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News & Updates
brisbane acupuncturist
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 From Carrying Baby All Day Acupuncture Brisbane
Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-6xV_Aftn8
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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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
July 28, 2015
Jiu Jitsu Lower Back Injury
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training Injury Acupuncture Brisbane
Owen is an old brazilian jiu jitsu training buddy of mine and he popped by because he had severe lower back pain. He had strained his back along the GB channel and was bed ridden for a few days before he finally made it in.
The pain was good resting but as soon as he would try to twist or move he would feel the pain immediately. He was getting ready to go to train in thailand and needed to be good to throw kicks by the end of the month.
Using Dr. Tan’s balance method we did opposite side SJ points along the meridian (hand shao yang foot shao yang balance each other.) The Pain then shifted more medial to toward the Bl channel in his lower back, so we then did the opposite side Lu points. The pain after that, disappeared.
We treated him twice and Im happy to say I saw a fb vid of him kicking the pads in thailand like a beast. True story.
youtube video here
For more Back Pain Relief cases check out youtube playlist HERE
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
July 10, 2015
Tips For Lower Back Pain Acupuncture Brisbane
Tips For Relieving Lower Back Pain Acupuncture Brisbane
Image courtesy of at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Most of us, at one point in our lives have or will suffer from some type of back pain. It is one of the leading causes of missed work days & affects millions of lives daily. Most back pain will go away by itself over time but sometimes chronic pain could mean something a little more serious such as lumbar disc protrusion. Most of the time, people quickly reach for painkillers but over time, these painkillers can have negative effects on your body’s digestive system. Instead of reaching right away for the painkillers, here are some natural ways you can relieve that pain. The following are just a few simple things you can do to relieve and prevent back pain:
1) Nutrition:
Although it may not be obvious at first glance, poor nutrition is actually one of the top root causes of back pain. Being overweight increases the weight bearing pressure on your spine which may cause your muscles to tense and lock up. lack of water affects the muscles and joints as well. (1) Also, heavily processed foods containing lots of sugar, salt, and fat, have an inflammatory effect on the body. It is best to drink plenty of water to keep the disc spaces in your spine hydrated. Ginger tea and turmeric also have great anti-inflammatory properties.
.Image courtesy of at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Stop Eating Crap
Your body depends on food and water for energy, healing, cleansing, and your very survival. [III] Avoid any inflammatory foods that are highly processed containing high sugar, sodas, msg, dairy from sick cows, excessive hormone fed animals and byproducts, etc. Not only do these foods hinder the body’s ability to heal, they are often the cause of obesity and puts extra weight on the spine and is another contributory factor in disc herniations (pictured below.) Alcohol and beer is another contributing factor because not only does it have an inflammatory effect on the body, it also contains heavy carbs which in turn gets stored as fat around the abdomen therefore putting even more strain on the lumbar discs.
Drink More Water
Keeping hydrated is also another key element in healing back pain. As we go about our daily activities, putting body weight on our discs, that water is squeezed out. Drinking enough water hydrates the body and allows the discs in our spine to move and absorb shock better. Drinking plenty of water also plays a key role in flushing out the body’s toxins.
2) Cold & Heat packs
For acute back pain cold packs may be very effective for relieving back pain. Cold numbs the pain and reduces swelling by constricting blood vessels and dampening the boy’s inflammatory reaction. (4) An ice pack or frozen bag of peas works just as well. For more chronic back pain (over three months) heat packs would be the better option.Warm heat packs are also a great way to relive pain because it helps in reducing cramping and muscle spasms. Heat improves the supply of oxygen the blood carries to the back by dilating (enlarging) the blood vessels. You can apply the heat pack directly to a sore or tense area of your back.(5)
3) Exercises:
Lower back pain affects millions of people daily and can be excruciatingly painful. It can cause much stress and frustration when left untreated. In my practice I’ve seen first hand how debilitating lower back pain is and how it affects us.
Below are several exercises I give to to my patients in my acupuncture Brisbane practice that can help if not heal the root cause:
Back Bridges
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Put your hands next to your hips with your palms on the floor. Keep your back straight as you lift your buttocks as high as you can off the mat. Be sure to exhale as you lift your buttocks on the way up. Pause. Lower your buttocks without touching the mat and breath in as you come down, then lift again. Do 8-12 repetitions. Rest and repeat the set. This exercise may be difficult; don’t continue to do it if painful.
Function: Stretches the muscles of the lower back and buttocks lower back and neck.
Katz, Jeffrey Neil, and Gloria Parkinson. “Non surgical treatments for your backache P.198.” Heal your aching back: what a Harvard doctor wants you to know about finding relief & keeping your back strong. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. . Print.
Trunk Extensions:
Lie on your stomach on a mat with your face up off the floor. Your arms should stretch out in front of you. Now raise your arms and legs as high as possible while extending your trunk. Hold for a count of 6-10 while breathing normally. Release slowly. Do 5-8 repetitions. Repeat the set. [II]
Function: Stretches the muscles of the lower back and buttocks lower back and neck.
Katz, Jeffrey Neil, and Gloria Parkinson. “Non surgical treatments for your backache P.198.” Heal your aching back: what a Harvard doctor wants you to know about finding relief & keeping your back strong. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. . Print.
Double Hip Rotations:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your shoulders on the floor at all times. Gently lower bot legs to on side, keeping both knees together., and turn your head to the opposite side. Hold for 20-30 seconds. Bring your knees back to the center and repeat on the other side.
Function: A gentle twist that stretches the muscles of the lower back, hip, side, and to a lesser extent the neck.
Katz, Jeffrey Neil, and Gloria Parkinson. “Non surgical treatments for your backache P.200.” Heal your aching back: what a Harvard doctor wants you to know about finding relief & keeping your back strong. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. . Print.
4)Acupressure
Press on the point between the very base of your thumb and forefinger directly at the furthest junction of where the bone meet using your nail. One of the ways that acupuncture and acupressure work is that they cause certain compounds such as endorphins (the body’s natural pain killers) and serotonin (the body’s feel good chemical) to be released into the bloodstream.Therefore, pressing safely on certain spots hard enough to elicit achy pain, such as the fleshy point between the thumb and forefinger (called Ling gu), can be effective for treating pain back. While laying down on a sofa or bed, apply pressure on this point for at least 30 seconds and release it for another 5 seconds. Repeat at least 3x and wait to see how it impacts your back pain. (video below)
Video Courtesy Lu Therapy
Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c4uwrosZdw
5) Yoga
The practice of yoga is a combination of breathing and mental focus. It allows the mind and body to relax in a gentle non-invasive way. Because of this, I often recommend yoga to my chronic back pain patients. In December 2005 the annals of internal medicine published a randomized controlled trial which concluded that viniyoga was effective treatment for chronic lower back pain. (7) It is best to let your instructor know about your condition however, before any exercise regimen or program is started.
6) Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been proven to have great beneficial effect in treating lower back pain and may be the key to relieving your chronic back pain. According to a Pubmed study, people who received acupuncture treatments were more likely to find back pain relief than those receiving conventional care.
A typical acupuncture session would involve needling different points around the limbs which is very effective in relieving lower back pain. Acupuncture works on the limbic system which helps release of endorphin in the brain which tells the body to turn off the pain signals and increases blood circulation in the body. Acupuncture treatment would also involve local massage and cupping therapy to stimulate the affected area and improve blood circulation as well .
Below are case studies of the different types of lower back pain we see on a daily basis from our acupuncture Brisbane clinic:
Herbal Therapy
Du Huo Ji Sheng Wan (独活寄生丸)
Herbs are also effective for treating lower back pain. Chinese Herbal remedies expel the cold and dampness in the body (often seen in lower back pain patients) when patients are not receiving treatment and give the body that extra boost it needs to keep the inflammation away.
There is a very effective patent formula called Du Huo Ji Sheng Wan (独活寄生丸) for for lower back pain. You can pick it up at your local Chinese medicine practitioner and ask for more details. The main ingredients include Angelica pubescens root and Loranthus stem which are used to treat arthritic and orthopedic disorders. These both have anti- inflammatory and analgesic properties.Your practitioner may prescribe these herbs to help relieve inflammation and kick start the healing process.
source: www.bjypw.com
Tao Hong Su Wu Tang (桃红四物汤)
Another formula your practitioner may prescribe to you for lower back pain is Tao Hong Su Wu Tang. According to Chinese medicine most types of back 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.
tao hong si wu pills. source: baidu.com
If you know anyone suffering from lower back pain please share this article or feel free to contact us for a free assessment. Please let them know that help is out there and that other options are available.
references:
I]Katz, Jeffrey Neil, and Gloria Parkinson. “p.200.” Heal your aching back: what a Harvard doctor wants you to know about finding relief & keeping your back strong. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. . Print.
[II]Katz, Jeffrey Neil, and Gloria Parkinson. “p.198.” Heal your aching back: what a Harvard doctor wants you to know about finding relief & keeping your back strong. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. . Print.
[III]Cannone, Jesse. “p.61.” The 7-day back pain cure: how thousands of people got relief without doctors, drugs, or surgery. San Francisco, CA: Innovation Press, 2009. . Print. lower back pain acupuncture brisbane
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.