Latest issue no. 101 - February 2013

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Ashi Points in Clinical Practice

Andrew Nugent-Head

The use of ashi points constitutes the most practical approach to clinical acupuncture, particularly in terms of the treatment of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. In this article the author documents the historical context of the use of ashi points, before describing the associated basic theory and their use in clinical practice.

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The Treatment of Recurrent Spontaneous Miscarriage

Author: Liqin Zhao

Recurrent spontaneous miscarriage (RSM) is one of the most common and complicated medical conditions amongst pregnant women. In recent years miscarriage rates have been progressively increasing, due to women trying to conceive later in life and the higher risk of pregnancy loss from in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intra-uterine insemination (IUI). Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is often able to treat and prevent RSM. In this article the aetiology and pathology of RSM are analysed from an integrated perspective of TCM and modern biomedicine, and a TCM treatment programme using acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine is presented.

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The Treatment of Postnatal Depression with Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture

Author: Steven Clavey

The condition ‘postnatal depression’ does not appear in the historical texts of Chinese medicine as such. In this article the author investigates the treatment of postnatal depression using Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture, with particular reference to the Ji Yin Gang Mu (Compendium of Benefits to Women) and Zhen Jiu Da Cheng (Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion). Specific treatments for postnatal aphonia and ‘postnatal intemperate speech and delirium’ are documented, as well as acupuncture treatments for postnatal pathology. The theory is illustrated by two case histories from the author’s clinical practice.

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Clinical Experience in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Chinese Medicine

Author: Shen Pi'an

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the second most common form of arthritis after osteoarthritis and affects approximately one per cent of the population worldwide, manifesting with both articular and non-articular symptoms. Based on the author’s 50 years of clinical experience in treating RA patients with Chinese medicine, this article summarises the aetiology and pathology of RA, offers insight into the key issues involved in treatment, and discusses the traditional and biomedical characteristics of Chinese materia medica and the use of acupuncture and moxibustion for RA. The article ends with two representative case studies illustrating the role played by Chinese medicine in treating long-term RA patients.

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The Treatment of Primary Hypertension Using Plum Blossom Needle Therapy

Author: Frank Yurasek and Brett Martin

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of seven star plum blossom needle therapy on a patient with primary hypertension. Although conventional treatment of primary hypertension with medications is frequently successful, many of these drugs produce harmful side effects, so there is a demand for efficient and safe alternative methods of regulating blood pressure. The patient in this case was a 55-year-old Caucasian male who had suffered from chronic hypertension since the age of 30, with a 40-year history of smoking and a 30-year history of heavy alcohol consumption. The patient also suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and reported palpitations and shortness of breath on exertion. A seven star plum blossom needle hammer was used to stimulate various acupuncture points twice a week for six weeks. The patient’s blood pressure was evaluated before and after treatment during the six-week treatment period and during a subsequent 19-day monitoring period. This resulted in a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure over the six-week period, which was sustained during the 19-day follow up. The authors conclude that seven star plum blossom needle hammer therapy effectively lowered the patient’s blood pressure to pre-hypertensive values, and that the efficacy and safety of this treatment method should be further evaluated in a larger controlled clinical trial.

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Sustainability of Chinese Herbs: a discussion

Author: Nina Zhao-Seiler

Demand for Chinese medicinal herbs has grown rapidly over past decades. Practitioners are starting to be concerned not only about the quality of the herbs they use, but also about their sustainability. This article discusses some of the complex relationships and divergence of interests among herb-market participants and looks at initiatives that can work towards a sustainable future for Chinese medicinal herbs.

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The Treatment of Infertility with Chinese and Western Medicine: A Discussion

Author: Yuning Wu, Michael Haeberle, Celine Leonard, Esther Denz, Peter Deadman and Inga Heese

In late Spring 2012 a group of Chinese and Western medical experts in the treatment of infertility came together in Zurich. The meeting was the result of their collaboration on a forthcoming textbook on the treatment of infertility with Chinese medicine. The primary author, Professor Yuning Wu - one of the most eminent fertility specialists and gynaecologists working in China - is the chief doctor and professor of integrated Chinese and Western medicine at the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The other authors are Michael Haeberle, a reproductive endocrinologist, and Celine Leonard and Esther Denz, both senior students of Professor Wu and clinicians specialising in the Chinese medical treatment of infertility. Finally, Inga Heese, a Chinese medicine practitioner working extensively with infertility, and Peter Deadman, co-editor of the Journal of Chinese Medicine - both editors of the forthcoming book - were on hand to ask questions and engage in the discussion.

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