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August 2011 [Volume 10, Issue 8]
To Your Health is brought to you by:
In this issue of To Your Health:
- Caring For Elders With Acupuncture: Healing a Growing Population
- Herb of the Month – Limonite (yu liang shi)
- Ask an Acupuncturist
Caring For Elders With Acupuncture: Healing a Growing Population
By Beth Sommers, PhD, MPH, LAc and Kristen Porter, MAc, LAc
Old age, believe me, is a good and pleasant thing. It is true you are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator. - Confucius
We have all heard the statistics- the Baby Boomers are aging and every day hundreds reach age 60. Chronic health care expenses of this generation are feared to collapse Medicare. Acupuncturists have a unique opportunity to provide education, targeted marketing and care to the growing older adult population in America. In fact, there are few things more traditional in Asian philosophy than caring for our elders. We would like to review some key research about acupuncture's effects on older adults along with some tips for how to effectively market your practice to this population.
Evidenced-based research shows acupuncture can be a clinically effective and cost efficient approach for many age-related health problems. Acupuncture is shown to protect the immune system against the negative effects of stress and aging by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines, 4 modulating leukocytes, increasing T-cells, and increasing IL-2 while decreasing IL-6.
Acupuncture treats aging-related pain through an analgesic and antidepressant effect resulting from increasing endorphin, encephalin, serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. Although many of these studies relied on animal models, results are not influenced by placebo effects or the relationship between practitioner and client.
Herb of the Month – Limonite (yu liang shi)
What is limonite? What is it used for?
Although limonite is not an herb, it is nevertheless an important component of traditional Chinese medicine. Although it is considered a mineral by some people, in fact, limonite is not a true mineral, but a mixture of several hydrated iron oxide minerals, primarily geothite.
Limonite ranges in color from yellow to orange, reddish-brown, and even black. It is crumbly, has a dull, earthy luster, and is characterized by having a lack of crystal form.
According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, limonite has sweet, astringent and neutral properties, and is associated with the Large Intestine and Stomach meridians. It helps promote contractions of the large intestine to prevent diarrhea. Some practitioners also use limonite to treat dysentery.
How much limonite should I take?
The typical dose of limonite is between 10 and 20 grams, taken with water as a decoction. It should be strained out or removed from the decoction before being consumed.
What forms of limonite are available?
Powdered limonite can be found at some herbal shops and specialty stores.
What can happen if I take too much limonite? Are there any interactions I should be aware of? What precautions should I take?
Because limonite can promote contractions of the uterus, it should not be taken by pregnant women, as large amounts may induce labor. As of this writing, there is no specific data indicating that limonite may produce any adverse side-effects or interactions with any drugs. As always, however, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking limonite or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.
Question about Peripheral Neuropathy: Knowing not all patients respond alike to a certain type of acupuncture treatment, can you offer some statistics for progress in the area of peripheral neuropathy? Pain in my feet and left hand are driving me nuts and I am having many sleepless nights. I really would prefer not having to take medication, which doesn't always help.
Answer: It is not always possible to predict a patient's response to acupuncture treatment. Response does vary from individual to individual. I will describe a likely but general scenario. For this condition, it is preferable to start with frequent treatments. The use of e-stim is generally indicated. A patient will have a treatment for two days in a row, then skip a day and have a third treatment. A patient can then have a series of 10 treatments, skipping one day in between. After this series, an evaluation can be made if treatment is being effective or not. The majority of patients with this condition have responded favorably. Treatment with acupuncture is not appropriate for all patients with the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. An examination for an evaluation of a patient's symptoms in terms of TCM is done to determine if acupuncture treatment is appropriate, and the prognosis for the patient.
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