Sinus Headache, Jaw Pain, Back Pain Case Presentation Part 2

Part 2!!

Sinus Headache, Jaw Pain, Back Pain Case Presentation Part 1

I got a friend at uni to tape one of my last presentations! We had to do a case study of a patient we treated in clinic. I decided to present about a favourite patient with sinus headaches, jaw pain, eczema and lower back pain. See what you think!

The Chinese Medicine Society

The Chinese Medicine Society had a talk by Kathryn Taylor last night.

Here's info on Kathryn:
http://fertilityherbs.com.au/main/page_practitioner_profile.html

Here's a link to The Chinese Medicine Society facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=118857464831429&v=photos&ref=mf#!/group.php?gid=118857464831429&ref=ts

The Chinese Medicine Society is a society where students can gain knowledge and meet their peers. Where practitioners can meet their peers and meet the public and where the public can meet practitioners and gain knowledge. It's a student and practitioner based society of Chinese medicine people.

The talk was great and filled full of insights and anecdotal stories of practicing acupuncture and herbs with children.


Here's me and Kathryn. Thanks Kathryn!

Feng Fang! Hornet's Nest!

This caught my attention in the dispensary. It's a dried honeycomb used as medicine. After doing some research I found it's labelled in English as wasp nest, bee's nest or more impresively as Hornet's nest!

From Bensky's Materia Medica it says:
Sweet, neutral and toxic (surprised me)
Enters the Lung and Stomach
Should be used ( after decoction) externally, gargled and never swallowed. Listed in the "Substance for External Application Chapter"
Resolves toxicity, expels wind, alleviates pain. Used topically for skin rash, itching, scabies, tinea, sores: mainly swollen toxic sores and can be used for severe toothache.
Toxicity. Some of the volatile oils irritate the kidneys causing headache, back pain, edema, fatigue, reduced urinary output and acute nephritis. However there are few reports of poisoning because probably the volatile oils are dispersed in the process of decoction. Maybe mainly from overdose or raw form of intake.
I am going to miss this dispensary... I'll have to get my own one later!

First Patient Presents!

I was really happy to receive a bowl of fruit salad last week from a patient. They had a muscle strain but still wanted to compete in the Sydney City to Surf run to Bondi. After a couple of weeks treatments before the race she was still able to train. Just before the race I gave her another treatment and she beat her previous time and moved up a training squad. She was stoked and so was I :) It was a great to be a part of this effort and a part of Sydney !

Here we have the lovely Sophie with a bunch of flowers from a patient that gave her this present for all her acupuncture efforts. Nice

Patient testimonial for Heel pain and Weight Loss

Hi,

I thought I would introduce some of my patients to you! This patient let me video him talking about his treatment for heel pain. I used acupuncture at the site of pain on the back of the left heel and then used electroacupuncture to increase Blood flow to the area to reduce pain. So far we are getting some great results. Later on he asked me about other treatments and we decided to to some acupuncture for weight loss. I used the following points for this according to his diagnosis:

ST 38
ST 40
CV 4
CV 6
CV12

ST25 both sides
and 9 needles aimed towards the abdomen either side of the abdomen.
Then I applied electro acupuncture to ST25 and CV 6 and CV 12 for 20 minutes

Last treatment using this technique he lost 3Kg without changing his diet too much. Now we are working on his diet too.

Having a Goal

Coming to the end of semester is exhilarating! Another 4 weeks and my degree will be over and I will be in Beijing.

I am constantly up and feel young in my new adventure of coming into the world and practicing!

The past few years have been sweat, blood, tears and joy. With no exaggeration. This has really been the hardest thing I have done. However what I am feeling now is pretty sweet.

New adventures are coming: stay posted and I can't wait to show you around Beijing soon: Acupuncture style.

Tea Eggs in the Clinic

I liked them! :)

Chinese Medicine Blood Lettting for Back Pain: Explanation

Here we have Noam getting a treatment from Weihong Li for back issues. This time using blood letting from Bladder 40, behind the knee. Thanks guys!

Chinese Medicine Herb Cooking Machine

Here's some close up video footage of the herbal cooking machine I found! Initially I thought if I touched this device I would instantly die from electrocution, however once I got over that and the fact that it wasn't going to explode, I have grown to love this amazing import. Here it's just coming to the end of cooking and releasing pressure.

Pt 3, 2nd Fire Needle Treatment for Back Pain: Treatment

Second treatment with a larger needle for a stronger treatment and good examination of the effect of fire needling on the skin right afterwards.

Second Fire Needle Treatment part 2 Diagnosis for Back Pain

This is the diagnosis part of the second treatment that Noam came in for. As you can see palpation is a major part of diagnosis in TCM.

Another decoction machine I found at the "Traditional Chinese Medicine Australia" clinic

Here I am with one of the practitioners there :)

Packaging system at the base for cooked herbs

I found this decoction machine in 2009 when I was observing at the "Traditional Chinese Medicine Australia" clinic in Bondi Junction. I have realised know it's a bit more advanced than the most recent one I found. It has a packaging system at the base of it as well as two pressure cooking devices on the top.

2nd Fire Needle Treatment for Back Pain

Noam came back! He got a second treatment for back pain, two weeks later, using fire needle. We used a thicker needle this time for a stronger treatment. This is the consultation video. Treatment and explanation videos coming up. Also we did a blood letting treatment on the same day! Stay tuned to understand and find out more about the less widely used blood letting therapy!
Thank you Noam and Weihong Li for letting me video :)

Packing and wrapping herbs in the Herbal clinic

Here you can see a months worth of herbs being wrapped up. Takes a little while! This particular patient comes in on the last appointment one Friday a month! We are always scrambling to get it done by that time :P

As you can see we always do a great job though :)

Special Herbs ;)

This is Cannabis Semen or better known as Cannabis Seed..!
Here Michael models the ingredients. Great work
It's major indication is to moisten the large intestines: for constipation, especially in the elderly.

Herb cooking machine!

I found this great device recently. It's a hospital grade China import herb decoction machine. I instantly fell in love..! It has a "Wizard of Oz" feel to it from the end of the movie when the wizard is using a panel turning handles and clouds of smoke billow out of the floor etc. What this machine does is boil, under pressure, all your herbs in one go and then there is another machine connected to it that puts the cooked decoction into small packets for handy daily use for the patient. Precooked herbs: no smell, no hassle and easy administration of herbs=wonderous!