Acupuncture & Massage BLOG

Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils, the volatile portion of aromatic plant products. Essential oils are aromatic essences generally distilled from the bark, roots, flowers, stems, leaves, or other plant elements. The aroma and chemical composition of essential oils can produce therapeutic and medical benefits through inhalation and absorption through the skin.

Aromatherapy is effective in the treatment of a variety of common ailments such as inflammation, acne, wounds, indigestion, bruises, PMS, concentration and memory difficulties, fatigue, insect bites, muscular and rheumatic pains, stress, nausea, and anxiety. Aromatherapy is utilized in a variety of settings including home, spas, hospitals, and clinics and in a wide range of applications such as skin and hair care, pain management, to reduce side effects of chemotherapy, and to promote relaxation and well being of patients in palliative care and intensive care units.

Essential oils often vary greatly in quality due to various factors such as distillation standards and conditions under which the plant was grown. Not all products that contain the word “aromatherapy” in their labels are derived from pure oil essences. Some also contain perfume or fragrance oils or other synthetic ingredients. Consumers seeking aromatherapy products should determine the product does not contain fragrance oils or other synthetic components by checking the ingredient label. Therapeutic-grade oils differ from perfume-grade oils, which are synthetic and lack therapeutic properties.

The chemical components of essential oils exert specific mind-body effects. Each essential oil produces a different effect depending on which component predominates in the essential oil. Oils can also be blended synergistically to produce a specific therapeutic action or aroma. Synergistic blends often produce increased therapeutic benefits in comparison to oils used independently.

When inhaled, essential oils affect the brain and nervous system. Oil molecules enter the lungs, are absorbed by the bloodstream and produce psychological and physical benefits. When applied to the skin, oils are diluted with a carrier oil (apricot kernel oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil) before applying the oil to the skin for absorption into the bloodstream. Essential oils are often too concentrated to be applied directly to the skin, although specific oils, such as sandalwood, ylang ylang and lavender, may be applied directly. Essential oil application to the skin is often utilized for a variety of hygiene and health conditions. Some of the more commonly used essential oils include:

∑ Eucalyptus, which has analgesic, antiviral and antiseptic properties. Used for skin disorders, headaches, neuralgia, arthritis, coughs, sinusitis, flu, bronchitis, and aches and pains.

∑ Ylang Ylang, which has sedative, stimulant, anti-infectious, and tonic properties. Used for high blood pressure, palpitations, acne, stress related disorders, insomnia, digestive disorders, and insect bites.

∑ Lavender, which has analgesic, tonic and stimulant properties. Used for cuts, bruises, hypertension, migraine, headache, insomnia, sciatica, allergies, sprains, flu, and rheumatism.

∑ Sandalwood, which has astringent, sedative, antiseptic, and tonic properties. Used for bronchitis, stress related conditions, insomnia, nausea, and coughs.

Aromatherapy is a complementary health modality which can be integrated into allopathic health care plans. Individuals should discuss essential oils with their physician before using aromatherapy products to complement medical conditions.
For information about Acupuncture & Massage College’s Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs call Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500.

For information about aromatherapy for health and wellness ask for Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician.

Homeopathic treatment for ear infections is a natural alternative to antibiotic treatment. Homeopathic treatment for ear infections effectively treats bacterial, viral and fungal infections of the ear. Homeopathic treatment for ear infections also reduces inflammation and boosts immune system functioning. Homeopathic treatment for ear infections can effectively prevent infection recurrence, thereby guarding against hearing impairment caused by chronic ear infections.

Antibiotics, antihistamines and ear tubes may provide symptomatic treatment, but often persons given these medical treatments tend to experience recurrent ear infections. Homeopathic treatment for ear infections is natural, safe, regulated by the FDA, and produces no side effects. To stimulate the body to fight the infection, homeopathic treatment for ear infections uses highly diluted, nontoxic doses of a natural substance that would produce the symptoms of an ear infection if given in full strength to a healthy person. Homeopathic treatment for ear infections consists of remedies tailored to the person’s specific symptoms.

Homeopathic treatment for ear infections is mild, relies on the body’s own healing mechanisms and is based on prevention rather than treatment of health conditions. Both homeopathic treatment for ear infections and Chinese herbal medicine offer beneficial forms of treatment. Homeopathic treatment for ear infections can strengthen health and minimize the cyclic pattern of developing ear infections. Homeopathic treatment for ear infections can relieve the pain of an ear infection quickly and gently.
Homeopathic treatment for ear infections treats the individual holistically rather than only treating the illness. Homeopathic treatment for ear infections treats the individual both physically and psychologically, taking into consideration the individual’s physical appearance, likes and dislikes and temperament. Homeopathic treatment for ear infections is effective in the diagnosis and treatment of not only ear infections but also many common ailments.

Acupuncture & Massage College’s Masters of Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs prepare graduates for careers as acupuncture physicians and massage therapists. For program information call Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500. For acupuncture and homeopathic treatment, request Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician and Homeopath.

Homeopathic treatment for heartburn offers a safer alternative than allopathic medication in the treatment of heartburn. Homeopathic treatment for heartburn is based on the principle of “like cures like.” Homeopathic treatment for heartburn consists of remedies which are dilutions of natural substances from minerals and plants that are selected to specifically match an individual’s symptom pattern. For individuals who are unable to manage heartburn with lifestyle and dietary modifications, homeopathic treatment for heartburn may aid in curing this condition.

In combination with homeopathic treatment for heartburn, lifestyle and dietary modifications such as avoiding trigger foods, smoking cessation, eating small frequent meals, and weight control may aid in reducing the symptoms of heartburn. Homeopathic treatment for heartburn uses tiny doses of a carefully chosen substance to stimulate the individual’s body to heal itself. Homeopathic treatment for heartburn addresses the underlying root of the health problem and corrects the condition, thus improving the individual’s health holistically.

Allopathic medications such as acid blockers block hydrochloric acid production in the stomach and reduce symptoms of heartburn; however, they do not address the cause of the heartburn. Homeopathic treatment for heartburn aids the body to normalize its production of hydrochloric acid and improve overall wellness. In addition, homeopathic treatment for heartburn utilizes doses that are so small there are no side effects. For moderate heartburn conditions, homeopathic treatment for heartburn can offer a safe and mild remedy.

Homeopathic treatment for heartburn should be sought from a professional homeopathic practitioner. Homeopathic treatment for heartburn requires a homeopath’s diagnosis and treatment for cases ranging from mild symptoms to more advanced digestive conditions. Homeopathic treatment for heartburn will not only relieve the acute symptoms the individual is experiencing but can also prevent symptom recurrence. Homeopathic treatment for heartburn consists of constitutional homeopathic remedies that can strengthen an individual’s digestive system. Homeopathic treatment for heartburn can also moderate food allergies and imbalances in stomach acid and digestive enzymes.

Acupuncture & Massage College’s Masters of Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs prepare graduates for careers as acupuncture physicians and massage therapists. For program information call Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500. For acupuncture and homeopathic therapy, request Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician and Homeopath.

A group of German scientists launched a study of 76 Chinese medicinal plants believed to be effective anti-cancer agents, said Chinese Medicine News.

The plants, they think, are useful in breaking up the growth of malignant tumours.

Among the many herbs and plants tested were yew trees, periwinkle plant and rangoon creeper, also known as the Chinese honeysuckle. Extracts from 18 of the plants under were found to substantially suppress the growth of cancer cells.

The German scientists began concentrating on Chinese herbal remedies from traditional Chinese medicine after reports they were alleviating symptoms other, less dangerous diseases. Now the scientists are combining natural substance research with advanced analytical and molecular-biological methods.

For more information on the effectiveness of Chinese Herbal Medicine, please call 305.595.9500.

Homeopathic pain management may minimize pain, reduce stress and improve well-being. Homeopathic pain management is a system of medicine based on the premise that tiny quantities of certain substances can stimulate the body to heal itself. Homeopathic pain management substances are greatly diluted, which in larger doses would produce similar symptoms of the illness afflicting the individual. These diluted substances, utilized in homeopathic pain management remedies, stimulate the body to provide a healing response. The healing response produced by homeopathic pain management remedies then acts to reduce condition symptoms.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other conventional pain management medications often have side effects such as low immune function and ulcers, which can be avoided by using homeopathic pain management remedies. Homeopathic pain management remedies must match the exact symptom set to be effective. Both acute and chronic pain syndromes can be treated with homeopathic pain management. Composed of nontoxic, natural plant, mineral and animal substances, homeopathic pain management enhances the body’s self-regulatory processes and is an increasingly used complementary therapy.
Homeopathic pain management reduces inflammation and facilitates healing. Regulated since 1938 by the FDA, homeopathic pain management remedies are proven to be safe to treat a wide range of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis, allergies, and minor injuries such as cuts, muscle strains and sprains. Homeopathic pain management can combat the loss of energy due to the lack of rest or sleep and reduce the increased stress levels that accompany common pain syndromes.
Homeopathic pain management remedies not only offer relief from temporary pain disorders but can enhance long term healing. Homeopathic pain management remedies also reestablish normal immune system functioning and stimulate the body’s natural defense system. Homeopathic pain management remedies can effectively treat many pain syndromes, including tissue inflammation, physical injury and nerve pain.
Acupuncture & Massage College prepares graduates for careers as acupuncture physicians and massage therapists. For program information call Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500. For acupuncture and homeopathic therapy, request Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician and Homeopath.

Over 50 million Americans have hypertension, blood pressure measuring above the normal range. Nearly one-third of individuals are not aware they have it. High blood pressure can develop without noticeable symptoms over several years. Only when blood pressure is severe do warning signs such as irregular heart beat, nose bleeds, dizziness, and headaches appear. If untreated, hypertension can lead to strokes, heart and kidney disease.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is used clinically for the treatment of high blood pressure and related circulatory conditions. Based on TCM theory, high blood pressure and related symptoms are regarded as manifestations of an underlying health condition. Treatment aims to not only alleviate symptoms but also to treat the root cause. TCM offers a prevention-oriented, holistic approach for the treatment of hypertension which determines the imbalance of the entire body system. Hypertensive imbalance is due to the improper function of the digestive system, kidneys, liver, and heart.
According to TCM, blood circulation is a result of qi flow through the body rather than blood pressure. As the liver controls the blood in TCM, circulation health conditions typically arise from a disharmony in the liver. Medical studies suggest that high blood pressure results from the feedback regulation that takes place when blood supplies to some organs, such as the heart, brain and kidneys, are imbalanced. This regulation is a compensatory body reaction which results in a hypertensive state. The proper treatment of hypertension is to return blood supply of the heart, brain and kidneys to normal. TCM lowers blood pressure by regulating the entire body.
TCM treatment methods, such as acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, are natural, safe therapies with little side effects, especially suited for hypertensive patients who have kidney or liver complications. When treated with TCM modalities, patients experience a gradual lowering of blood pressure. Acupuncture treats elevated blood pressure by regulation of the whole body, including the nervous and endocrine systems.
Acupuncture & Massage College’s Masters of Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs prepare graduates for careers as acupuncture physicans and massage therapists. For program information call Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500 or for treatment contact Dr. Richard Browne at 305.595.9500

Tongxinluo, an herbal medicine used to treat cardiovascular diseases in China may improve angina symptoms when integrated with conventional treatment, according to a new systematic review in the October 18 issue of The Cochrane Library. Tongxinluo, composed of eight herbs and insects in capsule form, was found in several of the review studies to reduce the frequency of unstable angina symptoms, such as irregular chest pain, and improve angina patients’ electrocardiogram (ECG) results.

The review authors analyzed data from 18 randomized controlled trials of 1,413 angina patients aged 25 to 88. Conducted in China, a majority of the trials examined the effect of tongxinluo when used in addition to traditional angina treatment in comparison to traditional treatment alone. In seven of the review studies, patients with unstable angina treated with tongxinluo and conventional treatment had improved ECG results compared to patients treated with conventional treatment alone. Findings from 10 of the studies indicated that the herbal medicine improved angina symptoms. In three of the studies, tongxinluo appeared as effective as conventional nitrate medication.

“Tongxinluo is one of the most successful traditional Chinese medicines on the market in China,” said lead author Wu Taixiang, an associate professor at Sichuan University, West China Hospital, in Chengdu, Sichuan. Taixiang and other co-authors said that they felt a “social responsibility” to investigate possible clinical benefits of tongxinluo, after seeing the popularity of this medicine among cardiovascular patients in Asia.

Prior to the current review, evidence on tongxinluo’s effect has not been thoroughly analyzed. The authors concluded that tongxinluo in combination with routine angina therapy appears to reduce the frequency of angina attacks and severity, improve symptoms and ECG results, but that further trials are necessary to determine recommendations for tongxinluo’s use for angina patients. Taixiang considered the review “an encouraging exploration” regarding tongxinluo’s beneficial effects for patients experiencing unstable angina.

For more information on Acupuncture and Chinese herbs contact Dr. Richard Browne at 305.595.9500.

Eczema is an itchy, red rash that varies in size from a small patch of affected dry skin to larger portions of the body. Originating at any age and capable of persisting into adulthood, eczema is one of the most chronic skin conditions.

Eczema is an allergic reaction that manifests as an inflammation of the upper layers of skin. Allergens that trigger eczema range from cold, grass, pollen, and chemical agents to insect bites, certain foods, perfumes, and medication. Eczema may appear abruptly on any part of the body and can produce a red skin rash, flaking, severe itching, dry, thick skin, serum oozing, and bleeding. The primary allopathic treatment for eczema is corticosteroid ointments applied topically.

In a study appearing in the August issue of the British Journal of Dermatology, doctors at the Chinese University of Hong Kong describe how they have ascertained the effect of five Chinese herbs that traditionally have been used to treat eczema. Between February 2004 and July 2005, they recruited 85 children suffering from eczema; 42 of them were given capsules containing extracts of the five herbs twice daily for 12 weeks, while the remaining 43 children were given placebos.

By the conclusion of the treatment, the conditions of the children who were given the herbs improved and their use of corticosteroid creams and ointment was reduced by one-third, the researchers determined. Corticosteroids are hormones which are effective in suppressing symptoms but do not provide a cure. “Such chronic diseases cannot be cured. But Chinese herbs can help some patients control and manage their condition,” says Ellis Hon, one of the researchers and associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The five herbs are Flos Ionicerae (Jinyinhua), Herba menthae (Bohe), Cortex moutan (Danpi), Rhizoma atractylodis (Cangzhu), and Cortex phellodendri (Huangbai).

For information about Traditional Chinese Medicine for health maintenance and well being contact Dr. Richard Browne at (305) 595-9500.

DIABETES CAN BE TREATED WITH CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE

Berberine, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbal component, has been reported to have beneficial effects for people experiencing type 2 diabetes. A collaboration between Chinese, Korean and Australian scientists at Sydney’s Garvan Institute has revealed that the natural plant product could be a valuable new treatment.

Berberine (plant alkaloid) is found in the roots and bark of a number of plants used for medicinal purposes including wound healing and has been documented as having anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-tumor properties. Berberine is a component of goldenseal, marketed in the combination herbal supplement of echinacea and goldenseal. It has been used in TCM as a remedy for diabetes (among other medicinal purposes) and documented in Chinese literature as having glucose-lowering properties when administered to diabetics, but its mode of action was unknown.

The study, published in a recent issue of Diabetes, investigated the metabolic effects of berberine in two models of insulin-resistance and insulin-responsive cell lines. “Our studies in models of diabetes show that berberine acts in part by activating an enzyme in the muscle and liver that is involved in improving sensitivity of the tissue to insulin—this in turn lowers blood sugar levels. In addition, it seems berberine can reduce body weight,” said Garvan scientist Jiming Ye, M.D. The next step is to investigate how berberine activates the enzyme that mediates these ‘insulin-sensitizing’ effects.

Type 2 diabetes is a growing health concern that requires development of new therapy treatments. A large number of patients cannot tolerate current medications (metformin) and the TZD group of drugs cause weight gain. “Berberine has been used for decades, if not centuries, with few reported side effects. Given the limitations of existing medicines we are excited to have evidence that berberine may be a new treatment for type 2 diabetes,” said Professor James, head of the Garvan’s Diabetes & Obesity Research Program and co-author of the Diabetes paper. For more information about TCM treatment for diabetes contact Dr. Richard Browne at (305) 595-9500.

GINSENG MAY REDUCE CANCER-RELATED FATIGUE

Ginseng reduces fatigue and increases vitality in cancer patients, according to a new Mayo Clinic study, one of the first studies to evaluate a Wisconsin species of ginseng as a possible therapy for cancer-related fatigue. Many cancer patients experience extreme fatigue after diagnosis and during treatment. Other than exercise, there is no current solution available for patients to minimize fatigue.

“We hope that Wisconsin ginseng may offer us a much-needed treatment to improve our patients’ quality of life, and we look forward to further evaluation,” says Debra Barton, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic cancer researcher and the study’s primary investigator. “Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most profound and distressing issues patients face. This unique type of fatigue can have dozens of causes, and for patients who have completed cancer therapy, fatigue is among their foremost concerns, second only to disease recurrence.”

Ginseng may be an effective addition to currently available therapies. Cancer patients experience psychological and physiological stressors ranging from diagnosis to chemotherapy and radiation. . More than 90 percent of people with cancer suffer from extreme lethargy and low energy levels before, during or after treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes ginseng’s therapeutic potential. As an adaptogen, ginseng contains a substance that aids the body in overcoming effects of environmental stress.

The investigators enrolled 282 patients with breast, colon and other types of cancer in a randomized, placebo-controlled eight-week trial. Patients who received large daily doses of ginseng showed improvements in overall energy levels, reporting higher vitality levels and less interference with activity from fatigue in comparison with patients receiving low doses or placebo. They also reported an improvement in overall mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapy, can effectively treat many common health conditions. For more information contact Dr. Richard Browne at (305) 595-9500.