# Acupuncture



## Ping898 (Apr 4, 2007)

I need a little help from the folks here.

Ok, so in case anyone missed it in my other comments whenever allergies are mentioned, I have really bad allergies, I am allergic to basically everything.  I am on 3 meds year round, 4 if you count the occassional eye drops and that is only enough to maintain at best, and when everyone elses allergies get worse mine do too.  Allergy shots are not an option, every ENT I go to seems to have a different opinion of what is wrong and how to fix it, so I am about to try something new, Acupuncture.

I did some research and found someone in my area who has been certified by a couple different board for Alternative Medicines and acupuncture and has some degrees and such and one of his specialties is treatment for allergies.  I feel comfortable that the person I choose is a legit practitioner and will if nothing else, not do anything that will harm me, and so I have an appt in 2 weeks.

However, I am going into an area where I have no experience so I was hoping people here might be able to recommend the questions I should ask and expectations I should have.  I know my allergies are very bad, and what I have read is chronic conditions take 5 to 10 visits at least to improve so I am figuring I will probably need at least the 10 visits, so I don't have expectations of a quick fix.  

This guy also does stuff with herbs and I have to admit I am a little wary of that.  I have just read too much about people taking herbs for X or Y condition and finding out they've just quadrupled their chances for cancer.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 4, 2007)

Four basic questions to ask when choosing an acupuncturist, herbologist or doctor of TCM:

1) Where did he or she train? 
2) How many years did he or she been train? 
3) How many years has he or she been practicing acupuncture or herbology? 
4) Does he or she have an NCCAOM certificate in acupuncture or herbology?. Or what ever certification is applicable in your area.


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## Ping898 (Apr 4, 2007)

Xue Sheng said:


> Four basic questions to ask when choosing an acupuncturist, herbologist or doctor of TCM:
> 
> 1) Where did he or she train?
> 2) How many years did he or she been train?
> ...


 

If this helps, this is the bio on the guy and he does have the NCCAOM cert


> L.Ac, Diplomate in Oriental Medicine, is an NCCAOM nationally certified and Virginia Medical Board Licensed Acupunturist. He graduated from the Maryland Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, having studied with some of the most respected faculty in the country. He has had clinical training at the Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China, and completed post graduate studies in Chinese herbal medicine at TAI Sophia Institute in Maryland. CEO of Sports Edge Acupuncture and co-founder of the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute, he believes in a holistic approach to healing through the use of acupuncture, chinese herbs, diet, massage and exercise.



There is also this info, but I don't know what it all means:

*Treatment Techniques *
Acupressure 
Cupping 
Herbology 
Massage Therapy 
Moxibustion 
Qi Gong 
*Styles of Acupuncture *
Auricular Acupuncture 
Traditional Chinese Acupuncture


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 4, 2007)

Ping898 said:


> If this helps, this is the bio on the guy and he does have the NCCAOM cert


 
NCCAOM is a good thing, I will PM you on the rest.



Ping898 said:


> There is also this info, but I don't know what it all means:
> 
> *Treatment Techniques *
> Acupressure
> ...


 
Simple explanations 

Acupressure is pressing points with the fingers instead of needles

Cupping is a glass cup where a flame is quickly put inside and removed and the cup is applied to the area of the body that it is needed. Due to the hot air in the cup suction is created

Herbology is using herbs to treat problems

Massage Therapy means he better have a message license or he could be in a lot of trouble (but that is in NYS I don't know the laws of NJ on this)

Moxibustion is applying heat to an area by burning something that looks like a stick of incense. However very few, if anyone in the US does this the same as in China. This is both good and bad; Good in the fact you don't get burned, bad in the fact that it may not work without the burn.

Qigong, there is a lot on Qigong on MT that you can look at that will help you with this. This is basically working with internal Qi flow by use of various exercises and breathing techniques.

Styles of Acupuncture 

Auricular Acupuncture - I have no clue as to what this is

Traditional Chinese Acupuncture - What my wife does, the acupuncture traditionally practiced in China.

You may also want to look here

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33729

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33727

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43164

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32187&page=2

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34553

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37164


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## RBaddorf (Apr 5, 2007)

Auricular Acupuncture = acupuncture of ear points.  The entire body and all organs are represented in different points in the ear.  The ear is one of the "micro-systems" same as Korean hand acupuncture and scalp acupuncture.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 5, 2007)

RBaddorf said:


> Auricular Acupuncture = acupuncture of ear points. The entire body and all organs are represented in different points in the ear. The ear is one of the "micro-systems" same as Korean hand acupuncture and scalp acupuncture.


 
They have the same thing in Chinese acupuncture as well, I just never knew what it was called. 

They also have hand and scalp as well.

Thanks


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## Ping898 (Apr 5, 2007)

oh...interesting....thanks


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## MSTCNC (Apr 5, 2007)




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## thardey (Apr 5, 2007)

I am in the middle of dealing with wheat/glutein and casein (milk protein) allergies.

I just had my first acupuncture treatment a week ago for wheat/glutein, and I feel great! I originally went to see him (he was recommended by my in-laws) to deal with the milk allergy, since I didn't know about the wheat. Once I found out I had the wheat allergy, I had to stay off of that for 8 weeks, while taking some herbal anti-histamines and such to sort of "calm my body down". 

Just staying away from the wheat and dairy made me feel a lot better, but it's nothing compared to how I feel after the first treatment. I'm sleeping better, I get less anxious, and am just in a better mood all around. Not to mention that the severe psoriasis that I have is beginning to fade. (Although I don't expect that to completely go away until the treatment is complete). I've been eating wheat for a week now, with no effects.

I go back in a couple of weeks to get the milk allergy treated, and then a month later for yeast, then a month later for shellfish, then pollen, etc. At this point it sounds like one treatment per food allergy, and I'm done -- at least that's how it worked for my in-laws.

We'll have to compare notes on how this goes -- I'll keep you posted on my treatment. Like you, I've had no experience with any of this stuff before, but it certainly got my attention!


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## Ping898 (Apr 6, 2007)

kewl...I'll let you know how it goes...My appt isn't for another week and a half


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## thardey (Apr 6, 2007)

My doc believes that most allergy problems are caused by some other root problem, which starts a domino effect on your auto-immune system to try different things to fix whatever the root problem is. 

In my case there was some sort non-aggressive bacteria/parasite that was making my intestines not function properly, which let wheat and milk into my bloodstream before it was fully digested. My body thought that wheat and milk were some kind of foreign invader, and "learned" to fight it whenever it was in my body. Apparently, the longer the "root" problem goes unanswered, the worse you react to allergens.

So -- just to warn you, he probably won't deal with the allergies right away, but try to fix the root problem first -- then "reset" your brain to realize that the food/pollen/fur/whatever isn't really harmful.

Good luck, and be patient.

What kind of allergies do you have?


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## Ping898 (Apr 6, 2007)

Well in this instance I will be looking to addess my dust/tree/plant/mold/animal dander allergies....I am allergic to everything...


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## thardey (Apr 6, 2007)

Well, since that's stuff that's hard to avoid, your treatment may be way different from mine.

It's one thing to not eat wheat for 8 weeks, it's another to "avoid breathing". 

Let me know how it goes!


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## Carol (Apr 6, 2007)

thardey said:


> I am in the middle of dealing with wheat/glutein and casein (milk protein) allergies.
> 
> I just had my first acupuncture treatment a week ago for wheat/glutein, and I feel great! I originally went to see him (he was recommended by my in-laws) to deal with the milk allergy, since I didn't know about the wheat. Once I found out I had the wheat allergy, I had to stay off of that for 8 weeks, while taking some herbal anti-histamines and such to sort of "calm my body down".
> 
> ...


 
REALLY!  I also have a wheat/gluten sensitivity.   I had no idea that could be improved upon with accupuncture.   Thanks for sharing your story :asian:


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## thardey (Apr 6, 2007)

Carol Kaur said:


> REALLY!  I also have a wheat/gluten sensitivity.   I had no idea that could be improved upon with accupuncture.   Thanks for sharing your story :asian:



Improved??? It's gone!

The only question is if it comes back. . . . two weeks until I can have milk again -- It's been four years since I've had cheese.

First thing I'm gonna do is have a big, fat, four-cheese lasagna.

:uhyeah: hehe.


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## thardey (Apr 6, 2007)

Carol, 



> Gluten causes damage to the intestinal lining by eroding the villi and microvilli essential for digestion and absorption processes. This damage then increases the likelihood of partially digested gluten proteins passing into the bloodstream. Certain proteins cause our immune systems to react. Undigested partial proteins found in gluten cereals have morphine-like properties once they enter the bloodstream, suggesting an origin for the phrase 'comfort foods' and its addictive nature. Once an immune response has been initiated, inflammatory reactions can cause a whole host of wheat allergy symptoms. A gluten/wheat allergy may not always be a severe frequent reaction but can result in many digestive symptoms  flatulence, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, pain etc.  and may aggravate a host of other symptoms: (snipped)


http://www.foodallergyinitiative.org/section_home.cfm?section_id=3&sub_section_id=5

Apparently casein (a milk protein) has the same effect on your body. It takes a long time to digest, and it is as small as glutein, so it can pass into your bloodstream with the glutein. 

Often people who are allergic to one are allergic to the other.

When I told the doc that I was allergic to casein, the first thing he said was "I bet you're allergic to glutein, too". He did the test, and sure enough, I was allergic to both.

Since the treatment, (11 days ago) I've been eating pastas and tortillas with almost every meal, and I still feel great! I'm even dreaming differently than ever before, and feeling much more refreshed when I wake up.

I do a "Muscle test" (you can find an explanation at google) every couple of days to make sure I'm still okay with wheat, and I pass just fine. Before the treatment, I failed miserably on wheat.


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## Ping898 (Apr 18, 2007)

So I had my first appt.  It was ok.  The guy said all my problems allergies and otherwise stem from dampness in my spleen....um....ok....
He recommended some dietary changes, though I don't do many of the things he says to avoid to begin with.  One weird thing is he said I shouldn't drink cold drinks cause they are hard for the spleen to digest...
He also gave me some herb things he wants me to use.  Anyone ever heard of AllerEase or Bi Yan Pian?  I am wary of taking them until I know more about them.
He did do an acupuncture treatment.  He put 1 needle in my head, int he 3rd eye, one in my stomach and put a heat lamp on my stomach and 2 apiece in each arm and leg.  It didn't really hurt much, but he kept pushing them in and told me to let him know when I felt pressure, well I wouldn't feel anything and then would feel pain as he hit whatever nerve or muscle he was near.  He would pull the needle back a little bit then, but I think in two spots I didn't have him pull back far enough cause I had some pain when he removed the needles later in area for a few hours.  He did the hands waving over you adding to give me energy thing too.  All in all it wasn't too bad.  In the end i actually began to relax a little which is unusual for me.  I don't know that the energy thing he did helped any cause later when I was in class I was ready to fall asleep on my feet, but it had been a long day to begin with so there might have been nothing he could do to help me.  He was good and explained everything as he was doing in and though I remember little of it now, it all made sense at the time.  I am going back next week and we'll see what week two brings....


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## thardey (Apr 20, 2007)

A "damp spleen" huh?

Maybe you you check for leaks 

I'm glad you didn't have to wait for the poking (is that the technical term?) It will be interesting to see how it affects your allergies. How long do you have to wait until the next treatment? Are you still planning on 10 visits, or did the doc say?

I'm driving up to portland this afternoon for my 2nd treatment tomorrow. This will be the most life-changing one for me, since hopefully I will be able to have dairy again (It's been 3 years). It's also the most objectively testable, since I have a physical reaction that's very distinct and predictable. So if it doesn't work, I'll know within 24 hours.

Fortunately for me, it doesn't seem to matter the amount of dairy, just the presence of it, so I'm as safe in eating a cheese pizza as I am taking a taste of milk, so I plan on enjoying myself for a day, and then see what happens.

I'll keep you posted.


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## thardey (Apr 23, 2007)

I just got back in town from visiting the doc.

I did the treatment for Milk/Casein allergies, and this one has made me very tired for the last couple of days. The doc predicted that would happen, since the allergy was such a large one.

However, I have now been eating cheese for 48 hours, and everything is doing fine. In fact, my skin is feeling better than it has for years, where it normally would have been cracked and bleeding by now.:flammad:

Ooohhh, my first taste of pizza with actual cheese on top :drinky: I melted into a little puddle of blissful happiness -- and then I got ice cream for dessert!
artyon:


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 23, 2007)

thardey said:


> I just got back in town from visiting the doc.
> 
> I did the treatment for Milk/Casein allergies, and this one has made me very tired for the last couple of days. The doc predicted that would happen, since the allergy was such a large one.
> 
> ...


 
Congratulations.


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## setboy (Apr 23, 2007)

Ping898 said:


> I don't know that the energy thing he did helped any cause later when I was in class I was ready to fall asleep on my feet,



from what i have had done on me and read this happens after the frist time you get Acupuncture


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## Ping898 (Apr 24, 2007)

setboy said:


> from what i have had done on me and read this happens after the frist time you get Acupuncture


 
You are probably right and honestly didn't surprise me, my experiences with other forms of non-traditional medicines have shown me that often pent up 'toxins' get released into the body and so after the appt sometimes extreme tiredness will happen....


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## thardey (Jul 12, 2007)

Wanted to bring this thread back up to the top, and to give you guys an update.

I can now have dairy, wheat, and yeast with no side effects whatsoever. This weekend I get treated for eggs, which is a mild "food sensitivity".

My psoriasis is slowly fading, but definitely fading -- the patches almost look human again, and other than the acupuncture and herbs (in fact, I haven't been on herbs for a few weeks now), I haven't changed anything else in my lifestyle.

This last week saw the most improvement, and I am excited, especially since I can go to the lake or swimming pool and not be embarrassed by my ugly red skin all over. Now it just looks like a big pale/discolored spot, more like a scar than a disease. Hopefully by the end of summer it will be gone, at this rate.

Ping898, how is your treatment going?


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## Ping898 (Jul 12, 2007)

thardey said:


> Ping898, how is your treatment going?


 
Actually going pretty good I think.  I don't think my allergies will ever disappear, but I was on 3 prescriptions everyday, twice a day and now I just rotate between 2 of them and need them only 3 or 4 days a week.


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## thardey (Jul 16, 2007)

Ping898 said:


> Actually going pretty good I think.  I don't think my allergies will ever disappear, but I was on 3 prescriptions everyday, twice a day and now I just rotate between 2 of them and need them only 3 or 4 days a week.



That's good news! How much longer are you planning on doing treatment?


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## fireman00 (Jul 16, 2007)

I see a lovely woman that is a certified health practitioner; she is an herbologist and started with acupuncture and has moved to using small magnets and strategically placing them around the body to improve certain ills... the theory is that energy fields are being disrupted.  

I am a bit of a naysayer but my instructor was very convincing; I have had lower back pain for 9 years and within one week of using the magnets as she recommended the pain was gone; I went from eating a dozen Tylenol or a half dozen Aleeve a day to nothing.  

  I went to see a NASCAR race as Pocono and after walking around for 4 hours then sitting in the bleacher seats with no back support my back ached from my shoulders to the balls of my feet.  I got home and put a magnet on the inside of each ankle and within 15 minutes - no pain.  I am now a firm believer in that the body's electrical field can be manipulated in a beneficial manner be it with pins, pressure points or magnets.


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## thardey (Jul 17, 2007)

fireman00 said:


> I see a lovely woman that is a certified health practitioner; she is an herbologist and started with acupuncture and has moved to using small magnets and strategically placing them around the body to improve certain ills... the theory is that energy fields are being disrupted.
> 
> I am a bit of a naysayer but my instructor was very convincing; I have had lower back pain for 9 years and within one week of using the magnets as she recommended the pain was gone; I went from eating a dozen Tylenol or a half dozen Aleeve a day to nothing.
> 
> I went to see a NASCAR race as Pocono and after walking around for 4 hours then sitting in the bleacher seats with no back support my back ached from my shoulders to the balls of my feet.  I got home and put a magnet on the inside of each ankle and within 15 minutes - no pain.  I am now a firm believer in that the body's electrical field can be manipulated in a beneficial manner be it with pins, pressure points or magnets.



Yeah, it's weird stuff, but somehow, if you use your imagination, it makes sense.

It's too bad there isn't a way to make this stuff more acceptable to the scientific western culture, but I don't see how anybody's going to pay for all the research, testing, etc - there's not as much money to be made by "curing" people of allergies, or teaching them to do as you did, a "self-therapy". It's just not worth the financial investment. 

There's way more profit to be had in developing expensive pills that have to be taken daily for life. And that's just sad.


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## fireman00 (Jul 17, 2007)

you are correct thardey... pharmaceuticals don't want to cure you - they want lifetime customers.


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