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News & Updates
November 10, 2015
3 Ways your Acupuncturist Can Help With Hypertension
Lowering Blood Pressure WIth Traditional Chinese Medicine
High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension is all too common these days among the aging population. According to a recent American CDC study nearly half of all americans (47%) have uncontrolled high blood pressure which puts them at risk for heart attack and heart disease.
Although we highly recommend seeing your doctor first for hypertension, acupuncturists can also be able to help control high blood pressure as well. Here are 3 ways an acupuncturist can help:
1) Herbal recommendations:
Often times, your Chinese Medicine practitioner will recommend herbs for you to take for hypertension. A common herbal formula would be Tianma Gouteng Yin Formula. However, due to the many different syndrome differentiations & categories hypertension can be under in Chinese Medicine, It is highly suggested to go and see a trained professional for herbal recommendations.
2) Dietary Changes:
Often times hypertension is a result of poor lifestyle habits and choices accumulated over a number of years/decades. Your practitioner may recommend certain foods to eat more or less of according to your own individual constitution.
3) Acupuncture:
Aside from regular acupuncture treatments, there is also a technique called bleeding ear apex your practitioner may use. Bleeding the tip of ear (extra point er jian) sometimes may lower BP instantly.
The tip of the ear is sterilized and then a slight prick with a lancet is done and lets out a few small drops of blood (sounds much worse than it really is) and then the BP is checked again afterward.
ear apex point
Although mostly used in acute situations, this technique comes in quite handy. When I was working at the hospital in China we would often get patients with high BP, so we would often use this technique. If it still was high afterward we would send them directly to the emergency department downstairs. Video demonstration below:
Bob Wong currently maintains an acupuncture practice in the Brisbane area and lectures at the Endeavour College of Natural Health. For more information you can read his full bio or schedule andappointment.
*The owner of this site is not liable for any misfortune that should befall a visitor to this site.This site does not offer personal advice & no information on it can be construed as personal advice. In the event that you may feel our therapies may be of benefit, we advise you to contact the clinic to make an appointment for diagnosis and treatment.
November 10, 2015
Acupuncture: Bleeding Ear Apex to Lower Blood Pressure
Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaFM73HMzy4
October 29, 2015
neck pain acupuncture Brisbane Carrying Baby All Day
neck pain acupuncture brisbane Case Study
Wife had bad neck pain from carrying our son around all day. The Pain was 7/10 along the bladder and gallbladder channels on the Right side. We did some points and boof! the pain was down to only 30% after 20 minutes.
Sometimes with distal acupuncture we may not be able to eliminate the pain completely in one go. I ended up doing a bit of tui na massage around the local area and cupping to resolve the rest of the pain.
neck pain acupuncture brisbane vid:
Bob Wong was raised in a traditional Chinese medicine family and moved to mainland China to study and train for almost a decade. During that time, he was able to learn from some of the top acupuncturists and Chinese Medicine practitioners in at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. His mission is not bring that knowledge and experience to help his patients.
Bob Wong currently maintains an acupuncture practice in the Brisbane area and lectures at the Endeavour College of Natural Health. For more information you can read his full bio or schedule and appointment.
*The owner of this site is not liable for any misfortune that should befall a visitor to this site.This site does not offer personal advice & no information on it can be construed as personal advice. In the event that you may feel our therapies may be of benefit, we advise you to contact the clinic to make an appointment for diagnosis and treatment.
October 29, 2015
Neck Pain From Carrying Baby All Day Acupuncture Brisbane
Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-6xV_Aftn8
October 17, 2015
Frozen Shoulder Relief All Natural Healing
Frozen Shoulder
Adhesive capsulitis (“frozen shoulder”) is seen commonly in patients 40-65 – years old.It is commonly seen in women than in men, especially in perimenopausal women or in patients with endocrine disorders, such as diabetes mellitus or thyroid disease.[I] Although frozen shoulder may not be life threatening, it can be very problematic and frustrating to live with.Patients usually present with problems adducting and abducting their shoulder showing limited range of motion. Strength is normal but it seems diminished when the patient is in pain. As with most other pain related ailments, the underlying cause of adhesive capsulitis is unknown.
The Three Phases of Frozen Shoulder
There are three phases: the inflammatory phase, the “freezing” phase, which usually lasts 4-6 months, patients complain of a very painful shoulder without obvious clinical findings to trauma or fracture. During the “freezing phase, which usually lasts 4-6 months, the shoulder becomes stiffer and stiffer even though the pain is improving. The “thawing” phase can take up to a year as the shoulder slowly regains its motion. The total duration of an idiopathic frozen shoulder is usually about 24 months; it can be much longer for patients who have trauma or an endocrinopathy. [II] Patients are usually administered short term benefit solutions such as steroid injections that provide temporary relief or given prednisone for three weeks and sent back home.
Frozen Shoulder According to Chinese Medicine In the Chinese language frozen shoulder is also called “wu shi jian,” which literally translates to “50 year-old shoulder.” Traditional Chinese medicine considers frozen shoulder mainly due to poor nourishment of the soft tissues and meridians caused by deficiency of liver and kidney, Qi and blood, or due to the obstruction of meridians caused by invasion of wind cold.[III]
Special Offer
Initial Exam $47
Includes: Shoulder Assessment, Range of Motion Testing, Tongue and Pulse Diagnosis
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Many patients are simply are at their wits end and do not have any answer for this problem. They may be tired of steroid injections and the negative side effects painkillers have on their digestive systems. Below are a few solutions that can help with this.
1） Shoulder Exercises
These are several exercises you can easily do at home that can provide relief and break up these adhesions and restore some mobility: 1) Wall Climbing Exercises (pictured below): Stand opposite of a wall. Let the fingers of the effected side or both sides climb up the wall gradually as high as possible. Hold the arm at the highest position for 1-2 minutes. Repeat daily two times a day.
frozen shoulder acupuncture exercise
Zhang, Yi Sheng. “Treatment of Injuries of Jin with Tuina Therapy.” Tuinaology. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House, 2000. . Print.
2) Pulling Hand at the Posterior Aspect of the Body (picture below): With both hands on your back, hold the hand of the affected side with the healthy hand and gradually lift up the forearm of the affected side to its threshold. Repeat 2-3 times daily for 2 minutes.
rozen shoulder acupuncture brisbane
Zhang, Yi Sheng. “Treatment of Injuries of Jin with Tuina Therapy.” Tuinaology. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House, 2000. . Print.
2） Acupuncture for Frozen Shoulder
Frozen Shoulder is a very common ailment we see in our Brisbane Acupuncture clinic. Acupuncture is extremely effective at eliminating frozen shoulder pain without the side effects of painkillers according to a 2001 University of Hong Kong study. (see video below.) Often times, patients achieve lasting relief. Local trigger points may be used below the sub scapular region to relieve pain and improve blood circulation in the affected area.
youtube video here: https://youtu.be/zGaZgTf2TB0
Frozen Shoulder Brisbane Clinic Case Study
M 32, Severe shoulder pain 3 months. unable to lift arm up past 60 degrees limited range of motion. Pain from old sports injury. Third treatment range of motion came back with significant reaction in pain.
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3） Cupping Therapy
cupping treatment for frozen shoulder
Cupping therapy is used in conjunction with acupuncture to enhance the healing process. Cupping has a warming function and helps blood move and circulate better thought the body allowing for faster healing times. Because frozen shoulder is often associated with wind and cold pathogens in Chinese medicine theory, the warming effect of cupping for frozen shoulder responds very well. Glass cups are strategically placed onto pain points along the shoulder and scapular region pulling and the muscles and allowing blood to flow properly to the affected area again.
Herbal Therapy
Tao Hong Su Wu Tang (桃红四物汤)
A common formula your practitioner may prescribe to you for frozen shoulder is Tao Hong Su Wu Tang. According to Chinese medicine most types of pain are caused by blood stagnation. The old Chinese saying goes “When blood is not flowing freely there will be pain” （通则不痛.) In order to clear the stagnation and flow of blood we often use this formula which has Peach seed (桃仁) and Carthamus flower (红花) as it’s main active ingredient. Since it is blood mover, this formula should not be taken if a patient is on anti-coagulant medications or aspirin/ warfarin. For more details please ask your practitioner.
Great Video on Acupressure for Shoulder Pain:
Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5VAfLEJQjI
*All Videos Filmed With Written Informed Consent
*Results may vary from person to person. The owner of this website does not claim to cure, or prevent any disease or illness. For more information on how acupuncture works, contact info@artofacupuncture.com.au
If You or anyone you know, are suffering form Frozen Shoulder and live in the Brisbane QLD area, please share this article or feel free to contact us Please let them know that help is out there and other options available.
Special Offer
Initial Exam $47
Includes: Shoulder Assessment, Range of Motion Testing, Tongue and Pulse Diagnosis
Call Now
Bob Wong was raised in a traditional Chinese medicine family and moved to mainland China to study and train for almost a decade. During that time, he was able to learn from some of the top acupuncturists and Chinese Medicine practitioners in at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. His mission is not bring that knowledge and experience to help his patients.
Bob Wong currently maintains an acupuncture practice in the Brisbane area and lectures for workshops regularly. For more information you can read his full bio or schedule and appointment.
*The owner of this site is not liable for any misfortune that should befall a visitor to this site.This site does not offer personal advice & no information on it can be construed as personal advice. In the event that you may feel our therapies may be of benefit, we advise you to contact the clinic to make an appointment for diagnosis and treatment.
October 17, 2015
Guide to Facial Palsy Acupuncture Brisbane
facial palsy Acupuncture Brisbane
Bell’s Palsy How and Why It Happens
During my time in China, one of the most common ailments I ran into was Facial Palsy. At least half of the cases in our acupuncture department were Facial Palsy patients. Often times, patients come in and say they woke up, then all of a sudden they were unable to move one side of their face. It may be a very frightening experience for many as it is not commonly seen in the west. The common approaches include administering prednisone at the hospital and then being released the day of unless it is a stroke. Patients often times find it frustrating since there are not alot of answers in western medicine on how to approach Bell’s Palsy. In this post we will go over how Bell’s Palsy is treated in our Acupuncture Brisbane Clinic.
Causes of Bell’s Palsy
Bell’s Palsy or Facial Palsy is a form of paralysis that results from inflammation of the facial nerve. Facial nerve palsy may also be caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. Manifestations associated with lesions at various points along the path of the 7th cranial nerve.[I]
The face may feel stiff and pulled to one side. There may also be restriction of eye closure and difficulty eating and fine facial movements.[II] Symptoms may also include pain behind the ear, loss of taste sensations from the tongue. The disease usually has an acute onset, reaching its peak within 48 hours.
According to western medicine facial palsy may be caused by exposure to a virus, such as herpes simplex, viral meningitis or Epstein-Barr virus, or caused by bacteria such as Lyme disease.The extent of nerve damage determines the extent of recovery. Recovery times vary based on the degree of nerve damage. Corticosteriods are often prescribed, but not much care or attention is paid to it afterward.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, Bell’s palsy is a condition caused by one of three pathogens: Wind cold, Wind heat, or blood deficiency pattern. Any one of these pathogens prevents blood or qi from flowing properly to the effected area resulting in blockage of the meridians in the face.
Below are just a few things you should do to help with recovery and prevention:
Avoid Cold Drafts and Wind
The best thing to do if you have facial palsy is to keep it from getting worse. SInce the facial nerve is inflamed, you should avoid cold drafts and wind. Stay away from direct air con and make sure to bundle up if it is the winter time and cover the affected area. Sometimes the eye may be affected on one side and teary and may need to be taped shut to avoid effecting your vision and keeping the eye moist.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/DBBIsdqwArk
In my experience, acupuncture is very effective in treating facial palsy. Acupuncture treatment of Bell’s palsy focuses on eliminating wind, resolving toxins, opening the channels and correcting the deviation of the mouth, numbness of the face, and tearing of the eye. In elderly and younger patients the treatment focuses more on tonifying since they are usually more deficient.
A typical acupuncture treatment for Facial Palsy usually involves acupuncture, facial massage, and moxa therapy. All these treatments are used in conjunction to provide better outcomes and faster healing times for patients..
Herbal remedies and a regime of exercises, are also prescribed for the patient to go home and do themselves, so patients have an active role in their own healing process.
Acupuncture treatment for facial palsy is divided into three phases; acute, recovery and end stage. During the acute phase of Facial Palsy focuses on reducing inflammation of the facial nerve. For the first ten days minimal stimulation applied at acupuncture point along with other affected local areas. As the patient enters the recovery stage, extra stimulation is added to help the facial muscles recover and return to their normal state. By the end stage, stimulation is again slowly dropped off and treatment is tapered off to a bi-weekly basis.
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Initial Exam $47
Includes: Tongue and Pulse Diagnosis, Facial Grading & Assessment
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Herbal Remedies
Bu Yang Huan Wu Wan (补阳环五丸)
A common herbal remedy your practitioner may recommend is Bu Yang Huan Wu Wan (补阳环五丸.) This formula was originally meant to restore the body’s vital energy with astragalus root and polygonum rhizome being the two main ingredients. This formula has a range of functions but mainly is beneficial for neuromuscular diseases such as bell’s palsy and muscular wasting.
Tian Ma Gou Teng Wan (天麻钩藤丸)
This formula is traditionally used as a sedative and prevention of seizures and tremors. Often times, Facial Palsy patients have twitching in the eyes or cramping and numbness along one side of the face. The main ingredients of this formula being Gastrodia Rhizome（天麻 and Unaria Branch (钩藤) are very effective in calming the body and eliminating these symptoms.Depending on your symptoms and presentation, your practitioner may prescribe one or both of these commonly used formulas.
Exercises
These are the following exercises which can be done 2-3 times daily for 1-2 minutes each
zygomaticus major
raise outer angle of the mouth upward (smiling)
temporalis, masseter and pteryoideus medialis
close jaw tightly
orbicularis oris
Patient puckers lips together
Procerus
Patient closes eye tightly as if trying to wink
occipitofrontalis
Patient raises eyebrows forming wrinkles in the forehead.
Moxibustion
moxibustion is a form of therapy in which moxa ((Artemisia argyi ) is used on certain acupuncture points. It usually made in a stick and lit on fire. The properties of the herb are warming and townifying which can be very helpful in deficient patients who suffer from bell’s palsy. Sometimes patients may be given moxa sticks to go home with and use on different points to promote the healing process.
Mona can be used in stick form or cone form depending on the patient’s needs. The herb has warming and tonifying properties which can be helpful for deficient patients.
Great Bell’s Palsy Recovery experience as well.
Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLbdw1imnKY
*Results may vary from person to person. Further assessment is needed to determine treatment outcomes. Videos are for demonstration purposes only. The owner of this website does not claim to cure, or prevent any disease or illness. For more information on how acupuncture works, contact info@artofacupuncture.com.au
If You or anyone you know, are suffering form Bell’s Palsy contact our facial palsy acupuncture brisbane clinic or please share this article or feel free to contact us for a free consult. Please let them know that help is out there and is available for conditions such as these
Bob Wong was raised in a traditional Chinese medicine family and moved to mainland China to study and train for almost a decade. During that time, he was able to learn from some of the top acupuncturists and Chinese Medicine practitioners in at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. His mission is not bring that knowledge and experience to help his patients.
Bob Wong currently maintains an acupuncture practice in the Brisbane area and lectures at the Endeavour College of Natural Health. For more information you can read his full bio or schedule and appointment.
*The owner of this site is not liable for any misfortune that should befall a visitor to this site.This site does not offer personal advice & no information on it can be construed as personal advice. In the event that you may feel our therapies may be of benefit, we advise you to contact the clinic to make an appointment for diagnosis and treatment.
October 17, 2015
Trigeminal Neuralgia Brisbane Acupuncture Treatment Instant Relief
Trigeminal neuralgia Case Study
Bob Wong was raised in a traditional Chinese medicine family and moved to mainland China to study and train for almost a decade. During that time, he was able to learn from some of the top acupuncturists and Chinese Medicine practitioners in at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. His mission is not bring that knowledge and experience to help his patients.
Bob Wong currently maintains an acupuncture practice in the Brisbane area and lectures at the Endeavour College of Natural Health. For more information you can read his full bio or schedule and appointment.
*The owner of this site is not liable for any misfortune that should befall a visitor to this site.This site does not offer personal advice & no information on it can be construed as personal advice. In the event that you may feel our therapies may be of benefit, we advise you to contact the clinic to make an appointment for diagnosis and treatment.
October 17, 2015
Rheumatoid Arthritis Hand Pain Acupuncture Treatment Instant Relief Brisbane
Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoiBrqb3Tw0
October 10, 2015
Trigeminal Neuralgia relief With Acupuncture Hawthrone
Instant trigeminal neuralgia Brisbane Acupuncturist Case Study
Carmen originally came in with ongoing TMJ/ Jaw and finger pain. She later on found out after some tests she had Oseto arthritis of the jaw,
Since surgery was not an option she decided to continue with her acupuncture treatments and we have been able to keep the pain under control. Because she is in a choir she usually comes in for a tune up beforehand.
We using a combination of Dr. Tan’s balance method and Master Tung points, we did opposite side knee as an image of the jaw which took away most of the pain. We then moved onto some points along the ankle to loosen her neck up and needled to points along the thumb (wu hu1,wu hu 3) to relieve the finger pain.
Because of acupuncture, she is able to continue to sing in her choir Usually pops in for a tune up beforehand) True Story.
Bob Wong was raised in a traditional Chinese medicine family and moved to mainland China to study and train for almost a decade. During that time, he was able to learn from some of the top acupuncturists and Chinese Medicine practitioners in at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. His mission is not bring that knowledge and experience to help his patients.
Bob Wong currently maintains an acupuncture practice in the Brisbane area and lectures at the Endeavour College of Natural Health. For more information you can read his full bio or schedule and appointment.
*The owner of this site is not liable for any misfortune that should befall a visitor to this site.This site does not offer personal advice & no information on it can be construed as personal advice. In the event that you may feel our therapies may be of benefit, we advise you to contact the clinic to make an appointment for diagnosis and treatment.
October 6, 2015
4 Ways To Get Knee Pain Relief
Knee Pain Relief
Knee pain is something very commonly seen in our Brisbane Acupuncture clinic. Oseto arthritis,knee sprains, etc are all very common. In this post we well discuss how to relieve knee pain using acupuncture points and acupressure along with other ways you can use to relieve knee pain. Below are 4 action easy steps you can take to start getting rid of knee pain:
1)Weight management: excessive weight causes extra stress on the joints and tendons of the knee. The best way to relieve pain is to relieve that pressure losing weight if you are overweight.
weight management is crucial
2) Omega 3 and Turmeric:. Fish oil, a supplement fish in omega-3 fatty acids, has a variety of benefits, from boosting cognitive function to protecting your heart. It may also provide benefits for your joints, especially your knees.
Turmeric is an old herbal remedy used for thousands of years in traditional medicine. It has warming properties and can aid in blood circulation to the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the knees as well.
3) Acupressure/ Acupuncture: There is a great point at the end of the elbow crease when you bend your arm called LI11. You can either go see an acupuncturist for treatment or you can try acupressure around that area by rubbing with your thumb in a circular motion slowly 30-60 per minute. This is a very effective point in alleviating many different kinds of knee pain. It works because the elbow is a perfect image of the knee and is able to improve blood circulation to the affected area.
source: Deadman, Peter. Manual of Acupuncture.
acupuncture Brisbane knee pain
4) Stabilize the joint: The best way to keep under control is the wear a knee brace or strap when doing any kind of strenuous exercise or activity. This keeps any injury from getting worse.
5) Zheng Gu Shui Liniment
Zheng Gu Shui is traditionally used in Chinese Medicine for sports injuries and helping strained muscles heal and is especially helpful for Tennis Elbow. The main ingredient in Zheng gu shui is pseudogensing and other good circulating herbs.When applied, Zheng Gu Shui stops the pain and quickly starts the healing process.For broken bones and fractures, it can actually speed the regeneration of broken bone tissue. That does not mean it is unnecessary to see a doctor (one should always seek medical attention for an injury), but applying the formula to an injury right away before seeing the doctor will help with the pain. [1]
references:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zheng_Gu_Shui
More instant relief pain case studies check out the playlist
Bob Wong was raised in a traditional Chinese medicine family and moved to mainland China to study and train for almost a decade. During that time, he was able to learn from some of the top acupuncturists and Chinese Medicine practitioners in at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. His mission is not bring that knowledge and experience to help his patients.
Bob Wong currently maintains an acupuncture practice in the Brisbane area and lectures at the Endeavour College of Natural Health. For more information you can read his full bio or schedule and appointment.
*The owner of this site is not liable for any misfortune that should befall a visitor to this site.This site does not offer personal advice & no information on it can be construed as personal advice. In the event that you may feel our therapies may be of benefit, we advise you to contact the clinic to make an appointment for diagnosis and treatment.