Can Chinese Healing Help Me?

[Guest guest]

I am a 59 year old Caucasian male. Three years ago, I suddenly

developed severe chest congestion. My peek flow rate is now only 300

where before it was 500. Conventional doctors are unable to help. I

have been on cortical steroid inhalers, nasal sprays, immuno-therapy

(allergy shots) and antibiotics. I even had sinus surgery. Nothing

helps. I have had many blood tests, cultures, cat scans of the lungs

and sinuses. I was even tested for cystic fibrosis. All negative. I

have been to an Allergist, an Ear-Nose-Throat specialist and a

Pulmonologist. None has a good diagnosis. It has been suggested that

the villious action, which normaly beats the mucos out of the lungs, is

not working. However, that is a congenital defect, not something that

occurs suddenly.

 

Something happened to my body three years ago that perhaps acupuncture

can set right again. Does any body have any insight they can share with

me? Is this the type of condition that acupuncture can help? Also,

could someone give me a ball park figure for how much acupuncture

treatments cost.

[Guest guest]

This is not TCM but has anyone checked you for magnesium deficiency?

Mg dilates the breathing passages. Muscles also need Mg in order to

relax. Without enough Mg the diaphragm and muscles around the chest

have trouble moving. You might want to research Mg and asthma.

(Even though you may not be diagnosed with asthma, a search for

these two items will bring up material on asthma and breathing.

 

From a TCM standpoint, there are several TCM imbalances that can

manifest as trouble breathing and congestion in the lungs. Some of

them aren't even in the Lungs but in the Kidneys, Liver, or Large

Intestine. More info is needed. (Note: The names of TCM Organs are

capitalized because they are not equivalent to the anatomical

organs. TCM Organs are collections of functions. This will become

clearer later on.)

 

Do you find it easier to breathe out than to inhale, or easier to

inhale than exhale, or are they about the same?

 

Please describe when the breathing problems are the worst. Lying

down? Cold weather or any other weather conditions? After extertion?

Night time or day time or about the same? Worse when dry, or worse

when damp, or about the same? Which season of the year do you do the

best, and which do you do the worst (if any)? Are you worse when

it's windy?

 

What are your bowel movements like? Any digestive system problems?

What is your diet like?

 

Please check your tongue in the mirror. Is the tip of your tongue

redder than the rest of the tongue? As best as you are able to tell,

is your tongue overall very pale or overly red or normal (a dark

pink)? Are there any purplish tones? Do the sides of the tongue

have an orangish hue? What is the color of the coating of the

tongue, and as best as you can tell, is it unusually thick.

 

Please describe any other health problems or symptoms you may have.

For example, changes in libido, feelings of heaviness in the limbs,

especially the legs, any backaches or kneeaches, excessive thirst or

aversion to drinking liquids, fondness for hot liquids or cold

liquids, trouble warming up or cooling down, moving and speaking

rapidly or slowly or normal, energy level, etc.?

 

In the meantime, congestion problems in TCM point strongly to

Dampness and possibly Phlegm problems. TCM recognizes that some

foods are particularly Damp-engendering. Two of the worst are dairy

and wheat. You might consider cutting way back on or eliminating

these foods from your diet for a while to see if this helps the

problem.

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " R_Yaeger "

<robert.e.yaeger@l...> wrote:

> I am a 59 year old Caucasian male. Three years ago, I suddenly

> developed severe chest congestion. My peek flow rate is now only

300

> where before it was 500. Conventional doctors are unable to help.

I

> have been on cortical steroid inhalers, nasal sprays, immuno-

therapy

> (allergy shots) and antibiotics. I even had sinus surgery. Nothing

> helps. I have had many blood tests, cultures, cat scans of the

lungs

> and sinuses. I was even tested for cystic fibrosis. All negative.

I

> have been to an Allergist, an Ear-Nose-Throat specialist and a

> Pulmonologist. None has a good diagnosis. It has been suggested

that

> the villious action, which normaly beats the mucos out of the

lungs, is

> not working. However, that is a congenital defect, not something

that

> occurs suddenly.

>

> Something happened to my body three years ago that perhaps

acupuncture

> can set right again. Does any body have any insight they can share

with

> me? Is this the type of condition that acupuncture can help? Also,

> could someone give me a ball park figure for how much acupuncture

> treatments cost.

[Guest guest]

Mr. Yaeger,

 

In answer to your question, yes, I believe that Chinese medicine can

help you. As Victoria mentioned, there are several areas that TCM

(Tradition ) would take into account besides the

lung area, because TCM looks at how the entire body functions as a

whole. (In a sense, Western biomedicine attempts to do something

similar with corticone medication for pulmonary deficiencies.)

 

My advice to you is to seek out the best and most dedicated

acupuncturist you can find. Please be aware that, like MDs, each

acupuncturist with have his or her areas of expertise, experience,

and talent. (Some are better at treating OBGyn issues, or structural

sports medicine-type issues, for example.) If you don't feel

comfortable with a particular LAc (licensed acupuncturist) or if an

LAc does not help you within a reasonable amount of time, then

resolve to find one with whom you can work better. Many people find

an LAc who is not helpful and decide acupuncture " doesn't work " --

but, oddly enough, they don't do the same thing with MDs. Find

someone good. That person is out there.

 

As for rates, these can vary greatly depending on what part of the

country you are in, or sometimes even what part of a city you are

in. In my area (California Bay Area), acupuncture treatments can

range from $35 to $80 per treatment. (Acupuncture sessions are

usually charged by session, not by the clock.)

 

As you surmised from Victoria's post, you may be asked some

seemingly odd and unrelated questions. Don't worry; TCM

practitioners use the entire body to form a diagnosis. If you have

any other " issues " with which you are unhappy (poor sleep, weight

gain, sore heel, anything), be sure to mention them. Don't edit

yourself... most likely, it will be valuable information.

 

Best of luck to you,

 

Maria

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " R_Yaeger "

<robert.e.yaeger@l...> wrote:

> I am a 59 year old Caucasian male. Three years ago, I suddenly

> developed severe chest congestion. My peek flow rate is now only

300

> where before it was 500. Conventional doctors are unable to help.

I

> have been on cortical steroid inhalers, nasal sprays, immuno-

therapy

> (allergy shots) and antibiotics. I even had sinus surgery. Nothing

> helps. I have had many blood tests, cultures, cat scans of the

lungs

> and sinuses. I was even tested for cystic fibrosis. All negative.

I

> have been to an Allergist, an Ear-Nose-Throat specialist and a

> Pulmonologist. None has a good diagnosis. It has been suggested

that

> the villious action, which normaly beats the mucos out of the

lungs, is

> not working. However, that is a congenital defect, not something

that

> occurs suddenly.

>

> Something happened to my body three years ago that perhaps

acupuncture

> can set right again. Does any body have any insight they can share

with

> me? Is this the type of condition that acupuncture can help? Also,

> could someone give me a ball park figure for how much acupuncture

> treatments cost.

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " mkfaria " <mkfaria>

wrote:

> As you surmised from Victoria's post, you may be asked some

> seemingly odd and unrelated questions. Don't worry; TCM

> practitioners use the entire body to form a diagnosis. If you have

> any other " issues " with which you are unhappy (poor sleep, weight

> gain, sore heel, anything), be sure to mention them. Don't edit

> yourself... most likely, it will be valuable information.

 

This needs to be stressed for readers new to TCM. When a TCM

herbalist or acupuncturist evaluates clients, they evaluate the

entire person. TCM is much more geared toward identifying and

treating Roots instead of treating symptoms than Western allopathic

medicine is.

 

Another part of the reason why TCM healers evalute the entire person

instead of just treating symptoms is because they are mindful that

treatment for one problem can aggravate other problems that the

person has. So they treat all at the same time.

 

Not every acupuncturist uses TCM. Some practice a French energetics

style of acupuncture. Excellent results can be obtained with a

cookbook style acupuncture in most cases, but I personally prefer

TCM acupuncturists. Readers new to TCM who are considering seeing an

acupuncturist may want to ask if the acupuncturists practices TCM.

[Guest guest]

<snip>

> As for rates, these can vary greatly depending on

> what part of the country you are in, or sometimes

> even what part of a city you are in. In my area

> (California Bay Area), acupuncture treatments can

> range from $35 to $80 per treatment. (Acupuncture

> sessions are usually charged by session, not by the

> clock.)

 

And, if money is an issue, check out the clinics at acupuncture

schools.

 

Yes, you'd be seeing students but they'd be just about to graduate

and still have perhaps the best teachers locally to consult with easily.

 

If they suggest herbs, the herbs will stand a good chance of being of

good quality and fresh (from high clinic volume).

 

Penel

[Guest guest]

> Not every acupuncturist uses TCM. Some practice a French energetics

> style of acupuncture. Excellent results can be obtained with a

> cookbook style acupuncture in most cases, but I personally prefer

> TCM acupuncturists. Readers new to TCM who are considering seeing an

> acupuncturist may want to ask if the acupuncturists practices TCM.

 

While TCM is " my thing " also, I've seen some fantastic results

from those practicing Korean style, as well as Japanese style.

(I haven't seen French style in person.) I think that the bottom

line is finding someone who excels in whatever style they

use, and reap the benefits of their skills.

Jeri