March 2007 [Volume 6, Issue 3]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Electro-Acupuncture May Relieve Labor Pains
• Herb of the Month – Bamboo Juice (zhu li)
• Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights From the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum

Electro-Acupuncture May Relieve Labor Pains

Proper management of labor pain is essential for both mother and baby. Excessive labor pain might cause anxiety and exhaustion for the mother, lengthen or complicate labor, or cause distress to the infant during the birthing process.

Use of drugs to relieve pain, however, also might be unhealthy for the baby. Recently, there has been increased interest in finding safer, nonpharmacologic means to alleviate labor pain, particularly for first-time mothers.

An article published online in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ahead of print publication, examined the use of electro-acupuncture in a group of 36 women during labor. The women who received electro-acupuncture all reported lower pain intensity and better relaxation than those who did not. Additionally, there were no reported undesirable side effects, either for the mothers or their infants.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine has shown promise in treating a variety of conditions without the use of drugs or other medical procedures. To learn more, visit www.acupuncturetoday.com.

Herb of the Month – Bamboo Juice (zhu li)

Bamboo juice comes from the bamboo plant, which grows throughout China and other parts of Asia, and can reach a height of more than 30 feet. Bamboo juice is collected from the plant when it is harvested and allowed to dry, becoming a resinous-type sap.

In traditional Chinese medicine, bamboo juice's main functions are to clear heat and resolve phlegm, which can manifest as coughing, chest pain or wind stroke. It especially is effective for treating upper respiratory infections or coughs caused by phlegm that is difficult to expectorate. Bamboo juice sometimes is used with ginger juice or other herbs, such as loquat and trichosanthes.

The typical dose of bamboo juice ranges between 30 and 50 grams, taken internally. It usually is mixed with ginger juice. Smaller doses (9-15 grams) are used to treat coughs.

Dried bamboo juice can be found at some Asian markets and specialty stores. Bamboo juice can also be sold as an infusion, typically with ginger juice.

Bamboo juice should not be taken if you have a cough caused by cold, or if you have diarrhea caused by spleen deficiency. As of this writing, there are no known drug interactions with bamboo juice. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking bamboo juice or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.

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 receive responses from a licensed acupuncturist. Here is one of this month's questions and answers:

Question: My dear friend's daughter has just presented with severe allergic reactions to just about everything. She currently is on several medications, but still is having serious issues. While I would never suggest that she discontinue conventional treatments, we're desperate to find a solution. I thought about acupuncture, but my friend is resistant to unconventional methods. I was wondering 1) could acupuncture help her, even if it's just to ease the symptoms and 2) if so, what would be a good source of information to help her feel more comfortable with exploring the option? Any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: Acupuncture treatment will reduce the severity and frequency of allergic symptoms. Often, children are more sensitive and respond better to treatment. That said, it is important to determine the type of allergy and investigate the provocative cause. It is of recent onset, so that is helpful in the analysis. Acupuncture can still lessen the response by de-sensitizing the patient. Not all acupuncturists' practices include this type of analysis, so you would need to ask about what services are provided. In general, she would want to have ten to twelve treatments before evaluating the effectiveness for her. The World Health Organization may have some information. There is a book, The Web That Has No Weaver, that may have information.

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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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