Chinese Herbal Medicine Treatments Now Available

AKUEN Medical Therapies is proud to announce that from September 2014. Chinese Herbal Medicine treatments are now available.  As an introductory offer there will be a discount for herbal treatments priced at £30 for weekly treatment, until end of December 2014 (full price of £40 after promotion period end).
Ken O'Shea-Poon

All herbal treatments are custom made on the premises and tailored to the individuals specific needs, which be determined during a consultation.  This method ensures that all aliments presented can be uniquely supported to achieve a holistic treatment, rather than just targeting just one problem at a time. There are no herbal formulas made in advance and therefore all herbal prescriptions will be subjects to an overnight dispensary time.

Herbal Medicine is one of the main branches of Chinese therapies and is believed to significantly boost the therapeutic function of treatment from Traditional Chinese medicine.  Herbs are integral to a number of theories including the five elements, Yin and Yang balance, specific organ relationships, and thermal balances.  The function of herbal medicine can dissipate disharmony, dysfunction and stagnation to restore the body to its balanced state, effectively tackling the root of the complaint rather than just the symptoms.

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Official Clinic Launch slideshow on Youtube

Just uploaded some of the clinic launch photos up onto Youtube. It has been 8 months since the launch and life as a acupuncturist/TCM practitioner has been so fulfilling. Please…

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Shen The British Conference of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine 2014

To my colleagues of TCM and Acupuncture and anyone who is interested in this subject, just to let you know that the British Acupuncture Council are hosting their conference on…

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Acupuncture for Acne

Article from EPOCH TIMES:

New research finds acupuncture an effective treatment for the treatment of acne. Investigators examined the effects of four facial acupuncture treatments on patients suffering from acne vulgaris. Following the treatment regime, the investigators measured significant reductions in acne papules and nodules. Additional objective measurements revealed reductions in local inflammation of the skin and tissues. A survey measured a subjective satisfaction scale from patients that showed improvements as well.

The clinical data showed improvements in acne. The researchers also sought to measure the safety of acupuncture along with effectiveness. The researchers documented that no serious treatment related adverse effects resulted from acupuncture treatment. As a result, the investigation team concluded that standardized facial acupuncture is both safe and effective  for the treatment of facial acne and its associated inflammatory conditions.

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Acupuncture Treatment for Insomnia

Photo: The Use of Traditional Acupuncture to help with InsomniaInsomnia is defined as a situation where there is an unsatisfactory quantity and/or quality of sleep that lasts a considerable period of time. This includes difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Medically, insomnia is addressed by encouraging routines to cultivate good sleep patterns, such as maintenance of regular sleeping hours, and an environment which will encourage sleep. The National institute for Care and Health Excellence (NICE) have also recommended the use of cognitive behavioural therapy in cases of persistent insomnia. There are pharmacological interventions available, but their long term use has been discouraged by the Joint Formulary Committee because of the dangers of dependence and other adverse effects on health.From a medical view point sleep for humans is characterised by reduced or absent consciousness, and is initialised by the increased secretion of melatonin, a substance produced by the body in response to changing levels of daylight, and which ‘tells’ the body to go into ‘sleep mode’. Sleep is a necessary function that enables the brain to ‘reboot’ itself after daytime activity, and allows the nervous system and other physical systems of the body to restore their optimum functioning. Traditional Chinese medicine understands sleep and sleep rhythms as part of the yin yang cycle which occurs over a 24 hour period; with the hours of daylight being the period where yang is more predominant than yin and the night time, the period where yin is more predominant.What evidence exists that traditional acupuncture can help with insomnia? The British Acupuncture Council has produced several research fact sheets which discuss the evidence available for the use of acupuncture in the treatment of many 'medical conditions', including insomnia. (http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to-z-of-conditions/insomnia.html). Among the body of evidence to support the use of acupuncture to help insomnia include studies which demonstrated that acupuncture treatment helped increase the levels of nocturnal melatonin secretion, thereby enabling sleep, and reducing anxiety; and reducing sympathetic nervous system activity, and hence increasing relaxation.What actually is it about traditional acupuncture which makes it entirely different from what conventional medical professionals do? ‘Traditional’ means that the practitioner is trained to use an approach to diagnosis and treatment that has evolved over the past few thousand years in China, Japan and other countries of East Asia. It is an authentic medical tradition which explains how each person’s symptoms and signs can be interpreted to establish a diagnosis of the underlying imbalances in their overall patterns of health and well-being. Each and every piece of information is relevant to building up this picture, and that can include changes seen in the complexion, in body shape and movement, changes in the tongue and information gained from palpation of the pulse and the body as a whole. This is a very heuristic and patient-centered approach that leads to a formal diagnosis in the technical terms of traditional Chinese medicine.Once the practitioner has diagnosed the nature and cause of the imbalance a treatment plan will be devised which will be unique and specific to the patient. The treatment is then carried out by inserting ultra fine sterile disposable needles into selected acupuncture points on the body. Traditionally-trained acupuncturists may also use a heat treatment (moxabustion), cupping therapy or other forms of physical stimulation. Each year 2.3 million traditional acupuncture treatments are carried out in the UK, making this one of the most popular complementary therapies. People seek acupuncture for a variety of conditions, from chronic illness to part of a health maintenance regime. Acupuncture is a holistic treatment, and so seeks to look at the person as a whole. Any symptoms observed give clues to the internal environment of the body and will be observed together to make the diagnosis. Examples of the effects of insomnia and sleep deprivation in Chinese medicine can come from symptoms of yin deficiency, namely, mental restlessness, excessive thirst at night, an empty/fine rapid pulse, and a red tongue with no coat.Always use a qualified practitioner. The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), with around 3000 qualified members, represents the largest body of traditional acupuncturists in the UK and guarantees excellence in training, safe practice, professional conduct and continuing professional development.BAcC registered acupuncturists are trained in relevant aspects of Western medicine including anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology and aetiology. In addition, all BAcC registered acupuncturists are trained to recognise in their patients warning signs known as ‘red flags’. Red flags may indicate the presence of a life-threatening condition and such patients are immediately referred on to other healthcare practitioners for tests and treatment where appropriate.To find a qualified acupuncturist or to ask a question about acupuncture please visit www.acupuncture.org.ukReferencesJoint Formulary Committee. British National Formulary. Edition 58. London: Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and British Medical Association, September 2009.National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence, 2004. Guidance on the use of zalepon, zolpidem and zopiclone for short-term management of insomnia [online]. Technology appraisal 77. Available: http://nicemedia/pdf/TA077fullguidance.pdfSpence et al. Acupuncture Increases Nocturnal Melatonin Secretion and Reduces Insomnia and Anxiety: A Preliminary Report. J Neuropsych Clin Neurosciences 2004; 16: 19-28.Lee SY et al. Intradermal acupuncture on shen-men and nei-kuan acupoints improves insomnia. Am J Chin Med. 2009a; 37(6): 1013-21.World Health Organisation 2007. International Staistical Classification of Disease 10th Revision (ICD-10) [online]. Available http://apps.who.int/classifications/apps/icd/icd10online/

Many of my clients have this problem as a secondary complaint when they come to see me. I would say from my experience that acupuncture/massage has been able to support and improve sleep quality of many of my clients.

The Use of Traditional Acupuncture to help with Insomnia (Article published by British Acupuncture Council)

 

Insomnia is defined as a situation where there is an unsatisfactory quantity and/or quality of sleep that lasts a considerable period of time. This includes difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Medically, insomnia is addressed by encouraging routines to cultivate good sleep patterns, such as maintenance of regular sleeping hours, and an environment which will encourage sleep. The National institute for Care and Health Excellence (NICE) have also recommended the use of cognitive behavioural therapy in cases of persistent insomnia. There are pharmacological interventions available, but their long term use has been discouraged by the Joint Formulary Committee because of the dangers of dependence and other adverse effects on health.

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AKUEN Medical Therapies Supporting the Elderly

AKUEN Medical Therapies has just expanded services to supporting the elderly residence of Willen retirement village. Willen retirement village is a place that supports elderly people with independent living. I…

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Acupuncture for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

I get quiet a number of clients with problems of anxiety. Often people come to me for issues linked to physical body, but they will also have issues of anxiety that they have putting up with for many years. It is always good to see more research in this area.  Please see article below for more information.Special acupuncture points have been shown to relieve anxiety and produce tranquilizing clinical patient outcomes.

Article published by HealthCMi Feb 2014:

A recent study concludes that acupuncture relieves generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a condition characterized by excessively intense and debilitating chronic anxiety. GAD sufferers cannot relax, startle easily and have impaired concentration. Overall, GAD sufferers are chronically worried and anxious.

In this new study, researchers note that “a number of Meta analysis and system evaluations point out that acupuncture treatment has more advantages than drugs in the treatment of anxiety disorders….” The researchers also note that acupuncture has a fast effective action and high compliance. In addition, acupuncture has a relatively minimal risk of side effects compared with drug therapy.

At the Healthcare Medicine Institute (HealthCMi), we promote acupuncture continuing education with acupuncture CEU and acupuncture PDA courses online. Our news division reports the latest in acupuncture and herbal medicine research. Most news is based on modern scientific reports. This recent study stands out because its basis is both in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) classical theory and modern biomedical research.

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Acupuncture for Side Effects of Cancer Treatments

Photo: Traditional acupuncture & the side effects of cancer treatmentCan traditional forms of medicine including acupuncture help people with the side effects of cancer treatment. In addressing this question this piece will look at the use of traditional acupuncture in pain relief, palliative care as it relates directly to cancer patients, fatigue, and the management of cancer related lymph-oedema, although there are many other side effects of cancer treatment.Fatigue is a very common symptom for cancer patients, as is moderate to severe pain. This becomes an important aspect of palliative care, the goal of which is to achieve the best quality of life for patients and one aspect of conventional treatments here is pain relief. Lymph-oedema is an obstruction of the lymphatic vessels causing localised fluid retention and swelling. The area of the swelling is then at risk of infection. The cause in this instance is from injury to the lymphatic vessels from surgery or radiotherapy administered as part of cancer treatment. This is often seen in women with breast cancer.How does traditional acupuncture approach these issues? Acupuncture is a holistic treatment, and so seeks to look at the person as a whole. Any symptoms observed give clues to the internal environment of the body, and are observed together to make the diagnosis.What evidence is available to show the effectiveness of traditional acupuncture in addressing fatigue and pain as they relate specifically to cancer care? The British Acupuncture has produced a number of fact sheets about acupuncture treatment and a variety of conditions, and the sheets relating directly to fatigue and pain in this regard can be found at:http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to-z-of-conditions/cancer-care.htmlhttp://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to-z-of-conditions/palliative-care.htmlThese 2 fact sheets discuss a wide variety of research relating to acupuncture treatment for cancer care and palliative care, but a couple of headline examples are:a study found that acupuncture was more effective than cobamamide, which is an active form of vitamin B12 and is used to relieve the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy due to chemotherapy.a couple of randomised controlled trials comparing acupuncture with sham acupuncture to relieve fatigue showed that acupuncture may be more effective.In the case of using acupuncture to manage lymph-oedema, care is needed because needling may introduce infection or exacerbate the lymph-oedema. The in house journal for the BAcC, the European Journal of Oriental Medicine, published in 2011, a study in which cancer survivors who participated in an exploratory study investigating the use of acupuncture and moxibustion as an adjunct to the usual care for lymph-oedema to promote wellbeing and improve quality of life, (EJOM Vol. 6, No. 6, 2011. ‘Treating the Person Not the Disease: Acupuncture in the Management of Cancer Treatment-Related Lymph-oedema’, de Valois & Peckham). A link to the abstract can be found at:http://www.ejom.co.uk/vol-6-no-6/contents/contents.htmlThe underlying principle of traditional acupuncture is that all the body’s functions are connected by the flow of qi or vital energy around the body. The purpose of diagnosis, as with Western doctors, is to identify the nature and cause of the imbalance, and is carried out using observation, questioning and palpation. Specifically, observation of the development and strength of the body, whether wasted or thin, robust or weak, and how the patient moves, either with rapid movement or lack of movement. Questioning, will address the full medical history, including the presenting symptoms. Palpation includes pulse diagnosis where the acupuncturist will read up to 28 different pulse qualities, on both wrists. By assessing the strength, depth, rhythm and rate of the pulse, different types of disharmony and imbalance of the qi can be identified. Observation also involves examining the tongue. Having diagnosed the nature and cause of the imbalance a treatment plan will be devised which will be specific to the patient and their condition, and the treatment is carried out by inserting ultra fine sterile disposable needles into selected acupuncture points on the body to regulate the flow of qi in the meridians or channels.The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) was formed in 1995. With around 3000 qualified members it represents the largest body of traditional acupuncturists in the UK and guarantees excellence in training, safe practice, professional conduct and continuing professional development.BAcC registered acupuncturists are trained in relevant aspects of Western medicine including anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology and aetiology. In addition, all BAcC registered acupuncturists are trained to recognise in their patients warning signs known as ‘red flags’. Red flags may indicate the presence of a life-threatening condition and such patients are immediately referred on to other healthcare practitioners for tests and treatment where appropriate.To find a qualified acupuncturist or to ask a question about acupuncture please visit www.acupuncture.org.uk

Traditional acupuncture & the side effects of cancer treatmentCan traditional forms of medicine including acupuncture help people with the side effects of cancer treatment. In addressing this question this piece will look at the use of traditional acupuncture in pain relief, palliative care as it relates directly to cancer patients, fatigue, and the management of cancer related lymph-oedema, although there are many other side effects of cancer treatment.

Fatigue is a very common symptom for cancer patients, as is moderate to severe pain. This becomes an important aspect of palliative care, the goal of which is to achieve the best quality of life for patients and one aspect of conventional treatments here is pain relief. Lymph-oedema is an obstruction of the lymphatic vessels causing localised fluid retention and swelling. The area of the swelling is then at risk of infection. The cause in this instance is from injury to the lymphatic vessels from surgery or radiotherapy administered as part of cancer treatment. This is often seen in women with breast cancer.
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Continue ReadingAcupuncture for Side Effects of Cancer Treatments