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Ann
| Posted on Tuesday, August 17, 2004 - 06:46: | |
Dear Sir, I am very sorry to disturb you in your busy job. I have a problem which I would like you to help me clear. When using LI 11, SP 10 and T 5, SP 6 and ST 36 for clearing a skin rash, DO WE DO SO IN A DISPERSING OR TONIFYING WAY? (specially LI 11 and SP6) My case seems to be very similar to "case 5" in your CHAPTER D SURVEY OF POPULAR AND EFFECTIVE POINT COMBINATIONS EXTERNAL: It all started one year ago, when I had a sudden serious rush in the back ( suppurating with greenish pus) that was labelled "herpes zoster" by the dermatologist I went to. The cream he gave me soon got rid of the pain and pus. However, the rash slowly generalized itself, the typical way of " pityriasis rosea" one patch would tingle, then spread in a circular pattern. Now I have three main extended locations of these patches : 1) in the back spreading from the middle to the loins, in a triangular patter. (Xmas tree pattern, as I have seen it described on the Net) 2) around my right shoulder 3) covering , by now, nearly all my abdomen from underneath the navel to the upper costal region. Also in a triangular pattern. 4) I often have furonculosis. 5) The rash is often activated as if it were an allergic rash, after some meals. INTERNAL: My tongue is pale, swollen, tooth marked and prickled with red spots on the tip. It also bears cracks in the middle . My not being a professional, I do not understand well if the heat in my blood comes from an external heat point (toxins) and thus has to be cooled down, or for a lack of yin, specially in the stomach. It may be both. (I have been many (about 15) years under unnecessary heavy medication which has poisoned my whole body and weakened my spleen. ) THUS, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WELL HOW TO PROCEED. I have to tell you that I have been living in Japan for many years, and never could find a good therapist, either form lack of communication (I do not speak well enough to discuss about this TCM points) or knowledge (from therapists. I tired both acupuncturists and herbalists) Out of despair, I tried to see if I could help my own self. I have needles, ( offered by a Chinese friends) which I am SCARED to use, without practical training, but I have been using general acupressure for over 20 years. I also use disposable tiny needle patches. I would REALLY appreciate an answer. Looking forward to it, Shalom, Ann
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Shmuel Halevi
| Posted on Tuesday, August 17, 2004 - 15:46: | |
Li-11 and Sp-6 are used in this combination to clear wind and heat and disperse the blood. The classics say that in order to clear the wind pathogen, one needs to invigorate the blood. For this reason they are mostly used in dispersion. Secondly, Ann, it is not recommended to diagnose or treat yourself... especially if you are not a professional clinician, but even if you were one. Your problem seems to be "well seated" and you probably need a professional practitioner to take care of you. My advice is that you keep looking for an experienced practitioner and put yourself in his/her hands. |
Ann
| Posted on Thursday, August 19, 2004 - 13:31: | |
Dear Sir, Thank you very much for your answer.. Frankly speaking, I did not expect it. :-) You wrote> Your problem seems to be "well seated". keep looking for an experienced practitioner Yes, I agree with you: my case is complicated and needs a good doctor. (If I understand well, there would have been heat (toxic fire) in cold, which in turn produces heat..) I used to have an excellent acupuncturist in my country, and had found one, here when I arrived, but he was very old and died. Ever since, I have only met people who at best are "reflexologists" and at worst, dangerous, having become "doctor" after a seminar of a few weeks. Believe it or not, this is common in Japan! Only a few years ago, the Ministry for Health and Education officially declared that " in order to enter a Faculty of Medicine, students should at least have some notions of biology" means before, they did not! Amazing!! As for acupuncturists and chiropractors that do not go through this formal medical training, they get their diplomas in short seminars and off they go. They start practicing. We came across a person who became a chiropractor, when he got tired (or fired) of being a bus driver. He went to America, followed a seminar of chiropractic. It was focussed on the neck. He believed THAT was chiropractic. On return, he founded his own school of "Upper Cervical Chiropratic" and started practicing and teaching, giving himself the titles of "doctor" and "president" My son went there. We were confident: he sounded like a very reliable person. He soon got into a very serious health situation!! We learnt about the full story later on. It is really common and frightening. You wrote > it is not recommended to diagnose or treat yourself. As for your worry, I appreciate, but I share it. I am not trying to diagnose and cure myself. I wish I could, but I know I can't. I am just trying hard to know what happens in me, in order to lessen my problems. For example: in my country, I was trained to eat much salads and raw stuff, because it was a good dietetics habit". Now I understand that by doing so, I depleted my Spleen, already weak. So I changed my diet. The more I understand, the safer my life habits become. Another example: I was trained to massage any hurting points, (whether key acupuncture points or ashi points) by "turning your thumb CW to tonify and CCW to soothe" . I realize nowadays that this training was as wrong and dangerous as my dietary one, as we were not given full understanding of the points. I usually try to massage without any rotation, when I am not sure. This was one of my request: I keep reading that SP6 is excellent for tonifying SP and blood, (I recently discovered that SP6 was one of my "hurting points" that I constantly massaged CCW!) should I go on? Or should I massage CW? Did I deplete my Spleen by doing so instead of "clearing the problem"? I wish I could leave some specialist do this for me, but this is the point! I have none. Out of despair, I decided to call on you. I wish you could guide me in "learning" myself better and keeping on the safe side....till I find the rare bird. Sorry for this long letter. If you agree to help me, I will just go to the point, next time. I tried to register in a real Acupuncture course (private university) over 2 millions yens per year, for three compulsory years. 6 million yens! 248.270,19 sheckels. I really do not have this money!! Shalom, Anne PS: May I ask you why some Chinese herbs preparations that are composed of herbs "to tonify Spleen" are cautioned, "not to be used in case of Spleen emptiness " it sounds like a paradox.
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Shmuel Halevi
| Posted on Thursday, August 19, 2004 - 17:57: | |
quote:Thank you very much for your answer.. Frankly speaking, I did not expect it. :-)
quote:I was trained to massage any hurting points, (whether key acupuncture points or ashi points) by "turning your thumb CW to tonify and CCW to soothe" . I realize nowadays that this training was as wrong and dangerous as my dietary one, as we were not given full understanding of the points. I usually try to massage without any rotation, when I am not sure.
The direction by which you rotate the finger is not that important. You may tonify or disperse using both directions. What actually matters, is the amplitude and strength of the pressure that you apply. In needling, though, the needle direction is of more significance. You should better read my book: Chopsticks Acupuncture for a better technique for self treatment (http://www.acumedico.com/)
quote:This was one of my request: I keep reading that SP6 is excellent for tonifying SP and blood, (I recently discovered that SP6 was one of my "hurting points" that I constantly massaged CCW!) should I go on? Or should I massage CW? Did I deplete my Spleen by doing so instead of "clearing the problem"? I wish I could leave some specialist do this for me, but this is the point! I have none.
As I said above. This is of no significance which way you rotate your finger. You can not deplete your spleen by massaging Sp-6. You probably can not help your skin condition by doing so either... I wish it was that easy.
quote:May I ask you why some Chinese herbs preparations that are composed of herbs "to tonify Spleen" are cautioned, "not to be used in case of Spleen emptiness " it sounds like a paradox.
Tonifying herbs are considered heavy and/or dampness producing. Such combinations usually have an addition of some herbs that moderate or ameliorate this cloying property of tonifying herbs, such as Gan Cao or Sha Ren or Chen Pi, etc. Thus, when you need to tonify the spleen Qi or Yang, you may also need to regulate the energy and preveny stagnation caused by various tonifying herbs. Hope this answers most of your questions...
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Anne
| Posted on Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 14:36: | |
Dear Dr Shmuelli, Thanks again. I really appreciate your kindness and readiness to help everybody. A quick question: Last night, I have just seen, for the first time in Japan, a tiny pack of clear crystals called " Salt bath from the Dead Sea" Recalling of the anti-allergic properties of Arad, I was about to buy, then I thought...why not ask you before ? Do you think it could help my skin problem? |
Shmuel Halevi
| Posted on Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 17:16: | |
No Anne, I don't think it can help, but in the same time, I don't think it can harm you. Dead Sea salt is usually applied for rheumatic pain. It is true that some skin diseases (i.e.: psoriasis) can be greatly alleviated if you go to the Dead Sea area and absorb the sun rays there. The black mud of the Dead Sea may sometimes also help in certain skin problems. |
rossmc8ride
| Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 01:10: | |
Hi there I wonder if you could help me. I have noticed very small red spots around my wrists, like a rash. My skin is quite itchy all over and can be best described as a prickly heat sensation. I have experienced this once before aswell, it was on my shoulders, back, chest, toes, wrists and hands. My M.D said it might be scabies but I really doubted it and the lotion and tablets he prescribed didn't really work. It wasn't until I had an epileptic fit about a week later that I awoke to find it had near enough completely disappeared. The rash comes up very suddenly and the itchiness is really irritave. Can you help in anyway? |
Shmuel Halevi
| Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 11:12: | |
Greetings rossmc8ride. Your problem does sound like an allergic reaction of some sort, urticaria is one of the options. In Ch.med. if such a condition occurs in proximity to an epileptic episode, this might be contributed to an energetic phenomenon described as: liver wind. This may give rise to both epilepsy and wind-rash along with other possible symptoms. If this is the case, there exists a fair chance that a good practitioner of Ch.med. will be able to cure you of both disorders. I would therefore strongly recommend that you look for an experienced practitioner before you start taking medications. |
Anne
| Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 04:50: | |
Dear Dr Shmuelli, I am really interested in getting your book "Chopsticks Acupuncture" ( PDF form will be easier and faster I think ) but have no visacard . Can I send you 22 $ by postal remittance ? Regards, Anne |
Shmuel Halevi
| Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 11:46: | |
Sent you an Email about this. regards. |
Anne
| Posted on Wednesday, September 01, 2004 - 14:41: | |
Thank you very much. I received it and have been fighting ever since, to do what is suggested in it. I never thought it would be so difficult! Tomorrow I make a last attempt. Should it fail, I'll send you a better explanation and SOS by email. Shalom, Anne |
Ann
| Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 10:37: | |
Dear Dr Shmuelli, At long last, my payment is gone! on September 13th. I do not know how long it will take to reach you, but I hope to be able to get the book soon. Regards, Ann |
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