Five Clinical Secrets for Superior Results With Hard-to-Treat Patients, Part Two
Darren Starwynn, OMD, LAc
Editor's note: Part one of this article appeared in the Sept. 2007 issue.
Clinical Method #4: Combine different forms of energy for superior results
Acupuncture needles have been proven to introduce low-level electrical discharges into the body, especially when manipulated. These discharges semi-conduct through the facial planes of the body, which are the primary physical substrate of the meridian system. They also no doubt affect all other tissue systems. Applying bioelectricity through specific points regulates positive and negative ionic activity in the body, stimulates release of neuro-peptides such as neurotransmitters and hormones, and activates various effects on the nervous system. These account for much of the effectiveness of acupuncture.
The electrical discharges produced by acupuncture are on a very low frequency level that resonates well with the physical tissues of the body. Yet higher frequency energies such as light and sound, when appropriately selected, resonate with causative levels of pain and disease through the subtle energy bodies. Because so much of pain and disease is mentally and emotionally based, this can produce longer lasting and deeper effects than acupuncture alone.
Low-Tech Method: Instruct patients to buy colored light bulbs, commonly available at hardware or party stores and to bathe affected parts of their bodies in color light.
(Note: It is best to do this in a room with no other form of lighting and all windows covered so as to not compete with the therapeutic color. With this method, a common range is 30-60 minutes of treatment.)
Here is a list of the therapeutic effects of colors:
Single Wavelength Colors
RED: Stimulates liver, heart, lungs, muscles, sensory nerves and immune system. Increases metabolism, resolves scars, benefits bones and skin diseases, reduces chronic constipation and hemorrhoids, and speeds circulation.
ORANGE: Builds and stimulates lungs, thyroid and bones. Decongestant (lemon also; see below). Color of joy and happiness. Balance endocrine with blue. Warms urinary, GYN, intestines, sexual organs and cold feet; helps poor assimilation of nutrients and fatigue and relieves depression. Good for tissue hardening (sclerosis). Alternate orange with blue for fear.
YELLOW: Stimulates nervous, lymphatic and intestinal systems. Enhances intellect. Improves digestion and liver/GB imbalances.
GREEN: Great balancer/healer of body and brain; stimulates pituitary. Benefits liver, lungs, eyes, cysts, tumors, allergies and joint pain (alternate green and blue). Benefits diabetes and all chronic illnesses. Disinfectant; builds muscles/tissues.
BLUE: Cooling, relaxing effect; promotes inner peace. Major anti-inflammatory effect for burns, fever, excess conditions and antibacterial. Relieves pain, nervousness and insomnia (purple also). Pituitary, thyroid and general endocrine gland benefits, sexual dysfunction (balance with orange).
INDIGO: Respiratory, thyroid, mammary depressant, contracts tissue, and reduces abscesses, discharges and bleeding. Promotes phagocytic activity and parathyroid. Lessens over-excitement.
VIOLET: Most spiritual color, affects subconscious and superconscious, beneficial for meditation. Builds spleen, reduces activity of muscles, heart, lymphatic, pancreas and nervous system. Promotes leukocytes. Benefits menopause. Reduces stress. Antiviral.
Mixed Colors
MAGENTA (Red and Violet): Emotional balancer and spiritual bridge; benefits kidneys and adrenals, and warms and nourishes the uterus.
SCARLET (Red and Blue): Functional stimulant, benefits kidneys/adrenals, romantic and sexual arousal, increases yang energy in the areas it is applied.
PURPLE (Red and Blue): Functional depressant. Opposite of scarlet. Lowers blood pressure, relieves acute pain and slows heart rate.
TURQUOISE (Green and Blue): Connects to soul, brings psychological issues to surface. Benefits skin, immune system, lungs/large intestine, thymus and relaxation.
LEMON (Green and Yellow): Same effects as yellow, but gentler and more balanced. Promotes intellect and detoxification of kidneys, liver and gall bladder. Reduces nerve inflammation, menopause symptoms and may help paralysis. Affects solar plexus and blood.
Microcurrent Electro-Acupuncture Method: Using a combination of microcurrent and color light probe treatments that nurture the qi and blood of the facial tissues, reduce wrinkles, stimulate collagen and elastin production, tone and lift sagging muscles and help alleviate pain conditions and health disorders throughout the body (Fig. 1).
Clinical Method #5: When treating the outside, don't forget the inside!
Most practitioners treat pain and injuries on the painful area, perhaps adding in some distal release points. That's the basis for most acupuncture treatments, but you can improve results further by adding in treatment of underlying organs that are constitutionally connected to the symptomatic area. For example, when treating knee pain (knees are "ruled" by the kidneys, according to Chinese medicine), you can add in constitutional treatment of the kidney organ system. This can be accomplished with constitutional therapies through herbs, color light or sound-tuning forks. One of my favorite ways to add internal treatment to a pain or rejuvenation treatment is through the microcurrent mu-shu technique.
(Note: This technique is described in detail in my article on the Acupuncture Today Web site.)
Low-Tech Method: Use acupuncture needles, acupressure or a light pen to stimulate the mu (alarm) and shu (back-associated) acupoints that relate to the organ you want to treat. Therapeutic magnets also can be used for this method. Place a north-pole magnet on the mu point and a south-pole magnet on the shu point.
Microcurrent Electro-Acupuncture Method: Using polarized microcurrent probe electrodes, place the positive probe over the front mu point of the organ and the negative probe over the back shu point at the same time. Press the trigger switch and create a polarized circuit through the energetic network of the organ. There generally are two colors for each organ - one that stimulates it (yang color) and one that relaxes it (yin color). For example, red stimulates a sluggish liver while green has anti-inflammatory and energy circulating effects on the liver.
This method has a powerful regulating effect on the autonomic nervous system support for the organ and the related meridians that are associated with many myofascial and musculo-skeletal pain conditions. Total treatment time: about one minute per organ to be treated in this way.
This method really upgrades your long-term results. And did I mention that patients love the deep feeling of relaxation and well-being that this usually brings?
Summary
The methods described in this article are all applications of the universal laws of energy and the reactions of the human body. The closer our clinical techniques conform to these universal laws, the better and longer lasting the results will be. In my experience, the acupuncture taught at modern schools is very useful and effective, but incomplete. Like so many of my colleagues, I had to search and extensively study to fill in my knowledge outside of educational institutions. Integrating these principles with TCM is what has yielded the most satisfactory results for my patients.
As modern medical standardization continues, the field of traditional Chinese medicine has the advantage of comprehensive personalization. For rare or complex cases, deeper consideration of constitution is invaluable. Proper constitutional assessment, especially with first-time clients, can guide desirable and predictable outcomes. This leads to a higher rate of return, and greater trust between you and your patient.
Though the creation of a financially sustainable, health-promoting model feels far away today, we are casting a vision for a full return on health, believing that this compels us to keep one foot firmly rooted in caring for the sick and the other foot firmly founded in maintaining health. Shifting from a fee-for-service model to value-based care using a phased approach is paramount.
Laser therapy has emerged as a powerful tool in the realm of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This new modality fits beautifully into the toolbox of the modern acupuncturist, as it can be used as a hybrid form of stimulation to acupuncture points, meridians, organs, nerves, and symptomatic areas in a new way that blends both moxa and energetic needle-like responses.
