Phillips Steve Acupuncture Clinic

Information may not be reliable

2627 La Mesa Way, Sacramento CA 95825; phone: (916) 486-9600
Also serving Fair Oaks, Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Roseville & Elk Grove

16 Nov 2010 at 6:12pm
After reviewing the existing body of knowledge, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed acupuncture needles from the category of "experimental medical devices." The FDA now regulates acupuncture needles, just as it does other devices such as surgical scalpels and hypodermic syringes, under good manufacturing practices and single-use standards of sterility.

Autism is officially called autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and is classified as a neurodevelopmental behavior disorder.
The origin of the disorder mainly resides in the brain. A small minority of experts, however, argue that ASD might be related to gastrointestinal diseases, some suggest that it may be an autoimmune disease, and some others suggest that it may be a viral disease.
According to meridian theory, there are six yang meridians that converge in the head. These meridians provide communication and coordination of brain activities with other parts of the body. These six meridians are: Bladder, Gall Bladder, Stomach, Small Intestine, Large Intestine and Triple Heater. Any disorder along the six meridians potentially could affect the development of the brain. Likewise, any disorder in the brain should affect of these meridians and cause dysfunction in parts of the body that these meridians pass through.
Can we see any evidence of malfunction of these yang meridians? We report here some preliminary results of infrared images (or thermographs), along three meridians, that we have taken of autistic children. First we take a set of thermographs, then the child drinks an 8-oz. glass of double helix water (DHW), and another set of thermographs are taken 15 minutes later. On the left of each figure is the thermograph, and on the right is the thermograph afterward. Comparing the temperature distribution of the left and the right sets of pictures give an indication of the healing effect of DHW. We can immediately see similarities in the "before" thermographs. We look for hot lines and hot spots on the surface of the body, and try to correlate them with the ST, BL, and GB meridians, and their acupoints.
Chinese medicine views a child as a whole. So the gastrointestinal, immune and neurological systems should be treated together. It may be done by acupuncture, which will concentrate on the hot spots along the six yang meridians. It may also be treated by herbs that reduce inflammation. Here we give an example where the inflammation along the yang meridians are reduced by drinking DHW.

By Li Zhang L.Ac. MD. MS.
Recently, I have been getting a lot of phone calls asking me if acupuncture can treat anxiety disorders. My answer is always yes. I have treated over forty patients with anxiety.
In Western medicine, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a psychological and physiological state characterized by excessive, exaggerated anxiety and worry about everyday life events with no obvious reasons for worry. People with symptoms of GAD tend to always expect disaster and can't stop worrying about things such as health, money, family, work, or school. In people with GAD, the worry often is unrealistic or out of proportion for the situation. Therefore, daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear, and dread. Eventually, the anxiety dominates the person's thinking and eventually interferes with daily functioning.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), generalized anxiety disorder is understood as a disorder of Shan You Si ( ? ? ?) or YuZhen (? ?). Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views anxiety not as a brain dysfunction, but more as an inner organs dysfunction. TCM theory holds that each of the Zang Organs plays a role in the emotions. Emotions and organ?s health are intimately connected. Zang organs can develop imbalances and dysfunctions due to dietary, environmental, lifestyle, and hereditary factors. By understanding these connections, we can see how anxiety disorder might be due to an imbalance and dysfunction in different organs.
Worry, dwelling, or focusing too much on a particular topic, excessive mental work are symptoms of a Spleen disorder. Lack of enthusiasm and vitality, mental restlessness, depression, insomnia, despair are symptoms of a Heart disorder. Liver emotional symptoms are anger, resentment, frustration, irritability, bitterness, and "flying off the handle.? With Lung disorders, we see more grief, sadness, and detachment. And finally, with an imbalance of the Kidneys, a person may be fearful, insecure, aloof, isolated, and have weak willpower. While the Heart Zang is said to store the Shen or spirit, in all anxiety cases, the Shen is disturbed. While a generalized anxiety disorder always affects the Shen, either primarily or secondarily, calming and harmonizing the Shen will be the fundamental treatment. TCM classifies the cause of the disorders according to the extent to which individual Zang Organs demonstrate signs and symptoms of disturbance and the extent to which their Qi is affected. In anxiety, the most common injured organs are the Spleen and Heart. When there is a disturbance in one or more of these Zang organs from any cause, an imbalanced emotional state can happen. Therefore, anxiety will be divided into several different types by Chinese Medicine:
1. Heart/Spleen Qi Deficiency: preoccupation, obsessive worry, aversion to speaking, palpitations, insomnia, fatigue, poor appetite, abdominal distention, teeth mark in the tongue, a pale tongue, and weak pulse.
2. Liver Qi Stagnation Affecting the Spleen: preoccupation, feelings of irritability, moodiness, poor appetite, hypochondriac tightness or pain, muscular tension, fatigue, alternating constipation and loose stools, a pale or dusky tongue with distended sublingual veins, and a wiry-weak pulse.
3. Kidney Qi Deficiency: preoccupation, feelings of fear and dread, and may be accompanied by lower back and knee weakness, lack of sexual desire, frequent urination, cold hands and feet, a pale tongue, and a weak pulse.
4. Lung Qi Deficiency: preoccupation, rapidly changing moods, sadness and easily feeling grief and loss, inability to "let go," aversion to speaking, shortness of breath, fatigue, sweating easily upon exertion, a weak cough, throat discomfort, a pale tongue with a thin white coating, and a thin pulse.

The ABCs of Acupuncture: How it works & what to expect during your treatment

Hello, and thank you for visiting. If you are just finding out about acupuncture and how it works, I recommend the link above, the ABC's of Acupuncture.
Many people also want to know what others say about how acupuncture worked for them. I have collected over 130 Acupuncture Testimonials, organized according to conditions commonly treated in the clinic.
If you have specific questions about acupuncture, there are articles covering many topics, such as acupuncture for pain, allergies, arthritis, to stop smoking, and more, listed below under More Acupuncture Topics. I've recently added articles on acupuncture for weight loss and acupuncture treatment for peripheral neuropathy. You may want to check back from time to time because I do add more articles.
If you have a friend or family member who you feel would find this web site helpful, please think of sharing it with them using one of the options (such as sending a quick email) provided by the Share/Save button in the left column.
If you have any other questions about acupuncture or what to expect from acupuncture therapy, you may reach me using the online contact page, or by calling the office at (916) 486-9600.
Yours in health, Steve Phillips

A Healthy Balance
Acupuncture restores health at a deep level by correcting imbalances in the chi or energy field of the body.
Acupuncture & Arthritis
Acupuncture can provide substantial relief from the pain of arthritis.
Acupuncture Microsystems & Reflections on the Holographic Body
Chinese medicine recognizes that the human body functions like a hologram.

Acupuncture has a proven track record as a natural treatment for addictions.
Allergic Rhinitis & Acupuncture
Allergies and hayfever can be treated very effectively with Acupuncture.

By improving your health, acupuncture can help reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.

Acupuncture can treat acute and chronic back pain, as well as systemic imbalances.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Based on an ancient and holistic system of diagnosis, herbs are combined synergistically to meet the unique needs of each person.

Acupuncture and herbs can help strengthen the immune system and boost mental and physical energy by improving overall health.

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can reduce the severity and duration of the common cold.
Do the Chinese get back pain?

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture (Cosmetic Acupuncture)
Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture, “the acupuncture facelift”, is a natural technique that firms skin and muscles with none of the potential negative effects of surgery.

Infertility & Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been shown to be of benefit to couples having difficulty with conception.

Management of HIV
Acupuncture can be an adjunctive or primary therapy to help strengthen the immune system.
Pain & Acupuncture

Peripheral Neuropathy and Acupuncture
Peripheral neuropathy can be treated successfully with Acupuncture.
Philosophical & Historical Overview of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Chinese Medicine offers holistic strategies and solutions unavailable in Western Medicine.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

Preventative Medicine the Chinese Way
Traditional Chinese Medicine aims to treat subtle imbalances in the body before they manifest as illness.
Stop Smoking with Acupuncture

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine make us more resistant to stress by improving health and well-being.
Weight Loss with Acupuncture
Acupuncture might be able to help you shed pounds in certain ways—two to be exact.

Target Focus Training: The best self-defense system I've ever discovered
Fitness Training with Russian Kettlebells