Chinese Medicine Cardiology

Integrative Cardiovascular Chinese Medicine: A Prevention and Personalized Medicine Perspective, by Anika Niambi Al-Shura

Combining the research and study of integrative Chinese and Western Medicine, Integrative Cardiovascular Chinese Medicine: A Prevention and Personalized Medicine Perspective presents a clear, structured base to guide clinical practice and encourage collaboration between Chinese medicine and Western medicine practitioners.

This complete reference work thoroughly covers the pathophysiology of cardiology-related diseases, and compares, juxtaposes, and integrates Western and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Anika Niambi Al-Shura provides a realistic scope of cardiology treatment and the integration of Western and Chinese medicine, establishing a basis for standardization and a rationale for the inclusion of TCM in cardiology, and identifying and inspiring ideas for future research.

• Integrates Western and Chinese medicine for a realistic scope of cardiology treatment
• Establishes basis for standardization and rationale for the inclusion of traditional Chinese medicine in cardiology
• "Clinical pearls" provide a guiding base of traditional Chinese medicine in clinical use
• Offers a reference section that lists the latest in published studies
• Presents easy access to the medicines and herbs used in both Chinese and Western medicine, including photos and information about the current patents

My Short Article in the Edge

Chinese Medicine in the United States

by Changzhen Gong, Ph.D. July 2014

The national debate about healthcare is often heated, and it brings up many conflicting opinions. My area of interest is the acceptance and integration of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine into mainstream medical practice in the United States.

From my perspective, the trend for medicine in America is steadily moving toward integrative medicine. More and more, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine are being recognized as an effective medical modality, both as an adjunct to Western medicine and as stand-alone therapy for many medical conditions.

Examples of acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment include treating side effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea, or increasing the successful implantation rate of in vitro fertilization procedures. The World Health Organization recognizes more than 40 health conditions for which acupuncture and Chinese medicine are effective treatments, including headaches, back and joint pain, sinusitis, insomnia, weight loss and addictions, and many more. A “blended” medicine, which integrates the best of East and West, is taking shape.

To support this statement, I will cite a few recently-published reports that provide evidence for this significant paradigm shift in healthcare.

The first report is “Integrative Medicine in America: How Integrative Medicine is Being Practiced in Clinical Centers across the United States.” Sponsored by the Minneapolis-based Bravewell Collaborative, this report states that acupuncturists and Chinese medicine practitioners are the most frequently employed practitioners at integrative medicine centers. In addition, acupuncture and Chinese medicine interventions are one of the most frequently prescribed interventions across the spectrum of health conditions. The report concluded that integrative medicine is now an established part of healthcare in the United States.

http://www.edgemagazine.net/2014/07/chinese-medicine-united-states/

AAAOM at Hmong Freedom Celebration 2014

Hmong Freedom Celebration 2014

 

The Hmong Freedom Celebration 34th Annual Sport Festival will be on Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5. It is at the Como Park McMurray Field, St. Paul, MN.

The display table for the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is T9. Come to visit us.

A New Book on Acupuncture for IVF

Acupuncture for IVF and Assisted Reproduction: An integrated approach to treatment and management, by Irina Szmelskyj, Lianne Aquilina, Alan Szmelskyj

Incorporating orthodox medical theory and the existing evidenced-base for the use of acupuncture therapy, Acupuncture for IVF and Assisted Reproduction enables acupuncture practitioners to provide appropriate advice regarding diagnoses, orthodox tests and investigations, and tailor acupuncture treatment according to the stage of the fertility cycle, and associated underlying condition. An essential manual for all practitioners working in this area, or planning to do so.

• Simplifies complex information into easily accessible and understandable material
• Explains reproductive anatomy and physiology from the perspectives of both orthodox medicine and TCM
• Explains the underlying basis of orthodox medical fertility tests and investigations
• Explores the pathology and aetiology of TCM syndromes
• Provides detailed information on how to take a fertility medical history and how to diagnose TCM syndromes
• Presents the evidence for the influence of various lifestyle factors on fertility and ART success rates
• Provides guidelines on how to regulate the menstrual cycle in preparation for IVF treatment
• Explains how common fertility-related conditions such as endometriosis, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, thyroid disease, and male factor infertility affect ART success rates
• Explains how to adapt acupuncture treatment to different ART protocols
• Provides case history templates, algorithmic acupuncture treatment pathways and patient fact sheets

• Explains how to manage patients with complex medical histories
• Looks at Repeated Implantation Failure, reproductive immunology dysfunction, and recurrent miscarriages
• Explains how to support patients if their IVF is unsuccessful and how to treat patients during early pregnancy
• Examines ethical considerations relevant to fertility acupuncture practice

Electronic Charting and Social Media Best Practice Seminar

Ethics Seminar-2 PDA/CEU on July 20, 2014

Featuring Christian Hanson, presenting "Living in a Digital World: Electronic Charting and Social Media Best Practices for the Acupuncturist" organized by Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Association of Minnesota (AOMAM), at the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM).

For registration, click here.

A New Acupuncture Mechanism for Pain Management

A New Acupuncture Mechanism for Pain Management

Muscle pain is a common medical problem that is difficult to treat. One nonpharmacological treatment used is acupuncture, a procedure in which fine needles are inserted into body points with the intent of relieving pain and other symptoms. Here we investigated the effects of manual acupuncture (MA) on modulating macrophage phenotype and interleukin-10 (IL-10) concentrations in animals with muscle inflammation. Carrageenan, injected in the gastrocnemius muscle of mice, induces an inflammatory response characterized by mechanical hyperalgesia and edema. The inflammation is initially a neutrophilic infiltration that converts to a macrophage-dominated inflammation by 48 h. MA of Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoint reduces nociceptive behaviors, heat, and mechanical hyperalgesia and enhanced escape/avoidance and the accompanying edema. Sanyinjiao (SP6) MA increased muscle IL-10 levels and was ineffective in reducing pain behaviors and edema in IL-10 knockout (IL-10^-/-) mice. Repeated daily treatments with Sanyinjiao (SP6) MA induced a phenotypic switch of muscle macrophages with reduced M1 macrophages (pro-inflammatory cells) and an increase of M2 macrophages (anti-inflammatory cells and important IL-10 source). These findings provide new evidence that MA produces a phenotypic switch in macrophages and increases IL-10 concentrations in muscle to reduce pain and inflammation.

da Silva MD, Bobinski F, Sato KL, Kolker SJ, Sluka KA, Santos AR. IL-10 Cytokine Released from M2 Macrophages Is Crucial for Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Acupuncture in a Model of Inflammatory Muscle Pain. Mol Neurobiol. 2014 Jun 25.

A Molecular Mechanism of Acupuncture

A Molecular Mechanism of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is widely used for pain treatment in patients with osteoarthritis or low back pain, but molecular mechanisms remain largely enigmatic. In the early phase of inflammation neutrophilic chemokines direct opioid-containing neutrophils in the inflamed tissue and stimulate opioid peptide release and antinociception. In this study the molecular pathway and neuroimmune connections in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced hind paw inflammation and electroacupuncture for peripheral pain control were analyzed. Free moving Wistar rats with hind paw inflammation were treated twice with electroacupuncture at Huantiao (GB30) (day 0 and 1) and analyzed for mechanical and thermal nociceptive thresholds. The cytokine profiles as well as the expression of opioid peptides were quantified in the inflamed paw. Electroacupuncture elicited long-term antinociception blocked by local injection of anti-opioid peptide antibodies (beta-endorphin, met-enkephalin, dynorphin A). The treatment altered the cytokine profile towards an anti-inflammatory pattern but augmented interferon (IFN)-gamma and the chemokine CXCL10 (IP-10: interferon gamma-inducible protein) protein and mRNA expression with concomitant increased numbers of opioid peptide-containing CXCR3+ macrophages. In rats with CFA hind paw inflammation without acupuncture repeated injection of CXCL10 triggered opioid-mediated antinociception and increase opioid-containing macrophages. Conversely, neutralization of CXCL10 time-dependently decreased electroacupuncture-induced antinociception and the number of infiltrating opioid peptide-expressing CXCR3+ macrophages. In summary, we describe a novel function of the chemokine CXCL10--as a regulator for an increase of opioid-containing macrophages and antinociceptive mediator in inflammatory pain and as a key chemokine regulated by electroacupuncture.

Wang Y, Gehringer R, Mousa SA, Hackel D, Brack A, Rittner HL. CXCL10 controls inflammatory pain via opioid peptide-containing macrophages in electroacupuncture. PLoS One. 2014 Apr 14;9(4):e94696.