Our
Newsletters: Information, News and Events
For
Your Health
Issue 4: February 2006
Happy New Year
As
the first newsletter of 2006, we want to wish
everyone a happy and prosperous year. You probably already
know that this is the Year of the Dog, which represents
the qualities of loyalty, honesty and confidence. If you
want to know which of the Five Elements a dog is associated
with, the answer is “Earth”.
We celebrated the Chinese New Year on January 29th. The Chinese calendar is based on astronomical observations of the sun and moon, and is divided into 24 seasonal markers called "Jie-qi" or Solar Terms. In ancient Chinese agricultural society, these seasonal markers were essential for guiding the farmers when to plant or harvest their crops.
Spring is Here
The first solar term of a year is "Li-chun", meaning the Start of Spring. This year, it falls on February 4th. After this date, the weather is expected to warm up and Wood, representing all plants, will sprout and grow.
Spring is also the season of wind. Chinese medicine emphasizes the connection between Man and Nature, recognizing that this prevailing wind does impact our health. We usually find in Spring more common colds and flus, epilepsy, migraines and tension headaches, and definitely a higher incidence of Bell's Palsy.
Bell's Palsy
How do you recognize the onset of Bell's Palsy? It usually hits abruptly. If one day (typically upon waking up) you find your mouth slightly deviated, your face stiffens on one side, you cannot close your eyes or mouth completely, you drool when you drink, your food tastes a little different, you lose wrinkles on one side, you feel some pain behind an ear, you can talk but not whistle, yet your four limbs can move normally, then you probably have Bell's Palsy, also known as Facial Nerve Paralysis.
What are the treatments for Bell's Palsy?
Approximately 60% of Bell's Palsy patients recover spontaneously. Often Western doctors either prescribe prednisone or do nothing. The treatment with prednisone is controversial, and some believe that it helps only if given within 3 days of onset. Spontaneous recovery may take 6 months or more, and is sometimes incomplete, leaving some permanent disfigurement or sequelae.
Scalp acupuncture applied in our clinic has helped numerous patients recover fully and quickly. Prompt treatment is essential. If a patient starts his treatment within 1 or 2 days of onset, he is likely to recover completely with 10 to 15 treatments, given daily. The more delay, the more treatments are needed. We are proud to say that we have 99% success rate.
How do you prevent Bell's Palsy?
Avoid exposure of your neck area to cold wind. Do not sit next to air-conditioners. Do not sleep under open windows. Wrap a scarf around your neck when you stroll on a beach on cold days. Most important, do not overwork or become too stressed, because Bell's Palsy only hits you when your immunity is low.
Migraine and Tension Headaches
Although migraine and tension headaches can occur any time of the year, we see more cases in Spring. Western medicine has not offered any good solutions. Common medications like Aspirin and Amitriptyline only bring a few hours of relief, and they all have very undesirable side effects.
This is another area where Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture really excels. Regardless of the history of the disease (some of our patients had suffered for more than 25 years), the pain is alleviated to some extent in every treatment, and is usually completely resolved in a series of 5 - 15 treatments. The results may last from a few months to many years. When combined with appropriate lifestyle changes and stress-reduction techniques, remission can be permanent.
Drug Alert
FDA has issued bans or warning on the following drugs:
- Vioxx, a pain-killer, found to double the risk of heart attack and stroke
- Celebrex, a pain-killer, also found to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke
- Strattera, a prescription drug for Hyperactive Attention Deficit Disorder. There are reports that link the drug to suicidal thoughts in children and teenagers.
Are there any alternatives to Vioxx or Celebrex? Yes. According to the 1996 Report of the World Health Organization, the analgesic effect of acupuncture is comparable to that of morphine, but without the risk of tolerance and intoxication. And among all available modes of acupuncture, Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture has been shown to have the highest efficacy.
Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture therapy also helps children with Hyperactive Attention Deficit Disorder (HADD), making them more calm and focused. We have been pleased to find that many kids actually enjoy our treatments.
The Best Medication (and Free!)
Laughter increases blood flow by causing the inner linings of blood vessels (the endothelium) to expand, according to a small study of healthy movie-goers, who were shown both funny and distressing clips from films and then tested for the physical effects of each. With laughter, blood flow increases 22%; under stress, it decreases 35%. (source: Time magazine, December 2005)
Classes for Practitioners
If you are a licensed acupuncturist interested in learning Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture, please visit our website for information on our class schedule in 2006, or call ZSAREF at (602) 896-1551.
