cucmbers as fruits too.  You can get your mango, papaya, melon, or cucumber sliced up and served in a big plastic cup with optional salt, lime juice, and chile powder.

 

I had that street salad many times when I used to travel to Tijuana.  The vendor would mix a large number of seasonal fruits and vegetables for each (with a huge machete and at an impressive cutting speed!) and I said yes to everything -- salt, freshly squeezed lime juice and killer chile flakes but no to jicama (it tasted like raw potato to me, so, no.  Was I wrong?)  

 

44 minutes ago, liminal_luke said:

I´m making another push to eat healthy (whatever that means) and considering daily salads.  The angel in my ear wants me to use vegetables as a condiment; the devil, meat.  

 

 The devil's name for this particular task was Richard Nixon, as explained in "Fiat Food" by Matthew Lysiak -- inflation is something that was applied to food to the same (or greater) extent as money, it was taken off the gold standard, and the FDA-pushed "food pyramid" was used as one of the instruments.  The gold standard is meat, fish, butter, cheese, animal fats, eggs.  Meow!    

Edited May 25 by Taomeow

[liminal_luke]

47 minutes ago, liminal_luke said:

 

I´m making another push to eat healthy (whatever that means) and considering daily salads.  The angel in my ear wants me to use vegetables as a condiment; the devil, meat.  

 

5 minutes ago, Taomeow said:

 

 The gold standard is meat, fish, butter, cheese, animal fats, eggs.  Meow!    

 

My sentence above is a little confusing as it inverts the conventional wisdom but, if you read again, I think you´ll find we´re agreed on angels and devils.

Edited May 25 by liminal_luke

[Apech]

On 28/12/2023 at 9:41 PM, Maddie said:

 

You can do that with Gallbladder 37. It's on your leg. 

A bit like pinning the tail on the donkey