Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, Tucson - Donald Kimon Lightner, L.Ac., KIMON WELLNESS

Chinese medicine was established more than 3500 years (some experts say 6000 years ago). Around the 3rd century BCE the Yellow Emperor compiled knowledge from all over China into the first text on Chinese Medicine called the Huang Di Nei Ching. This text, along with many other ancient classics, are still widely studied and referred to today. Herbal medicine and body-work (tuina) has become systematized and taught in medical universities in the past thousand years. As the knowledge of acupuncture and herbal medicine spread through China, to Korea and Japan, different approaches/styles developed, were refined and adapted to the many regions and local cultures.

Modern research has shown the acupuncture meridians to work by way of electromagnetic current, in Chinese called QI, which controls the nervous system, flow of blood, organs and different biological functions. The meridians can be easily measured and seen with PET scans. Much pharmacological research has been done since the late 1950's with Chinese herbal medicine and many new uses have been discovered for Chinese herbs. The complexity of a Chinese herbal formula and vast synergistic relationship between herbs in a formula make the Chinese herbal medicine a daunting study from a Western biomedical paradigm but certainly an awe inspiring one.

Chinese herbology contrasts with the modern Western approach to drug therapy of symptom suppression. In Chinese herbal medicine, complex combinations of roots, tubers, seeds, nuts, berries, bark, resins, leaves, animal products, flowers, shells and minerals are usually configured in a hierarchical structure based on the old Chinese imperial model. The king herb is the chief herb which performs the formula’s primary function and represents often the highest weight percentage. The next herbs then are ministers which support this action followed by guide herbs, herbs to harmonize or balance the formula and then herbs to carry out secondary actions. As the role of the herbs descends down this hierarchical configuration the weight percentage usually decreases accordingly. A Chinese herbal formula can be created to treat only symptoms if the symptoms are serious enough but the real beauty of Chinese herbal medicine is that it can treat both the "branches and the roots". A Chinese doctor will combine and assay a formula to alleviate possible imbalances, or as the West calls, "side-effects". For instance, a formula used to vitalize the Blood and boost the Yin will also include herbs which will Tonify the Spleen and help to eliminate Dampness and also herbs to promote the flow of qi and blood so that the cloying nature of the tonic herbs does not cause stagnation or disturb digestion. The complexity and profound wisdom of herbal medicine is a culmination of thousands of years of empirical knowledge throughout the history of China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Burma, Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia and everywhere Chinese medicine has spread. Modern science is contributing to this vast ocean of knowledge by finding new uses for herbs based on their elaborate biomedical properties.

The Chinese have been making medicine into pills and tablets for more than one thousand years. Many pre-made formulas can be found in this form. A licensed acupuncturist, if fully trained in herbology, is your best source for herbs and in some cities, your local Chinese herb shop. Bulk herbs decocted into soups, or tang, are the preferred method of preparing herbal formulas. This is a time-consuming process but a beneficial and worthwhile one.

Acupuncture is the method of activating points with fine sterile needles along the jingluo, or meridians, to balance qi and move blood. There are twelve main meridians and eight extraordinary meridians. Eleven of these refer to a specific organ system and the others a more sublime function. The meridians, and acupuncture points along these meridians, all have specific know affects on biological functions, joints, muscles, areas of the body (i.e. face, neck, low back, abdomen, etc.), organs, bone, marrow, shen, blood, etc. Acupuncture has often proven to be effective when other courses of treatment have been ineffective.

The knowledge of acupuncture points, like Chinese herbs, have survived through enormous changes in cultures as well as political and ideological climates. Over thousands of years the points were discovered to have distinctive actions and indications for use. As needles were invented to greater stimulate the points, combinations of points were used to treat more specific disharmonies. A point located on the top of the foot might be used to treat a headache or a point on the wrist to treat palpitations or congested lungs.

Tui-na is the practice of acupressure massage based on the acupuncture points and meridians. Tui-na, as does any modality in the Chinese medical traditions, is most effective if the practitioner has cultivated qi. A tui-na treatment can, depending on the disharmony, accomplish many of the same goals as acupuncture along with providing subtle joint manipulation. It is often helpful when there is muscle tension causing headaches and neck and back pain.

Diagnosis is traditionally done by "listening, looking, smelling and palpating". This is done by listening to the patient and his/her voice, looking at the tongue, complexion and physical appearance, smelling, and palpating by way of pulse taking, back influential points, dan-tien or abdominal assessment, mu or "alarm" points, or the palpating of particular acupuncture points and meridians.

Traditionally the use of pulse and tongue diagnosis are the most trusted methods of diagnosis and consequently take the longest to master. There are three main pulse positions on either wrist and two levels. The positions relate to the upper, middle and lower jiao, or divisions of the body, and the organs which reside there within. The deep and superficial levels of each position relate to the yin and yang organ-meridian pairs (Lung/Large Intestine, Spleen/Stomach, Pericardium/San Jiao, Heart/Small Intestine, Liver/Gallbladder, Kidney/Urinary Bladder). The tongue is then observed. The color, shape and coating of the tongue are noted based on the conditions related to these observations and the geographical locations of the organs as the tongue is a map of the body. Once these diagnostic techniques are combined with extensive questions and responses, then the results are sorted in to yin and yang, excess and deficiency, exterior and interior. From there we might apply this to meridian theory, Zang-fu (Chinese organ theory) theory or the Wu Xing (five phases - fire, earth, metal, water and wood) and a diagnosis is made. The diagnosis is followed by the creation of a treatment plan. Finally, acupuncture points and/or herbs are then selected to accomplish the end goal of the treatment plan.

It is important to understand that Chinese/Asian medicine exceedingly predates western medicine by thousands of years. It is not conducive to treat an allopathic "diagnosis" with Chinese medicine since the naturalistic holistic Chinese medical view differs significantly from the allopathic practice of symptomatic suppression. It has been my experience that any number people with the same allopathic diagnosis will all have different Chinese medical diagnosis. So, one coming to this ancient view point for the first time must have some openness if they truly want to appreciate how it works. It is not necessary for one to believe that it works, medicine need not be dogmatic. Acupuncture is not dogmatic and is not something you need to believe in for it to be effective. It has become quite common for Veterinarians to use acupuncture to treat horses and other animals and horses don't read magazines or medical journals. The reason it has existed for as long as it has is due to this simple truth - it works, no matter what is thought of it. Chinese medicine works with nature not with chemicals nor synthesized shadows of nature. If a condition has taken years to develop, one must have patience and refrain from unrealistic expectations. Again, think in terms of Yin and Yang, if there is something lacking resulting in a "deficiency of Yin", for instance, then Yin must be built up, and everyone knows it takes longer to build than to destroy. A good meal takes longer to prepare than it does to eat. So, like wise, if there is an excess being cleared away such as an "Exterior Wind-Heat Invasion" (i.e. influenza) coming on, then the clearing and expelling of the "Wind-Heat" should have very quick results.

Donald Kimon Lightner, L.Ac. has been in private practice for ten years in Tucson, AZ. He graduated from the Arizona School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine which he is now an instructor, the academic and clinic dean. He has been practicing meditation for over twenty years and became a monk in the Zen Buddhist tradition in 2001. Don is also a certified Urasenke - Tradition of Chado (Japanese tea ceremony) teacher. His background is in the martial arts and Asian arts which include ceramics, Chinese calligraphy and painting.