Fire Needle one week later

Hi Super Blogs,

Jeff let me take some pictures of his cyst a week after treatment. Thanks!
As you can see in this case there is some inflammation of the area and Cong decided to give it a week and then use fire needle again. On palpation the area was softer, but didn't have the same separated feel as after treatment previously. On observation the area was red and obviously a bit inflamed. So the area is rested and then treated again.

Helpful study session

No, not a gypsy seance or Guinness Book of records biggest tarot card reading but a very helpful study session! I was in clinic yesterday for herbal consultations with the public and it was a slow day. Coincidentally we have a herbal formulas exam today so we turned it into this study session. Laura, who is a details person in my opinion, shared her study cards with us in the locker room. Four sets of cards with signs and symptoms, herbal formula name, TCM treatment principle and Bing Ji (disease process) were laid out in four columns. Then we picked one card at random and matched all the indicators and definitions for one formula. It was a very clever and engaging way to do it and I will be using this technique for rest of semester!!!PS James got into another picture, again

Future Clinic

Today I dreamt of my own clinical practice. A light and bright place overlooking the water at Bondi. At lunch I would pop out for a swim on a hot day! Refreshed and clean I could head back to treat. Then I imagined how great it would be to treat people and see the ocean horizon through clear long glass. Patients would just come to visit for the ambiance and to feel better. You never know...

Further Fire Needle Technique

Hi Blogs,

This time Jeff had a cyst on his back he wanted treatment for and Cong was happy to help and demonstrate. This video is good because he goes into more detail about the technique involved. Before the treatment I palpated the cyst and it was solid. After the treatment it was definitely broken down into smaller lumps and not as solid.

Study Moments

Esther's giant study cards ($20 note for comparison)


haha
Doing free needling in practical class ( without insertion tube) and am learning about ear acupuncture, which is totally mad, but I love the concept of it.

Fire Needle Result-One week later

Slight scab and redness.

Just thought I'd follow up on the fire needle from last week. James, the patient, is happy and the results are very nice. The scab is just healing from the initial hot needle insertions that will go soon. A nice result.

Talk by Paul Movsessian on Japanese acupuncture

Paul Movsessian demonstrated Japanese acupuncture and explained various tools like - Ion Pumping cords, Triple By-Pass Cords, Ion Beam Devices, Electrostatic Absorbers and Zinc and Copper pellets.

In the treatment rooms on level 12 of building 1, UTS

A gathering of like minded peeps
Concentrating
Absorbing Qi...
Some of the tools Paul used on the table.

Halfway during this talk I couldn’t help think how unusual the things were that we were being told. Why at the halfway point? That’s when the electrostatic absorbers came out. What are they? I don’t know, but they come from NASA…

As with new ideas, its good to keep an open mind. A lot of TCM is like that. In fact when I started comparing what I knew, as TCM fact, to the talk I was listening to I realised it was all just another interpretation of energy. However often when I talk to anybody about TCM if I go below the surface details it won’t make any sense to them. Just like Paul and his developed and applied theories. It’s annoying to me as I think truth is uncomplicated and that nature is profound in its simplicity. Perhaps when we try to mimic these things in nature it becomes complicated and we need TCM jargon, NASA and duality magnets to help us understand the beauty of the world around.

Fire Needle result

Here's that fire needle vid (thanks Cong and James) if you didn't have access to facebook:


This is the result two days later. Cyst is gone, some light marking and redness-should disappear by next week

Fire needle definitely has a reputation. It has the perception of being dangerous and painful. I must admit I thought it wasn't taught at uni (as mentioned in a previous post) because of liability and so on. But that was reputation preceding the technique. Really it is quick and painless and very helpful.

Fire needle technique!!! Pics and video

Box of Tungsten Needles

Congxing Yang(lecturer at TCM UTS) heating needlesNeedle needs to be red hot before insertionJames is the willing participant

Preparing the area on the back for needle insertion

Red hot heated tungsten needles are inserted into the skin for a microsecond and pulled out again. It breaks down cysts, nodules and very tight muscle structures. Surprisingly very little pain is experienced and it is very effective for stubborn issues. Only the smallest mark is left due to the speed of the treatment and only about four insertions were needed in James's case for a cyst on his back.
Thanks Cong and James!

Massage!

Come to the UTS Clinic on Thursdays for a good, inexpensive Chinese massage! I'll be there all day from the 26th March onwards. Ask for Damien!! The acupuncture and massage (tuina) clinic is located on the Ground Floor of Building 4 on Harris Street. Call 9514 2509. Opposite the ABC building. Or feel free to ask me for a personal booking or ask me any questions: damienbodnarchuk(at)hotmail.com Just change (at) the space and brackets with an "@". This has been done to avoid spam. Thanks!

TCM UTS 3rd Year Week 2 !! Not for the squeemish!!

Madelaine demonstrating Sishencong or the four alarm points for the headJeff demonstrating everything
My needling practice-thanks Noam
Here's an example of bruising to the conception vessel points below the abdomen. I've seen that before on another woman. Maybe could be a common event, as a tender area...

Hi peeps,
Here's a my week in review. Mainly from our clinic 5 classes which are further acupuncture practice. This week we did the most amount of needling I have done in one session-maybe needled about 20 points each or more. W also did extra points to the normal ones we have to know and we also tried some free needling (needling without the use of a plastic guide tube) technique.

Here's a video of a friend of mine self needling Spleen 6 (above the ankle) vigorously and flicking the needle and so on... Ouch, but he seemed to not mind!

Quick snapshots of first week at UTS TCM

Gamers gaming on the concourse level of the tower
Back with Warren for history and philosophy this time. Really interesting carvings on bone found in the beginning of last century in china. Apparently linked to shamanic medicine or fire divination and associated with TCMI am fascinated by these bizarre pointless dirty spheres with small light bulbs and big cases in building two
Near China town on the way to the library

Hi,
This first week back has been a positive rush. At the moment I feel as though I am on top of my point location and I have a new lease on my herbs memorising. Things seem to be coming together a bit more and I just hope I can hold on to this feeling of momentum and positivity! Also we are doing a lot more hours in the , including 3 days of massage with the public which is the beginning of our truly hands on experience with patients!