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This issue features a number of articles you will want to share with your family, friends and co-workers. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to them via e-mail. If you have received this e-mail newsletter from someone else, you may subscribe free of charge and begin receiving your own copy by going to:

"Frozen shoulder" is the term used for a variety of conditions that cause pain and limit the range of motion of the shoulder joint. Frozen shoulder is usually caused by an inflammation of tissue of thickening of fluid in the synovial joint, and is usually seen in middle-aged people who have a history of shoulder injuries.

Numerous studies have reported that acupuncture can successfully treat frozen shoulder. A new, randomized controlled trial published in the Hong Kong Medical Journal found that acupuncture used in conjunction with an exercise routine resulted in "significantly greater improvement" compared to patients who used shoulder exercises only, suggesting that this regimen could be useful in cases where more conventional therapies have been less successful.

In the trial, 35 adults were assigned to one of two groups. One group performed a series of shoulder exercises 10 times every morning, mid-day and evening, along with twice-weekly shoulder stretching movements, for six weeks. The exercise/acupuncture group followed the same program as the exercise group, but also received acupuncture twice a week for 20 minutes per session.

Patients in the exercise/acupuncture group reported "significantly higher" scores on a test called the Constant Shoulder Assessment (CSA), which combines ratings for pain, activities of daily living, and shoulder range of motion. Within six weeks, patients in the exercise/acupuncture group showed an average improvement of 76.4% on the CSA scale, compared to 39.8% for exercise-only patients. This improvements were also seen at a 20-week followup examination.

The researchers concluded: "The combination of acupuncture and physical exercise may be an effective option in the treatment of frozen shoulder." They added that the study "provides additional data on the potential role of acupuncture in the treatment of frozen shoulder, particularly for those patients not responding well to conventional therapy."

If you would like to learn more about the conditions acupuncture can treat in addition to frozen shoulder, make sure to speak with a licensed acupuncturist. For more information, visit www.acupuncturetoday.com.

Reference

Sun KO, Chan KC, Lo SL, et al. Acupuncture for frozen shoulder. Hong Kong Medical Journal 7(4):381-91.

Ophiopogon is a small herb grown in China. The plant has long, thin green leaves and tuberous whitish roots, which are used in a variety of herbal remedies. It is typically harvested in the summer and allowed to dry out before being used.

In traditional Chinese medicine, ophiopogon is believed to moisten the lungs and nourish yin; strengthen the stomach; clear away heat in the heart; and moisten the bowels to relieve constipation. It is also believed by some to be a very powerful tonic for the "shen," or spirit. Scientific studies conducted in the west suggest that ophiopogon can lower blood sugar, reduce inflammation and protect the body from bacterial infections.

The most common form of ophiopogon is as a whole, uncut root. Fresh ophiopogon tuber is considered better than hard, dry tubers. The usual recommended dose of ophiopogon is 5-10 grams of dried root decocted in water. It may also be available in powder form, especially as part of another herbal formula.

According to TCM principles, ophiopogon should not be used in cases of spleen deficiency that result in diarrhea, or in cases of cough due to exopathegonic wind or retention of phlegm in the lungs. Although there are no known drug interactions with ophiopogon, patients should always consult with a qualified health care provider before taking ophiopogon or any other herbal remedy or supplement.

Reference

Hua Q, et al. Experimental study on the potentiation effect of ginseng and ophiopogon injection for chemotherapy in mice with graft tumors. International Journal of Oriental Medicine 2001;26(1):14-18.
Yeung HC. Handbook of Chinese Herbs. Rosemead, CA: Institute of Chinese Medicine, 1996.
Zhu YP. Chinese Materia Medica: Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Applications. Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers, 1998.

Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum

The "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum provides a place for interested parties to ask questions about acupuncture and Oriental medicine and have them answered by a licensed acupuncturist. This month's questions:

Question #1: I have had problems with low blood sugar for 20 years but am now experiencing it more severely than ever before. I am working hard on my diet and am taking supplements but am still struggling. Would acupuncture be a good thing to pursue for this sort of problem?

Answer: I highly recommend you seek out an experienced practitioner and confer with him/her regarding your condition. Remember, to a TCM practitioner there can be a number of TCM diagnoses or "patterns" that can result in your hypoglycemia, so be patient and ask a lot of questions until you understand the pattern and the treatment.

Question #2: I am interested in learning more about Chinese massage and things like tuina. How can I find out more about these therapies?

Answer: The American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA) can help you. The AOBTA is an organization of bodywork professionals whose headquarters is in New Jersey. You should visit their website at www.aobta.org for more information.

Have a question about acupuncture and Oriental medicine? Visit AcupunctureToday.com's "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum at www.acupuncturetoday.com/ask.

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August 2002 [Volume 1, Issue 7] To Your Health is brought to you by:

This issue features a number of articles you will want to share with your family, friends and co-workers. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to them via e-mail. If you have received this e-mail newsletter from someone else, you may subscribe free of charge and begin receiving your own copy by going to: www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletter/TYH/subscribe.php In this issue of To Your Health: Using Acupuncture and Exercise to Treat Frozen Shoulder Herb of the Month: Ophiopogon Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum Using Acupuncture and Execise to Treat Frozen Shoulder "Frozen shoulder" is the term used for a variety of conditions that cause pain and limit the range of motion of the shoulder joint. Frozen shoulder is usually caused by an inflammation of tissue of thickening of fluid in the synovial joint, and is usually seen in middle-aged people who have a history of shoulder injuries. Numerous studies have reported that acupuncture can successfully treat frozen shoulder. A new, randomized controlled trial published in the Hong Kong Medical Journal found that acupuncture used in conjunction with an exercise routine resulted in "significantly greater improvement" compared to patients who used shoulder exercises only, suggesting that this regimen could be useful in cases where more conventional therapies have been less successful. In the trial, 35 adults were assigned to one of two groups. One group performed a series of shoulder exercises 10 times every morning, mid-day and evening, along with twice-weekly shoulder stretching movements, for six weeks. The exercise/acupuncture group followed the same program as the exercise group, but also received acupuncture twice a week for 20 minutes per session. Patients in the exercise/acupuncture group reported "significantly higher" scores on a test called the Constant Shoulder Assessment (CSA), which combines ratings for pain, activities of daily living, and shoulder range of motion. Within six weeks, patients in the exercise/acupuncture group showed an average improvement of 76.4% on the CSA scale, compared to 39.8% for exercise-only patients. This improvements were also seen at a 20-week followup examination. The researchers concluded: "The combination of acupuncture and physical exercise may be an effective option in the treatment of frozen shoulder." They added that the study "provides additional data on the potential role of acupuncture in the treatment of frozen shoulder, particularly for those patients not responding well to conventional therapy." If you would like to learn more about the conditions acupuncture can treat in addition to frozen shoulder, make sure to speak with a licensed acupuncturist. For more information, visit www.acupuncturetoday.com. Reference Sun KO, Chan KC, Lo SL, et al. Acupuncture for frozen shoulder. Hong Kong Medical Journal 7(4):381-91. Herb of the Month: Ophiopogon Ophiopogon is a small herb grown in China. The plant has long, thin green leaves and tuberous whitish roots, which are used in a variety of herbal remedies. It is typically harvested in the summer and allowed to dry out before being used. In traditional Chinese medicine, ophiopogon is believed to moisten the lungs and nourish yin; strengthen the stomach; clear away heat in the heart; and moisten the bowels to relieve constipation. It is also believed by some to be a very powerful tonic for the "shen," or spirit. Scientific studies conducted in the west suggest that ophiopogon can lower blood sugar, reduce inflammation and protect the body from bacterial infections. The most common form of ophiopogon is as a whole, uncut root. Fresh ophiopogon tuber is considered better than hard, dry tubers. The usual recommended dose of ophiopogon is 5-10 grams of dried root decocted in water. It may also be available in powder form, especially as part of another herbal formula. According to TCM principles, ophiopogon should not be used in cases of spleen deficiency that result in diarrhea, or in cases of cough due to exopathegonic wind or retention of phlegm in the lungs. Although there are no known drug interactions with ophiopogon, patients should always consult with a qualified health care provider before taking ophiopogon or any other herbal remedy or supplement. To learn more about the benefits of herbal medicine, visit www.acupuncturetoday.com/herbcentral. Reference Hua Q, et al. Experimental study on the potentiation effect of ginseng and ophiopogon injection for chemotherapy in mice with graft tumors. International Journal of Oriental Medicine 2001;26(1):14-18. Yeung HC. Handbook of Chinese Herbs. Rosemead, CA: Institute of Chinese Medicine, 1996. Zhu YP. Chinese Materia Medica: Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Applications. Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers, 1998. Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum The "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum provides a place for interested parties to ask questions about acupuncture and Oriental medicine and have them answered by a licensed acupuncturist. This month's questions: Question #1: I have had problems with low blood sugar for 20 years but am now experiencing it more severely than ever before. I am working hard on my diet and am taking supplements but am still struggling. Would acupuncture be a good thing to pursue for this sort of problem? Answer: I highly recommend you seek out an experienced practitioner and confer with him/her regarding your condition. Remember, to a TCM practitioner there can be a number of TCM diagnoses or "patterns" that can result in your hypoglycemia, so be patient and ask a lot of questions until you understand the pattern and the treatment. Question #2: I am interested in learning more about Chinese massage and things like tuina. How can I find out more about these therapies? Answer: The American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA) can help you. The AOBTA is an organization of bodywork professionals whose headquarters is in New Jersey. You should visit their website at www.aobta.org for more information. Have a question about acupuncture and Oriental medicine? Visit AcupunctureToday.com's "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum at www.acupuncturetoday.com/ask. Unsubscribe Thank you for subscribing to To Your Health. If you have received this newsletter in error or wish to unsubscribe, you may remove your name from our e-mail subscription list at www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletter/TYH/unsubscribe.php. Update your e-mail address To update the e-mail address your newsletter is sent to, click here. If you have any questions regarding your subscription, please complete this form at www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletterhelp/TYH.