Reading Corner
Fertility and Women’s Health
Integrating the essence extracted from East and West medicine.
Q: What is the big picture to help get pregnant naturally?
A: Evaluate the male side first. Approximately 40% of cases are due to male factors, such as abnormal sperm function or the presence of a varicocele Second, get detailed information about the female reproductive system and the whole body system. Start from the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovary, to the pituitary, thyroid, immune system, stress management, nutrition, diet, etc. Any one of these factors may influence female fertility. Even sometimes the female is “normal”.
After a comprehensive evaluation, acupuncture and natural Chinese herbs are strategically applied to address related specific issues.
There is thousands of years history of Traditional Chinese Medicine practice to help fertility. It is safe and effective.
Q: How do you treat miscarriage?
A: Most of the miscarriages happens in the first three months of pregnancy are caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus. Chromosomal problems usually occur by chance. As women age, the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities may increase, which may contribute to the increase in miscarriage.
Factors causing miscarriage also include:
Hormone imbalance, such as low progesterone, PCOS
Infection
Environmental toxic or radiation
Uterine structure issues, like scars, fibroids
Incompetent cervix
Immune and endocrine disorders
Severe heart and kidney disease
Malnutrition
Lifestyle, such as stress, illegal drugs, smoking, alcohol, and caffeine
First, find out the reason(s) behind miscarriage. Second, distinguish the specific body condition. In TCM terms, Qi, blood, Yin, Yang, cold, heat, deficiency, and excess are carefully evaluated. At last, treatment strategies are crafted and executed accordingly.
Q: I plan to get IVF. Can you help to increase the success rate?
A: Yes, there is recent research about combining acupuncture with IVF. The success rate is increased statistically.
A family choosing IVF may go through tremendous stress, both emotional and financial. In the meantime, the female physical body goes through dramatic changes within a short period of time.
Supportive acupuncture treatment is given before, during, and after IVF to help the body to adjust well for pregnancy and increase the success rate.
Q: How about morning sickness?
A: To treat morning sickness, the first approach is from Eastern nutrition. Specific foods are recommended, like ginger tea or zi su ye.
For severe cases, evaluate and find out the specific body condition, and give acupuncture and/or natural Chinese herbs to help the body adjust well. In the meantime, benefiting the fetus may also be combined.
For generations, acupuncture and Chinese herbs have proven safe and effective for early pregnancy discomfort, like morning sickness, fatigue, etc.
Q: Can you safely help postpartum baby blues and major depression while breastfeeding?
A: Yes. Giving birth to a baby can be exhausting. Sometimes the injury may happen during labor. Heavy bleeding may occur. Hormones change dramatically, etc. When the body cannot adjust smoothly after the baby comes out, postpartum baby blues and major depression may develop.
In TCM language, Qi and blood deficiency, Kidney Yang deficiency, and Liver Qi stagnation are among the main reasons. For thousands of years, these have been treated safely with acupuncture and natural Chinese herbs while breastfeeding.
Q: How about pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)?
A: Premenstrual syndrome is a group of symptoms that start about 2-7 days before menstruation. There are hormone changes inside of a female body. Mental stress puts more fluctuation into this cycle of hormonal changes. Some people are born with the tendency to have PMS. Some people acquire it later in life.
Exercising, getting enough sleep, and avoiding salt, caffeine, and alcohol may help.
In Westyo Acupuncture & Herb clinic, we not only address the symptoms, like breast distension, emotional agitation, acne breakout, and lower abdomen cramping pain, but also help the related underlying causes, like hormone imbalance and stress.
Fertility and Women’s Health
Integrating the essence from East and West medicine.
Q: What is the big picture to help get pregnant naturally?
A: Evaluate the male side first. Approximately 40% of cases are due to male factors, such as abnormal sperm function or the presence of a varicocele
Second, get detailed information about the female reproductive system and the whole body system. Start from the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovary, to the pituitary, thyroid, immune system, stress management, nutrition, diet, etc. Any one of these factors may influence female fertility. Even sometimes the female is “normal”.
After a comprehensive evaluation, acupuncture and natural Chinese herbs are strategically applied to address related specific issues.
There is thousands of years of history of Traditional Chinese Medicine practice to help fertility. It is safe and effective.
Q: How do you treat miscarriage?
A: Most of the miscarriages that happen in the first three months of pregnancy are caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus. Chromosomal problems usually occur by chance. As women age, the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities may increase, which may contribute to the increase in miscarriage.
Factors causing miscarriage also include:
Hormone imbalance, such as low progesterone, PCOS
Infection
Environmental toxic or radiation
Uterine structure issues, like scars, fibroids
Incompetent cervix
Immune and endocrine disorders
Severe heart and kidney disease
Malnutrition
Lifestyle, such as stress, illegal drugs, smoking, alcohol, and caffeine
First, find out the reason(s) behind miscarriage. Second, distinguish the specific body condition. In TCM terms, Qi, blood, Yin, Yang, cold, heat, deficiency, and excess are carefully evaluated. At last, treatment strategies are crafted and executed accordingly.
Q: I plan to get IVF. Can you help to increase the success rate?
A: Yes, there is recent research about combining acupuncture with IVF. The success rate increases statistically.
A family choosing IVF may go through tremendous stress, both emotional and financial. In the meantime, the female physical body goes through dramatic changes within a short period of time.
Supportive acupuncture treatment is given before, during, and after IVF to help the body to adjust well for pregnancy and increase the success rate.
Q: How about morning sickness?
A: To treat morning sickness, the first approach is from Eastern nutrition. Specific foods are recommended, like ginger tea or zi su ye.
For severe cases, evaluate and find out the specific body condition, and give acupuncture and/or natural Chinese herbs to help the body adjust well. In the meantime, benefiting the fetus may also be combined.
For generations, acupuncture and Chinese herbs have proven safe and effective for early pregnancy discomfort, like morning sickness, fatigue, etc.
Q: Can you safely help postpartum baby blues and major depression while breastfeeding?
A: Yes.
Giving birth to a baby can be exhausting. Sometimes the injury may happen during labor. Heavy bleeding may occur. Hormones change dramatically, etc. When the body cannot adjust smoothly after the baby comes out, postpartum baby blues and major depression may develop.
In TCM language, Qi and blood deficiency, Kidney Yang deficiency, and Liver Qi stagnation are among the main reasons. For thousands of years, these have been treated safely with acupuncture and natural Chinese herbs while breastfeeding.
Q: How about pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)?
A: Premenstrual syndrome is a group of symptoms that start about 2-7 days before menstruation. There are hormone changes inside of a female body. Mental stress puts more fluctuation into this cycle of hormonal changes. Some people are born with the tendency to have PMS. Some people acquire it later in life.
Exercising, getting enough sleep, and avoiding salt, caffeine, and alcohol may help.
In Westyo Acupuncture & Herb clinic, we not only address the symptoms, like breast distension, emotional agitation, acne breakout, and lower abdomen cramping pain, but also help the related underlying causes, like hormone imbalance and stress.
Q: How do you treat dysmenorrhea, menstrual cramping pain?
A: Multiple factors can lead to a painful menstrual period. In the Traditional Chinese Medicine terminology, the main conditions of the body are listed as follows. In complicated cases, patterns may show up together.
Kidney yang deficiency, cold congeals the blood. Blood clots in menstrual flow can be as big as a quarter coin in size. Heavy menstrual bleeding may occur in the meantime. Achy lower back is common. Vaginal discharge is clear or white.
Qi and blood stagnation. Pain gets worse with emotional stress. Blood clots are small.
Qi and blood deficiency. Low energy, weak pulse, pale and puffy tongue with teeth marks are the key points.
Damp-heat in lower Jiao. Smelling vaginal discharge, red tongue with yellow coating, and slippery pulse are characteristic.
Q: Functional uterine bleeding, anemia, fatigue, and depression
A: Prolonged monthly heavy menstrual bleeding can lead to anemia, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, and even depression. Higher divorce rate among these women through over three decades observation.
In Westyo Acupuncture & Herb, the underlying reasons that cause heavy functional uterine bleeding are investigated and treated, treating the root. In the meantime, tonifying Qi and generating blood to build up energy, and improve mental and physical function are addressed, treating the branch.
Among the reasons, low progesterone and high stress are the main ones.
Taking pills to stop bleeding every month, taking iron pills to treat anemia, and having surgery to take out the uterus are not the proper ways to treat functional uterine bleeding. The root cause should be uncovered and treated.
Q: Acne, hormone, stress, diet. What is the systemic approach?
A: Acne affects people between puberty and menopause. Most often acne is found in young people. For people before puberty and after menopause, acne usually doesn’t visit them.
Acne often breaks out about 2 to 7 days before the female menstrual period. All of these suggest that acne is hormone related. Stress and improper diet influence the situation.
Acne affects the oil glands in skin and their outlet passage to the surface. Normally the pores of the oil glands should be open to let the sebaceous secretion out to lubricate our skin naturally. Multiple reasons in daily life, like hormonal imbalance, stress, and improper diet, etc. may add together to generate acne-causing factors like excessive oil and waste production, dead cells debris can not be cleared out efficiently but builds up and clogs the outlet passage, skin pores just cannot open or open big enough to let waste out.
Once the oil glands and their secretion outlet way are clumped with wastes like oil, and cell debris, bacteria may grow inside. The breakout of acne is inevitable.
In Westyo Acupuncture & Herb clinic, acne-causing factors are taken care of. Acnes are effectively resolved from inside out. Can you find better treatment for acne? Phone/text (773)809-0528
Q: Breast cysts, fibroadenoma, stress, and hormone
A: A breast cyst is a sac filled with fluid. It typically occurs in females between the ages of 35-50 years old, and is most common near menopause. Cysts often enlarge and become tender several days before the menstrual period. After a period, cysts become soft and less tender. Breast cysts are usually benign and may seem to appear overnight.
Upon palpation, the cyst is smooth on the surface and can be soft or hard. If a cyst is deep in breast tissue, it can feel like a hard lump. Fluid-filled inside a cyst makes it not complicated for ultrasound or mammography to confirm the diagnosis.
Fibroadenoma is the most common benign breast lump found in women of any age, more often in female 20s and 30s. Increasingly, it is seen in postmenopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy.
On physical check, the painless fibroadenoma lump feels rubbery and moves freely. Its size varies and its location can be anywhere in the breast tissue. Ultrasound or mammography is usually made to confirm the diagnosis.
The treatment approach for these two kinds of lumps often ends up in surgery. In TCM view, these two kinds of lumps are related to stress and hormone imbalance. A Conservative strategy is strongly suggested. Acupuncture and natural TCM herbs offer good help.
In TCM terminology, under tremendous or prolonged high stress, qi and blood cannot flow freely but stagnate in channels and collaterals. In the meantime, hormone balance is disturbed by ongoing stress. To move Qi, sooth Liver, tonify Kidney Yang, and resolve nodules are the basic treatment strategies for these two kinds of lumps.
Q: Uterine fibroid surgery?
A: Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors of the uterus in women of childbearing age. Fibroids are made of muscle cells and other tissues. There are three layers in the uterine wall. Fibroids that grow right under the inner lining are the ones that may cause heavy bleeding. The exact cause of fibroids is unknown. It can shrink after menopause. It can be found by Gynecological exam and B-ultrasound.
Some women with fibroids have no symptoms. Signs and symptoms associated with uterine fibroids may include the following: heavy or painful periods and/or bleeding during ovulation, feeling full in the lower abdomen, frequent urination, pain during sex, lower back pain, reproductive problems, such as infertility, multiple miscarriages, or early labor.
There is no need for treatment for those who have no symptoms. Keep an eye on its growth with B ultra sound check up. Acupuncture and natural TCM herbs can slow, stop fibroids from growing, and even reduce them. Unnecessary surgery may be avoided. While treating fibroids, heavy menstrual bleeding, lower back pain, related miscarriage, and infertility are treated in the meantime.
Q: Do Westyo Acupuncture & Herbs take care of UTI, acute and chronic?
A: Antibiotics are adopted to effectively treat urinary tract infection nowadays, especially when it is acute. However, chronic urinary tract infection is tough to treat, even with urine culture plus antibiotics sensitivity tests are done. Drug resistance developed by bacteria makes the treatment result unsatisfying.
In Westyo Acupuncture & Herbs, using acupuncture and natural TCM herbs as methods, treat acute or chronic UTIs, not only addressing bacteria, but also improving immune system function to prevent future happenings.
When cold and bitter-natured antibiotics are overused, the body has accumulated excessive cold inside. Discouraging the effectiveness of antibiotics. Adding warm/hot-natured herbs in the herb formula helps to achieve a satisfying result.
Q: Vaginal discharge, acute and chronic?
A: Glands in the cervix and the walls of the vagina normally produce clear mucus. During ovulation, pregnancy, and sexual excitement, vaginal discharge increases.
Abnormal vaginal discharge commonly is caused by infections like vaginal yeast infection, normal bacteria in the vagina overgrowing, and sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. At the acute stage, the vaginal discharge is pasty, yellow, or green with odor.
Less common causes of vaginal discharge include cancer of the cervix or vagina. This type of vaginal discharge may contain blood.
Chronic vaginal discharge, clear, watery, copious, without odor, is usually related to Qi deficiency.
With acupuncture and natural TCM herbs, this disorder is treated effectively. Especially the third type when no antibiotic works.
Q: Peaceful menopause?
A: Yes.
Menopause means no more menstrual periods. It happens because the ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone. It usually occurs naturally, most often after age 45.
The changes and symptoms can start several years earlier than the period stops. It includes:
A change in periods - shorter or longer, lighter or heavier, with more or less time in between, hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, vaginal dryness, mood swings, trouble focusing, hair loss, etc.
Some women go through menopause smoothly without severe symptoms demanding attention. Treatment is needed for some women who have trouble with this significant transition period.
Several thousand years ago, in a book named “Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic,” documented rising, peaking, and decline of Kidney Qi are related to the human body growing, peaking, and aging. To have a peaceful menopause, tonify Kidney is the main strategy. In the meantime, soothe the Liver, clear Heart heat, nourish yin are some other strategies.
Osteoarthritis an integrative approach
Weiyan Liu, L. Ac. (Illinois), MS, MD (China)
Etiology
Neck pain, lower back pain, hip pain, knee pain, and heel pain are the most common osteoarthritis pain. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease. With aging, the bone loses its density and osteoporosis happens. A bone spur may form around the joint. Cartilage, the rubbery cushion covering around the ends of the bones allows bones to glide over one another. Cartilage consists of water, collagen, proteoglycans, and chondrocytes. With aging cartilage gets thinner and thinner. The bone ends under the cartilage rub together, causing pain, swelling, and loss of motion of the joint. These overall degenerations with aging wear and tear are the main causes of osteoarthritis pain, the most common form of joint disorder.
Even though all the joints in the body are going through degeneration with aging, the weight bearing joints, the neck, lower back, hip, knee, heel are the main locations of pain occurrence. In osteoporosis, the bone is not as strong to hold body weight as it did younger. A person gets shorter and shorter. Overweight puts more stress on the joints and worse the osteoarthritis pain. A long day working in a standing position, climbing up and down, bending back and forth, squatting, etc. require more exertion of the involved joints. Osteoarthritis tends to run in families.
Symptoms
Pain and stiffness in the joints are the general symptoms. To minimize joint pain, the body recruits some muscles to keep the body in some position. This can lead to muscle and ligament pain involved. The pain is often worse after exercise and when weight or pressure is put on the joint, like standing, walking, etc. Resting a while can ease the pain. But later the pain may appear while resting. There may be some crackling sound when moving the joint. Some people experience morning pain and stiffness. It may subdue after a while of daily activity moving around. Some people might not have symptoms at all, even though x-rays show the joints aging.
Exams and tests
The physical exam may find the joint has a limited range of motion, pain with movement, tenderness around or in the joint.
No specific blood test is available for the diagnosis of osteoarthritis right now. Sometimes a blood test is ordered to rule out certain joint pain, like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, etc.
An x-ray shows a loss of the joint space due to the thinning of the cartilage, a bone spur may appear. In severe cases, there is damage to the ends of the bone. But there often is a big difference between the severity of osteoarthritis as shown by the x-ray and the degree of pain and disability patients feel. X-rays may not show early osteoarthritis damage until much cartilage loss has taken place.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging is necessary if x-ray findings are minimal, confirm damages to the soft tissues such as a ligament or the meniscus, a connective tissue pad in the knee.
Lifestyle change ---Homework
Staying active and exercising regularly can slow down the loss of calcium with aging and help keep the bone, joint, muscle, and overall health. Swimming is a good exercise since it minimizes the weight being put on the joints. Yoga and Taiji are good choices too.
Eat a healthy balanced diet. Reduce soft drinks, sugar, salt, and fat, etc. Increase some beneficial food, like black sesame, walnut, green vegetables, etc.
Weight control.
Get rested when there is pain. Do not overuse the painful joint. Lose weight if one is overweight to insure the joint bears less physical pressure.
Emotional stress management is an important aspect in human life. Long-term under high emotional stress accelerates the aging process. The severity of symptoms in osteoarthritis can be influenced greatly by attitude, anxiety, depression, and daily activity.
Treatment---help from the healthcare profession
Since degenerative osteoarthritis is aging-related, instead of curing it, the treatments modern bio-medicine currently adopted are mainly pain management to achieve daily function.
Non-drug therapy
Acupuncture to relieve osteoarthritis pain has a long history in China and is getting popular in America. Researches have been done around the world. NIH osteoarthritis website cited this research: Berman BM, Lao L, Langenberg P, Lee WL, Gilpin AM, Hochberg MC. Effectiveness of acupuncture as adjunctive therapy in osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004 Dec 21;141(12):901-10.
Physical therapy and massage can help the muscle strength and joint blood circulation, improve the motion of stiff joints and reduce pain to some degree.
Medication and pain control
Over-the-counter pain relievers acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are common painkillers. Types of NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
Narcotic or central acting agents, such as tramadol, codeine, and hydrocodone, are reserved for short-term use because of the potential of physical and psychological dependence.
Nutritional supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.
Anti-inflammatory hormone corticosteroids is injected into the joint to reduce swelling and pain. Suggestion for this short-term measure is not more than 2-4 treatments a year.
Artificial joint fluid (Synvisc, Hyalgan) can be injected into the knee to reduce pain.
Surgery
Severe cases of osteoarthritis might need surgery to repair or replace damaged joints. As the invasive nature of the surgery, think about it only when adequate conservative measures have proven ineffective.
Chinese acupuncture and herb medicine
Even though the joint can not go back to its prime time, managing its pain, restoring its function, can be achieved through slowing down the aging, also termed as anti-aging, strengthening the bone and sinew with Chinese acupuncture and herb medicine. Tonifying Kidney antiaging is the main strategy. Lots of unnecessary joint surgery can be exempt.
The use of Chinese acupuncture and herbal medicine is based on the vast and sophisticated theory system of Chinese medicine. The strategy applied to treat osteoarthritis is mainly tonifying Kidney, an anti-aging strategy since osteoarthritis is degeneration-related. It not only manages the pain but also balances the muscles, strengthens the bone and sinew.
In the growing process of the human body, Kidney function involves accordingly. "Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic" states, For a female when she is 7 years old, Kidney qi grows strong. Milk teeth are switched by permanent teeth. The hair grows. When she is 2*7 years old, heavenly essence emerges. The menstrual flow starts. A child can be bearded. When she is 3* 7 years old, Kidney qi is even. Wisdom teeth grow and all the teeth come out. When she is 7*7 years old, Ren channel is deficient. Chong channel is in decline. Heavenly essence is gone. Female reproduction function is blocked. The appearance degenerates. No more conceiving ability.
For male, when he is 8 years old, Kidney qi is exuberant. Hair grows. Milk teeth give way to permanent teeth. When he is 2*8 years old, Kidney qi is even. Heavenly essence comes. Essence qi is full and flood. Upon having sex with women, a child can come into being. When he is 3*8 years old, Kidney qi is even, tendon ligament and bone are strong and powerful. Wisdom teeth grow and all the teeth growth is finished. When he is 8*8 years old, teeth and hair fall off. The kidney is responsible for water. It accepts and stores the essence from five Zang six Fu. So when five Zang is plenty and flourish, the drainage to the Kidney is possible. Now the five Zang are all down the hill. Ligament, tendon, and bone are loose and degenerate. Heavenly essence is used up. So white hair appears, the body feels heavy, the gate is unsteady, no more offspring making ability.
In Chinese Medicine, the Kidney is responsible for water, maneuvers the bone, generates brain marrow, and is responsible for reproduction. Its flourishing is showing on hair. It opens orifice in the ears, front and back Yin. Kidney function is closely related to aging. With aging, one, including male and female, may have to wake up to urinate at night. The bone becomes fragile and easily broken because of osteoporosis. Memory and the learning ability decline. Reproductive function is reduced, hair turns gray. Hearing is diminishing, etc.
Since osteoarthritis is related to the degeneration of the bone in the joint, tonifying the Kidney, strengthening the bone and sinew is the main method. Of course, there are other strategies that may be adopted according to the individual body situation, like nourish Yin, warm the Yang, tonify the righteous Qi, move stagnant Qi, resolve blood stasis, eliminate dampness and cold, unblock the channels, etc.
The selection of acupuncture points to treat joint pain is according to Chinese Medicine theory about pattern and channel diagnosis, and where is the joint pain located. Points like KID 3, 6, 10, SI 3, UB 62, UB 23, 40, 60, Ht 7, Ht 3, GB 30, 34, 40, Hua Tuo Jia Ji points, and local A-Shi points around the joints are commonly selected.
Despite the joint pain, the patient may experience muscle pain. To minimize joint pain, the body automatically adopts a certain posture. With time moving on, the involved muscle overworked and tense up forming a painful tough ropy mass upon palpation. The unused muscles may decline to atrophy. Muscle imbalance appears. If this situation happens to the spin, the normal physical curvatures of the spin can be affected. Some parts of the spine may gradually become tilted or bent or protruded. Normal body posture balance lost. Transversely threading multiple needles across the painful ropy muscle is a good idea. Pay attention to the muscle motor points, which are located on that specific muscle. Or palpate along the muscle to find the tender spot, the A-Shi point. Where is the pain, where is the point is a strategy applied for general pain management.
In Chinese Herb Medicine, the selection of formula is always following the pattern diagnosis. Modified DUO HUO JI SHENG TANG, TIAN MA GOU TENG YIN, ER XIAN TAN, etc. are the basic herb formulas used to treat osteoarthritis. The Kidney Yang tonic ingredients, likeBa Ji Tian, Xian Mao, Du Zhong, Xu Duan, Sang Ji Shen, etc. are the main ingredients used for the purpose of strength bone and sinew, resolve dampness, and relieve pain.
Traditionally some of these herbs are used to increase libido. Menopause is related to hormone change and the degeneration of the reproductive system, which is one of the Kidneys functions. Some of these herbs are important ingredients in treating menopause syndrome. Er Xian Tang is a formula developed for treating this aging phase of the female by Shanghai Shu Guang Hospital OBGYN Department.
Hormone imbalance-related functional uterine bleeding, infertility and miscarriage, PCOS, dysmenorrhea, PMS, acne, etc. can also benefit from these Kidney Yang tonics. In addition, some of these herbs are chosen for cognitive function degeneration. The theory behind this is Kidney maneuvers bone and generates marrow. The brain is the sea of marrow.
Each person has his/her own unique body constitution. The human body's Qi, blood, Yin, and Yang balance is a delicate system. The formula given to an individual person is specifically designed for the utmost fit. In the meantime, the human body is a dynamic balance, once a well-balanced formula does not fit for the same person forever. The following visit is needed to update the herb formula for a better fit.
