Have you ever heard of bicipital tendonitis?  It’s itis or inflammation of the biceps tendon.  Painful and annoying.  Recently I treated a case of this with great success and wanted to share this experience of using acupuncture to treat this problem as well as a few of the exercises and complimentary modalities that helped him get back on track.

First and foremost we used acupuncture to help free up his neck, shoulders, and most importantly the attachment point of the bicep muscle on the humerus.  The formula we often use in acupuncture is “increased circulation = decrease decreased inflammation – and it’s a good one.

So in addition to acupuncture, which helped tremendously we used these additional exercises and products to help decrease his pain:

1)    Biofreeze – a simple topical analgesic (pain killer)

2)    Minimal weight with these exercises or no weight at all:

a.    internal and external rotation of the shoulder (elbow fixed at the side) moving the wrist in a 180 degree movement

b.    basic shoulder rolls

c.    unweighted shoulder flexion – Stand with your injured arm hanging down at your side. Keeping your elbow straight, bring your arm forward and up toward the ceiling. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10. As this exercise becomes easier, add a lightweight.

d.    Bicepital Stretch: Stand facing a wall but about 6-8 inches away.  Raising your bad arm to the side your arm out to your side and place the thumb side of your hand against the wall (palm down). Keep your elbow straight. Rotate your body in the opposite direction of the raised arm until you feel a stretch in your biceps. Hold 15 seconds, repeat 3 times.

With a total of 5 treatments the pain had deceased about 80% and he was able to go on with his daily life.  I think with maybe 2 more treatments and continuing to do the exercises he will have no problems whatsoever.

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Do you have a poor appetite or dizziness?  Pale face, weak voice/reluctance to speak, sweating with little/no exertion?  All of these could be signs and symptoms of what Chinese medical practitioners call qi deficiency.  There are many types of qi deficiency such as Lung qi deficiency, Spleen qi deficiency and even kidney qi deficiency.  Each of these patterns comes with their own set of signs and symptoms and some are shared between each other.

Here are some foods that are thought to help with qi deficiency according to Helping Ourselves by Daverick Leggett:

almond, beef, carrot, cherry, chicken, chickpea, coconut, date, eel, egg, fig, ginseng, goose, grape, ham, herring, lentil, licorice (real), longan, mackerel, milk, millet, molasses, oats, octopus, pheasant, potato, quinoa, rabbit, rice, royal jelly, sage, sardine, sweet potato, shiitake mushroom, squash, sturgeon, tempeh, tofu, trout, venison, yam.

These are foods release energy steadily into our system over a long periods of time, kind of like the concept of lower glycemic index foods in western nutrition.  Foods which tonify qi are also foods that have not been tampered with or processed as little as possible.  For example use dry beans like chickpeas as opposed to canned beans that often have added preservatives or sodium.

So if you are feeling tired or have any questions about qi deficiency try some of these foods or come and get some needles!

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In Light on Life BKS Iyengar writes, “If consciousness is like a lake, there are primary waves or fluctuations of consciousness on the surface of the lake (these are like momentary day to day emotions and feels and thoughts) …and the there are secondary fluctuations.”

Secondary fluctuations are those that rise up from the bottom of the lake he states.  The bottom of the lake is covered in sand and so, if in life you experience a sufficient number of disappointments, the ripple on the surface creates a wave that goes down to the bottom, and imperceptibly that ripple creates a little bank you will in the sand so there is a mound of disappointment.

For me this image is so clear.  If you’re not already in the belief that your thoughts create your reality I suggest that you take an in-depth look at your thoughts.  It’s said that any negative emotion will change after 2 minutes if you stop, breathe and observe your thoughts.  Our reactions are preconditioned and therefore unfree.  It takes daily practice to change your reactions, your thoughts, and free yourself from inner turmoil that persists in habitual thoughts.

Here’s where acupuncture can be helpful simply because it’s relaxing.  Picture yourself in the most relaxing moment you’ve felt in the last month.  Was it on the beach on vacation?  Flying down the ski slopes riding gravity, wind and molecules being absorbed by the body, or perhaps on a simple quiet walk or even a finely prepared meal.  Acupuncture can help replicate that feeling of relaxation and therefore replicate those thoughts.  It’s smoothing out the sand at the bottom of your lake.
But it doesn’t have to be acupuncture – it can be any tool.  Simply try and find something that you enjoy.  For most people it’s something really simple.  Try and practice this every day.  Even 5 minutes of sitting quietly by yourself each day makes a huge difference in your subconscious mind.

One of the Dali Lama’s secrets for a happy life was to spend some time alone each day.  Perhaps it’s doing some yoga, practicing Tai Chi or cooking.  Find a ritual.  Try and create this object as something consistent.  Perform this ritual EVERY day.  It’s best to do this at the same time and in the same place.  This creates learned behavior.  – just as a dog knows it’s time for dinner.

So changing your habits can be done.  And part of that process is to change your mind.  Just remember to breathe.

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Do you suffer from depression?  This is a common issues that I treat in my of acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine office right outside of Boston in Waltham, MA.  Acupuncture can be very clinically effective in treating depression although due to the long standing nature of many cases often times can take a longer time to treat than many other dis-eases such as neck and shoulder pain or fatigue.

What I would like to discuss today is some of the various structural problems that Chinese and Japanese medical doctors have found impact depression.  If you suffer from one of these structural problems and have difficulty with depression chances are even better (now that you are armed with this information) that you can be helped with acupuncture.

Here is a basic list of the structural disorders:

• Deviation of the nasal septum
• Tailbone injury
• Weak Immune System
• “Toxins” in the body
• Adrenal Exhaustion
• Hypo-function of the thyroid gland
• Cervical and / or Thoracic Spine Compression
• Scars and / or other meridian disturbances

The first three items on this list: deviation of the nasal septum, tailbone injuries, and a weak immune system all relate to the lungs in Chinese Medical theory.  And the lungs are the primary organ responsible for movement of qi in the body.  Without proper movement of qi or vital energy if you like the body will become stuck or stagnated resulting in depression.  I would say that 70% of the cases of depression that I see in my office just outside of Boston in Waltham, MA can be drastically improved if the patient begins to exercise.

What do “Toxins” mean and why is this on the list?  We talk about external toxins that can impact the body and do not necessarily show up on a blood test.  This could include exposure to mold, hazardous waste, high voltage power or other radio waves, cooking with a microwave too frequently or even talking on the cell phone all the time.  We label these types of activities as toxins because when we perform the “detox” treatment or remove some of the exposure to these types of toxins the depression improves.

Next is a hypo-functional thyroid gland.  This can lead to decreased energy and increased depression.  In the Kiiko Matsumoto style acupuncture we treat the thyroid through the kidney meridian which intimately links together thyroid and adrenal glands.

Adrenal gland exhaustion can results from stress, overwork, not getting enough sleep or an improper diet.  For more information on adrenal exhaustion go here.

Finally one of the most important structural aspects of the body is that the patient have an active, supple, and healthy spine – particularly in the thoracic and cervical regions.  The qi of the lungs (which we know controls the qi and influences depression) can become collapsed due to poor posture.  If this region of the body is aligned and properly treated then you’ll feel the depression slinking back into whatever dark corner it came from.

In summary hopefully you learned that there are many non-traditional aspects that acupuncturists and Chinese herbal Medicine practitioners can look for in depression.  It’s often very helpful to have a different view point and sometimes can be a contributing factor to helping patients overcome plateaus in their progression back to a thriving lifestyle.

Lastly thank you to David Euler and Kiiko Matsumoto for their dedication and clinical expertise on which most of this information was drawn from.

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Neck and shoulder pain is one of the most common complaints from patients I see every day at Central Path Acupuncture and Wellness in Waltham, MA – just outside of Boston.

Even if a patient is really healthy and they are just coming in for a quick tune-up treatment (which I highly recommend!) they always say – yeah my neck and shoulders have been really tight or I’m having some pain in my shoulders. I would say at least 95% of my patients I can find a spot around the upper back or shoulders where they will say, “OW!” that hurts. Actually my favorite is “aaaaaaaah.” In which case they are speaking the first letter of the German alphabet – Ah.

Neck and shoulder pain can be caused by numerous problems – here is a short list compliments of David Euler – my teacher and mentor from Harvard Medical school:

• Cervical Artery Insufficieny
• Post whiplash
• Liver / gall bladder disturbances (which can be a build up of toxins in the body
• Displacement of cervical or thoracic vertebrae
• Malalignment of the hip, or lumbar vertebrae
• Muscular imbalances in the shoulders or lower back and hip
• Stagnation of blood
• TMJ syndrome
• Stress or sympathetic nervous system imbalances
• High or lower blood pressure
• Nasopharyngitis
• Sugar addiction and intake
• trapezius tension from poor posture
• Eye problems or eye strain

Wow. Great list of things to choose from – chances are you can pick out two or three of these if not more. And if you don’t think you can I challenge you to come in so I can find your “Aaaahhhh spot.” (don’t worry I’m kind and a gentle needler.)

So what are the 5 Essential Steps to reducing your neck and shoulder pain?

5. Reduce sugar intake – sugar causes inflammation and we eat lots of it. And by sugar I mean the bad type – not natural sugars from organic and local fruits and vegetables, but rather processed sugar and any form of high fructose corn syrup or even the natural sugars you see these days like organic sugar crystals ect – bad bad bad!

4. Take up a mind body practice like Tai Chi or yoga with an instructor that can help emphasize and correct your postural problems. We are not the leaning tower of Pisa! Fix your posture and muscles, ligaments, joints, and connective tissue will align themselves naturally. Be warned though this process can take a few years to correct – but the results will pay off indefinitely. We offer a weekly class at Central Path Acupuncture and we also give “homework” to our patients that may include Tai Chi or Qi Gong exercises.

3. Breathe and sweat a little bit every day. This is an ancient secret for longevity used by Taoist monks for centuries. If you sweat you’re purifying the body and allowing the lungs to breathe. In Chinese medicine the lungs are an integral part of the upper body and if you sweat you generally are raising your heart rate – increased heart rate means increased respiratory rate – and this means that the muscles that aide and assist in respiration are rejuvenated. Did you know there are up to 15 muscles that aide in respiration! Breathe and sweat!

2. Stretch and move your neck. Simple secret yet people rarely do it. When patients come into my office I give them a 5 minutes movement and exercise stretching routine specifically to reduce neck and shoulder pain and tension. When performed regularly this is all you need.

1. Get Acupuncture! Okay I’m biased but seriously! Acupuncture can help realign bones, relax muscles and take your bodies stress and melt it. Yes simple melt it. At Central Path Acupuncture our rooms are always as warm as you want them – even if that’s 80 degrees on a cold winter day.

Hope this helps and as always may you find your path to whole body health and well being.

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It’s no secret that many people in the Boston area suffer from low back pain. Lower back pain can stem from numerous causes and can affect sleep, eating habits, but most importantly your overall quality of life.

Acupuncture is very effective at treating lower back pain. In fact acupuncture might have grown so popular in recent years because of its unique ability to form a multi-pronged attack against low back pain.

In essence, acupuncture is able to provide general pain relief, anti-inflammatory effects, increased blood flow and relaxed supporting muscles while also helping to create proper structure within the body.

As an acupuncturist one of the main things that I do every single day with every single patient is to analyze the structure of their body to see if they are aligned correctly. Without alignment we are like a poorly designed building waiting to fall to the ground with a 1.2 scale earth quake. In order to have optimal performance of your body we must strive to have optimal alignment in our body.

Right as you are reading this article grab your t-shirt, sweater, or whatever garment you are wearing and pull down in the area around your navel towards your feet. What do you see?

If done correctly you will see lines in your shirt – these lines are what happens when the fascia or connective tissue in the body is misaligned. As a basic review ligaments connect bone to bone, tendons connect muscle to bone and FASCIA connects EVERYTHING to EVERYTHING. It is one of the most important factors in correcting posture and alignment problems.

Here’s the good news – acupuncture has distinct influence over fascial planes. Many acupuncture points on meridians are located on or over fascia planes in the body and can help trigger symptomatic relief.

And that’s not all. With proper acupuncture care beyond symptomatic relief acupuncture can help change the structure of your body and your alignement. We are able to as we say, “treat the roots and the branch of the tree.” Without watering or addressing the underlying CAUSE of your lower back pain symptomatic relief my occur, but long term it’s very likely to come back.

If you’re in the Boston, Waltham, Newton, Lexington or other metro west areas I strongly encourage you to give my office a call.

PS
Here’s an acupuncture secret that can help ease your lower back problems: the ear.  Check out the list of points in the ear and find a tender area using a q-tip or cotton swab – and press for 30 seconds?  Can you feel the pain relaxing?

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Vitality is a word that conjures up images of strength, endless energy and whole-body-health.  Ideally, living a life of wellness goes far beyond living without pain or symptoms, it means living a vital life.

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can help you along the path towards optimal spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health.  Along the way it is sometimes helpful to identify the various stages of this process.

Symptomatic Care:

Most patients begin acupuncture because their symptoms have simply become too overwhelming.  Whether it’s pain, an internal disorder, emotional disorder or you know something in your life has to change, this stage of care focuses on alleviating your symptoms.  Each visit builds on the next and symptoms begin to dissipate.  Usually the longer or more chronic the condition the longer it takes to treat.  Other variables to consider include age, gender, lifestyle, and your overall constitution.  After symptoms are reeled under control you enter into the corrective care stage.

Corrective Care:

During this stage of care your signs and symptoms have been drastically reduced and treatments help to maintain your level of vital health.  Some flare-ups may occur, but it is important to realize that this is also the time when many long-standing health issues or underlying causes of your condition are being addressed.

Preventative Care:

During this stage of wellness you enter fully into living a vital life.  Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine treatments occur less frequently or even on a maintenance basis.  Many patients come in for monthly tune-ups simply because life with acupuncture helps them feel great.

In some villages in China the acupuncturists were only compensated when their patients continued to be healthy. Sun Tzu the famous military strategist never sent his troops into battle without proper training just as your body needs proper adjustments and training from time to time to run at optimal performance.  Along with a healthy diet and proper exercise many of our patients find that acupuncture is an invaluable resource and must-have part of their vital lifestyle.

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Structural integration of the body is of paramount importance to multiple problems in the body – to name a few allergies, depression, sleep apnea, chronic back pain, adrenal disorders, pelvic pain, knee pain and / or other lower body extremities are some common examples. It’s important to almost think of our bodies as a tower or skyscraper; if one segment of the body is off it can cause many problems throughout the spine.

This is one of the reasons why chiropractic therapy is so effective – because they are aligning the spine and with proper alignment, fascia, nerves, muscles, ligaments can all relax release and act naturally – which is by the way relaxed, efficient and effective. Our bodies were not made to hold stress and tightness – it’s just our modern day habits that cause these behaviors – like sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours per day.

If you observe animals you will see their natural movement. Have you ever seen an awkward cat? Perhaps – but more often then not their movements are precise, coordinated, and controlled – in a sense they are natural.

The pelvis is of paramount importance to the entire structure of the body. What do you do when you build a house? You start with the foundation. The pelvis is the interface between lower extremities and the spine for shock absorption, and load transfer. It’s the body’s center of gravity (specifically the center of gravity is generally found in front of the 2^nd sacral vertebrae – right in the heart of the pelvis. The pelvis is a frequent culprit for referring pain into the lower extremities. It can manifest as hamstring pain, knee pain, calf pain ect.

Aligning and relaxing the muscles in and around the pelvis can solve a host of problems because of its propensity for tightness. In a sense malalignment affects the entire kinetic chain. Hard falls, muscular imbalances, birth, postural problems can all lead to pelvic imbalances, as can weak abdominals muscles or tight hip flexors. Sometimes muscles that control sacro-iliac joint can go into spasm on one side that shortens that leg. Imagine walking around on a short leg all day – don’t you think that will cause problems in the mid and upper back – yes!

So what now? How do I know if I have pelvic imbalances or structural problems? Easy – come into Central Path Acupuncture and Wellness and we can help access leg length, PSIS height, and scapular equality and diagnose postural problems. If you’re in the Boston, Waltham, or Newton area check us out! We promise you’ll feel better.

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So what is the #1 Chinese Herbal Tea (of course in my humble opinion) that you can make yourself for Optimal Health This Winter?

3 Simple Ingredients:

Chrysanthemum, Mint, and Honeysuckle. Mix these herbs in roughly equal amounts and strain or soak with slightly less than boiling water. These tea tastes great AND is a phenomenal tool to help you ward off those mid-season colds and flu. Not only that but it tastes great.

Drinking tea is highly underrated. According to Chinese Medicine, tea warms the digestive system, which helps your body “cook” and extract valuable nutrients. Plus we all know that our medicine is made from the extracted ingredients of herbs and other medicinal plants and objects from the natural world. Why not get your medicine and like it!

More about the ingredients:

Chrysanthemum, known for it’s pinyin name Ju Hua or it’s more common American name Mums, is mostly a Holiday or decorative plant in the western world. However in China is well known to improve vision, soothe the eyes and relax headaches.

Mint or Bo He is an ancient herb in China dating over two thousand years. Probably many of you have mint tea in your cabinet right now! Mind can help cool bothersome blisters, cold sores, canker sores, and soothe an upset stomach.

The last herb, Honeysuckle or Jin Yin Hua, is probably the least known medicinal of the three. This herb dates back to a medical text written in 659 AD. This herb also helps to relieve heat and cool the body.

So where can you get these 3 herbs in a nice little baggie? Easy – Central Path Acupuncture and Wellness.

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