Common Cold and Influenza, A Western and Eastern Perspective.

Today I had the privilege and opportunity to do a presentation on Common Cold and Influenza before a latin elderly community which was fun and interesting at the same time. During the presentation I realized that, perhaps, many of us have not made the connection between the signs and symptoms of common cold known by the western medicine community and the eastern medicine community, understand Chinese Medicine, hence I decided to put in a blog of my dissertation.

First we need to understand our anatomy in order to comprehend etiology and pathology of common cold and influenza therefore let us start with the following pictures:

 Our respiratory system is divided into upper and lower respiratory tract, as you can see in the above picture our upper respiratory tract is composed of nasal cavity, pharynx and larynx (vocal cords); notice the proximity of these structures to the mouth which will be important to understand certain signs and symptoms. Below we have the picture of our nasal cavity which comprises the sinuses known as frontal, maxillary, ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses. A sinus is simply an opening on the bone or bones, a cavity which easily can host foreign invasion. From a Chinese Medicine perspective these sinuses are known as the Yang Ming zone or area.
Pressure right below the cheek bone, on the forehead or along the bridge of the nose is a sign of sinusitis which could be a complication of common cold.
Our upper respiratory tract is made of the trachea, bronchi and lungs as the picture shows. Please keep these little details in mind, you will need them.

We can't finish our anatomy lesson without paying attention to the adenoids and tonsils. The adenoids are very close to our nasal cavity and enlargement of it can prevent the individual to breath normally therefore inflammation of adenoid causes the person to breath through the mouth; adenoids also are responsible to produce phlegm which will be pushed towards the sinuses or nose. The tonsil is located right after the mouth and a person with common cold and difficulty swallowing is an indication of tonsillitis or inflammation of the tonsils. If we keep looking at the picture from above we can see another peculiarity of our anatomy: our ears are right between the adenoids and tonsils hence inflammation of either one will cause ear infection or ear pain which is known as otitis. If you are an Acupuncture practitioner or student you can't help to think of the Small Intestine and Stomach Channels which are right in front of the ear and not only that they are right on the maxillary sinuses (acupuncture points ST 3 and SI 18). 

Below we have our larynx or what is known as vocal cords... yes, that box which allows us to talk and voila! a person with common cold that has hoarse voice or inability to talk/speak is showing signs of inflammation in the larynx which is known as laryngitis. The person will have pain while swallowing solids meanwhile tonsillitis is mainly difficulty swallowing and it does make sense...the esophagus is right behind the larynx. In both cases the person will complain of sore throat which is significant for an acupuncturist. This signal a heat pattern and that the disease is going deeper which again is of utmost importance for us Chinese Medicine practitioners: diseases start on the superficial level (wei level) and start making their way to deeper levels that we call Qi, Ying and Xue. At this point we are seeing the disease have left the Wei level and is heading to the Qi level where the larynx is located and it is at this point that the patient starts experiencing fever.

Due to the proximity to the esophagus, digestive system by extension, we can start seeing different signs and symptoms like diarrhea especially if it is an enterovirus. Constipation is possible. The diarrhea or constipation is a sign in Chinese Medicine that the virus has reached what we called the Qi level but we all know this is an enterovirus.

A person with dry throat, thirst and hacking cough is showing what we called wind dryness or Heat entering the Qi level especially in the Lung Channel, but this is just a sign of Human ParaInfluenza Virus (HPiV). 

The common cold can reach the lower respiratory tract especially if it is an adenovirus type B and C, RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), HPiV type 3, Metapneumovirus, or Enterovirus. Once the virus reach the lower respiratory tract it starts the level we call Ying level which is characterized by irritability, restlessness, delusion, hallucination the last two are the very last stage of the Ying level at this point it is ready to enter the Xue level.  Luckily the common cold virus usually is harmless if we take precautionary and prophylactic cautions/actions. All these signs of irritability and restlessness are sign of what we call heat that is disturbing the shen" or simply disturbing the person's mental health. Again for Chinese Medicine practitioners this is very important: The Lungs are located in the thoracic cavity right where the Heart is and the heart, in Chinese Medicine, belongs to the fire element and hence a heat pathogen will feel inclined to indirectly disturbed the heart with the heat or it simply decides to directly invade it creating possible heart pathologies like pericarditis if there is pneumonia.

Regarding the influenza the pathology is very similar to what I just mentioned above but there is a difference. The influenza is lethal and does go through all those 4 stages I already explained. The last stage is the Xue level and here hemorrhage is present by means of hemorrhagic rash or bleeding from any other source/orifice. The influenza is what we call a warm disease or could even become a pestilence Qi which it only means that has epidemic, pandemic and/or virulent proportions. The influenza has 3 types: A, B, and C. The most known is type A and it has many variations. Type B has only two varieties: Yamagata and Victoria. There is no vaccine for Type C. Influenza transmission is via birds, pigs, dogs, ferrets, seals, humans and other mammals but the most known ones are from birds, pigs and humans. The influenza has an "ID number" this ID number shows that it is Type A. This "ID" such as H1N1 or H3N2 is a simplification for Hemaglutinin which the virus uses to adhere to the cell and infect and once inside the replication and release starts and that is known as Neuronimidase hence the N1 or N2 in our two examples.

The scientific community has found multiple influenza viruses that have been "encapsulated" in one strand meaning that they have encountered bird, pig and human influenza together creating one virus and hence the virulent nature of the virus. The virus constantly mutates which makes it even more difficult to create a vaccine. Nowadays, the influenza vaccine is a cocktail of 3 or 4 influenza viruses: one is H1N1, the second one is H3N2 and the third and fourth could be any other strain. The influenza creates high fever contrary to common cold which rarely produces one. Influenza rarely shows initial signs and symptoms while the common cold does present with signs and symptoms like runny nose, stuffy nose or watery eyes (rhinovirus, adenovirus, RSV, HPiV) the influenza does makes us feel tired, lethargic and with body aches especially muscular while the common cold doesn't.  If the common cold starts presenting a fever it is indicative that a bacteria has made its way and has lodged in the sinus, bronchi or lungs just to mention some areas.

Among birds and pigs influenza is classified as Low "risk" and high "risk" and it is the high risk one that can make it to the humans via fecal matter.

To finish I have to make a point: our way of farming. Notice how our poultry industry keeps our poultry and please think of the sanitary implications...not only that, there is a video running on YouTube on how pig farms are ran and I invite you to consider how our farming methods could be a contributing factor to influenza outbreaks.

It is very easy to say eat organic, but for those that shamefully live out of a budget, it translates into survival and organic vs non-organic is a luxury dilemma. A person with an income of $20 to $30K in New York City might not be able to afford organic yet there is always an alternative and perhaps we, as society, should start concentrating in creating communal harvesting land within projects or residentials. Cultivating in our roof tops, backyards or basements could be another option for those that can afford it. Restaurants can cultivate their own fruits and vegetables ... we all can bring the change that we all need. 

Emmanuel Arroyo is a licensed acupuncturist in the state of New York since 2007. Currently he sees patients in Manhattan by appointment. 

His specialty is Pain Management, Chakra Balancing, essential oils for healing the mind and spirit and chinese herbs.

You can reach him via email:  dr.agujas@gmail.com or by phone 917-907-1915

Diabetes and Alternative/Complementary Medicine, What You Should Know

It took me quite a time to make one blog. I apologize, has been busy with my 2 new locations and my teaching career.

Remember you can follow me on tweeter and read other articles that I post there. You can find me as arroyosacu

Taking a Deep Breath

Learn how deep breathing helps you by not only relaxing you or massaging your intestines...

Kindling, Depression and Hypoglycemia

Learn what kindling, depression and hypoglycemia have in common

The Relevance of electroacupuncture

Learn how many hertz to use, what happen at low or high frequencies and how it effects the brain...learn what are anti-endorphins and even how long electroacupuncture could last

Discovering the Beauty Benefits of Essential Oils

Here is a blog for those interested in health skin ...

How Many calories?

Do you know how many calories your brain uses? O how many calories your liver uses? If you dont then you really need to read this...you might be killing your body with a low calorie diet...

Buying Supplements with a Tight Budget

Here is a suggestion of what supplements you could by to stay healthy and why I suggest this particular protocol.

Insomnia: Through the Acupuncturist Lens

Here you will learn how we, acupuncturist, distinguish insomnia and treat it accordingly; have included a list of some well known western herbs that are used for insomnia but this time I mention what type of insomnia it treats according to chinese medicine

Abbreviated Courses In Acupuncture For Physicians Pose A Serious Problem

Sometimes, understanding one’s background can clarify their particular point of view. So in the spirit of “full disclosure” I would like to tell you a little about mine.
I began my medical career in 1979 when I received my MD degree from Albany Medical College. I trained in diagnostic radiology at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC. I entered private practice and spent 20 years doing full-service hospital radiology. It was at the end of these 20 years that changes occurred in my life, changes that made me look at my direction and commitments. It was at that time in my career when I discovered acupuncture, and the power this medicine has to heal. Please understand, I was awestruck at the conditions acupuncture could effectively treat —- conditions that from my previous medical training I knew were precisely those no one wanted to get stuck with because there was no effective treatment. I am a fellowship-trained interventional radiologist, and I have put needles into arteries, veins, solid organs, abscesses, tumors, pleural cavities, peritoneal cavities….you name it. But I had never felt the pull of Qi on a needle, I had never intentionally manipulated a needle to achieve a specific energetic effect, I had never contacted the energy of a meridian, nor used needles themselves, as instruments of healing. Here was a whole new science to learn. And the amazing thing is that it has a 3000 year history with millions upon millions of people undergoing clinical trial in China for 30 centuries!

So I enrolled in a course for physicians to learn “medical acupuncture”. I attended two weekend sessions, watched videotapes, and read one book. This course was based on the work of one physician. The book we read was his book – the videotapes we listened to were him talking, and he gave nearly all of the lectures at the 2 weekends of instruction. On the last day of training, I happened to be sitting next to a doctor from San Diego, and I overheard him say, “My wife knows so much more about acupuncture than I do.”
I subsequently found out this doctor’s wife was a licensed acupuncturist. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was enrolled at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon in a Master’s degree program in Classical Chinese Medicine. I will graduate from this same program in June. It is a 4-year program, and I have been able to complete it in 3 years by transferring credits from my medical school training. I feel very strongly that, in order to practice acupuncture at the level of competency which this medicine deserves, one must learn from many professors, observe with many clinical supervisors, and spend at least a few years to learn how to approach a patient in a holistic way with an entirely new set of diagnostic principles.
Remember, I am a scientist at heart, and this is the finest science that I have encountered. As a physician who has gone through Western medical training and now training in acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, I assure you that abbreviated courses in acupuncture for physicians pose a serious problem. That problem has to do with efficacy of treatment. Without a comprehensive education in the fundamentals of this science, and without appropriate hours spent in learning complex needling techniques, followed by supervised clinical application of all of this learning, it is not possible to effectively treat the list of diseases which the world now recognizes are amenable to acupuncture intervention.
The World Health Organization recognizes the ability of acupuncture to treat the following diseases: asthma, menstrual cramps, arthritis, sciatica, TMJ problems, allergies, anxiety, depression, bladder problems, kidney problems, childhood illness, colds, influenza, cough, bronchitis, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, ear-nose & throat disorders, fatigue, gynecological disorders, genital herpes, herpetic neuralgia, heart palpitations, immune system deficiency, infertility, insomnia, numbness, poor circulation, PMS, sexual dysfunction, impotence, skin problems, stress-related illnesses, and weight gain or weight loss…and the list goes on.
Acupuncture is not a nice, short topic that can be covered during a seminar lasting for a few weekends. Suffice it to say, that it is not possible to treat the difficult diseases listed above after watching videotapes, reading one textbook, and attending two weekends of lecture with needling practice on a few other course participants.
I would like to give you a brief case presentation now, to try to illustrate in a nutshell why I am writing this letter. A 57 year old man presented 4 days earlier to the OHSU emergency room with sudden and complete blindness in his right eye. He was seen by an ophthalmologist, underwent carotid ultrasound, an MRI of his brain and MRI angiography , and was told that he had occlusion of his central retinal artery and would have permanent loss of vision in that eye. At the time of presentation his medications included lisinopril, metformin, and aspirin. Fortunately, the patient happened to have an appointment with his chiropractor, who heard the story of this man’s sudden blindness and grim prognosis, and referred the patient to the acupuncture practitioner who worked in the same building. The patient was seen daily for 7 consecutive days for acupuncture treatment. On the second day, he could see a small circle of light in the center of his vision in the blind eye. Day by day that circle of light enlarged, and became clearer. At the end of 7 treatments he had 20/40 vision in the previously blind eye.
This is the power of this medicine in the hands of a skilled practitioner. This is what can be accomplished in Oriental Medicine. Someone in Integrative Medicine has given me a definition of their subspecialty as the medicine that “fills in the gaps”. I think this is an apt definition, and there are many gaps in western medicine which need filling. Please give Oriental Medicine a chance by ensuring that practitioners who enter this field are adequately trained. Let’s up the ante, and see whether we can embrace this amazing alternative healing science with practitioners who have enough didactic hours of lecture from a variety of acupuncture faculty, and enough supervised hours of clinical practice so that they are familiar with treating patients with all sorts of maladies such as cancer, asthma, palpitations, constipation, allergies, menstrual disorders….to name just a few common problems.
The way forward has been paved by the state of Hawaii. Hawaii requires that medical doctors be trained and tested for competency prior to administering acupuncture to patients. The Attorney General for the state of Hawaii issued a statement on August 18, 2003, declaring that “medical acupuncture” as performed by physicians is not substantially different from any other type of acupuncture, and therefore, physicians performing “medical acupuncture” should be subject to the same laws of licensure and proof of competency as everyone else.
We in the acupuncture field are at a crossroads. We can condone physicians doing acupuncture under-trained, unsupervised, unevaluated in terms of competency, or we can strive to raise the standard. I feel strongly that this is a public health issue. I feel strongly that allowing medical doctors with minimal training & without oversight by a non-professional organization is a dangerous and foolhardy policy. I’d like to respectfully remind you that we are talking here about a healthcare profession; we are talking about peoples’ health & well-being; we cannot afford to have a double standard. The general public deserves parity in licensing so that competency can be maintained.
I therefore propose that the American Association of Medical Acupuncture evaluate their own training programs and consider complying with the World Health Organization’s recommendations of 1500 hours of training in acupuncture for physicians interested in pursuing this medicine. The WHO standards for physicians performing “medical acupuncture” include 1000 hours of didactic (including needling technique labs) and 500 hours of supervised clinical training, which ensures adequate training for entry level acupuncture. In addition, I feel that physicians should be required to pass the NCCAOM examinations to ensure their competency in acupuncture evaluation and treatment. If the AAMA is willing to adopt these standards of 1500 hours and NCCAOM testing, I believe the future of “medical acupuncture” in the United States would be shifted from a position of tenuous efficacy to one of competency and powerful healing.

Dr. Marilyn M. Walkey MD

Smoking

The Anatomy of Smoking

By Emmanuel Arroyo, LAc
27 May 2010


Each year 443,000 people or 1 out of 5 die in The United States of America due to smoking or second hand smoke. Diseases caused by smoking cost $96 billion dollars on health care every year.

The vast majority of smokers are male (23.5% vs 18.3%) between the ages of 18 to 64 with a higher incidence between white non Hispanic population (22.8%) followed by black non hispanic (21.5%) and 14.7% Hispanic.

From all the causes of death lung cancer is the number one and from all the cases of lung cancer reported 90% are among men and 80% among women.¹Other types of cancer that are attributed to smoking are lip, oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, pancreas, larynx, cervix, urinary bladder, stomach, myeoloid leukemia and kidney.

Smoking has also been linked to coronary heart disease, increase chances for stroke, peripheral vascular disease due to poor blood circulation and abdominal aortic aneurysm. Second hand smokers that are exposed to cigarettes at home or work see an increase of 20 to 30% chances of cardiovascular problems.

The CDC reports the incidence²  of lung cancer among United States population as follow black, white, american native/alaskan native, asian/pacific islanders and hispanics respectively but a look at the information from below we observe latino population is experiencing a higher death rate

• Smoking is responsible for 87% of the lung cancer deaths in the United States. Overall, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among Hispanics.
• Lung cancer deaths are about three times higher for Hispanic men (23.1 per 100,000) than for Hispanic women (7.7 per 100,000). The rate of lung cancer deaths per 100,000 were higher among Cuban-American men (33.7) than among Puerto-Rican (28.3) and Mexican-American (21.9) men.
• Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for Hispanics living in the United States. Among Hispanic subgroups in 1992–1994, death rates for coronary heart disease were 82 per 100,000 for Mexican-American men and 44.2 per 100,000 for Mexican-American women, 118.6 per 100,000 for Puerto-Rican men and 67.3 per 100,000 for Puerto-Rican women, and 95.2 per 100,000 for Cuban men and 42.4 per 100,000 for Cuban women.³ 
  

Smoking and The Brain⁴ 

It has been observed that the thalamus, hypothalamus and basal ganglia are directly affected by nicotine which causes an increase on nicotinic receptors, a decrease on their turnover and increased desensitization.
The thalamus comprises part of what is called diancephalon and has sensory (mostly) and motor functions.  All axons, except olfactory, connect here prior to be sent to the cerebrum.
The hypothalamus controls the pituitary gland, homeostasis, emotion, thirst, hunger, circadian rhythms, and control of the autonomic nervous system.
Basal ganglia is a set of 3 components known as caudate nucleus, putamen and globus pallidus which are connected to the thalamus that in turn sends motor signals to the cortex.⁵
Nicotinic receptors are a subdivision of what is known as cholinoceptors; nicotinic receptors once activated will increase dopamine⁶, epinephrine and norepinphrine which will exert effects on the sympathetic system.
It is obvious that the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal axis⁷ (HPA) is involved.
Let me summarize what I just said: dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine are released when nicotinic receptors are activated by nicotine, this explains why people eventually develop peripheral vascular disease⁸. Peripheral vascular disease is just a reaction of what is known as fight-flight response, during this response the heart rate increases, blood is diverted to the extremities, the blood poorly reaches the abdominal cavity and the pupils are dilated...The body starts using more glucose in preparation for fighting or running. When a person is constantly under the fight-flight response glucose intolerance⁹ (insulin resistance¹⁰)will be reached which over time might become into diabetes. With a hyper HPA Axis many hormones will peak but eventually exhaustion, insufficiency or deficiency will be reached causing adrenal insufficiency¹¹. Dopamine which exerts control on pleasure and reward seeking behavior¹² explains why people get addicted and the involvement of the thalamus and hypothalamus can help explain why smokers experience a whole gamut of signs and symptoms during and after smoking and their overall state after not smoking for a while .
Nicotinic receptors have affinity to muscles but they don't contract until high levels of nicotine have being reached and when it does the person might suffer respiratory arrest.

Why Quitting Is So Difficult?¹³ 

It is believed that smokers that quit easily could have had lower basal nicotinic receptors before they started smoking versus those that are having a hard time quitting.
It has been observed that there might be a genetic component, monozygotic twins have been linked to increased addiction but they easily can cut with it versus dizygotic twins which addiction is low but quitting is more difficult.

Male and Smoking?

It has been showed that male that smoke have a high chance of developing Erectile Dysfunction.¹⁴

A Parent to Be?

Researchers from Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven conducted a study with 181 teens and they found girls that were exposed to nicotine suffered both visual and auditory attention deficits, while boys had listening difficulties.¹⁵

Are You HIV +?¹⁶ 

Then you should know that HIV smokers have a higher chance of developing COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

Withdrawal Symptoms

• cravings for tobacco
• irritation
• anger
• weight gain
• concentration problems
• depression
• headaches
• fatigue
• constipation
• restlessness
• insomnia
• dizziness
  

Your Options

You have several options: the use of conventional medicine or the use of alternative medicine.

Alternative Medicine¹⁷ 

After analyzing the effects of nicotine in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, dopamine and the well known carcinogenic substances in cigarettes I could suggest the following steps: Detox, Strengthening the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and relieving cravings. For Detox I suggest Tiao He Cleanse, ALJ and Lymph Gland Cleanse (HY) after that Adrenal Support, Liver Balance TCM, Mood Elevator TCM, Stress Relief TCM, and Nervous Fatigue TCM (all from nature's sunshine) for the moodiness, jumpiness, edginess, irritability,restlessness, anxiousness and Lobelia for the cravings.

Another alternative is the use of therapeutic grade essential oils. Anise helps eases, reduces and eliminates the cravings one drop under the tongue is more than enough, but careful it is very warm and might irritate your mouth hence put it on top of your finger tip and apply. Carrot seed oil and rosemary seed oil are good to help in the detox process, one drop of each in a glass of water every day could be more than enough to help you detox. To regulate and balance your adrenals the best essential oils are pine, cedarwood, angelica root, sweet basil,fir needles,geranium rose,and spruce you can apply one drop of each on the kidney area on your back right where the kidneys are located (see picture below for an idea).

the kidneys are located in the lumbar area between the last thoracic vertebra (T12 or the last rib attaching to the spine and the third lumbar vertebrae) I recommend putting it level with L2-lumbar 2.

For the moodiness, crankiness you could put some lavender, tangerine and geranium rose essential oil on your wrists where the watch wraps around...You could try some herbal teas such as chammomile and rooibos; try green tea, oolong, and white tea as well preferably the ones that do not come in tea bags.

Acupuncture has been recommended by NIH (National Institute of Health) and WHO (World Health Organization) for smoking cessation. The treatment is simple and consists on applying 5 needles on each ear and 2 needles on each arm one in the wrist and the other one on the elbow area for 30 minutes or more every other day. The treatment aims to stop cravings, edginess, irritability and other withdrawal symptoms this will help to stop smoking. Remember acupuncture and aromatherapy wont stop you from grabbing a cigarette that part is supplied by you; acupuncture makes the quitting easier...

Conventional Medicine

Conventional Medicine offers nicotine replacement therapy, Varenicline (Chantix), Bupropion (Wellbutrin), Clonidine, Nortriptyline, Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI), Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI), Opioid receptor antagonists, Bromocriptine, anxiety drugs, nicotinic receptor antagonists(ie Mecamylamine), glucose tablets, Inhibitors of the hepatic P-450 enzyme (ie Methoxsalen), Cannoboid-1 receptor antagonists (ie Rimonabant), nicotine vaccines and counseling. For Varenicline side effects read the information below and for Bupropion go to notes.

Varenicline (Chantix)

Below I am including information of the side effects of Varenicline, it has been copied and pasted from its official site. Note that below the table there are other other conditions that Varenicline may cause and that is why they use the words RARE and INFREQUENT which means that there is always a possibility that someone might develop the conditions and most notably is that the liver comes with abnormal tests and increase weight.
WARNING    "There have been reports of depression, mania, psychosis, hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, homicidal ideation, aggression, hostility, anxiety, and panic, as well as suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and completed suicide in patients attempting to quit smoking while taking CHANTIX".

SYSTEM ORGAN CLASS High Level Group Term Preferred Term	CHANTIX 0.5 mg BID N=129	CHANTIX 1 mg BID N=821	Placebo N=805
GASTROINTESTINAL (GI)
GI Signs and Symptoms
Nausea	16	30	10
Abdominal Pain *	5	7	5
Flatulence	9	6	3
Dyspepsia	5	5	3
Vomiting	1	5	2
GI Motility/Defecation Conditions
Constipation	5	8	3
Gastroesophageal reflux disease	1	1	0
Salivary Gland Conditions Dry mouth	4	6	4
PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS
Sleep
Disorder/Disturbances
Insomnia **	19	18	13
Abnormal dreams	9	13	5
Sleep disorder	2	5	3
Nightmare	2	1	0
NERVOUS SYSTEM
Headaches
Headache	19	15	13
Neurological Disorders
NEC
Dysgeusia	8	5	4
Somnolence	3	3	2
Lethargy	2	1	0
GENERAL DISORDERS
General Disorders NEC
Fatigue/Malaise/Asthenia	4	7	6
RESPIR/THORACIC/MEDI
AST
Respiratory Disorders NEC
Rhinorrhea	0	1	0
Dyspnea	2	1	1
Upper Respiratory Tract  Disorder	7	5	4
SKIN/SUBCUTANEOUS TISSUE
Epidermal and Dermal Conditions
Rash	1	3	2
Pruritis	0	1	1
METABOLISM & NUTRITION
Appetite/General Nutrit. Disorders
Increased appetite	4	3	2
Decreased appetite/Anorexia	1	2	1
* Includes PTs Abdominal (pain, pain upper, pain lower, discomfort, tenderness, distension) and Stomach discomfort ** Includes PTs Insomnia/Initial insomnia/Middle insomnia/Early morning awakening

The overall pattern and frequency of adverse events during the longer-term trials was similar to those described in Table 1, though several of the most common events were reported by a greater proportion of patients with long-term use (e.g., nausea was reported in 40% of patients treated with CHANTIX 1 mg twice daily in a one-year study, compared to 8% of placebo-treated patients).

Following is a list of treatment-emergent adverse events reported by patients treated with CHANTIX during all clinical trials. The listing does not include those events already listed in the previous tables or elsewhere in labeling, those events for which a drug cause was remote, those events which were so general as to be uninformative, and those events reported only once which did not have a substantial probability of being acutely life-threatening.

Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders. Infrequent: anemia, lymphadenopathy. Rare: leukocytosis, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia.

Cardiac Disorders. Infrequent: angina pectoris, arrhythmia, bradycardia, myocardial infarction, palpitations, tachycardia, ventricular extrasystoles. Rare: acute coronary syndrome, atrial fibrillation, cardiac flutter, cor pulmonale, coronary artery disease.

Ear and Labyrinth Disorders. Infrequent: tinnitus, vertigo. Rare: deafness, Meniere's disease.

Endocrine Disorders. Infrequent: thyroid gland disorders.

Eye Disorders. Infrequent: conjunctivitis, dry eye, eye irritation, eye pain, vision blurred, visual disturbance. Rare: acquired night blindness, blindness transient, cataract subcapsular, ocular vascular disorder, photophobia, vitreous floaters

Gastrointestinal Disorders. Frequent: diarrhea. Infrequent: dysphagia, enterocolitis, eructation, esophagitis, gastritis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, mouth ulceration. Rare: gastric ulcer, intestinal obstruction, pancreatitis acute.

General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions. Frequent: chest pain, edema, influenza-like illness. Infrequent: chest discomfort, chills, pyrexia.

Hepatobiliary Disorders. Infrequent: gall bladder disorder

Investigations. Frequent: liver function test abnormal, weight increased. Infrequent: electrocardiogram abnormal, muscle enzyme increased, urine analysis abnormal.

Metabolism and Nutrition Disorders. Infrequent: diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypokalemia. Rare: hypoglycemia.

Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders. Frequent: arthralgia, back pain, muscle cramp, musculoskeletal pain, myalgia. Infrequent: arthritis, osteoporosis. Rare: myositis.

Nervous System Disorders. Frequent: disturbance in attention, dizziness, sensory disturbance. Infrequent: amnesia, migraine, parosmia, psychomotor hyperactivity, restless legs syndrome, syncope, tremor. Rare: balance disorder, cerebrovascular accident, convulsion, dysarthria, facial palsy, mental impairment, multiple sclerosis, nystagmus, psychomotor skills impaired, transient ischemic attack, visual field defect.

Psychiatric Disorders. Infrequent: disorientation, dissociation, libido decreased, mood swings, thinking abnormal. Rare: bradyphrenia, euphoric mood.

Renal and Urinary Disorders. Frequent: polyuria. Infrequent: nephrolithiasis, nocturia, urethral syndrome, urine abnormality. Rare: renal failure acute, urinary retention.

Reproductive System and Breast Disorders. Rare: sexual dysfunction. Frequent: menstrual disorder. Infrequent: erectile dysfunction.

Respiratory, Thoracic and Mediastinal Disorders. Frequent: epistaxis, respiratory disorders. Infrequent: asthma. Rare: pleurisy, pulmonary embolism.

Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders. Frequent: hyperhidrosis. Infrequent: acne, dry skin, eczema, erythema, psoriasis, urticaria. Rare: photosensitivity reaction.

Vascular Disorders. Frequent: hot flush. Infrequent: thrombosis.

States, What are They Doing?

Some states cover through medicaid the following: nicotine replacement therapy, Varenicline (Chantix¹⁸), Bupropion¹⁹ (Welbutrin) and counseling; the following table has been created according to CDC²⁰ information and it depicts the states that offer Medicaid assistant for quitting.
PWO stands for pregnant women only.

Table 1

STATE	NONE	ALL MEDS + COUNSELING	ONLY MEDS	SOME MEDS	COUNSELING
Alabama	X
Alaska				X
Arizona					PWO
Arkansas				X	X
California			X
Colorado		X			PWO
Connecticut	X
Columbia, District			X
Delaware			X
Florida				X
Georgia	X
Hawaii			X
Idaho			X
Illinois			X
Indiana		X
Iowa				X	PWO
Kansas				X
Kentucky					PWO
Maine				X	X
Maryland				X	X
Massachusetts		X
Michigan				X	X
Minnesota		X
Mississippi			X		PWO
Missouri	X
Montana			X
Nebraska	X
Nevada			X
New Hampshire			X		PWO
New Jersey			X
New Mexico		X
New York				X
North Carolina			X
North Dakota				X	X
Ohio			X
Oklahoma		X
Oregon		X
Pennsylvania		X
Rhode Island					X
South Carolina			X
South Dakota				X
Tennessee	X
Texas				X
Utah			X		PWO
Vermont			X
Virginia			X		PWO
Washington		PWO
West Virginia				X	X
Wisconsin				X	X
Wyoming				X	X
TOTAL	6	9	17	15	17

Summary

1 state (Washington) covers all the medications but counseling is only offered to pregnant women, 1 state (Iowa) offers some meds and only counseling to pregnant women and 2 states (Arizona and Kentucky) only cover counseling for pregnant women, 4 states (Virginia, Utah, New Hampshire and Mississippi) provide all meds and only counseling to pregnant women; 8 states (Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania) include all the medications plus counseling, 6 states ( Texas, South Dakota, New York, Florida, Alaska and Kansas) offer some medication but no counseling, 8 (Wyoming, Wisconsin, West Virginia, North Dakota, Michigan, Maine, Maryland, Arkansas) are offering some meds plus counseling, 6 states do not offer meds or counseling at all (Tennessee, Nebraska, Missouri, Georgia, Connecticut, and Alabama), 13 states (Vermont, North and South Carolina, Ohio, New Jersey, Nevada, Montana,  Illinois, Idaho, Hawaii, Delaware, Columbia and California) only provide all the meds while Rhode Island only offers counseling.

Table 2

	Total States	Percent
No Meds	9	18%
Meds	41	82%
All Meds	26	61%
Some Meds	15	37%
Only Pregnant Women	1	2%
No Counseling	24	48%
Counseling	26	52%
Plus All Meds	9	34.61%
Plus Some Meds	9	34.61%
Only Pregnant Women	8	30.78%

About The Author

Emmanuel Arroyo is a New York State Licensed Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine Herbalist, and has been trained as an acupuncture detox specialist; has special interests on pain management, men's health and currently is researching depression and its alternative treatments. Emmanuel Arroyo works with chakras and essential oils are used as an aid to open and balance each chakra. Essential oils are used mainly to restablish emotional and psychological balance. To set an appointment you can call 917-324-1140 or you can contact him via email at dr.agujas@gmail.com

Disclaimer

You should consult a physician or professional. This information is intended for educational purposes and Emmanuel Arroyo, LAc is not responsible for any result by self prescription or treatment.

notes

¹ http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/  Retrieved 27 May 2010  5:35 PM

² http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/statistics/race.htm  27 May 2010 6:30 PM

³ http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/1998/highlights/hispanics/index.htm  Retrieved 27 May 2010 4:56 PM

⁴ http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/282/1/7.full  Retrieved 27 May 2010 7:49 PM

⁵ http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/d/d_06/d_06_cr/d_06_cr_mou/d_06_cr_mou.html  Retrieved 27 May 2010 8:09 PM

⁶ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine  retrieved 27 May 2010 8:25 PM

⁷ http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/102/7/469  Retrieved 1 June 2010

⁸ http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/peripheral-vascular-disease  Retrieved  1 June 2010  4:00 PM

⁹ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/744572  Retrieved 1 June 2010 4:15 PM

¹⁰ http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/short/112/3/332   Retrieved 1 June 2010    4:17 PM

¹¹ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucocorticoid   Retrieved 1 June 2010  4:30 PM

¹² http://theacupunctureguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/depression-allopathic-approach-and.html Retrieved 1 June 2010  4:35 PM

¹³ http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/282/1/7.full  Retrieved 27 May 2010

¹⁴ journal of Urology. 166(5):1624-1632, November 2001. McVary, Kevin T; Carrier, Serge; Wessells, Hunter; The Subcommittee On Smoking and Erectile Dysfunction Socioeconomic Committee, Sexual Medicine Society of North America Retrieved from  http://www.pedresearch.org       11 April 2007

¹⁵ http://www.msnbc.com/id/18046454 Retrieved 13 April 2010 

¹⁶ http://ycci.yale.edu/resources/docs/YaleCTSAGrantApplication.pdf  Retrieved  27 May 2010  7:00 PM

¹⁷ This information is mainly written for alternative health care practitioners.

¹⁸ For side effects please visit http://www.rxlist.com/chantix-drug.htm

¹⁹ Bupropion is offered as ER, SR, IR (Extended Release, Sustained Release, Immediate Release) and are also used for depression. Bupropion lowers the seizures threshold which causes an increase in seizures.

²⁰ http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/state_data/state_highlights/2010/pdfs/by_state.pdf  Retrieved  27 May 2010 11:37 AM

Studies Confirm that Acupuncture is Not Safe in the Hands of Non-licensed Acupuncturists

Acupuncture patients may suffer from unwanted side effects in the hands of non-licensed acupuncturists, according to a comprehensive study conducted by the Institute of Community Medicine in Norway.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


PR Log (Press Release) – May 07, 2010 – Wednesday, May 5, 2010- Acupuncture patients may suffer from unwanted side effects in the hands of non-licensed acupuncturists, according to a comprehensive study conducted by the Institute of Community Medicine in Norway.

Acupuncture has been proven to be an effective form of therapy. Numerous scientific studies have proven the efficacy of acupuncture on treating various ailments. As a testament to the now scientifically recognized value of acupuncture, the Department of Essential Drugs and Medicine Policy of the World Health Organization (WHO) has published a list of diseases, symptoms, and conditions that acupuncture can treat. Headaches, depression, sprains, strokes, sciatica, and rheumatoid arthritis are among the conditions included in WHO’s 2003 publication.

However, practitioners with minimal acupuncture training, such as Chiropractors and Medical Doctors who have logged about 300 hours of practice while attending several weekend acupuncture seminars, may pose a risk to patients seeking acupuncture therapy.
A comprehensive decade long study of Norway’s Institute of Community Medicine validates the fact that acupuncture is not safe at the hands of untrained individuals. During the 14-year study, the institute have discovered that 193 patients have suffered from adverse side-effects. The bulk of the said patients may have consulted non-licensed acupuncturists. The study also found out that Medical Acupuncture treatment performed by doctors with minimal acupuncture training was the reason for the death of three patients as also reported by http://www.medicalacupuncturefacts.com.

The most serious side-effect that may stem from consulting non-licensed acupuncturists is pneumothorax or the influx of unwanted air in the chest due to perforation of the lungs by incorrect needle insertion. One case involved a patient who died 90 minutes after suffering chest pains and dyspnea after medical acupuncture treatment, according to MEDLINE.

Like other fields of conventional Western Medicine, acupuncture should be performed by a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) only. Qualification for an acupuncture license is rigid. It is required that graduate acupuncture students should have more than 3,000 credit hours of study and training before gaining a license. During training, students are required to master the human body and the various acupuncture points. Such extensive training would ensure the absolute safety of patients who seek the services of an L.Ac. Unwanted accidents, such as perforation of the lungs by an acupuncture needle, would not happen at the hands of an L.Ac. who knows by heart all insertion points in the body.

When it comes to seeking treatment, your well-being should be your top priority. To ensure your safety, it is advisable to only consult an L.Ac. who has graduated from accredited acupuncture schools from The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine http://www.acaom.org/accprgs.asp.



About Medical Acupuncture Facts:



Medical acupuncture facts discusses the importance of seeking out a licensed acupuncturist over a doctor or chiropractor with minimal medical acupuncture training. For over 2 years Medical Acupuncture Facts has been informing the public of the dangers of going to non-licensed acupuncturists and shows common sense reasons of why to stick with licensed acupuncturists to ensure public safety. Visit http://www.medicalacupuncturefacts.com to learn more.

Acupuncture Is Popular, but You’ll Need to Pay

By LESLEY ALDERMAN

Published: May 1, 2010

Ruby Washington/The New York Times
Ancient Chinese Art, in a Western Context (May 8, 2010)

 Ms. Kumar, then 29, went to see an obstetrician-gynecologist for help.
“The doctor said there wasn’t anything she could do for me because I was under age 35 and had been trying to conceive for less than year — even though it was clear something was not quite right,” Ms. Kumar explained. “She said, ‘come back in a year.’ ”

Ms. Kumar, who has a master’s degree in public health and lives in Jamaica Plain, Mass., decided to try an alternative. She went to see an acupuncturist who said, “I can help; give me 12 weeks.”

Because her insurer, like most, did not cover acupuncture, Ms. Kumar had to pay for the $70 weekly treatments she hoped would put her cycle on a more normal schedule. After the first few treatments, that seemed to be working. Two months later, Ms. Kumar was pregnant. There is no way of knowing for sure whether it was the acupuncture or the gynecologist’s keep-on-trying advice that helped Ms. Kumar conceive.
But a growing number of people are turning to acupuncture for help with conditions including infertility, chronic pain, depression and menopause symptoms. And they are turning to it even though financially it remains a largely out-of-pocket form of health care.

In a 2007 survey, 3.1 million adults reported using acupuncture in the previous 12 months, up from 2.1 million in a 2002 survey, according to the government’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a unit of the National Institutes of Health.

The center’s Web site is mainly neutral on the question of acupuncture’s effectiveness, and it urges people to go to a medical doctor — not an acupuncturist — to have a medical condition diagnosed. Acupuncture can have a powerful effect on your system, but serious ailments typically require a dose of Western medicine, like a course of antibiotics, a prescription-strength pain killer or even surgery.

Still, there are a handful of well-respected studies indicating that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for a range of conditions, like chronic headaches, osteoarthritis, depression in pregnancy and low back pain.

Western doctors are beginning to embrace it, sometimes sending their patients to acupuncturists for specific conditions. And the federal Food and Drug Administration takes it at least seriously enough to regulate acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners.

But insurers have been reluctant to cover acupuncture. And even in the relatively rare instances when insurers do, they might pay for only a few visits or a specific condition.

Ms. Kumar was able to get a financial break by using money from her flexible spending account at work. “It was expensive,” she said, “but probably not as expensive as infertility treatments would have been.”

When she was ready to have a second child, she again went to her acupuncturist, Claire McManus, and became pregnant within months.

Proponents say that acupuncture, in addition to helping treat existing conditions, can also help prevent problems from occurring in the first place. Some devotees of acupuncture even say they believe treatments keep them healthy and out of the doctor’s office, potentially saving them money.

“We’re seeing a small but growing number of clients come to our clinic for wellness tune-ups,” said Angela Grasso, director of clinical services at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in Manhattan, which is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges and trains students to become licensed acupuncturists.
To receive a license to practice acupuncture in New York State, one must have completed 4,050 hours of course work, done 650 hours of clinical training and treated 250 patients. Once students have completed those requirements, they must pass a national certification examination in acupuncture.

Marcus Berardino, 41, a massage therapist and yoga instructor in Brooklyn, swears by the acupuncture treatments he receives regularly. “Combined with other natural remedies like biking, healthy eating and a little daily meditating,” he said, “it keeps me healthy and fairly balanced.”

Some hospitals are beginning to offer acupuncture to inpatients for pain and anxiety.

“When patients receive acupuncture before or after surgery, their anxiety is less, and their pain is reduced,” said Arya Nielsen, director of the acupuncture fellowship program at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan. “They need less pain medication and so have less side effects from the medication.”
Beth Israel patients receive their acupuncture treatments free through the postgraduate fellowship program run by Dr. Nielsen, who has doctorate in the philosophies of medicine.

But for most people, money is a consideration. Sessions with an acupuncturist run about $65 to $120, depending on where you live (and some leading acupuncturists charge as much as $300). Most ailments require at least three treatments, while some chronic issues like arthritis might require biweekly or monthly sessions, depending on the situation.
If you want to try acupuncture, but are concerned about the cost, here are some suggestions:

CHECK YOUR COVERAGE Call your insurer and ask whether your policy covers acupuncture. If it does, press for details.
Find out how many sessions a year it allows and whether a doctor’s prescription is needed. Check whether it allows coverage for only certain conditions. Some policies, for instance, might cover acupuncture only for chronic pain.

TRY A SCHOOL If you must pay yourself, consider discount treatment by an acupuncturist-in-training. Most acupuncture schools have clinics where you can be treated by supervised students at discounted rates of $40 or so for one to two hours. To find a school, go to the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine’s Web site.

Barbara Andisman, who was told she had multiple sclerosis two years ago, has been going to the clinic at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in Manhattan once a week for more than a year. She says the treatments help with her balance and energy.

“I have a type of M.S. for which there are no medications; the treatments have been incredible and helped keep me stable,” said Ms. Andisman, 52, who lives in Brooklyn. “If I miss a few sessions I notice a difference. I feel kind of sluggish.”

COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE If your problem is not serious or complicated — say you are suffering from stress or headache pain — consider visiting a community acupuncture setting, where fees can be as low as $15 a session.

You receive a brief assessment and then are treated, fully clothed, in an open room with other patients. It is the acupuncture equivalent of a chair massage.

To locate a clinic near you, see the Web site of the nonprofit Community Acupuncture Network.

USE FLEX SPENDING Even if your insurer will not reimburse you, your flexible spending account might — if you have one. Using flex-spending dollars to pay for treatments can reduce the cost by 20 percent or so, depending on your tax bracket. Look on your employer’s list of approved expenses to see whether acupuncture is included.
HAVE SOME PATIENCE Acupuncture often has a cumulative effect. If you have a simple cold or headache, you might feel better after one session. But it might take three sessions before you start to notice an improvement in a muscle strain, according to Ms. Grasso, who is also a licensed acupuncturist.

Hemorrhoids That Painful Companionship

Hemorrhoids That Painful Companionship

What is a Hemorrhoid and What Causes it?

A hemorrhoid is simply a swollen vein in the anal canal due to a lack of fiber, exercise, sedentary life, dehydration, chronic diarrhea and/or pregnancy causing an increase pressure on the intestinal walls and weakening the intestines causing the swollen vein normally known as hemorrhoid.

Types of Hemorrhoids

There are two types of hemorrhoids: External and Internal. External hemorrhoids, as the name implies, are those that are out and visible. When an external hemorrhoid is painful to the touch it is called thrombosed hemorrhoid.

The second type of hemorrhoid is the internal which is divided into 4 stages. The first stage still inside and bulges when defecating, second stage hemorrhoid it bulges and comes out of the anal canal during a bowel movement while the third stage it bulges and comes out of the anal canal and has to be "manually" pushed back in. Fourth stage it bulges and stays out all the time. The fourth stage might be confused with an external hemorrhoid but the difference between external and internal hemorrhoids is its origin, if the origin is in the anal canal then it is called internal while a hemorrhoid that originates around or close to the anus it is obviously called external hemorrhoid.

Common Signs and Symptoms

Bleeding, itching, inflammation and pain are the most common complaints of patients that suffer from hemorrhoids. 

Understanding Hemorrhoids, a Chinese Medicine Perspective

Depending on the signs and symptoms plus some other pertinent questions and auscultation (pulse and tongue) the Chinese Medicine practitioner would be able to diagnose and determine the proper herbal treatment.

In Chinese Medicine there are several patterns Intestinal wind, intestinal dryness, damp heat, blood stagnation, spleen qi deficiency and spleen qi sinking.

 Intestinal wind refers to the period when there is bright red blood present without pain or any discomfort. Intestinal dryness is obviously caused by a lack of moisture (yin deficiency or liquid deficiency or even due to what we called heat) and the patient will describe this feeling as of passing "sand paper".

Damp heat is a term used to refer to swelling, pain, burning and inflammation experienced by the patient. Spleen Qi deficiency and Spleen Qi sinking corresponds to third and fourth stage. With spleen qi deficiency or spleen qi sinking the patient will report feeling constantly tired; this kind of patient have a tendency of eating raw food, eat at irregular intervals and/or late at night. The patient with spleen qi deficiency or spleen qi sinking is constantly worrying, excessively thinking or brooding. It is important to mention that a patient with spleen qi deficiency might present with intestinal dryness too, this is so because in Chinese medicine the spleen  is in charge of transporting nutrients and fluids. Another aspect to consider with spleen deficient patients is the possibility of stress, anxiety, depression and resentment which are associated with the liver in this millenarian healing art. When the liver gets affected by several emotional factors it has the tendency of weakening the spleen and/or creating heat that might accumulate in the intestines causing dryness or damp heat. There is another factor to take under consideration: the large intestine. The Large Intestine in Chinese Medicine is related with the Lung (both are metal elements) therefore patients with hemorrhoids might be experiencing some kind of grief, loss or suffering and/or respiratory problems such as sinus, allergies, or skin conditions.

Blood stagnation is simply a thrombosed hemorrhoid.

Damp Heat, What is that? 

Damp heat refers to the end result caused by a chronic illness, an infection, or fat rich diet, sugars (refined sugar, corn syrup) or alcohol. As you can see our diet does have an impact in our intestinal health.

Treating Hemorrhoids Naturally

When we take a closer look to the herbs used in Chinese Medicine we will observe that some have the following properties: hemostatic (astringent), anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibiotic, diuretic, anti-coagulant or anti-platelet. These properties make herbal remedy an excellent alternative for hemorrhoids. Chemically we can find these compounds: tannins, flavonoids, lipids, enzymes, and saponins among others.

Some Herbs Used in the Treatment of Hemorrhoids 

This is a partial list of herbs used in the treatment of hemorrhoids. It is my advice to consult a professional instead of auto-medicating. Auto medication might worsen your condition and therefore it is advisable to visit a licensed acupuncturist with herbal knowledge or any other health professional that specializes on herbal treatments.

Huai Jiao (Flos Sophorae), Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae), and Huang Qi (Astragalus) are some examples of herbs used in Chinese Medicine while you can find other herbs like Witch Hazel (Hammamelis Virgiana), Horse Chestnut, Butcher's Broom, Cranesbill Root,Oak bark, Bistor root, and Blackberry leaf.

Horse chestnut and Butcher's broom is excellent for stopping bleeding and relieve inflamed hemorrhoids while witch hazel is excellent for relieving the "sandpaper" feeling. You could also use Varigone from Nature Sunshine which is really good in strengthening capillaries and veins and stopping bleeding, and sometimes relieving inflammation and raising the hemorrhoid. In Chinese medicine we use herbal formulas that match our diagnosis such as:  Huai Jiao Wan, Qin Jiao Bai Zhu Wan, Huai Hua San, Gui Pi Tang, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and Huo Xue San Yu Tang... Quite often these formulas are tailored to patient’s particular needs.

Acupuncture and Hemorrhoids

The treatment of hemorrhoids is tailored to the patient’s needs and the diagnosis hence not everyone will have the same points used. For thrombosed hemorrhoids some acupuncturists use DU 1 which relaxes the pelvic floor and anal sphincter but there are many ways to relieve a thrombose hemorrhoid. I have been able to treat them without going to the local area. If you or anyone that you know is interested in getting treated you can reach me at dr.agujas@gmail.com or 917-907-1915. modifications.

About the Author

Emmanuel Arroyo is a New York State licensed acupuncturist with a Master in Oriental Medicine. A Master in Oriental Medicine means that herbal medicine was part of the curriculum and clinical internship practice was contemplated not only for acupuncture but for herbal medicine.





References:


The Energetics of Western Herbs 4th edition Volume 2 by Peter Holmes. 2006
Clinical Handbook of Internal Medicine First EditionVolume 2 by Will Maclean and Jane Lyttleton. 2002
Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology by John K Chen and Tina T Chen. 2001, 2004
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hemorrhoids-topic-overview     6:45pm May 4th, 2010