DAAN Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture

Chinese medicine is becoming popular in Australia and else where in the world, DAAN offers Chinese herbal and acupuncture consultation, please contact us.

“TRADITIONAL Chinese medicine is one of the oldest and most complex schools of medicine in the world. Developed over thousands of years and widely practised throughout Asia, TCM is rapidly gaining popularity in Australia.

Encompassing Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, dietary advice and exercise, the underlying principles of TCM are largely based on the philosophy of chi, or life energy, that flows through the body along pathways referred to as meridians.”

Tags: Acupuncture, East and West by DAAN
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Chinese medicine can alleviate your headache.

“More than 45 million people in the United States experience chronic, recurring headaches, and, of these, 28 million also suffer migraines. Approximately 4 percent of adults experience headaches almost daily.”

Tags: Acupuncture, Herbs by DAAN
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Alternative medicine is gaining popularity in Australia, especially acupuncture.

DAAN offers acupuncture treatment, please contact us to set up an appointment.

“ALTERNATIVE therapies could become part of mainstream medicine within five years, following the funding of a Queensland research centre.
Prof Luis Vitetta, from the University of Queensland’s medical school, said GPs should prepare for the change by taking courses in natural medicine, including acupuncture, aromatherapy and reflexology.

The National Institute of Complementary Medicine has awarded Prof Vitetta $660,000 to set up a clinic at UQ for the research of alternative treatments.”

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Researchers in Europe have evidence that acupuncture treatments can help relieve hot flashes caused by Tamoxifen, a common drug used to treat breast cancer:

“Acupuncture reduced by half the hot flushes caused by tamoxifen in a small clinical trial involving 59 breast cancer patients after surgery. Relief was experienced both day and night, and the reduction in hot flushes was seen 3 months after the last acupuncture treatment.

These results were presented today at the European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC) in Berlin, Germany, by Jill Hervik, a physiotherapist and acupuncturist at the Vestfold Central Hospital, Tønsberg, Norway. She was working with Odd Mjåland, MD, PhD, from Sørlandet Hospital in Kristiansand, Norway.

Acupuncture is being used increasingly in Western countries to treat hot flushes associated with the menopause, Ms. Hervik commented, and this study shows that it “seems to provide effective relief from hot flushes, both day and night, for women taking tamoxifen after surgery for breast cancer.”

The treatment effect seems to coincide with a general improvement in well-being, as measured by the Kupperman Index, which assesses quality of life, she told a press briefing. Acupuncture is inexpensive and does not cause adverse side effects, she pointed out. “Our results suggest that acupuncture could be used more widely for treating breast cancer patients suffering from symptoms related to their anti-estrogen medication.”"

Tags: Acupuncture, Women's Health by DAAN
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Good article about depression from a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) perspective:

“‘’Depression'’ in Chinese medicine is defined as a disorder caused by emotional constraint with stagnation of Qi (energy), with typical symptoms such as: lowering of the spirits, irritability, inclination to cry, distention and pain in hypochondria area, insomnia and sometimes a feeling of a foreign body in the throat (A plumb stone throat). It is not the exact equivalent of depression in Western medicine, but they share common features. The first medical book, ‘’the yellow emperor’s classic of internal Medicine'’ (I’ve referred to many times in previous articles) already contained theories on the origin of depression. In TCM, mental and/or emotional problems such as depression are attributed to an imbalance or blockage in one or more of the internal organs (Zang-Fu) Some of the more common patterns of disharmony that can manifest as depression are:

· Stagnation of Liver Qi with such symptoms as uneasiness, hypochondriac distention, belching, anorexia etc.
· Accumulation of phlegm with symptoms such as distention and pain in the flanks, depressed mood,
· Heart yin deficiency with symptoms such as Palpitations, forgetfulness, insomnia etc..

Usually people begin to experience some signs and symptoms such as the ones mentioned above. left untreated, the disorder will spread and involve other organs. That is why in TCM we recommend early diagnosis and treatment. The longer a person waits to be treated, the more treatments he or she will need. Acupuncture is used as the main modality, but is often supplemented with Chinese herbal formulas. A new pilot study in the university of Arizona confirmed that TCM is a promising treatment for mild to major depression. 70% of participants experienced at least 50% reduction of symptoms, comparable to the success rates of psychotherapy and medication. This was the first (to my knowledge) randomized, controlled double blinded study of Acupuncture’s effectiveness for depression reported in Western scientific literature. ”

Tags: Acupuncture, Disease by DAAN
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An interesting article about an acupuncture practitioner in Appalachia explaining how acupuncture works:

“The thought of having needles or pins placed from head to toe is enough to make some cringe - unless they are a fan of acupuncture.

“The idea behind acupuncture is that we have a vital life force running through us through channels, much like a stream,” oriental medicine doctor and licensed acupuncturist Robert E. Robinson said.

“Thousands of years ago, Chinese men and women discovered the art of stimulating the energy and organs of the body through the application of pressure and heat,” Robinson said. “They used special points which formed patterns on the surface of the body. These points are known today as ‘acupuncture meridians.’”

Through “the application of very fine needles or heat on these pathways, one is able to influence the body’s natural flow of energy known as “qi” [pronounced “chee”].”

There are 365 main points of acupuncture and over 1000 “extra points.”

The ear alone has 200 points used to control various parts of the entire body.

Walking into an acupuncture clinic, it is likely that the smell of burning moxa, commonly known as mugwort, will be present.

The scent and heat of it is used to stimulate blood flow allowing for a smoother qi, Robinson said.

Acupuncture needles range in size from one to 10.

A size-one needle is the needle of choice for Robinson, and is hardly larger than a strand of fishing line; comparably, a size-10 needle closely resembles the size of a cross stitch needle.

“The Japanese believe you don’t need to feel the needle for the treatment to be effective and I want as little discomfort for the patient as possible,” Robinson said. “Many say they can’t feel it until they get to the hands or feet where there are more nerve endings.”

Robinson described the sensation as that of a mosquito bite that quickly fades.

Robinson believes that acupuncture can be used to treat almost anything.”

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British Columbia start to offer public funds for acupuncture treatments.

“B.C.’s new health program began on April Fool’s Day but it was no joke.

The province will be the first in Canada to offer public funds for acupuncture treatments for its Medical Services Plan (MSP) recipients, announced the health minister on Sunday

Acupuncture, the practice of inserting needles into the skin to treat pain, will be available to anyone earning less than $28,000 per year, said George Abbott.”

Tags: Acupuncture, East and West by DAAN
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Study shows that acupuncture may increase the change for pregnancy

“It sounds far-fetched —- sticking needles in women to help them become pregnant —- but a scientific review suggests that

The surprising finding is far from proven, and there are only theories for how and why acupuncture might work. However, some fertility specialists say they are hopeful that this relatively inexpensive and simple treatment might ultimately prove to be a useful add-on to traditional methods.”

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Acupuncture brings relief to some animals

“JACKSONVILLE, FL — Little Ricky is clipping along as he takes a stroll around the hallways of the Brentwood Animal Clinic. Everyone is happy to see how easy he moves. Because just two months earlier it was a much different story for the Dachshund.

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Chinese medicine provides insights into insomnia:

“Insomnia, or the inability to get restful sleep, affects approximately 70 million Americans. The consequences of not getting enough sleep are significant and can impact every aspect of a person’s well-being. While many find relief with pharmaceutical sleep aids, these drugs often have undesirable side effects, and in many cases are not recommended for regular, long-term use.

Traditional Chinese medicine has long recognized the importance of sound sleep and has developed several effective strategies to help improve the quality and duration of sleep. In fact, a 2003 analysis of acupuncture research published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing concluded that “acupuncture may be an effective intervention for the relief of insomnia.”

Healthy sleep occurs when one’s body and life are in balance. Throughout the day there is a waxing and waning of highly active “yang” energy and slower, quiet, calm “yin” energy. Normally, a person’s yang is higher during the day while yin is more prevalent at night. When there is an imbalance between yin and yang, insomnia can result. A Chinese medicine practitioner might use acupuncture, herbs, massage, or a combination of these to restore balance and thus improve sleep.

Recent research suggests that simply going to bed and waking up at the same time each day can significantly improve sleep. You also can help move toward optimum sleep balance by taking time each evening to nourish quiet, relaxing yin activities such as dimming your lights, listening to relaxing music, or meditating. Additionally, yang activities such as watching TV, consuming spicy foods and stimulating beverages, and exercising should be avoided for up to three hours before bed. “

Tags: Acupuncture, General by DAAN
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