Latest issue no. 97 - October 2011

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The Curious Case of Ah Fong Chuck, America’s First ‘Licensed’ Acupuncturist

Author: Michael Devitt

After a promising start in the early part of the nineteenth century, the practice of acupuncture all but disappeared in the United States between 1860 and 1970. A small number of Chinese medicine practitioners helped to keep acupuncture alive in some parts of the country during this time. Among the earliest was Ah Fong Chuck, who emigrated to the United States in the 1860s and practised in Idaho for nearly six decades. A classically trained physician and skilled herbalist who also had extensive training in acupuncture, Ah Fong won the legal right to practise medicine in 1901, making him arguably the first 'licensed' acupuncturist in American history.

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In Praise of Tea (free sample article)

Author: Peter Deadman

Tea is - after water - the most widely consumed drink in the world, thus making the leaves and buds of Camellia sinensis the most widely consumed herb in the world. It has a long and fascinating history, is deeply infused into the cultures within which it is drunk, and - as numerous studies have shown in recent years - has remarkable health benefits.

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Qin Bowei’s 56 Methods: A Clinical Perspective

Author: Jason Blalack

Qin Bowei was one of the most important scholar-physicians and synthesisers of Chinese medicine of the 20th century. This article presents a brief introduction to his system of prescribing, which constitutes a synthesis of the most important clinical ideas in the history of Chinese medicine that pre-dates most of Mao Zedong’s influence on medicine, and differs in a number of ways from the current TCM model. Practical clinical examples of how to use Qin’s treatment methods are also provided to demonstrate how they may be helpful to us today.

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The ‘Runner’s Point’: An Extra Point for the Treatment and Prevention of Lower Leg Injuries in Athletes

Author: Ashley S. Goddard

This article presents a previously unstudied acupuncture point that can be effective in the treatment and prevention of sports injuries amongst runners and other athletes. The author explores correlations with Western medical research and outlines the underlying anatomy of the point for the purposes of location, understanding the development of injury in this area and to assist in the treatment of various lower leg ailments including calf strain, inhibited dorsiflexion and plantar fasciitis.

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Acupuncture Training at Malindi Prison

Authors: Megan Yarberry

The auricular acupuncture technique known as the NADA protocol was originally developed to treat addiction at an urban American hospital. It has since been adapted to treat a variety of mental and behavioural health conditions and is now a feature of diverse healthcare programmes around the world. This article describes the history, adaptations and particular considerations involved in NADA training provided at the GK (Government of Kenya) Prison in coastal Kenya.

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The Importance of Muscle Region Clearing in the Acupuncture Treatment of Foot Disorders

Author: Scott R. Smith

The most important acupuncture points to treat foot complaints are not necessarily found at the site of discomfort on the foot itself. To make a treatment approach complete and effective, one should consider the inclusion of the muscle regions (the jingjin – also known as the sinew channels or tendinomuscular meridians) associated with each condition. This article makes a case for ‘clearing’ all reactive points on the lower limb as part of the acupuncture treatment of foot disorders.

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Acupuncture and Neonatology

Author: Michael T. Thiel and Karin Stockert

This paper summarises the current state of knowledge on the use of acupuncture in neonates. A systematic literature review revealed one randomised controlled study, one observational study, three case reports, two reviews and one protocol for a Cochrane review. These results show that this topic has not yet been properly scientifically evaluated and published research is very scarce. A need exists for more therapeutic options in neonatology, and acupuncture could potentially be of use as a complementary therapy in this age group. Acupuncture does not currently play a significant role in the healthcare of either children or neonates in the West. Future publication of the results of the proposed Cochrane review may contribute to a better understanding of the subject. The other published papers present some interesting ideas that need further research. We conclude that if acupuncture is to be used in a neonatal population, further evaluation is required.

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Does Eating a Raw Food Diet Cause Spleen Qi Deficiency?

Author: Joseph Jennings and Ming Cheng

Studies show that eating a diet high in raw food can be beneficial for health, yet from a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) perspective such diets are thought to damage the Spleen qi. This article documents a small pilot study that put this notion to the test. Forty one people were recruited - 20 of whom ate a diet high in raw food (over 50 per cent of their food intake) and 20 of whom ate their normal diet - and were assessed over six months. TCM tongue and pulse diagnosis were used together with a questionnaire to assess participants, by a practitioner who was blind to their dietary status. These results were then analysed by another blinded practitioner, who assessed the degree of Spleen qi deficiency in each case. Thirty-five per cent of the raw food group were found to exhibit a pattern of Spleen qi deficiency, compared to 52 per cent of the control group. Those eating the most raw food (91 to 100 per cent of their diet) for the longest period of time (more than five years) had the least evidence of Spleen qi deficiency (11 per cent), which was statistically significant when compared to the control group (P<0.05). It is concluded that a diet high in raw food does not necessarily cause Spleen qi deficiency. However, two distinct physiological patterns were common within the raw food group that warrant further investigation. Also, this was a pilot study with a small number of participants, and thus further research is needed to substantiate such claims

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The Use of Acupuncture in the Emergency Room

Author: Alessandro Cecconi

Emergency Room (ER) doctors have to deal with severe health conditions that require swift intervention, usually with rapidly-acting drugs. There may appear to be no space for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) - and acupuncture in particular - in this context, thanks to the widespread belief that this kind of traditional medicine requires more time to act. This article describes the use of TCM in an ER in Italy. Through the description of several cases the author shows that acupuncture can be effective either alone, or in combination with Western medicine, for both diagnosis and treatment of conditions not normally seen in private TCM clinics.

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