Category Archives: Acupuncture

Chinese Medicinal Herbs Used To Treat the Various Symptoms of Sinusitis

A lot of individuals suffer from chronic sinusitis. This condition can be caused by allergies or it can be a residual symptom that stays a while after a bout of flu or cold. To clear up the issue, most people take antihistamines or antibiotics; however, sinusitis is usually resistant to Western modes of treatments. Symptoms oftentimes come back after a course of conventional treatment. One of the most effective treatments for chronic sinusitis is Chinese herbs. They can resolve resistant and stubborn types of sinusitis quickly and easily.

Sinusitis caused by allergies is treated by boosting resistance to allergens while at the same time removing the blockage in the sinus and nasal passages of the affected individual. Jade Windscreen Formula, which as type of Chinese herbal formula can be used for an extended period of time to mitigate a person’s tendency to have allergies. This formula contains schizonopeta , siler, and astragalus. Schizonopeta and siler can aid in the reduction of allergic reactions such as runny nose, rashes, itchy eyes, and sneezing. Astragalus, on the other hand, helps enhance the resistance of a person to allergies. Other herbs can be used to lessen the pressure and pain and open up the blocked sinus and nasal passages brought by sinusitis. Magnolia flower, xanthium and other Chinese herbs are used for this purpose. To clear up sinus congestion myrrh can be used.

Sinusitis can also be caused by a chronic infection after a flu or cold. Herbs that possess antiviral and antibacterial qualities can help remove phlegm in this type of sinusitis. Clean Air Tea or Ching Chi Hua Tan Wan is a Chinese herbal formula that can be used to help relieve sinusitis and bronchitis symptoms. Long Dan Hsie Gan Wan is one formula that can be used as often as needed to help treat a combination of inner ear and sinus problems.

For people who are highly susceptible to chronic sinusitis, herbs that cleanse the liver and the blood can be ideal for their specific condition. These can include nettle leaves drank as tea or dandelion. These herbs are excellent for diminishing acidity and inflammation. They can normalize the immune response, whilst helping create a less friendly environment for bacterial and viral pathogens to thrive in.

There are several herbal formulas and herbs that can help to resolve acute or chronic sinusitis in a natural way.

Studies Confirm the Ability of Acupuncture to Treat Dysmenorrhea

The pain and its duration felt during premenstrual cramping (dysmenorrhea) can be significantly reduced using various kinds of treatments.

Dysmenorrhea can come about due to a deeper pathology of the pelvis (termed “secondary” dysmenorrhea), or it may arise from the lack of a known cause or pathology (“primary” dysmenorrhea). Unfortunately, for a quarter of dysmenorrhea sufferers, neither NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) nor any other painkilling medications are useful in relieving the pain and cramping caused by primary or secondary dysmenorrhea.

Long used in China to address premenstrual (PMS) pain, acupuncture has been only begun to be tested of its effectiveness in the West these past few decades. One study of note which can be read in the 2010 edition of the Evidence-based Complimentary and Alternative Medicine journal showed that out of the 15 women suffering from moderate to severe dysmenorrhea for a year, and whose pain cannot be relieved with NSAIDs, 13 experienced a significant improvement of their pain after being treated with acupuncture. All these women refused oral contraceptive therapy, a treatment often prescribed for by doctors for dysmenorrhea.

The study also noted that acupuncture seemed to be the most effective way in alleviating pain related to primary dysmenorrhea.

A Chinese study published in 2011in the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine and done by researchers from the Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine observed 80 women suffering from dysmenorrhea for over three complete menses. The subjects were treated with acupuncture before the start of their periods (“preconditioning acupuncture”), no acupuncture, or “immediate acupuncture” during dysmenorrhea symptoms. At the end of the study, the preconditioning acupuncture treatment was able to lessen both the length and severity of the dysmenorrhea symptoms much better than immediate acupuncture and no acupuncture treatments.

Holistic healthcare

Unlike hormonal contraceptives and other forms of Western treatments that only target specific symptoms and which come with adverse side effects, acupuncture is one type of holistic healthcare that’s based on the philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). As a type of TCM, acupuncture sees the body as made up of interlocking systems that should all be in harmony and balance in order to beget good health.

Traditional acupuncture involves the insertion of long, thin needles into certain parts of the body known as meridians that is indicated by the specific health condition. Acupuncture is often combined with TCM therapies Qi Gong, herbal supplements, and lifestyle and dietary changes.

Nowadays, it’s wouldn’t be a surprise to see a huge number of people going for acupuncture treatment. This is due to an increase in clinical studies that show how acupuncture can be especially helpful in the treatment of pain. This treatment is now a standard form of treatment in the US military and is covered by many private insurance plans.

Acupuncture has been recognized by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) as scientifically proven to treat a wide variety of conditions including pain and dysmenorrhea. It is deemed to be side effect free, non invasive, and perfectly safe.

Acupuncture Can Be a Powerful Form of Treatment for Asthma

For several asthma related conditions, acupuncture can be an ideal form of treatment. In a lot of instances, people experienced much needed asthma relief and deeper respiration after 5 minutes or so of treatment. Outcomes may differ, and more significant relief may require six to a dozen sessions on average. Whatever the case, in several instances, acupuncture is a great way for you to enjoy an active life and improve your breathing.

By stimulating the flow of energy and blood in the Lung meridians, acupuncture can open up constricted energy pathways, lessen wheezing and enable deeper respiration without any side effects whatsoever. In a lot of cases where asthma conditions are complicated and long standing, Chinese herbal formulas can be used along with acupuncture treatments. Moxibustion and other forms of asthma treatments can also be used to warm and stimulate acupuncture points in order to increase energy to the lungs and beef up the circulation and flow of energy.

The lungs in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine have a close association with the Kidneys. On several occasions, an acupuncturist may utilize the energetic channels of the kidneys as well as the lungs to facilitate a positive outcome of the treatment. The site of the needle placement will depend on the style of the acupuncturist and on the training of the practitioner. There are specific acupuncture styles, like the one I practice, in which distal acupuncture points are used to effect a healing response. The needles can be inserted in the elbows, wrists, or ankles. In the end, I would just like to state say that each person’s body and health is different and so will be each person’s experiences. You may need to discover for yourself if acupuncture truly works for you as it worked for billions of people throughout the centuries.

There Is A Big Chance Acupuncture Can Resolve Your Psoriasis Problem

It may seem a bizarre way to treat psoriasis with needles but for thousands of years, this actually has been the way the Chinese and other people in East Asia addressed this condition. Psoriasis is a rare condition in China; in the West it is a relatively major problem. Unfortunately, western medicine has still found no cure for this disease. But some of its sufferers have experienced a complete cure with acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture has the ability to alleviate the lesions and plagues caused by ths skin condition.

In Australia and the United States, two percent of the people suffer from severe psoriasis. Around 20% of the population has a mild to serious case of this condition. Furthermore, each year thousands of new psoriasis cases are reported. Modern science still hasn’t determined the real cause of psoriasis although it knows that the disease doesn’t just affect the skin’s upper layer. Scientists suspect that psoriasis has something to do with immune system malfunctioning that cause certain cells to become hyperactive resulting in the lesions and plagues psoriasis is known for.

Using sterile, clean, long, thin needles, acupuncturists insert them into certain points in the body known as acupoints in which underneath lies an energy vessel called a meridian. The procedure may or may not involve needling the affected area when trying to address the condition.

Unfortunately, there are have been just a few studies done about acupuncture treatment of psoriasis; that does mean that it does not work. The fact is, more and more doctors are recommending acupuncture for the treatment of psoriasis if pharmaceutical drugs fail.

For those wanting a quick fix to their problem, acupuncture is not for you. It might take several sessions to see whether acupuncture treatment for psoriasis works for you. One of the best things about acupuncture is that it has no side effects, although if you have a fear of needles, then the treatment can give you an anxiety attack and raise your blood pressure. If you have an aversion to needles, you might be happy to know that many practitioners are now using small probes and mild electrical pulses instead of needles. The process may be different but the results are the same.

So, if you have exhausted all conventional modes of treatment to help resolve your psoriasis, you might want to consider acupuncture. If you ask me, I would rather try the electric version of the treatment for the simple reason I don’t like the idea needles being stuck in my body.

Arthritis Treatment Using Massage Therapy and Acupuncture as Adjunct Forms of Treatment

Arthritis affects about 70 million individuals in the United States each year and is the number one cause of disability in that country. Manifesting in more than a hundred forms, arthritis is a complicated disease that can strike at basically any age. Among its hundred of manifestations, arthritis usually appears in the form of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Because of this, massage therapies and acupuncture are seen as sensible forms of treatment for this debilitating disease.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects joints although several patients tend to feel the condition affecting other parts of the body, including the heart, lung, blood, and even the tissue of the skin. This type of arthritis can be chronic (long lasting) and is marked by an inflammation of the synovium, which is the smooth lining of the joint. When the synovium is inflamed, it causes redness, warmth, stiffness, and joint swelling. The joints that are affected may lose their shape making it hard for the person to move normally.

Osteoarthritis

Affecting more than twenty two million Americans each year, osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis in the United States. In contrast to rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis is a systematic breaking down of the joint cartilage leading to stiffness and extreme pain. The hips, spine, fingers, and knees are the body parts most commonly affected by this disease although it can also strike the shoulders, elbows, and ankles in some people. But from time to time, due to a certain injury, it may also affect an uncommon area of affliction. Injuries sustained from work are typical causes of osteoarthritis development. If your job entails, for example, frequent squatting, bending, or kneeling it may heighten your risk of developing this condition, particularly in the knee.

Massage Therapies and Acupuncture for Arthritis Treatment

Recently, the use of massage therapies and acupuncture for arthritis treatment has indicated that these two therapies are very effective alternatives modes of treatment to conventional medicine. Moreover, the use of massage therapies and acupuncture for treating arthritis both have deep roots in the mystical world of ancient medicine. We can surely see this with acupuncture.

Acupuncture Arthritis Therapy

As with other types of alternative treatment, acupuncture has been incredibly effective in treating inflammation and pain related to many forms of arthritis. Ancient Chinese medicine customizes acupuncture therapy based on the own symptoms manifested by the patient which then requires a unique plan of treatment that includes acupuncture therapy, lifestyle changes, energetic exercises, Chinese diet therapy, body works, and Chinese herbs.

Needles used in acupuncture are not necessarily placed on the areas directly affected by the condition, but rather in certain other locations throughout the body. Some patients may just see those tiny acupuncture needles inserted in every area of their body from their arms to their legs and maybe even all the way down to their smallest toe. These needles stimulate the body in a way that you’ll feel so relaxed that you might end up falling asleep during the treatment. The treatment may last for five to thirty minutes depending on the severity of the condition.

Massage Therapy for Arthritis

Both massage therapies and acupuncture are used to combat arthritis. Like acupuncture, massage therapy is thousands of years old and known to be widely used in ancient Greece. Some of the benefits this therapy can give a person suffering from arthritis include:

-Improving circulation to the skin
-Soothing tense muscles
-Enhancing joint movement

There are different forms of massage therapy that can be used in treating arthritis. Some of the more popular ones include:

-Swedish massage
-Reflexology
-Acupressure
-Deep Tissue Massage
-Trigger Point Therapy

Your Anxiety and Panic Attacks Can Be Completely Cured Using Acupuncture and Herbs

As one who has experienced panic attacks and anxieties, I have tried almost every type of treatment outside of psychotropic medications to help resolve these problems. For people who are suffering from panic disorder, you are not alone. You are just one among the more than 40 million people who suffer from this disorder who are resolved to find an answer for it.

After experiencing a recent panic attack I have decided to try acupuncture out. My acupuncturist cum Chinese medicine practitioner was a marvelous professional who had extensive experience in this type of condition.

Traditional Chinese practitioners and acupuncturists believe that emotional heavies such as depression, anxiety, and stress tend to disrupt the normal circulation of energy (known as Qi or Chi) throughout the body. Based on the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), anxiety obstructs the normal energy flow in our body. The body then experiences muscle pain in parts of the body such as the neck and back. Other aspects of your health can be affected as well and lead to problems such as sleeping difficulties, high blood pressure and digestive problems.

Acupuncture is a treatment that is known to redirect or restore the normal flow of energy resulting in the restoration of health.

Does Acupuncture Work for Anxiety?

Studies regarding the use of acupuncture for the treatment of anxiety have shown that ear acupuncture (auriculotherapy) as the best form of treatment. In order to understand how this type of acupuncture works to alleviate anxiety, Yale University doctors assembled a number of patients who were to undergo surgery for a clinical trial.

The trial revealed that the patients who were given acupuncture treatment experienced a significant lessening of their anxiety about their forthcoming surgery.

Western medical physicians suggest that acupuncture can alleviate anxiety because it is able to help with the production and release of natural painkillers such as endorphins in the bloodstream. Acupuncture can likewise safely lower blood pressure and heart rate, boost blood circulation, and help muscles relax without the need for prescription drugs.

My First Experience with Ear Acupuncture

During my first ever acupuncture treatment, my acupuncturist stuck needles on predetermined acupoints on my ear. The needles remained stuck for a week. This almost helped entirely cure me of my anxiety. After the ear therapy was over, the needles on my ear were removed and for the next phase of my treatment acupuncture needles were then inserted in various parts of my body. Unlike ear acupuncture the needles on my body were removed after each treatment session. I had a total of three sessions of body acupuncture and was wholly cured that even the most subtle anxiety triggers that had bothered me before completely vanished.

Chinese Herbal Medicine as an Adjunct to Acupuncture Therapy

Besides being a licensed acupuncturist, my acupuncturist was also a qualified practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine. He made me take a number of Chinese herbal formulas for a few weeks in order to restore my body to its normal and healthy balance. For anxiety treatment, these remedies not only target the anxiety symptoms but address the underlying reason(s) of your condition as well.

Conclusion

As you may have noticed, my acupuncture treatment for the cure of my anxiety was very much a success. Since then, I have been going for acupuncture treatment on a regular basis as it helps me to relax, sleep better and function very well in my everyday life.

If you are being plagued with anxiety and panic attacks I highly recommend acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine as two natural and very powerful treatments for your problem. They may be able to help you end your panic attacks for good.

Why Acupuncture is the Answer to Your Smoking Problems

Acupuncture is a very powerful form of treatment for a lot of health conditions. However, only a handful of people are aware that this healing modality which has the power to cure a lot of serious illnesses disorders is also powerful enough to help a smoker cease his smoking permanently.

The fact is acupuncture is a very good way for a smoker to successfully stop smoking. This is now being realized by more and more people through anecdotal evidence or by word-of-mouth. The most important thing, though for it to be successful is that the patient himself is willing to stop smoking. Acupuncture for the cessation of smoking promises a person prompt relief of his/her longstanding and habitual smoking habits.

Acupuncture treatment is based on the notion that the vital energy in every person’s body, known as Chi, flows throughout the body via 12 main energy channels known as primary meridians. The body itself has over a thousand acupoints wherein needles are inserted to address a specific condition. Occasionally, these meridians develop blockages preventing the Chi to flow as smoothly as it should.

This problem eventually results in chronic habits of which the habit of smoking is one. Acupuncture can be a useful tool for a smoker to wean himself out of his habit.

In providing the patient the benefits of the treatment, the acupuncturist sticks about five needles into the patient’s ear. Some needles are stuck into the ear cartilage and lobe while some needles are inserted into the patient’s wrists and hands. After all the needles are inserted into their proper points, the patient is left to sleep or relax for half an hour to a full hour. The needles are meant to provide the patient the means reduce his/her craving for nicotine.

Acupuncturists may follow a number of treatment methods when treating heavy smokers and severe cravings. The plan of treatment will only work if the person promises to undergo the required number of sessions to successfully become a non-smoker. These sessions are meant to mitigate the emotional and physical effects of the withdrawal that happen during the course of treatment.

A lot of patients are urged to go for herbal therapy whilst they are undergoing acupuncture. All that’s required is to apply a mixture of Sichuan lovage rhizomes, oil of wintergreen, evodia fruit extracts, and clove oils in the acupoints in order to get powerful and immediate results.

Besides curing you of your smoking addiction, acupuncture can provide other benefits as well. Patients start to notice that their cigarettes are not as pleasant to the taste as they used to and the cigarette smoke begins to smell offensive to them. These changes make the transformation of the patient from a smoker to a non-smoking person all the more quick and easy.

Using acupuncture treatment to rid yourself of your smoking habit also significantly lowers the innumerable side effects of nicotine withdrawals such as depression, anxiety, and the desire to smoke. The flow of blood in your body vastly improves with this treatment. The lungs are decongested and your mind starts to think clearer allowing you to develop an optimistic view of life.

Acupuncture is especially useful in patients who require emergency treatment for ending their habit. It can help you cease smoking within just a few days.

All these can be accomplished only if you avail yourself of treatment from a licensed and experienced acupuncturist.

Treating The Psoriasis Patterns of Disharmony with Acupuncture

In Chinese medicine, psoriasis is seen as a Blood Heat disorder. Conventional Western medicine considers this as a metaphor signifying that an inflammatory process is occurring in the bloodstream, exhibiting symptoms such as scaly, red, and itchy patches on the skin. The acupuncture points that are needled to treat psoriasis possess cooling qualities. Your acupuncturist knows exactly where these acupoints that help clear and cool blood are located. They can also be helpful if your psoriasis condition is exacerbated by spicy food, or hot weather.

Acupuncture Removes and Clears Toxins

The idea of toxins can also be applied to the metaphor of blood heat. Suggesting anything from allergic dermatitis to food allergies, from an unhealthy lifestyle and diet to plain toxicity, a blood heat diagnosis will entail the treatment of acupoints known for its detoxifying qualities that can be helpful in the treatment of psoriasis. People living in polluted environments as well as those with allergies and those living a toxic lifestyle need to discuss the process of detoxification with their acupuncturist.

Fortifying the Lungs

Traditional Chinese medicine sees the lung as similar to the skin. Both are considered to be external components of the body. This means that the lungs are affected by the outside world through the breathing process. The lungs like the skin have a huge surface area. These similarities make these two body organs closely related to each other. So, when the function of the respiratory system, is strong, it can lead to the healing of the skin from disorders such as psoriasis. From the viewpoint of Western medicine, the lungs have a tight association with the immune system, and so when lung function is strong, the immune system is also healthy and strong. If you have any problems with your lungs or have a family history of asthma, bronchitis, COPD, etc., you need to mention it to your acupuncturist.

The patterns causing psoriasis need to be treated in the right manner using modalities that have been proven to bring about great results. However, in order to get the best short-term treatment outcome, you need to treat the site where the psoriatic lesion itself is located. Through the sticking of needles perpendicularly around the lesion’s edges, from the healthy skin penetrating into the psoriasis, healing energy can be focused by your acupuncturist into the psoriasis itself. Besides that, the lesion can be directly inserted with needles that also directly target the disease. Contrary to popular belief, direct needle insertion in the psoriases is not painful. In fact patients who have undergone this procedure find it cooling and soothing providing immediate itching relief. You can request your acupuncturist for the same kind of procedure. There are areas in China where an acupuncture procedure involving liquefied herbs is injected into the body using hypodermic needles bringing about quick and dramatic results. In some states in the Union, this procedure is not yet legal. You need to ask your acupuncturist if this type of medical procedure can be performed in your state.

Traditional Chinese Medicine’s Answers to Anemia

Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) attribute anemia to be primarily caused by an imbalance known as Blood Deficiency. When referring to blood, TCM has a deeper meaning for it than the clinical definition of the term. Blood in TCM can also pertain to the inherent energy within the blood. TCM practitioners believe that Blood is made partly from the nutrients extracted in the digestive system that resulted from the action of the pancreas-spleen. Blood is created when jing or kidney essence combines with this extract. The bone marrow is where most of the body’ kidney essence is stored. This seems to jibe with conventional Western medicine’s knowledge that the bone marrow is where blood is created.

The symptoms and signs of anemia:

-Pain in the chest
-Shortness of breath (especially with activity or when standing)
-Light headedness or dizziness (especially with activity or when standing)
-Concentration difficulties
-Lack of energy/fatigue
-Headaches

Certain forms of anemia may come with symptoms such as:

-Numbness/tingling
-Problems thinking
-Constipation

These symptoms and signs are reflections of the TCM hallmarks of blood deficiency although Blood deficiency may come with extra symptoms like dry hair, pale complexions, tongue, nailbeds, and lips; dry skin; dry, thin, and premature graying hair; spots in the vision of the person; and premature hair loss.

Blood deficiency may be the result of:

-Stagnant blood and chronic diseases that slow down the generation of new blood
-Lack of nutrients in the body
-Blood loss because of severe menstruation, or gastrointestinal hemorrhage
-The body’s inability to absorb nutrients

The good news is that there are several natural ways you can utilize to build blood. They include proper nutrition, Chinese herbs, and acupuncture just to mention a few.

Proper Nutrition

To build and nourish blood through nutrition, two approaches can be used:

-Add certain nutrients that create new healthy blood
-Improve the absorption of nutrients in the digestive tract

To boost absorption, mucus and damp conditions need to be reduced and the qi energy of the pancreas-spleen needs to be built. You need to restrict yourself or totally avoid the consumption of damp and phlegm producing foods if you have a damp condition in your body.

Blood Deficiency Diet

Greater consumption of protein-rich foods is required to help build blood. Chicken and other types of animal protein are some of the best sources of blood building protein. It is possible to be on a vegetarian diet and still build blood; however, the process is not as fast as an animal protein diet. Besides animal protein that has the highest concentration of jing among foods, soups and stocks made from beef bones and chicken (preferably organic) can be others sources for jing.

Plants that are loaded with chlorophyll and leafy green vegetables are highly nutritious since they not only contain iron, but also posses other factors that aid in the utilization and absorption of iron, and produce Blood.

The quality of blood quality may also be affected by the amount of additives in foods, especially if the food has too much salt, sugar, and hormones. You should always strive to eat chemical-free foods or organic foods. The liver you consume needs to be organic and free of chemical additives.

Grains – bran, barley, wheat, corn, sweet rice, oats, and rice
Common supplements – algae, chlorella, seaweeds, chlorella, and spirulina
Vegetables – button mushroom, wheatgrass, watercress, dark leafy vegetables, wheatgrass, spinach, shitake mushroom, cabbage, kelp, celery, artichoke, dandelion leaf
Beverages – guiness beer, soya milk, smoothies, miso, spirulina
Fruits – apple, mulberry, apricot, longan, avocado, grape, date, fig
Condiments, oils – molasses
Beans – tempeh, aduki, fermented bean products, kidney beans, black soya
Spices, herbs – parsley, nettle
Seeds and nuts – black sesame, lightly roasted almonds
Dairy/egg
Fish – tuna, sardine, oyster, octopus, and mussel
Meat – liver of pork, beef, or sheep, chicken, red meat especially bone marrow

Western foods that can be eaten every day western that aid in the building of Blood:

-Chicken and red meat
-Rice porridges with almonds, soya milk, rice milk, apricots
-Mushroom lasagna and kidney bean with spinach salad
-Leafy dark green vegetable salad with grated beetroot and avocado
-Snacks of dried almonds and apricots
-Warm chicken salad with grapes and artichokes
-Calamari with mussel chowder
-Parsley with scrambled eggs with parsley

If you have anemia, these are the foods to best avoid:

Damp generating and congesting foods: dairy and ice cream (except a little yogurt and butter, nuts, and chocolate).

Raw uncooked foods that is uncooked and cold natured, concentrated sweeteners, sweet foods, salt, tomato, raw vegetable, and sprouts.

Damp causing foods and congesting foods such as dairy and ice cream, nuts, chocolate, and sugar

Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture

An important component of Chinese medicine is Chinese herbal medicine. If blood deficiency is prolonged, herbal formulas may help resolve severe the problem. Also herbal formulas can help, address the underlying disharmony/imbalance, tonify Spleen and supplement blood.

Acupuncture can improve the function of an anemic person. It also helps make the absorption of nutrients spleen-pancreas function more efficient. The development of healthy bone marrow and red blood cells can be supported with this therapy as well as disharmonies and other underlying problem that may disrupt the building of blood.

The Acupoints Used by Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners for the Treatment of Bell’s Palsy

Bell’s palsy is attributed to an inflammation of the nerve that governs the function of the facial muscles causing one side of the face to droop and stiffen. Studies have shown that Bell’s palsy symptoms can be alleviated by acupuncture therapy even in Bell’s palsy sufferers who have not gotten well with other treatments. In acupuncture treatment for Bell’s palsy, the acupoints to be treated are chosen by the acupuncturist based on the patient’s needs. It is important to talk to your doctor before you go for acupuncture or other forms of alternative treatments.

Acupoints Used for Bell’s Palsy Treatment

Yang Bai (GB 14)

The GB 14 is located about a finger’s width from the eyebrow to the forehead in line with the pupil. It is commonly used to treat the symptoms of Bell’s palsy. Yang Bai, in Chinese literally means “yang white.” It is situated on the meridian associated with the gallbladder. It can also be used to treat temporal and frontal headaches. The GB 14 is also helpful for the relief of eye discomforts such as swelling, itchiness, redness, and eye twitching.

Ying Hsiang (LI 20)

Literally translated as “welcome fragrance,” the ying hsiang is found in the smile line (the nasolabial crease) proximate to the side of the nostril. This meridian is associated with the large intestine system and utilized to resolve a variety of conditions. Apart from palsy, the LI 20 can also be used to treat sinus and nasal problems such as allergies and sinusitis.

Hsiaguan (ST 7)

Hsiaguan in Chinese means “below the joint.” Found on the cavity where the jaw and cheekbone meet, this acupoint corresponds to the stomach meridian and besides Bell’s palsy is used to treat jaw toothaches, jaw pain, deafness, tinnitus, and ear infections and pain.

Dicang (ST 4)

The point known as “dicang” in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is referred to in modern acupuncture in Chinese, dicang literally means earth granary and is found directly below the pupil in line with the corner of the mouth. This point is used to treat stroke symptoms, toothaches, paralysis, and of course, Bell’s palsy.