Bo's Method of Abdominal Acupuncture

[Guest guest]

Hello,

 

I was made aware of this discussion group by a colleague at AIMC. I

practice and do clinical instruction for Bo's Method of Abdominal

Acupuncture (BMAA) in China. I have been practicing and translating

for Dr. Bo since the summer of 2005 and last October I officially

became his apprentice along with 11 others including Dr. Zhang

Honglin. Recently I finished a training at the Guangxi Provincial

and Pharmacology outpatient clinic and I am currently

training some of the acupuncture staff of the Guangdong Chinese

Medicine Hospital in Jiangmen-Xinhui. Additionally, I finished a

master's degree in acupuncture from the Beijing University of CM in

2004 and I have been studying with traditional practitioners since my

arrival in Beijing, China in 1995.

 

This technique has been taught in China 1998 and been in development

since its seminal beginnings in 1972 when Dr. Bo discovered that using

deep needling of CV4 and 6 could cure a patient of low back pain in

one treatment. The level of needling became more and more superficial

over time so that no needles penetrate the abdominal cavity and on the

holographic level the needles often barely penetrate the skin.

 

The basic way of thinking for treating deficient/chronic conditions of

the musculoskeletal system is given that you are dealing with a " lack

of nourishing resulting in pain " (bu4 rong2 ze2 tong4) condition,

first: activate the Qi and Blood of the appropriate organs (e.g. bones

and muscles à Kidney and Spleen à CV 4 and 12); second: open and guide

the Qi and Blood into the appropriate channels use the 12 Normal

Channels on the abdomen (e.g. K17 to bring the vital substances into

the UB channel; ST 24 or 26 for the ST and LI channels); third: use

the points on the holograph (what Dr. Bo considers to be the

Congenital Channel System) to pinpoint the anatomical location of the

problem (e.g. CV10 for the 7th cervical vertebra and/or slightly above

that for the vertebra basilar artery; the upper rheumatic point for

the elbow).

 

My experience is that if all the levels are needled appropriately that

the effects are immediate, substantial and enduring. If not,

especially if only the hologram is needled, the effect is only

temporary. Other factors to consider is whether or not the patient is

actively nursing/nurturing their condition along with treatment or

continuing the maladaptive behavior (like continuing to work long

hours on a computer with carpal tunnel syndrome). And, if the patient

has Blood Stasis, which although can be affected by regulating the Qi

using acupuncture, it is much easier to achieve more stable results by

bleeding first.

 

I would hesitate to draw conclusions about the duration of treatment

efficacy without extensive formal training and practice.

 

The way of thinking above is only part of Dr. Bo's treatment theory.

Regulation of the organs is key to his system but the " miraculous

tortoise " is not always used. For example, treating gynecological

conditions uses no superficial needling.

 

I do not see Dr. Bo using abdominal diagnosis (unless it is only by

visual observation). He has researched this, though and I have heard

him discuss abdominal diagnosis and massage with others. I do use it

and abdominal massage in my practice for Qi stagnation.

 

Although Dr. Bo had some initial conservative reactions from the

Beijing University of CM, BMAA is now an 18 hr elective course taught

by Prof. Zhang Honglin introduced to the students as part of the

acupuncture curriculum and I believe 1-3 masters students of BUCM will

be working with Bo's Abdominal Acupuncture Research Institute in

Beijing. There are several docs at the Sino Japanese Friendship

hospital (a BUCM affiliated hospital) using his technique including

Dr. Bai, the former (if not still current) acupuncture dept head.

Other hospitals with department heads and professors using BMAA in BJ

include: Huguosi TCM hospital, Xuanwu district hospital, Dongzhimen CM

hospital, Chinese-Western Medicine Integration Hospital (zhong xi yi

jiehe yiyuan). In Tianjin, one of Dr. Bo's apprentices runs his

stroke rehab center using BMAA as the primary treatment.

 

There are BMAA specialty clinics in Xinjiang (stroke rehab center),

Shanxi, Guangdong: Guangzhou, Zhu Hai, Xin Hui… and in two in Guangxi

to name a few places in the 10 provinces it is used. By far the

greatest acceptance is in Guangdong where it is the principle method

used in the Traditional Medicine Center of the First Provincial

Hospital of TCM in Guangzhou and the department heads of cardiology,

gynecology, emergency medicine, acupuncture, orthopedics and the

traditional medicine center are all his apprentices. In all the

departments and several of the centers across China many clinical

studies are on going.

 

Currently, there is no English version of Dr. Bo's book, " Abdominal

Acupuncture " (I'm supposed to be working on that). I have written a

course book to be used with his class which he or I will use the next

time the course is taught in the States. Versions of the course book

are available in Italian.

 

I am in the process of writing an article on BMAA. If you have any

further question, I would be happy to engage them.

 

Peace,

 

Paul Ryan Lic.Ac., CA

[Guest guest]

Dear Paul do you know if § how it'is possible to buy the italian book

on abdominal acupuncture.

 

Best Francesco Bottai

MD. Paediatrician

CAM practitioner

 

Chinese Medicine , " Paul Ryan "

<p_f_ryan wrote:

>

> Hello,

>

>

>

> Currently, there is no English version of Dr. Bo's book, " Abdominal

> Acupuncture " (I'm supposed to be working on that). I have written a

> course book to be used with his class which he or I will use the next

> time the course is taught in the States. Versions of the course book

> are available in Italian.

>

> I am in the process of writing an article on BMAA. If you have any

> further question, I would be happy to engage them.

>

> Peace,

>

> Paul Ryan Lic.Ac., CA

>