ACUPUNCTURE

针久法

Inspiring the body to heal

Zachary B. Corbett Licensed Acupuncturist

zhen jiu fa

Licensed Acupuncturists• Licensed and regulated by the Oregon Board of Medical

Examiners.

• Our scope of practice in Oregon is quite broad and includes prescribing herbs and supplements, acupuncture, nutritional counseling, manual bodywork therapies.

• California training is for a much broader scope of practice, more akin to N.D.’s in Oregon.

• Trained to accurately measure clinical progress, assess other medical needs.

• Training in CA takes 4 years full-time post graduate work at a state/ federally accredited college.

Myself

• Practicing in Oregon for the last 3 years, and previously in Santa Barbara for 5 years.

• Before that I was a molecular biologist at the VA Westwood investigating anti-ulcer drugs.

• Practicing in Oregon for the last 3 years, and previously in Santa Barbara, CA. for 5 years.

• Use both Chinese and Japanese styles of acupuncture.

CHANNELS, POINTS

& THE FLOW OF QI

“The web that has no weaver”

HistoryFirst evidence of use of channels 5000 BCE: Otzi valley ice man’s tattoos align his medical problems with modern acupuncture theory.Survived in China because the Chinese were rather good at writing things down - first book was about 600 BCE.17th century anatomists show that acupuncture points are at safe locations on body. Confirmed by british surgeons in the 1930’s.Early use in USA in 1950’s by orthopedic surgeonsBrought to popular attention in the west by Nixon’s China summit: James Reston had acupuncture analgesia during an appendectomy.

Qi(also spe"ed Ki, Chi, Ch’i)

Best to think of Qi as function. The Qi of the Stomach is to receive food, produce acid, etc. The Qi of the eyes is to see.

Qi is also energy. One can talk about energy as quality, such as “he puts a lot of energy into his family.”

Qi is information, fuel, order.

Qi also parallels contemporary physics - energy and matter interchange,

Qi = m.c2

Channels 72 Channels, with branches to every cell in the body.Traditionally thought to be the highways and byways that Qi flows along.Roughly follow the paths of nerves, blood vessels.Qi flow helps the communication between the different areas of the body, e.g. between Heart and Kidneys

“Points”Safe places on the body to use

acupuncture needles 365 Main channel points all over the body.

Most are in large muscles

100 Points on each ear.

Depth of insertion varies from a millimeter to 6 inches or more - a" with the same comfort levels.

Emergent Functions• Uncooked rice spread on a metal

plate.• The metal is vibrated. • At different frequencies, an impressive

range of geometries appear.• These geometries are “emerging” from

the inherent properties of the metal acting on the rice.

• Notice that there are no walls on the metal plate until the peaks and troughs of the sound wavelength create them.

Likewise, studying anatomy from a cadaver to look for acupuncture channels would be like looking for these geometries on plate that

is not vibrating.

Understanding acupuncture channels:

MODERN SCIENCE &

ACUPUNCTURE

Immune System,Blood, Nerves,

Brain

Physiological changes that can be measured after

acupunctureIncrease in blood flow to problem, ischemic areas of the body.Changes in immune system factors in the blood - increase white blood cells, compliment activation, Ig modulation.Changes in blood chemistry - cortisol and other circulating hormone levels.Endorphin release stimulated in the brain.Changes in brain activity followed on brain scan images.

Difficulty of doing clinical trials with acupuncture

You are doing something to a person who is awake and can see what is going on.Most people can feel if something is inserted into their bodies.“Sham Acupuncture” - 1. Like jury selection, you find someone who has never

had acupuncture and has not heard too many descriptions about what to expect...(Exactly how much is too many?)

2. You put up a screen between the patient’s eyes and the target acupuncture point.

3. You tap an empty tube onto the point, and hope they can’t tell the difference.

Difficulty of doing clinical trials with acupuncture

Science requires “double blind placebo controlled study”Acupuncturists do not make treatment designs based off western diagnoses. We “do what is necessary.” Our training is to design individual, case specific parameters :Needle size.Intensity of stimulation.Duration of a treatment.

Number of sessions per week.Use of moxa or not.Needle technique.Points selected

Removal of interfering lifestyle choices or not: posture, diet, work habits etc.

Recent clinical efficacy studies suggesting benefits of method

Menopausal symptoms: insomnia, anxiety, hot flashes.

Osteoarthritis of the knee: reduction of pain, inflammation.

Post-op recovery of head/ neck surgeries.

Hypertension

Multiple sclerosis - fatigue, pain, remission maintenance

Fibromyalgia symptoms

National Institutes of Health Consensus

AllergiesAnxietyArthritisAsthmaBack painChildhood diseasesChronic fatigueColds and fluDifficulty concentrating

EpilepsyEmotional difficultiesEczemaGastric disturbancesHeart diseaseIndustrial/ sports injuriesInfertility

Post surgical recuperationPainful periodsSleep problemsStressStrokeTMJ syndromeTrigeminal neuralgia

WHY IS ACUPUNCTURE SO SAFE?

Safety RecordOver 2000 years of recorded anatomical study (in Europe since 17th century)

Training develops a high level of delicacy and fine motor control.

Most frequent complications are transient nausea, lightheadedness, bruising.

There are more serious complications possible, but modern technique, modern tools and modern training have largely eradicated these.

“...It’s comfortable!?!”I see that at least 60% of my patients fall asleep during the session. More have “myoclonic spasms” that are normal for peri-sleep brain waves.

Designed to work via the body’s natural healing ability which relies heavily on relaxation. If I go about my day stressing people out I could never get any results.

Some people feel nothing, some people feel unusual sensations like electricity, pressure or a moving warmth.

There is nothing in western culture to compare it to. Absolutely and tota"y unrelated to injections.

When is it safe to use acupuncture? If condition is not currently life threatening.

If life threatening, that the acupuncture therapy will not interfere with other life saving measures.No diabetic neuropathy, clotting disorder.

If receiving no treatment will not exacerbate the problem.If biomedicine is simply not working.

Fundamentally Your choice

If biomedical treatment options & side effects are worse than the disease and there is time to safely defer standard treatment - alternative medicine is the best place to start or transition to.

CASE STUDIESOf patients in my Eugene clinic

Case Study #1: “Mary”‣ A 60 year old woman with chronic arthritis in both

knees. 6/10 walking; 8 /10 pain level with stairs. Worse in morning. Severe health problems, not a good candidate for knee replacement surgery. 600mg ibuprofen/ day.

‣ Started with 1 hour treatment, Tuesday and Friday. Acupuncture and moxibustion each session.

‣ 1st week: pain gone for 2 hours after treatment, then returns to usual pattern.

‣ 4th week: pain down 80% for day after session, 50% for day after, then returns at a consistent 6-7/10 or less, depending on activity level. Ibuprofen down to 400 mg, 4 days per week.

Case Study #1: “Mary”‣ 7th week: pain down 80% or more (stairs & walking) for

2-3 days after session, reduce frequency to once per week due to transportation difficulties.

‣ By end of 3rd month: Walking is mostly comfortable and is able to climb stairs with 4/10 pain. Patient estimates only using ibuprofen 1-2 times per week, depending on activity levels.

Case Study #1: “Laura”‣ A 43 year old woman, co-owns a nursery. Diagnosed

with ankylosing spondylitis 10 years ago. Pain is most severe in the left elbow and in the neck. Worse with movement, slightly better with rest but job makes it difficult to take rest periods. Feels very distraught and hopeless as western prognosis is very poor. 8-9/10 “or more” severe burning, aching. Can not get comfortable. Can only make once per week sessions, only most weeks.

‣ At the second session, I spent 30 minutes after treatment showing her stretches.

‣ At the third session, I taught her how to perform moxibustion on herself. Goes home with written instructions and some moxa poles ($1 each pole).

Case Study #1: “Laura”‣ 1st session: Pain down 50% for several hours. A

profound feeling of well being that she has not felt “for years” that lasted even when pain levels rose again.

‣ By 3rd week, has significantly reduced her suffering. Is able to extend benefit of session by 2 whole days using her “homework.”

‣ By the end of her 2nd month, episodes of maximal pain are down to 1-3 times per week. Ibuprofen is much more effective at these times. Sleeping better, feels “more comfortable in her own skin.”

‣ Discontinued acupuncture around 4th month for financial reasons (no insurance). Continues stretching and moxibustion with much improved general quality of life.

Zachary B. Corbett, L.Ac.

132 East Broadway, Suite 312

Downtown between Oak & Pearl

Traditional Chinese Medicine

I am trained to monitor clinical progress:

T.C.M.

warning signsuse of SOAP notestelephone follow ups

symptom journal design for home use -

diet, basal body temperature,activity vs. pain log, others)