Acupuncture West London - The Podcast

30/11/2023

Ileocecal Valve Dysfunction | Often, what is initially thought to be an appendix problem is an issue with the ileocecal valve (ICV).

23/10/2023

Frost Descend | Today is Shuāngjiàng 霜降, also known as Frost Descend. Shuāngjiàng is the 18th solar term. It occurs annually around Oct 23rd.

20/06/2023

The evidence suggests that acupuncture is beneficial for those suffering from depression. Many clinical trials were conducted in China and there are concerns the results may not be applicable to a UK setting. However, a large-scale high-quality trial was carried out in the UK. which indicates that a...

27/03/2023

The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) sets the highest standards of professional practice for the acupuncture profession in the UK. Independent accreditation Since February 2013, the BAcC’s register has been accredited by an independent body which is accountable to P...

22/03/2023

02/02/2023

Acupuncture: An Evidence-Based Medicine - There's no real evidence to suggest that acupuncture really works, or is there?

30/08/2022

Acupuncture vs Dry Needling - It's an excellent and essential question for anyone looking to try acupuncture and find the right practitioner.

20/08/2022

“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” T.S. Eliot

04/08/2022

Great Heat - Today is Dàshǔ 大暑, also known as 'Great or Major Heat'. Dàshǔ is the twelfth solar term and the last node of summer.

06/04/2022

Today is Qīngmíng, also known as 'Bright and Clear'. Qīngmíng is the fifth solar term, which occurs annually approximately on April 6th.

20/02/2022

Today is Yu Shui 雨 水, also known as 'Rain Water'. Yu Shui is the second solar term, which occurs annually between February 18th and 20th.

18/11/2021

Medicine is a skill learned anew in every generation. It is handed down to us through time, and rekindled in the mind and experience of those living in this present moment. The problem for us moderns thus becomes how do we keep the bones of the ancestral wisdom intact while at the same time dressing them as our own for a modern time.

The underlying mental and perceptual architecture of Chinese medicine draws on a different worldview than that of our modern, rationalist European flavored duality. By comparison, Chinese medicine gives us a larger, deeper, more multi-dimensional tapestry from which to view the world and see how everything weaves together. It gives us a structure for attending to the manifestations and interconnections of qi as revealed in the material, vital energy, psycho-emotive and spiritual domains of existence, all without needing to draw firm distinctions between.

In this talk we will discuss qi anatomy in a way that will make it clearer to the modern mind while at the same time remaining true to the wisdom passed down from the ancients. In this seminar we will cover essential the differences in Eastern and Western thinking, the importance of the classics as a touchstone in our studies and why Chinese philosophy is a necessary part of a Chinese medicine curriculum. We will also discuss a framework of understanding that listeners may find useful in parsing the medicine.

https://www.qiological.com/maps-terrains-qi-anatomy/

17/11/2021

Leaves on a plant curl and turn yellow when the soil is not right. The health of a cat is reflected in the texture of its fur and clearity in the eyes. Likewise with people we can discern states of wellness or illness by attending to those parts of the body that are the first to show the signs of change. And so over the centuries we’ve learned to trust the reflections we see from the pulse, abdomen, tongue and if you’re sensitive enough, the qi itself.

In this conversation with Thomas Sorensen we explore abdominal and pulse patterns from the Japanese acupuncture perspective and investigate how they are reliable markers for finding patterns of disharmony that help both with diagnosis and tracking the efficacy of our treatment. And beyond that, how the Saam organ pairings show up as reflections of excess and deficiency on the abdomen and in the pulse.

Listen into the discussion of hands on medicine, as we traverse the terrain of Japanese and Saam acupuncture.

https://www.qiological.com/japanese-and-saam-acupuncture/

10/11/2021

According to the most up todate evidence, acupunctureis an effective treatment for allergic rhinitis. Studies also suggest that acupuncture is safer than current commonly-used medications and may be more cost-effective.

10/11/2021

POINT LOCATION: ST-36 足三里 — Zúsānlî or Leg Three Miles:
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St-36 is a powerful acupuncture point. Its name in pinyin is 'Zúsānlî', which translates as ‘Leg Three Miles’. Legend has it that it found its name by enabling ancient Chinese soldiers to go the extra three miles.
Traditionally, Zúsānlî strengthens the legs, fortifies the whole body, tonifies Qi, Xue (blood) and Jinye (body fluids), and eliminates fatigue. 'Li' may be interpreted within this context as a ‘mile’ or as a homonym for ‘to rectify‘. For this reason, Qin Cheng-Zu of the Song Dynasty declared Zúsānlî to be the ‘point of one hundred diseases‘.
READ FULL BLOG POST @ https://acupuncture-westlondon.com/point-location-st-36
acupuncture-westlondon.com

10/11/2021

POINT LOCATION | ST-36 足三里 - Traditionally, Zúsānlî strengthens the legs, tonifies Qi, blood and body fluids, and eliminates fatigue.

03/11/2021

The 13 Ghost Points:
The ancient Chinese frequently spoke of possession by demons and ghosts. Society viewed the realm of the living as only one plane of existence—one that ran parallel to that of the dead. Ghosts (or gui 鬼 ) were often attributed to the onset of conditions such as mania, paranoia, addiction, seizures, paralysis, lockjaw, headaches, nightmares, epilepsy and mental illness (Dian Cong). People were concerned with appeasing the dead through worship and ritual to ensure that spirits did not negatively impact their daily lives. Around the 7th century, renowned Chinese physician Sun Si-Miao shifted this idea of spiritual possession as a cause of disease to include that of a more physiological nature—the concept of having an excess of Phlegm. Excess Phlegm is said to be the result of long-standing emotional imbalance or trauma, weak Jing or Essence, poor diet, overwork, drug or alcohol abuse and numerous external pathogens—particularly an invasion of wind, heat, and dampness into the body. The 13 Ghost Points focused primarily on treating mental illnesses and neurological disorders within this context. Additionally, Sun Si-Miao understood these points to help cultivate one's sense of self throughout one's lifetime.
Traditionally, each of the 13 ghost points had a specific indication and could be combined to treat anxiety, dizziness and a feeling of overwhelm. However, these points were specifically indicated for treating more acute psychological disorders, including mania, bipolar disorder, hallucinations, schizophrenia, epilepsy, and more.
The 13 ghost points are as follows:
• Gui Gong 鬼宮 – Central Palace of the Ghost – DU-26
• Gui Xin 鬼信 – Ghost Faith – Lu-11
• Gui Lei 鬼壘 – Ghost Fortress – Sp-1
• Gui Xin 鬼心 – Ghost Heart – Pc-7
• Gui Lu 鬼路 – Ghost Path – Bl-62
• Gui Zhen 鬼枕 – Ghost Pillow – Du-16
• Gui Chuang 鬼床 – Ghost Bed – St-6
• Gui Shi 鬼市 – Ghost Market – Ren-24
• Gui Ku 鬼窟 – Ghost Cave – Pc-8
• Gui Tang 鬼堂 – Ghost Hall – Du-23
• Gui Cang 鬼藏 – Ghost Store – Ren-1
• Gui Chen 鬼臣 – Ghost Leg – Co-11
• Gui Feng 鬼風 – Ghost Seal – MHN-37: HaiQuan; (alternative point: MHN-3: YinTang)
acupuncture-westlondon.com

01/11/2021

POINT LOCATION: SP-6 三阴交 (Sān Yīn Jiāo or Three Yin Crossing)
Sp-6 is located on the inside of the lower leg, 3 cun (or one hands’ breadth) above the prominence of the medial malleolus (ie. the highest point of the ankle bone). It is located in a depression on the medial side or inside of the tibia or shin bone.
Sp-6 is a powerful acupuncture point. Its name in pinyin is 'San Yin Jiao’, which translates as ‘3 leg crossing’ and highlights its primary function as a meeting point of the three yin channels of the leg: kidney, spleen and liver. It is this connection that makes Sp-6 a primary point for tonifying the kidneys and spleen, and harmonising the liver—all key components in the creation and movement of qi and blood. Within this context, Sp-6 is said to regulate menstruation, and invigorate, cool and nourish the blood. However, its actions and indications are broad, and it is a primary point in the treatment of many digestive, gynaecological, sexual, urinary and emotional disorders as well as being indicated for skin conditions; for example, eczema and urticaria (hives). Finally, as a local point, Sp-6 can be used in the treatment of atrophy disorder and painful obstruction of the lower limbs.
As it facilitates a strong downward movement, Sp-6 is contra-indicated during pregnancy but is indicated, along with other acupuncture points, in the induction of labour for this very reason. It is also this downward movement that indicates Sp-6 in the treatment of difficult urination, anxiety, insomnia and more.
acupuncture-westlondon.com

🎶 Ben Carrigan