Acupuncture and Nutrition Clinic – Houston

In many ways we should consider ourselves healthcare customers. We are customers with our doctors just like we are customers in a restaurant or store. There are certain ways we expect to be treated. If we don’t like the service in a restaurant or how a salesperson has spoken to us, we have the right to leave and to complain to management. When it comes to healthcare and medicine, I also believe that we can have a say in how we are treated and to ask as many questions as necessary to understand what is being recommended for our care.

I do believe everyone with a new condition or problem should be evaluated by a medical doctor. Western medicine does have the best diagnostic equipment in the world. Western medicine is also the best for emergency medicine.

When there is a non-emergency or chronic condition, we can become advocates in our own healthcare. It’s good to hear what the doctor recommends and take it under consideration. Afterall, the doctor does have your best interests in mind. But the doctor may not be well versed in options that may be less invasive or requiring less medications. This is where we as patients have a right to have a voice in our treatment process.

I believe that one of the many reasons acupuncture has become such a popular option for many, is that in addition to making all kinds of physical problems better, acupuncturists listen to patients and treat them as a whole person. The doctors today who still subscribe to the “my way or the highway” mentality are not the doctors that patients like to go to or speak well of to others.

So, it’s up to us, as healthcare customers to consider all of the options to treat our specific problem. Because there are alternatives and different ways to treat problems, we have to do our research and find out what might work as well or even better and with fewer side effects.

Just because a doctor tells you to take another drug or have asurgery, (it might be that you need to take that drug and have that surgery), you can also wonder and question whether there may be another way to treat the pain or deal with the problem (reflux, depression, hot flashes, migraines, etc). Is it possible to manage or treat the problem without drugs? Can surgery be avoided through acupuncture and physical therapy? Remember, once you cut, you can’t go back. It’s certainly worth trying everything before undergoing anesthesia. So I do think we have to be smart consumers of medical care. It’s about taking responsibility.

We are very lucky in Houston as we have a world class medical center and hospitals and world class doctors. But it’s also ok to have a little healthy skepticism and consider all our options.

What to do when someone has multiple areas of pain? Fibromyalgia is a good example of pain, aches and muscle soreness all over the body and/or at multiple joints. I recently had a patient come in with back pain, sciatica pain, knee pain, hip pain and neck and shoulder pain. The frequent question being is can more than one area of pain be treated at one time?

Another patient recently reported “I tried acupuncture many, many years ago. It’s probably about 15 years ago. It didn’t seem to do much for me at that time. Since then I’ve tried chiropractic, physical therapy, including epidurals. Epidurals helped me for about a year, but when I took it the second time around it wasn’t much help. So I was wondering if there had been any change in the treatments which could help the pain.”

I told this man that there are variables that can affect outcome. The main variable is how long a patient has had a certain condition. The longer it’s been around, the longer it usually takes to resolve, especially if one wants to do it gently and naturally without the use of drugs or shots. Patients typically come to my office when Western medicine can no longer help beyond giving drugs to alleviate the pain. Many patients do not like the efffects that pain medication or steroids have on their bodies.

Also, with regard to prior experiences with acupuncture, outcomes can be influenced by frequency, proximity of repeat treatments and duration of treatments. For long standing problems, it may not be unusual to need 20 or more treatments. One of my teachers, Dr. Tan, explains acupuncture treatments this way. “Acupuncture is like a therapy. The treatments build on each other over time.” When my patients tell me they feel better after the first treament, I am honest with them and tell them it’s a very good sign they responded so quickly, but “what I can’t promise is how long this treatment is going to hold.” Like chemotherapy or psychotherapy, the treatments build on each other for maximum effectiveness.

Also, one much take into account their age, lifestyle, daily actitivies, exercise, diet and stress. These all affect how the body heals.

So, back to the issue of multiple areas of pain. When there are so many areas that have pain I can either chase the pain and put needles all over the areas of pain or try to come up with a strategy that can efficiently move energy all over while still targeting some areas of pain. So many areas of pain makes me think of Times Square in NYC at rush hour. All lanes in all directions are backed up, everyone’s honking and nothing is moving. My typical approach to this is to create energy flow all over the body and then see what pain is left over. It’s called a global treatment and moves energy at the various levels that it flows in the body.

Because the channel system is a closed circuit system, it’s easy to move all twelve channels with just a few needles. Once energy is moving smoothly, there is less pain and then I will be more inclined to do a targeted treatment of the pain that is left over.

A common question people ask is if I can help with pain that’s been around for many years. I recently received a call asking if acupuncture could help a man who had a twenty year history of back pain. He reported the pain as being on and off over the years until the last two years when it has become more of a chronic problem.

When I hear that a patient has had pain for 20 years on and off, it makes me think of a smoldering flame waiting for a gust of air which then fans the fire (increased pain). I usually ask about the history of auto accidents, falls or physical traumas. Especially when the diagnostic tests such as MRI’s or X-Rays are inconclusive and there is no apparent problem beyond general aging issues with the lumbar vertebrae.

When there has been a history of physical trauma like a serious fall or accident when younger, the tendency is usually to brush it off, especially if all that is felt is a little soreness and achiness. When young, active and busy, life keeps going without paying much attention to general aches and pains. Those aches and pains get better, but perhaps not completely and they smolder just under the surface as the aging process continues. And then 20 years, even 30 years later, all of a sudden, there is a flare up and increase in pain and no recent memory of what could have caused the pain. Sometimes its hard to find an apparent reason for the pain. In reality, the area that was hurt many years before ends up coming back to haunt if it’s not properly addressed at the time of the initial accident. Sometimes all it takes to fan the flame years later is a awkward move or stress and then there’s a flare-up.

The first thing to do when the pain is severe is to go the doctor. You want the diagnostic tests to rule out anything serious and/or to get an idea of what is going on with the low back or area of pain.

When I asked my patient about the diagnostic test results he said “the best they can tell is I got a problem with my L3-4 and L4-5, those discs.”

Lumbar disc problems are the most common cause of low back pain that I see in the clinic. Lumbar 3, 4,5 and the first sacral disc are the usual culprits. Sometimes you get your mid back pain in your thoracic spine area but when it comes to low back pain, that’s really where most of the problem is, quite often from a fall or accident. Frequently when there is no obvious source of pain the doctor will tell the patient it’s age associated arthritis.

So what would I do if you came in with this type of complaint? I would take a history and get a sense of where the pain is. Does it radiate out to your side or to your hip? Does it go down your leg? Does it go down the side of your leg or the back of your leg or is still pretty much located in your low back and buttocks area? Once I have a pretty good idea of the channels that are affected, I will come up with a strategy of points to treat the problem.

Over the years I have received extensive training in various styles of acupuncture. One of the methods is called the Balance Method. In general, the needles rarely get put in at the location of the pain. I will identify the painful channels or meridians and then treat areas opposite and farther away but that have a relationship with the channel(s) that have pain. For example, if the pain is on the lumbar spine and across the low back, I might put some needles in the back of your head to treat the end of the channel where the lumbar pain is and where it mirrors your lower vertebral column. I might also put some needles in your opposite shoulder and upper arm to mirror the buttock or low back or on the hand, behind the knee or side of the ankle that correspond to the channel of pain.

Then we can play show-and-tell and have you move in a way that usually causes pain. We then see what happens to the pain. In the majority of cases, there is relief on the table.

I can generally tell within four to eight treatments if I can help you. I won’t have you come for six months and say, “Oh, by the way, this isn’t working.” I’m pretty clear in terms of being able to help a patient. If a patient is not getting any relief between four and eight treatments, then sometimes surgery is required or another set of diagnostic tests to see if something was overlooked. I have sent patients to a neurosurgeon or for another MRI or X-ray if there’s no relief. I can usually tell by how the patient responds to the acupuncture if this modality is a right fit.

This was a call from one of my monthly radio shows taking call in questions.

“I would like to ask the Acupuncture & Nutrition Clinic if they can help my husband. He is 67 years old and has a lot of hip pain. He is still very active and very much works 40 or 60 hours a week. The pain radiates down the side of his leg into the knee area. Do they think that they might be able to help that?”

Our response: “We treat a lot of hip, low back and sciatic type pain. Pain down the side of the legs does sound like a type of sciatica that’s coming from the low back, maybe the hip. We do treat a lot of sciatica at our clinic. The usual location of needles would be on the opposite shoulder. We would actually needle various joints of the shoulder because that mirror-images the hip and then down the middle of the upper arm to the elbow which would mirror the knee. Once the needles are in we would ask him to move in a way that normally would elicit pain. If it’s better, then we’ve done our job well. If not, we need to go back and reassess our diagnois of the channel problem. Sciatica down the side of the leg is actually a very treatable condition.”

We frequently tell patients to remember that acupuncture is like a therapy: chemotherapy or psychotherapy. The treatments build on each other until the body is able to maintain the “re-routed” circuitry. If someone has had a condition for 20 years, it’ going to take more than a few treatments to make it better. It’s good to be realistic in those expectations.

Even if you think about one month of treatment per year. Obvioiusly that’s a lot of treatments and its doubtful that many treatments would be necessary. But the take home message is about being patient and recognizing that Chinese medicine is a gentle form of medicine that nudges the body to work in a way that it used to know how to do. There is memory. Once you really promote healing in the area that’s hurting or diseased, the body will respond in the majority of cases.

This is a comment I had from a recent patient.

“I went into a regular doctor to get my hot flashes treated and they ended up prescribing antidepressants which I chose not to fill and chose not to proceed with because I’m not a depressed person.”

There are some antidepressants that doctors prescribe for hot flashes and symptoms of menopause that seem to help some people. But of course taking antidepressants is not for everybody and they are not without side effects. My preferred approach to treating menopausal issues is with acupuncture and herbal therapy.

When I was learning about menopause and hot flashes during my studies, it was as if a light bulb went off. It was that special aha moment. An interesting way to understand hot flashes is to first get the concept of Yin and Yang. One of my previous blogs talks about Yin and Yang.

To reveiw briefly, Yin, our moist, cooling energy and Yang, our hot, rising energy should be in relative balance. As we age, our Yin and/or Yang energy becomes deficient. For many who experience the internal heat sensations of hot flashes, it means that the cooling energy has become depleted causing a relative excess (too much) of the Yang, hot energy. The heat is not coming from the outside, but from the inside and rises up into the head and face area.

Treating the hot flashes in Chinese medicine is more about strengthening the Yin energy thereby cooling the relative excess of Yang (hot) energy. It’s not about trying to trick the body into thinking we are younger hormonally again by giving hormone replacement. It’s more about tonifying or strengthening the Yin, cooling energy which has become depleted over time.

When I learned that, I said, “Wow! What an interesting common sense way to understand the mechanism of hot flashes in menopause!” The treatment goal in Chinese medicine for hot flashes is to tonify or strengthen what has become depeleted. We increase the Yin, cooling, moisturizing part of us to put the Yin and Yang back in balance. The goal is not necessarily to reduce the Yang by itself because it’s only elevated due to too little of the Yin. It’s better to treat the root of the problem (too little Yin) rather than treat the symptom (too much Yang). It’s a beautiful way to treat the symptom while treating the root of the problem. So what I do is I put needles and give herbs to help tonify and strengthen the cooling mechanism so the Yin and Yang are in balance and the hot flahses are reduced or eliminated.

I love treating menopause because along with hot flashes comes disturbed sleep, irritability and mood swings. Acupuncture can help regulate a lot of those problems.

What’s important to understand with Chinese medicine and menopause and hot flashes is that our goal as acupuncturists when a woman comes in is to help a woman through this time in her life. It’s to help balance them so their life isn’t defined by menopause.

I have a lot of patients who do not want to take hormone replacement. The acupuncture helps. I have helped women wean off of hormone replacement who didn’t want to take it anymore. So it’s certainly a very viable option to try. It makes sense because the heat comes from inside. It makes complete sense that your cooling mechanism is off.

Questions about acupuncture for mental health issues are one of the most common inquiries I receive after questions about pain.

Acupuncture can help with depression, anxiety, stress and bi-polar disorder. So in terms of various mental health issues, yes, acupuncture can frequently help.

I caution to say that acupuncture is not in lieu of continuing or being in therapy. I do not take patients off of their Western medication if they’re already on it. Medication is a discussion between the patient and their doctor. Acupuncture, and in many cases Chinese herbal formulas, work just fine in conjunction with Western medication as the mechanism of action is quite different. They can complement each other beautifully.

When a patient comes in with a Western diagnosis of depression, anxiety or bi-polar disorder, my job is to determine what the underlying problem(s) are from a Chinese medical perspective. For example, if someone presents with anxiety along with insomnia, excessive worrying, hypervigilance and internalizing feelings, the strategy might be to balance the heart and kidney channels. However, if the main complaints include depression, irritability, sleep disruptions and digestive problems, the approach might focus on smoothing the liver channel.

Usually, a patient will present with a combination of the above plus more. After a thorough evaluation, a point selection is chosen based on the most disruptive concerns working our way in to the deepest and most chronic issues. We as human beings are rarely uni-dimensional, therefore it is more complicated than I have described. However, it gives you an understanding that the treatment strategy is quite individualized.

I have treated bipolar disorder and have found that acupuncture can be stabilizing; but with bipolar, it’s really important to stay on your Western drugs and/or be in regular communication with your therapist. What the acupuncture can do is help balance and stabilize some of the mood swings: the degree, frequency and intensity of the ups and the downs. You might be able to reduce the dosage of some of the medications, but again, that’s between you and your psychiatrist.

Stress is a major variable in just about every health issue we have. I think that stress is the one variable in our life that cannot be controlled in a double-blind, placebo control study. So you can have everything, all variables equal, but how do you really control for stress? Stress definitely triggers mental health issues and it triggers health issues overall.

Because stress is a major factor in all of our lives, acupuncture in and of itself helps with mental health issues because it works to balance the mind, body and spirit. When we are in balance, our emotional and physical health is improved.

I frequently have patients who experience neuropathy, numbness, pain and tingling in their feet.

Neuropathy is a fairly common problem that many acupuncturists see. Either with or without diabetes. I have found that treating the pain and burning of neuropathy is usually faster than treating the numbness. However, many of my patients, sometimes even after the first treatment, notice reduction in the shooting pain, and get some feeling back in their feet.

Of course, reducing or eliminating the pain of neuropathy is a great relief. Many patients complain that much of the pain tends to be worse at night. Once the pain and burning is gone, there is eventual improvement with the numbness. In my experience, numbness takes longer to treat. Although the numbness associated with neuropahty takes time to treat, acupuncture concurrently provides indirect benefits to the whole person. Some of those additional benefits include improved energy, better sleep, a sense of calm, relaxation and overall experience of well-being.

I’ll tell a quick story about my dad. He had come to visit while I was still in school studying Chinese medicine. He shared with me that he was experiencing some neuropathy, mainly numbness on the bottom of his feet. He told me that he’d been to the best doctors and they all said, “There’s nothing that we can do for you. It’s just the way it is.”

At that time, I said, “You know, Dad, from my studies, I’ve heard that acupuncture might help stimulate some of the nerve endings and bring some feeling back to your feet. Why don’t I just take you to one of my professors?” And after one treatment, he got some feeling back in his toes, especially in his big toe which is an important toe if you’re going to be driving or doing a lot of walking. So, he had been given “that’s it” type of storyline from the doctors and he got some feeling back in his toes after one treatment. I find that’s the case with many of my patients.

A patient I had previously treated for back pain came to see me a couple of weeks ago. It had been more than three years since her last visit where she had reported feeling great. Since I had not seen her for quite a while, I had assumed no news is good news. Not the case.

At the time of her first visit back, she told me she was having horrible hot flashes and sweating (making her hair curl), constant stomach pain, diarrhea, (six times a day for six years). In addition, she was extremely anxious, not sleeping well, and quite frankly, sick and tired of being sick and tired.

This patient reported she had forgotten how well she felt after her last experience with acupuncture. When her stomach pain became overwhelming she did the right thing by going to her medical doctor to try and figure out what the problem could be. She went through all the possible medical tests at their disposal to find that there was no Western understanding of her stomach pain. After numerous attempts at finding the cause, she remembered the last time she felt better. She couldn’t believe she had actually forgotten.

But that’s really ok. Because you do want to rule out anything serious. Western medicine is the best in the world for diagnostics. Once everything serious had been ruled out (ie cancer, especially since she is a three time cancer survivor) it made smart sense for her to come and try acupuncture again.

It was clear to me that her stomach pain was directly affected and exacerbated by her anxiety. In Chinese medicine there is a direct link between liver channel issues and digestive issues. (There is no real equivalent in Western medicine, so doctors usually prescribe anti-depressants). So I treated her anxiety issues which was in part causing her epigastric pain. That is called treating the root to treat the branch (symptom). In addition, I treated the symptom which alleviated her diarrhea and part of the root problem. She has been diarrhea free for 2 weeks and has had her stomach pain reduced by almost 50%.

I asked her if she would be willing to share her story with you. She sent me the following almost immediately as she has been so pleased with her progress.

I am a very lucky lady! After 6 years of severe, unexplainable stomach pains, 6 doctors, 6 endoscopies and colonoscopies, too many pills to list and no one else to see to find a solution, I sought out the Acupuncture & Nutrition Clinic as a desperate attempt to get help for this severe pain. I had used the Acupuncture & Nutrition Clinic for back pain 3 years earlier and knew that they not only listened, was caring and compassionate, they had completely relieved my back pain. They listened yet again, asked many questions and started to work their magic. We are in our second week of treatment and the pain has already started to subside. For the first time in 6 years, I feel good. Not only is my stomach pain much better, everything feels better. My anxiety has lessoned, my back feels great, my mind is clear and my physical health seems to be much better. Had I not gone to 6 doctors with no relief, I wouldn’t have believed that they could help me this fast. The most amazing part is that everything feels better. There is nothing more important than health and this is exactly Acupuncture & Nutrition Clinic’s philosophy. The better I feel, the happier they feel for me. They truly care and want to help. They are so positive, so reassuring, so compassionate and the best part, it’s painless! I actually like those little needles now. I have learned that they are my friend! I am forever grateful to have found the Acupuncture & Nutrition Clinic and I will continue to go twice a week until I feel that the pain is completely gone. When this happens, I will continue to go back for maintenance forever! Life and my health is so much better because of Acupuncture & Nutrition Clinic! I am a lucky lady! ~Dana~

In the previous blog, I gave a brief description of what Yin and Yang represent. In short, it’s about warming and cooling energy. This blog is taking you to another level of understanding in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This post will explore the concepts of Qi (chee) and Blood and how and why they are fundamental components in TCM.

The concept of energy in TCM, is referred to as Qi (chee). The Qi energizes the body, moves and warms. Therefore Qi has Yang energy. (See Yin and Yang from previous blog). Blood and body fluids are sustenance for the body. They nourish and moisten the whole of the body and therefore are Yin in nature.

The strength of our Qi comes from our Prenatal or Congenital Qi (our parents) and Acquired Qi from our food and air. Qi is the source of movement in all directions. Qi protects the body like a shield against pathogens (i.e. viruses) and allows for bodily functions to work efficiently. Qi warms the body and ensures the appropriate flowing/movement of substances in the body, like blood and body fluids.

Qi can be deficient as in infirmity of old age, chronic illness or malnutrition. It can collapse as in prolapse of organs (bladder, uterus). Stuck Qi (stagnant Qi) results in feeling deep, achey pain, a sense of distention and/or emotional upset. Qi can also flow in the wrong direction (rebellious Qi) manifesting as cough, nausea, vomiting, hiccups, dizziness and diarrhea.

Blood as we know it is a thick liquid and therefore one of the most dense forms of Qi (Yin in nature). In TCM like in Western medicine, Blood functions to nourish the body. In TCM it is understood to flow and circulate in the meridians. Blood flow in the meridians includes the organs and tissues of the body as well as body hair, tendons, ligaments, bones and viscera. It moistens and nourishes the whole body, especially the eyes and tendons. Hair growth is related to quality and amount of blood.

In TCM the three most important organs related to Blood are the Liver, Heart and Spleen:
-“Liver stores and regulates the blood; when the body moves, the blood will flow through the channels. When the body rests, the blood returns to the Liver and is stored.”
-“The Heart governs the blood, which means the Heart pumps the blood.”
-“The Spleen contains the blood which means the Spleen manages the blood by preventing the
blood from spilling out into the vessels, i.e.: hemorrhaging, bruising.”

Qi (energy, life force) moves the blood and keeps it circulating. Without strong Qi to move the blood, the blood will gather and get stuck. The areas where blood stagnates will result in pain and disease as a result of inadequate blood moving and nourishing the body. The interaction between Qi and Blood is significant. If our Qi is weak, it won’t be able to sufficiently move the blood. If our blood is deficient it won’t nourish and moisten the body and will also result in disease and pain.

Disorders of the Blood include blood deficiency, blood stagnation and heat in the blood. The reasons for this could be from blood loss, reduced blood production or the blood nourishing qualities being reduced. General signs of blood deficiency include dizziness, palpitations, lusterless complexion, pale lips, insomnia, dry skin and hair. It may not show up as anemia in Western medicine but would still be considered blood deficiency in TCM. Other problems related to blood deficiency include amenorrhea or shortened menstrual cycle, and dry, itchy skin.

Some of the causes of blood stagnation come from Qi deficiency not moving the blood, heat in the blood and impact trauma causing hemorrhage or bruising. The generals signs of blood stagnation include purplish lips and tongue and/or papules on the tongue. Local areas of blood stagnation would manifest in painful swelling or knife-like stabbing pain. Bleeding can occur when the blood vessels can no longer hold the pressure caused by the stagnation and the blood will be a dark purple-black. Western diseases that relate to blood stagnation would include a heart attack or stroke.

Heat in the blood is a result of heat toxins entering the blood. It is characterized by rapid blood movement, hemorrhage and/or deep red rashes, eruptions on the skin or hives, and dry mouth. Heart-Blood heat will cause anxiety, mental illness and mouth ulcers. Blood heat in the uterus will cause excessive bleeding during the menstrual cycle.

When we diagnose in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), we observe a person’s expression,  facial characteristics,  appearance of the body,  tongue shape, color, coating and markings and feel the pulses on both wrists. We listen to what the patient says, ask specific questions about the working of the body and palpate areas the patient is complaining about. All of the above helps give a picture of what is going on inside the body. The answers and observations during the interview help form a TCM diagnosis.  The diagnosis will include an assessment of the quality and balance of Qi (pronounced chee), Blood, Yin and Yang. In this blog, I will be discussing the concepts specifically of Yin and Yang. Subsequent blogs will explore  the meaning of Qi and Blood,  what we look for in examining the tongue and pulses, facial diagnosis and more.

The concept of Yin-Yang is considered one of the most important theories in Chinese medicine. It is said that all the functions of medical physiology, pathology and treatment can be reduced to Yin-Yang. Yin-Yang and Qi (pronounced chee), are the main concepts that have been explored over the centuries of Chinese Medicine. Yin and Yang repesent opposite but complementary qualities as I will describe below.

The functions of Yin are to cool, nourish, moisten and to allow us to be restful. When Yin and Yang (warm energy, see below) are in balance, the body temperature is even. When Yin and Yang are out of balance the body will have uneven flow of energy which will create pain and/or disease. Yang functions to warm the body,  transform energy and protect the body from external pathogens (like viruses) by providing a strong Defensive Qi (life force).

Yin is associated with the female gender, is colder in temperature, and has a sinking, inward, heavier energy. It is strongest at midnight and tends to affect the lower body, the interior of the body and abdomen. Yin seasons are Autumn and Winter.

Yang is more male, with a hotter temperature, and is associated with a lighter energy. It has an upward, outward movement and is reflected on the upper body, exterior of the body and back. Maximum Yang is noon. Yang seasons are Spring and Summer.

So based on this information, one can understand how a deficiency of Yin might lead to dry mouth and throat (not enough moisture), low grade fever or flushing (cooling mechanism not working) and night sweats. A deficiency of Yang (warming energy) would give rise to an aversion or strong dislike of cold, pale complexion and a preference for warm/hot beverages and layers of clothing.

When there is too much Yin (cold energy, too little Yang, warm energy) one may feel listless, apathetic, sad or discouraged. Muscle tone is usually poor and the body/skin is cold. Quite often there is a flat affect (lack of expression) and a generally weak body energy. This weakened state results in a slower metabolism (compensatory mechanism to spare the body) and circulation and a pattern of sleeping too much. Hands are colder than feet and face is cooler.

An excess of Yang (too much hot energy, too little cold) manifests with a more aggressive and boisterous personality. Muscle tone is usually firm with a ruddy complexion. The body tends to feel warm, with fast, strong movements and gestures. Metabolism and circulation are normal to rapid and there tends to be problems with insomnia and agitation. The  upper body is generally warmer with cold feet.

Are you finding a pattern for yourself? Maybe you have some of both? Human beings are more complex than just Yin or Yang excess or deficiency. We usually have a combination of too much of one,  too little of another or too little of both. Throw into the mix a concurrent imbalance in Qi and Blood and you can understand how complicated a treatment strategy can be. The challenge for the practitioner is to address the most immediate and acute problem and then treat for the underlying (usually a chronic condition) problem while working to gently adjust the Yin and Yang, Qi and Blood to a more balanced energy flow.

Yin and Yang as described above are opposites. However, as opposite as they seem, there is also a relativity to the concepts. As nothing is completely Yin or completely Yang. Each has a part of the other. Yang is considered hot and Yin is cold. But hot and cold are still relative to each other. For example: in Houston, one might consider 40 degree weather as cold. But relative to Chicago, that level of cold might be considered moderate.

Yin and Yang although opposites are also inter-dependent on each other. One cannot exist without the other, even though they are mutually exclusive. Day does not exist without night, activity requires rest.

Yin and Yang have a dynamic balance. When one is out of balance, the other is affected. If we have too much Yang, there is inadequate Yin. Too high a fever (Excess Yang) creates a deficiency of cooling, moist energy (Yin).

Lastly Yin and Yang do not stay the same. They have the ability to transform into each other. The changes of the seasons or day into night are examples of how Yin and Yang transform into each other.

A forthcoming blog will discuss some of the health  issues that arise from an imbalance of Yin and/or Yang, Qi and Blood. So, stay tuned…