The Acupuncture Network team wish you a happy and prosperous Year of the Golden Pig

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Herbal Babies- Alternative Fertility Treatments was recently the centrepiece of A Current Affair TV Show. Click on this link to view the online video broadcast Herbal Fertility Treatments

If you are interested in learning more about Chinese Medicine & fertility treatments, and acupuncture for pregnancy- you may be interested in joining thediscussion forum hosted by Debra Betts, a New Zealand Midwife and Acupuncturist.

Chinese Medicine and the Treatment of Infertility Seminar: Sydney February 2007

Jane Lyttleton is hosting part two of her Infertility seminar in Sydney, February 2007 click here for more info

Launch!

We recently launched two exciting new initiatives:

The World’s Largest Interactive Encyclopaedia of Chinese Medicine

and

Carole Rogers’ Foundations of Chinese Medicine Education Modules Online

The World’s Largest Interactive Encyclopaedia of Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture Network’s online encyclopaedia of Chinese Medicine draws on contributions from over fifty Chinese Medicine practitioners and contains over 1000 pages of clinical information including patterns of disharmony, TCM diagnosis and commonly used acupuncture points. It revolutionises the way we learn, understand and practice Chinese Medicine!

Please join us in sharing the wealth of knowledge, experience and passion for Chinese Medicine by contributing to this growing body of knowledge.

Acupuncture Network’s online encyclopaedia is a Wiki. It is based upon Wikipedia. Wikipedia is a free content online encyclopaedia written collaboratively by contributors worldwide.

You can find the Acupuncture Network Wiki at http://www.acupuncturenetwork.org/wiki/

You can find more about Wiki’s and Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org

Carole Rogers’ Foundations of Chinese Medicine Education Modules Online

Carole Rogers, Associate Professor at the University of Technology,
Sydney, has donated to the Acupuncture Network “Five Foundations of Chinese Medicine“. These education modules are now online for free access by Acupuncture Network members.

Introduction
Veterinary Acupuncture
Diagnosis
Does it work?
Precautions for Vet Acupuncture
Conditions that respond to acupuncture
Vet Acupuncture treatments
What can you expect
How successful is vet acupuncture?
For further information

View image

Introduction

As a young girl , acupuncture was the only treatment that helped prevent my Migraines. It was no surprise then, that when I was at vet school I took the opportunity to start my life long interest in veterinary acupuncture by taking on an elective in my final year. After graduating in 1986 I explored a number of complementary therapies and became a certified veterinary acupuncturist through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Association (IVAS) in 1997. Acupuncture for animals is a growing field and there are some 240 qualified veterinary acupuncturists in Australia now.

Veterinary Acupuncture

Along with herbal medicine it’s probably one of the oldest forms of veterinary medicine in the world. Although pets have only recently been treated with acupuncture, in China, horses, cows and pigs have been treated for well over 3000 years. Like acupuncture in people Veterinary Acupuncture has come a long way since the early 1970s.

One of the most common concerns that people have about acupuncture on their pets is the ‘ouch’ factor. Cats and dogs can be a little apprehensive at first but they very quickly relax, becoming calm and even falling asleep. Most animals come back the next time, quite content to stand, lie down or be held by their owner and be treated.

Diagnosis

Similarly to human acupuncture veterinary acupuncturists will check the pet’s smell, listen to any noise they make, examine the tongue colour and coating, and check the pulse and specific acupuncture points. A TCM diagnosis helps with point selection but more often that not an intuitive approach, sensing the points and checking pulse changes determines the treatment.

Like disease in human TCM, in animals there are external and internal causes, including emotional causes. Its no surprise to find out that dogs get “hot spots” in summer and Bi syndrome in winter, they suffer Blood deficiency (often when on poor diets) and cats suffer Spleen Qi deficiency and Kidney Yin deficiency very frequently. The challenge with animals is in interpreting their signs and behaviour to make a TCM diagnosis, when you can’t ask them how they feel. Good palpation and observational skills as well as communicating with the owner, helps a great deal. Sometimes routine blood tests will pick up and confirm liver changes or kidney changes that just make sense!

Does it work?

Acupuncture works in much the same way it does in people. Acupuncture has also been shown to stimulate the release of numerous neurochemicals including endorphins and other pain relieving, anti-inflammatory hormones into the bloodstream. From an energy perspective it is likely (though not proven) that acupuncture also works by changing the electrical resistance of the acupuncture points, facilitating the flow of electromagnetic energy through the body. TCM views disease as a stagnation or blockage of the vital life force or Qi, and that acupuncture serves to regulate the flow of Qi and remove blockages from the body.

Precautions for Vet Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a very safe form of therapy if practised correctly and preferably by a trained veterinary acupuncturist. The International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) certifies qualified veterinarians.

• Because acupuncture relieves pain and can alter the symptoms, a diagnosis should be made beforehand by a veterinarian otherwise acupuncture may simply mask a more serious problem.

• Ideally your acupuncturist is also a veterinarian. Treating animals is very different from treating people. And you wouldn’t expect your veterinary acupuncturist to treat human disease and problems.

• Acupuncture diminishes pain, and your animal will feel better; it is important to follow advice concerning rest and activity, as pain is ‘nature’s’ way of slowing an animal down so that they may rest and heal.

• Your pet should be treated on an empty stomach or light meal only.

• Acupuncture should be avoided if pregnant.

• Do not plan to bath or swim your dog, immediately before or after acupuncture treatment.

• It is best not to treat an animal that is extremely anxious, aggressive or frightened.

• Your veterinary acupuncturist will need to know whether your pet has been given any injections or is being treated with atropine, narcotics or corticosteroids such as prednisolone, as these can affect the acupuncture treatment.

• Your veterinary acupuncturist may not treat your dog if there is a skin infection or local skin tumours where the needles may carry the infection or growth deeper.

• If needle acupuncture cannot be performed, laser acupuncture is another alternative.

• Veterinary acupuncture treatment may also involve aquapuncture (injecting substances into acupuncture points), moxibustion, gold beading

Conditions that respond to acupuncture

Muscle and Joint Problems
Acupuncture is perhaps best known for its use in pain relief. It can be used as primary treatment, or in conjunction with conventional treatment. It is a real alternative where the risk for surgery or anaesthetic is high. Acupuncture relieves pain, reduces muscle spasms, improves circulation, reduces swelling and improves healing.

• hip dysplasia

• Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD)

• arthritis in the stifle, hock, carpus (wrist), shoulders, hips and elbows

• lameness due to pain or injury

• chronic lameness due to trigger points, which are small muscle spasms, and can resemble the symptoms of arthritis

• muscle and ligament injuries

Nervous System and Spinal Problems
Dogs with disease that affects their spinal cord such as disc protrusions causing paralysis, partial paralysis or severe pain may benefit from acupuncture. Cats often suffer back pain in silence, you might not even know they have a problem, but a crouched walk or dislike of being touched are just two signs that back pain could be present.

• degenerative myelopathy

• spondylitis

• Cauda equina syndrome

• spinal instabilities

• Wobblers syndrome

• nerve injuries

• epilepsy

• vestibular syndrome

• deafness (particularly in old animals)

Skin Disorders
Skin disorders that are poorly responsive to conventional treatment such as some allergies, chronic itching, lick granulomas, and skin disease due to disorders of the immune system or endocrine system may benefit from acupuncture. Acupuncture can also be used in conjunction with other therapies for skin disorders.

Digestive Tract Disorders
Besides pain relief, acupuncture normalises the movement in the gut and the secretions of digestive juices as well as improving blood flow.

• Sudden diarrhoea and vomiting

• Chronic diarrhoea

• chronic vomiting

• constipation

• poor appetite

• megaoesphagus

Heart Disorders
Acupuncture has one of its greatest benefits in the treatment of shock, unconsciousness, or cardiac arrest. In an emergency you can stimulate a special point midway along the groove between the nose and the upper lip. This is Governing Vessel 26, a very powerful point that can be used to revive puppies, kittens, or dogs and cats of any age. The point can be stimulated with the nail, a pen tip or sharp needle, depending on what you have in the emergency situation, until you can reach a vet.

Heart failure can be improved with acupuncture along with conventional drugs such as diuretics and beta-blocker medications. The condition needs to be monitored very carefully when acupuncture is used, as the dosages of normal drugs usually need to be reduced as the condition responds. Heart rhythm problems may also benefit from acupuncture as acupuncture can have a direct effect on regulating the heartbeat.

Behavioural Problems
One of the less known areas where acupuncture can help is in the treatment of behavioural disorders. Like humans, behavioural problems are associated with excessive emotion and what are called ‘Shen disturbances’. By treating specific points and harmonising the body, acupuncture can assist with:

• fear

• aggression

• grief

• shyness

• show ring nervousness

• phobias

• anxiety

• depression

Immune Disorders
Acupuncture has proven anti-inflammatory and immune stimulating effects. Certain points will also reduce allergy and stimulate different parts of the immune system. This is one of the reasons why pets, particularly older ones, benefit from regular ‘tune-ups’ of acupuncture to help keep them healthy. Any animal with an infection will benefit from acupuncture, by reducing the time it takes to recover. Any animal that is prone to infections can also receive preventive treatments to reduce the severity and number of times they get sick.

Cancer
Acupuncture is a good adjunctive treatment for animals undergoing chemotherapy or other treatments for cancer. It helps reduce nausea, improves the sense of well-being, and regulates the immune system (especially when it is impaired with certain drugs used in cancer treatment). It may also be used to treat small growths, or where surgery and chemotherapy are not viable options due to age, poor prognosis, expense or other reasons.

Reproduction
Acupuncture can be used in females to help lack of cycling, irregular heat cycles, cystic ovaries and false pregnancies. It can also be used during labour and to help stimulate lactation. In males acupuncture can help increase sperm counts, and reduce any inflammation of the testicles or prostate gland.

Respiratory Disorders

• Chronic sinusitis

• Coughing

• Bronchitis

• feline asthma

• pneumonia

Urinary Tract Problems

• Incontinence of bitches

• Incontinence of older animals

• Cystitis

• Feline lower urinary tract disease

• bladder

• kidney disease

Eyes and Ears
Acupuncture can be used for a number of eye conditions including dry eye and chronic conjunctivitis. It can also be useful to alleviate age-related deafness.

Fleas
People often ask me if acupuncture is good for fleas, I have always had great difficulty putting my needles in fleas, so I don’t really know.

Vet Acupuncture treatments

If the problem is an acute, treatments may be required every couple of days until the desired result is seen. For more chronic conditions there are usually a couple of treatments 1 to 2 times a week, or weekly for a few weeks, followed by regular ‘top ups’ which might be monthly or six monthly or as needed.

What can you expect?

If the problem is a recent one, a single acupuncture treatment should stimulate a quick response, although follow up treatments may be necessary to restore health fully. If the problem has been a long-standing one, sometimes there is no apparent change initially. A second treatment may show an improvement for three or four days, then the effect seems to wane, but follow up treatments seem to extend the effect more and more each time until the condition resolves. Occasionally the symptoms may actually appear to be worse for 12 to 24 hours, or alternatively your animal may simply sleep restfully for 12 to 24 hours. There is often a change in your pet’s temperament; they can seem brighter and more relaxed. It is also important not to give up too early with treatments. Remember acupuncture is stimulating the body’s own internal healing mechanisms, sometimes it takes a while for it to wake up and start working!

How successful is vet acupuncture?

In the hands of a qualified and experienced acupuncturist, treatment will usually bring about a marked improvement if not recovery for many complaints. By discussing the likely outcomes with your veterinarian you should plan a course of treatments, and a point at which you may choose not to continue, or the type of result that you want. For example this may be simply pain relief in an older animal, or full recovery in a younger one. Importantly acupuncture is a safe alternative or adjunctive therapy to drugs and surgery. However, it does not cure everything. More and more veterinarians are becoming qualified to use this time-tested therapy, and more and more animals will benefit from pain free lives.

For further information

Natural Vet Care

• Fougere B Healthy Dogs A Handbook of Natural Therapies (Hyland House) $29.00 plus postage available 02 9712 5844 or book stores
• Fougere B Pet Lovers Guide to Natural Healing for Cats and Dogs (Elsevier) $35.00 including postage 1800 263 951
• All Natural Vet Care www.naturalvet.com.au

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Acuneeds Australia

Did you know Acuneeds Australia is under new management? Maurice Ryan (Owner) and Carol Phillis (Manager) are a dynamic duo with a passion for improving the quality of health care in Australia. Maurice has over thirty years experience in the health field, supporting public hospitals, Doctors and Allied Health Care Professionals.

Maurice believes that acupuncture has the potential to transform health care in Australia and has a vision of integrating acupuncture in hospitals. In a recent trip to China, he encountered the blended health care system, where western medicine and eastern medicine are concurrently prescribed. He has a particular interest in promoting acupuncture as a safe and effective treatment and aims to supply practitioners with superior quality equipment.

Sun Ten

For 60 years Sun Ten has led the way in the development and manufacture of Traditional Chinese herbal medicines. Sun Ten Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. is a renowned GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice, quality assurance concerned with both production and quality control) manufacturer of concentrated herbal extracts by both Taiwanese and Australian authorities and one of the largest suppliers of Chinese herbs in the world.

CHINA BOOKS

CHINA BOOKS is not just books.

In fact, CHINA BOOKS stocks a full range of Herbs and other TCM products too - acupuncture needles, moxibustion supplies, etc.

To understand Chinese medicine completely a practitioner also needs to know something about China - to know where TCM has come from - its social and cultural origins - and where it is going.

CHINA BOOKS has books, magazines, journals, CDs, DVDs and CD-ROMs on all things Chinese - philosophy, history, culture, art, politics - in English and Chinese.

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Helio in Australia is at 93 Shepard Street, Chippendale, Sydney NSW 2008
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Thieme Almanac 2007 Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine
Prepared by editors who are renowned international experts in the field, the Thieme Almanac provides an annual review of the state of the study, teaching, practice, and development of acupuncture and Chinese-rooted medicine around the world.

Mark Phillips is a Graduate of Acupuncture Colleges Australia and the University of Technology Sydney. Mark has additionally completed the Advanced Cert. Acupuncture, Guangzhou TCM University, China.For more information and contact details go to:www.markphillips.com.au

TherapiesNet.Com is a service directory service which provides relevant local search results. Find a clinic within 5km of you or expand your search as required. They list over 15,000 clinics!

Use Nature-Natural Health & Lifestyle Directory Body - Mind - Spirit: Find Practitioners, Clinics, Products, Colleges, Articles, Health News, Self Help Manuals, Peace Initiatives, Sustainable Living and more…

Health Resources Directory the best resources for health information, health news, health resources websites from more than 50 categories like Addiction & Recovery, Acupuncture, AIDS & HIV, Allopathy, Alternative medicine, Health care magazine, Health Disease, Homeopathy, Maharishi Ayurveda, Yoga and etc…

Chinese Medicine Times an online Chinese Medicine journal! This new and exciting journal is for healthcare practitioners, students and those wishing to learn more about the diverse and extensive knowledge of Chinese medicine. www.chinesemedicinetimes.com

Constant Balance offers a range of useful information about the philosophy and practice of Tai Ji Constant Balance

Damian Carey, Canberra ACT www.lifegate.com.au
Damian is an Acupuncturist and Naturopath with over 28 years of clinical experience, practicing in the centre of Canberra, ACT. He is currently completing a Masters degree in acupuncture at the University of Western Sydney. His ‘Life Gate’ website has a series of articles on various aspects of natural medicine including ‘An
Oriental Medicine Approach to Psychotherapy’ and ‘A Case Study of Substance use and Depression’.

Ivan McWilliams, Buddina Queensland www.tuina.com.au
Tui Na massage is an ancient healing art of Traditional Chinese Medicine which has been practiced in China for over 4000 years. On this webiste, you will find more information about the Tuina.

Acuneeds Australia was founded in 1985 and aims to be Australia’s leading supplier of acupuncture equipment, Chinese herbs and text books for the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Since their inception, Acuneeds have been devoted to the prompt and efficient distribution of alternative health care products to practitioners, students and distributors throughout Australia and New Zealand. Through their website, Acuneeds Australia now supply customers all over the world.

Over the years, Acuneeds has maintained its focus on serving the needs of its customers - to quickly provide high quality TCM products at extremely competitive prices.

Ordering is easy. Within Australia you may simply call the toll free number 1800 678 789 and speak with an experienced customer service person, or you can fax an order to 03 9889 1200. Outside Australia you may call +61 3 9889 4100, or fax to +61 3 9889 1200.

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For visitors to, and customers in Melbourne, you are very welcome to call into the retail shop. All the products on our website, including our vast range of herbs and over 1000 textbooks are available. The shop is spacious and well organised, with a reading table for those who have time to browse. Practitioners may request our 60 page colour product catalogue.

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Alon Marcus, 2005, Hardcover, 760 pages (originally published in North American Journal of Oriental Medicine, July 2005) - available for NZ$142.95 from: Click here >>NZTCM Books & Supplies

Reviewed by Robert Hayden

On my clinic bookshelf, one of the most-used references for many years has been Alon Marcus’ Musculoskeletal Disorders: Healing Methods from Chinese Medicine, Orthopaedic Medicine, and Osteopathy. I have found it a valuable resource particularly for understanding the biomedical perspective of many of the conditions, which would present on a daily basis in my practice. It is well organized, written in a very straightforward manner and presents a wide range of treatment options both Eastern and Western. It is not without its drawbacks, however, particularly in the illustrations and clarity of some of the material presented.

So it was with great interest that I learned of Dr. Marcus’ plans to write a new book. Foundations for Integrative Musculoskeletal Medicine is in many ways an expanded version of Musculoskeletal Disorders, with much new material and clearer illustrations and photographs. As in the earlier book, the many tables and charts that appear throughout clearly organize the copious information presented and add clinical utility, especially to the chapters on diagnosis. Overall, Foundations is more comprehensive in scope and professional in its appearance than its predecessor. The book is in large format and is a dense, extensively referenced, 700 pages of text. It looks and feels like a medical textbook, and one gets the feeling that it will soon serve as the standard reference on musculoskeletal disorders in OM doctoral programs in the US. Just looking though it one can see the enormous amount of work that went into producing this volume.

For those who are unfamiliar with Alon Marcus, he is a practitioner of Oriental Medicine in Oakland, California. He received his licensed acupuncturist degree in 1984 and his Doctor of Oriental Medicine degree in 1986. He also trained in Japan and China. He studied Orthopaedic and Osteopathic medicines and is a diplomat of the American Academy of Pain Management. Foundations for Integrative Musculoskeletal Medicine is his third published book.

Because of the prevailing emphasis on TCM, which is based largely on Chinese herbal medicine, the scope of training in most US acupuncture schools has long been focused on general practice, often weighted toward internal conditions. Musculoskeletal disorders are frequently differentiated simply as Bi (obstruction) patterns and fairly basic TCM local-distal acupuncture point combinations are chosen with little thought given to integration of the structural understanding of the presenting complaint. Results in applying this methodology are often hit-or-miss, and the concept of prognosis is fuzzy at best. Even with the increasing number of English-language texts on OM treatment of pain, the profession in North America is in need of a book, which presents the type of information necessary to a practice in, which communication and cooperation with biomedicine is a fact of life.

A pitfall of the move toward integration of biomedicine and complementary medicine is lack of balance between viewpoints. Too often, proponents of integrative medicine have a limited understanding of one side or the other (usually far stronger toward the biomedical side), but Marcus is notable in his breadth of knowledge not only of conventional physical medicine as well as osteopathic concepts but also OM styles ranging from TCM to Tong style acupuncture, French and Japanese styles. Although his standards of proof are high, he rejects nothing out of hand and acknowledges that most techniques may have at least some clinical utility.

One very notable theme throughout the book, which will be of interest to NAJOM readers is the great emphasis Marcus places on palpatory findings, not only palpation of channels and points, but also extended into various osteopathic concepts such as palpation of the craniosacral rhythm or global listening techniques pioneered by the French osteopath Barral. Along with such well-known proponents of palpation as Dan Bensky, I feel Marcus is entering a potentially vast and extremely fertile terrain rich in clinical possibilities. This is something, which I personally find very exciting and represents an opportunity for a real contribution to the development of the field.

The opening chapter of the book begins with an overview of the essentials of Oriental Medicine, including the basic principles of classical physiology and pathology with a special emphasis on their relationship to musculoskeletal pain. The channel system is detailed, particularly the channel sinews, divergent channels and extraordinary vessels. Correlations with biomedicine are made throughout; for example channel sinew theory is compared to Myers five fascial chains, which show some interesting similarities. Marcus also gives some clinical pearls, particularly in regard to setting diagnostic and
treatment priorities.

The second and third chapters contain a review of physical medicine, including pain mechanisms, psychological influences on pain and musculoskeletal anatomy and physiology; the latter portion with good discussions on OM and biomedical perspectives on soft tissues, the spine, sacral torsion, and thoracic outlet.

The next section is devoted to integrative orthopedic and physical medicine assessments. The exposition of physical examination includes an excellent summary of palpation and orthopedic testing, where the tables of findings are well organized and very helpful. Acupuncture students commonly perceive a lack of applicability of the information gleaned from orthopedic exams to their OM diagnostic process. Marcus here makes some strides in meaningful integration of the data from West to East. For example, in the section on gait patterns, he includes OM interpretation along with the physical medicine findings: to quote one entry in the table from this section, “Gluteus Medius (Trendelenburg) often results in an increase of lateral shift, can be seen in the presence of L5 root lesions associated often with Wei-atrophy, Kidney-essence, Gallbladder, Kidney and Urinary Bladder Sinew channels, and Pathogenic factors” (page 241). Also included is an overview of lab test results and imaging, which is necessarily brief but comprehensive and understandable.

Chapter 5 delineates treatment principles for Integrative Musculoskeletal medicine. A broad array of acupuncture techniques, treatment strategies and point selection techniques are presented. Many of these will be familiar to anyone who has completed a standard acupuncture program, but many may not. In addition to the classically based methods, orthopedic-integrative concepts of needling (lesion or tissue specific treatments) and patient positioning based on orthopedic exam findings are also introduced. Marcus clearly does not rigidly advocate one approach over another; rather the individual case will dictate the appropriateness of the technique.

The discourse on point location includes good information on palpation. Treatment methods for various channel levels are presented, including
Marcus’ favored channel sinew treatment, which involves a combination of motion testing, patient positioning, careful palpation and warm-needle or fire-needle treatment. The chapter concludes with the most complete point selection formulary for musculoskeletal conditions I have ever seen.

An overview of various non-TCM acupuncture systems and related techniques are featured next, with detailed commentary and illustrations on abdominal diagnosis and Japanese Meridian Therapy, auricular, wrist/ankle, and Tong style acupuncture. Chinese herbal medicine as related to musculoskeletal disorders is given its own chapter, with thirty full pages of clinically useful tables. Electrotherapeutics, including electroacupuncture, TENS, magnetic therapy and laser therapy, are examined in another chapter, again in a broad yet thorough manner, including practical guidelines for each modality.

The section on integrative manual therapies contains a wide-ranging overview of osteopathic methods of diagnosis and treatment such as functional technique, muscle energy, positional release, cranial technique and several more, and Marcus imparts ideas on integrating the various techniques into OM practice. This section is fascinating but represents an entire course of study outside the scope of the book and so would seem to be of limited utility without further training. It is valuable, however, if for no other reason than the fact that it introduces the OM practitioner to these methods (I for one was never introduced to McKenzie or MET in school) and provides information that could lead to appropriate referrals or further study on the part of the practitioner. Further entries cover rehabilitation exercises and orthotics. A brief chapter on trauma, primarily from an Oriental medicine perspective, follows.

Finally, the book closes with a chapter on integrated treatment of various musculoskeletal disorders. Rather than a specific treatment formulary, Marcus emphasizes a systemic or holistic approach of principles rather than protocols. Explanations of inflammation, the three-phase “degenerative cascade” model and their application to OM practice are given. Joint conditions, ligamentous, myofascial and nerve disorders are treated as a whole rather than specifically focusing on particular areas affected. The section on Fibromyalgia and Myofascial Pain Syndrome in particular is perhaps the best I’ve seen in the OM literature. This entire chapter is rich in clinical insight gleaned through decades of assiduous study and reflective practice.

This book truly lives up to its title, as it provides a solid foundation for understanding and utilizing the entire spectrum of musculoskeletal medicine. The practitioner who studies it carefully and applies its principles to their own practice will no doubt reap great rewards. Alon Marcus has done English-speaking OM practitioners a great service by writing this book, and one hopes that his work will continue to inform the current as well as next generation of OM practitioners.

Book Review, by Steven Lavitan, DC, LAc (Originally published in Acupuncture Today, January 2006) - available for NZ$142.95 from NZTCM Books & Supplies, NZTCM@orcon.net.nz

This book is so big and well-written it takes on biblical proportions. Foundations for Integrative Musculoskeletal Medicine: An East-West Approach has 11 sections and is a hefty 700-plus pages, but it was a joy to read because Alon Marcus is a natural teacher. These include six “foundations” sections for integrative Oriental medicine - physical medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, biomedicine (anatomy, physiology and pathology), integrative orthopedic and physical medicine assessment, integrative herbal medicine, and integrative electrotherapeutics. There are treatment sections on acupuncture versus dry needling (and apt definitions of both), and additional acupuncture systems such as wrist and ankle acupuncture, with a great section on the Tong/Lee style. There also is a short section on management of sprains, strains and trauma, and an extensive musculoskeletal disorder/integrative practice section.

Marcus’ writings on the safety of cervical manipulations rivaled some of the better chapters in chiropractic texts. In fact, many of his sections would make for excellent short books. He generally gives you mountains of information that sometimes is contradictory, then lets you decide the particulars for yourself. He uses many of the assessment tools from biomedicine in conjunction with acupuncture, manipulation, herbal approaches, nutrition, and assorted Eastern medical approaches to help the practitioner form their own integrative approach.

Some areas of the book could be improved. Patches of writing are sometimes uneven, such as the section on electrotherapy. It failed to either give the reader relevant guidelines or even sufficient explanations of what’s [available] out there. Throughout the book, there also are assorted cases where the charts and pictures were inserted that required both a back light and a magnifying glass [to view well] (unless you have superb eyesight).

Criticism aside, this book could easily be read two or three times because it is so rich. His overall view of Oriental medicine is interesting and often quite insightful. For example, he talks about acupuncture being Confucian in origin, while herbal medicine is Taoist. Some of his eclectic analysis reminds me of how people interpret the writings of Nostradamus. For example, the radicals that make up the character for “qi” are rice and steam vapor. The steam rises with a spiraling quality similar to DNA, the bridge between living and non-living things.

It is rare that one book could be recommended for eclectic physicians, osteopaths, acupuncturists, herbalists, chiropractors and naturopaths, but this one qualifies. All members of these groups would learn much and probably even something important about their own field. The book rates an outstanding 10+.

Usually, the material on a book’s dust jacket is a bunch of hype and platitudes, but there was one paragraph worth repeating. David Wells, DC, Lac, wrote, “Foundations is the most comprehensive book I have ever read on the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions from any perspective. An acupuncturist who masters the material presented in this book will be a master practitioner. This should be the required text for the doctoral programs in acupuncture orthopedics.”

Dr. Lavitan’s rating: 10+ out of 10

2. Higher and Higher: Interview with Jost Sauer
Jost Sauer is an acupuncturist, therapist and a one-time speed addict, smuggler and deserter. Listen to these two interview about drugs in society and their treatment with Chinese Medicine.

What is Hypnotherapy?

Can Hypnosis help your patients give up smoking? How does hypnotherapy work and what should someone expect from a session? Click here to find out about more about Hypnotherapy.

What is Bowen Therapy?
Complementary and Alternative medicine is expanding at a rapid rate. As practitioners of Chinese Medicine, it is important to keep abreast of other modalities. Click here to find out about more about Bowen Therapy.

Acupuncture, Pregnancy and Doulas>>
Becks Armstrong, a Sydney based acupuncturist, is also a qualified Doula. What’s a doula? A doula is a support person during pregnancy…To learn more, click on the link above to listen to the Alternative Health Show…

Acupuncture.Net.Au interviews Sammy Reid from Acupuncture Sans Frontiers >>

In a recent interview, Sammy Reid, an acupuncturist from London talks about her experiences working with Acupuncture Sans Frontiers in Sri Lanka, after the 2004 Tsunami. Acupuncture Sans Frontiers is a non profit organisation of Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners who reduce the burden of disease in disaster and trauma areas, by offering acupuncture and health care on a voluntary basis.

Acupuncture.Net.Au interviews Mike O’Farrel, the Chief Executive Officer of the British Acupuncture Council >>

Mike O’Farrel, the Chief Executive Officer of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) was interviewed recently and asked to share his experiences with the processes involved in regulating and registering Traditional Chinese Medicine. The BacC represents professional acupuncturists who have an extensive training in acupuncture and the biomedical sciences appropriate to the practice of this therapy. The BAcC fills a much-needed void by helping to maintain standards of education, ethics, practice and discipline to ensure the health and safety of the public. It is also committed to promoting research and enhancing the role that traditional acupuncture can play overall health and well-being for the community. For more information www.acupuncture.org.uk

Acupuncture.Net.Au interviews Nick Johnson, the Manager of the Gateway Clinic in London, UK >>

Nick Johnson, Manager, talks about the services offered by the Gateway Clinic. The Gateway Clinic is a Traditional Chinese Medicine and natural health care centre, funded by the National Health Service (NHS) in London, UK. With a GP referral, acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and ear acupuncture are offered to clients and daily, funded by the public health care system. In this interview, Nick shares his experiences working in a busy public clinic and offers suggestions on how the Gateway clinic model may be established in other countries. The first of its kind, the Gateway clinic provides a foundation for how to integrate Traditional Chinese Medicine with public health care programs.

Acupuncture.Net.Au interviews Mike Inman, a qualified acupuncturist and osteopath in London, UK >>

Mike Inman is a qualified acupuncturist and osteopath based in London, UK. In an interview recorded in December 2005, Mike talks about how he uses the acupuncture energetic theory to support the manual work he does with osteopathy. Mike uses his extensive training in both modalities to complement his treatments and discusses the benefits of multi-modality training to achieve enhanced health outcomes.

What is Chiropractic?
Michael Epstein, a Doctor of Chiropractic talks to The Alternative Health Show about the principles of Chiropractic, how it works and who may benefit from treatment.

More coming soon!