Chinese Medicine - Lots of History

Chinese medicine has only recently gained acceptance and prominence in Western society; however the treatment philosophy is more than 3000 years old. Traditional Chinese medicine is based on the principle that humans are a dynamic energy system, where mind and body are unified and balance each other. The underlying structures of Chinese medicine are the theories of yin-yang and the five elements. Both theories are used to explain the physiological and pathological changes of the human body in disease, as well as to guide clinical treatment.

Yin-yang theory holds that all natural phenomena consist of two equal and opposing aspects, known as yin and yang. Stillness, darkness, degeneration and organic disease are viewed as characteristics of yin, whilst movement, hyperactivity and functional disease of the body epitomize yang. The theory is also used to explain the anatomical structure of the human body and its physiology function. Opposition of these forces manifest themselves in the body as hyper- or hypo-activity in particular organs and cause blockages of the vital life force, qi. The goal of Chinese medicine is to restore the natural flow of qi, which is theorized to run along invisible pathways known as meridians. Unblocking qi means that the balance between yin and yang is re-instated.

A second important principle in Chinese medicine is the five elements theory, which is used to define the interaction between human physiology, pathology and the natural environment. Wood, fire, earth, metal and water are the five elements that the Chinese believe comprise the material world. Each of the organs of the body belongs to a particular element and has the characteristics of that element. For example, the liver and gall bladder are the zang-fu organs of wood. Eye sight is also associated with the wood element.

Unlike Western medicine, Chinese medicine is a holistic treatment that considers the inter-relatedness of spirit and body in making a diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Your practitioner will ask questions about your emotional and mental health, which will assist in the physical diagnosis. The goal of therapy is to restore the balance of yin and yang, and allow your qi to flow unimpeded. Chinese medical practitioners use a number of techniques to achieve this goal, including acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal remedies and deep tissue massage.

Acupuncture is a very common Chinese medicine therapy. It involves inserting very fine, small needles along your meridians to redirect or restore the flow of vital energy in your body. Moxibustion is a technique where small amounts the herb mugwort are applied to affected areas of your body in order to re-energize hypo-active organs. Cupping is also used to stimulate blood flow in the deep musculature of the body. During the treatment, glass cups are placed onto the skin and the air in the cup is sucked out, creating a vacuum. Herbs are also a crucial part of Chinese medicine; your practitioner will prescribe herbs designed to correct the imbalances seen to be causing your physical condition. You may need to brew the herbs as a tea or infusion, or you may take the herbs as an extract or in a pill.

The efficacy of many aspects of Chinese medicine has not been confirmed by scientific studies, however many people the world over celebrate good health as the result of this holistic, ancient treatment system.

Falls Can Be Very Serious

Falls can be very serious


Ø Falls are the leading cause of both unintentional injury and death in persons 65 and over.


Ø Falls are the number one reason for admission to a nursing home.


Ø One third of all people over 65 fall at least once a year. Half of those who fall do so repeatedly.


Ø Almost all fractures sustained by seniors are the result of a fall.


Ø Falls are the most common cause of injuries, emergency room visits and hospital admissions for trauma.


Ø Half of all seniors who fall in their home and require hospitalization will go straight from the hospital to a nursing home.


Ø Falls cost over $20 Billion in 1998 and are estimated to cost over $30 Billion by the year 2020.


Ø Up to 50% of falls are preventable.

How to find out if you have a problem


The first thing you should do is to see a physician who performs computerized balance screening. Only a licensed physician is qualified to evaluate your balance and your risk of falling.
Falls risk can be evaluated in several ways, but some physicians now offer a computerized balance test called CAPS that uses normative data established by NASA. This simple test, which takes only 60 seconds, measures your balance and compares your score to the scores of other people your age and stature. In our office, there is no charge for the CAPS screening test, which we perform routinely as a community service.

What if your CAPS score is abnormal


If your CAPS score is abnormal, don't be alarmed. Everyone has a problem with balance at some point in their life. Balance problems can be caused by such simple things as flu, lack of sleep, effect of medications, etc. In such cases the problem will resolve itself without medical intervention.
But sometimes when a patient shows signs of a balance disorder, the reason may not be immediately apparent. In such cases, it's important to find out what is causing the problem.

Evaluating your balance problem


In our office, we will obtain a necessary medical history from you, check your visual acuity and perform a simple hearing test. We will do an evaluation that will include checking your reflexes, sensation, muscle strength and tone, coordination, gait, stance, etc. Then we will do a series of simple, non-invasive balance tests, using the sensitive CAPS™ force platform and additional special software. We will also look for signs of nystagmus, a rapid, jerky movement of the eyes that often indicates the presence of a balance disorder.

What happens next


Once we make a diagnosis, we will decide what treatment is best for you. In most cases, we will perform gait and/or balance/vestibular therapy, to which almost all patients respond very well. We will additionally review ankle, knee and hip strategies to incorporate better balance as well as to avoid falls in the first place. Manipulations may be utilized when appropriate to change the way joints give information to your brain about your body's position in space.

It may be fun to spin around and fall when you're very young… But falls can have
serious consequences for older adults

Why get your balance checked?


A balance screening helps us as physicians identify patients who may be at an increased risk of falling, and falls can often have disastrous results, particularly for older patients. Falls can result in broken hips, other fractures, head trauma and other serious injuries - even death.
There are also other important reasons. Balance problems can be the first sign of other health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, traumatic injuries and many others, so identifying patients with abnormal balance can be invaluable in the detection of other serious conditions.

We now recognize that older people often do not know when they have a balance problem or are at increased risk of falling. Since they do not know, they do not complain to their physician. Because the patient does not complain, the physician does not investigate. The tragic result is often that nothing is done until a fall has already occurred.
This is why we now stress the importance of early identification of balance problems.

The most important part of reducing the risk of falls is always identification,
because ... before you can help prevent a fall, you first have to find out who is at risk of falling

Acid Reflux - Tips and Information

Acid reflux disease is a horrifically uncomfortable syndrome that results in the acid-liquid contents of the stomach regurgitating back into the esophagus. Also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, the disease seems like simple, if uncomfortable problem but can relate in the damaging of the esophagus lining, the teeth, and even the lungs if left untreated. This type of damage may be rare in people suffering from the disease, but it is a serious risk and should be treated accordingly.

The liquid your body begins to send back through your esophagus is not entirely composed of acid. Containing certain pepsins and possibly bile – commonly created by the duodenum – your body is equally damaged by numerous other products. It is not entirely known how much damage these other substances cause, as the acid is largely believed to be the major source of throat damage for acid reflux sufferers, but their presence is not good.

Once GERD has kicked in, the odds are that the sufferer will likely be plagued with the discomfort from it for the rest of their lives. The chronic nature of acid reflux requires that treatment above curative methods are used. The problem with a chronic disease is that if treatment is stopped or missed for a period of time, that disease will likely return.

Your body does not want that acid-bile-pepsin compound to damage it though. For that reason, you've been naturally equipped with things like saliva and a swallowing reflex to keep it away from damageable areas. Gravity does a lot in keeping acid in the stomach as well. However, at night, when sleeping it's incredibly hard to maintain that control. Your body stops producing as much saliva, you stop swallowing, and gravity is rendered moot by the horizontal positioning of your body. Acid is able to find its way out of your stomach much more easily at night. It might remain in your esophagus for much too long during this time and cause unwanted damage in the process.

Acid reflux will also strike certain people more often than other people. For example, pregnant women are much more susceptible to the condition because of their raised hormone levels and the resultant pressure changes in the stomach due to the growth of the fetus and the changes in their body's overall pressure. Pregnant women are therefore much more likely to suffer from acid reflux disease.

As a condition, acid reflux is an important to understand condition with long term side effects. Keeping track of your symptoms and maintaining your treatment is important in overcoming that discomfort.