Phil Settels Acupuncture

No lie detected. Luckily there's acupuncture!

Unfortunately, this is the lived experience of many of the patients who go on to seek acupuncture treatments and herbal consultations. In Chinese Medicine, there is an old saying: Bian Zheng Lun Zhi "All treatment is based on pattern differentiation." Patterns are differentiated based on an individual patient's signs and symptoms. ... I hope to never invalidate someone's experience in this way. See more

Many patients are showing with digestive symptoms as well as respiratory symptoms. A common thread in a lot of cases is underlying cold, dampness and phlegm. Keep your Taiyin (lungs and spleen) warm and unobstructed by dampness. ... This means limit sugar, alcohol, and dairy. Eat cooked foods and drink warm fluids. Aromatic herbs like those found in chai are particularly good. If you're taking a preventative formula, something that warms and transforms fluids is likely going to be more useful for most people than the standard formulas people associate with strengthening the immune system (Yu Ping Feng San) or anti-viral herbs (Yin Qiao San, etc.). Formulas like: Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San Banxia Houpo Tang San Ren Tang in conjunction with something like Xiao Chaihu Tang would likely be broadly helpful. https://www.cbsnews.com//coronavirus-digestive-symptoms-d/

The good news is that Chinese Medicine can often play a role in helping resolve COVID-19. The other good news is all the most popular and sold out herbs and formulas - mostly used for their antiviral properties - are not necessary to treat the disease. Customized formulas, based on an individual's signs and symptoms, have the best chance of helping.

Great information about clinic precautions in this qiological episode with Craig Mitchell and Michael Max. Take-aways: Humility... CM can potentially play a great role, but we should hope it doesn't have to. Prevention, caution are warranted. At some point, closing CM schools/clinics may be warranted. Differential Diagnosis The real power in CM lies in assessment of individuals, not in blanket prescriptions for either prevention or treatment. Traditional Models Wenbing and Shanghan diagnostic models can still come into play in modern epidemics. Case studies from China back this up, where diagnoses along 6-Syndromes, 4-Levels and Triple Warmer can guide effective prescriptions. https://qiological.com/covid19-methods-safety/

I'm getting more requests for tele-medicine consults, and more inquiries for preventative formulas for COVID-19. There is no one-size-fits-all preventative formula, the same way there is no one-size-fits-all treatment formula. I'd be somewhat wary of any doctor who indicates differently. After analyzing case records that have been translated from Chinese physicians' experiences in China, it seems clear that COVID-19 presents with a strong dampness component, and can be inte...rpreted and treated according to either 6-Channel theory (Shanghan Lun school) or 4-level / 3-burner theory (Wenbing school). It's more the tendency of the practitioner, rather than the nature of the illness, that determines which approach will be used effectively. Proper formulas have been making a big difference in treatment of this flu in China, and they will play a significant role here as well. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32065348

Solid advice on precautionary measures for Covid-19 (the novel coronavirus), from James Robb, MD UC San Diego. "Subject: What I am doing for the upcoming COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic Dear Colleagues, as some of you may recall, when I was a professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego, I was one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses (the 1970s). I was the first to demonstrate the number of genes the virus contained. Si...Continue reading

While I don't read Chinese, I'm grateful to have colleagues who do, and who are generously taking the time to translate some of what China's top Chinese Medical physicians are saying regarding treatment of Corvid-19 (novel coronavirus) virus. My own mentor, Dr. Huang Huang, of Nan Jing University of Chinese Medicine, was one of those interviewed. https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s

In my experience, acupuncture and herbs during chemotherapy have had a big impact on patients feeling better, being able to tolerate chemo so they can complete the recommended course, and avoid or recover from some of the troubling side effects such as peripheral neuropathy. Many oncologists are skeptical of acupuncture and herbs, and prefer their patients to avoid them. Hopefully research like this, that speaks to our collective experience in supporting these patients, will sway mainstream medical opinion and improve the experience of those undergoing chemotherapy.

From a colleague. It echoes my experience and perspective as well.

Corticosteroids have the potential to cause very serious side effects. Best to try those therapies that are low risk first, because there’s a good chance you could relief without rolling the dice With severe collateral damage.

"The Kidney governs birth, growth, reproduction and development" The Kidney Essence (Jing) produces Marrow. The Brain is the Sea of Marrow (Marrow fills up the Brain). "The Kidneys open into the ears which are its orifices."... So the Classics tell us that the Kidneys have a lot to do with reproduction, with brain function and with hearing. Modern science (well, 10-yr old science) tell us of the same connections. "We show that estrogen plays a central role in how the brain extracts and interprets auditory information. It does this on a scale of milliseconds in neurons, as opposed to days, months or even years in which estrogen is more commonly known to affect an organism." "Now it is clear that estrogen is a key molecule carrying brain signals, and that the right balance of hormone levels in men and women is important for reasons beyond its role as a sex hormone," says Pinaud. 2,000-yr old statements from Ancient China don't depend on validation from modern research in order to be clinically useful, but it's kind of nice when it happens. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases//05/090505174543.htm

Chinese Medicine never divided the the human experience up into small unrelated pieces. Mind and body were never separated, and emotions are seen movements of Qi within the body. Exercise is a great way to move Qi, so it seems almost too obvious to state that exercise can help treat emotional/mental health conditions. It also makes sense to try lower intervention modalities before higher intervention ones, and those with positive side effects before those with negative side ...effects. Want to be happier? Try moving. It may surprise you. https://bigthink.com/surprising-sci/exercise-mental-health

Cupping is a fantastic therapy for lots of pain conditions, and is a fantastic complement to acupuncture. This is a great article by cupping authority Bruce Bentley, discussing history and geographical context of cupping, and why the marks or "rings" it leaves are not bruises or discolorations (which imply tissue damage or undesirable effects). https://www.healthtraditions.com.au//a-cupping-mark-is-not

Can Acupuncture regenerate nerves? Traditional theory says yes. And modern research agrees. 5 treatments per week for 6 weeks, using local points based on neuro-vascular anatomy and enhanced using Governing Vessel (Du Channel) points. Throw in a custom internal formula (likely containing astragalus) and footsoaks, and you’ve got comprehensive nerve rehabilitation.