Phil Settels Acupuncture

09/19/2024

Daniel Eng and I met up on the way to Shen Zhen for the 2024 Jing Fang International Conference. We have the honor of joining old friends Eran Even, Mark Gearing and Salustino Z. Wong in taking part in what looks to be an amazing weekend of talks on the use of Classical Formulas. The digs aren’t too shabby!

03/22/2024

While ACCHS is largely known for its emphasis on the classical theory and herbalism, it's really a hub for orthopedic acupuncture as well.

In our DAOM program, Anthony Von Der Muhll teaches 200 hours of orthopedic acupuncture, Poney Chiang teaches the Intro to NeuroMeridian Acupuncture, Josh Margolis has taught an Intro to Osteopathy (and we'll get him back!).

And now ACCHS is hosting Myopain Seminars' first courses in California, and (in compliance with CA law) it is being offered exclusively to acupuncturists (and taught by a licensed acupuncturist). Just a few hours in, and it's clear we're all going to learn a lot this weekend.

05/12/2022

Inflammation is not bad.

It's so easy and tempting to label things as "good" or "bad", and it makes for good marketing and powerful trends (superfoods and supplements, diets that omit whole categories of foods, etc.). But Rumi was onto something ("Beyond good and bad there's a field. I'll meet you there"), and there's a lot more insight that can be gained when we look at movements and relationships rather absolute labels.

In the good or bad narrative, "inflammation" has been one of the favorite bad guys for quite a while, and is often labeled the "root cause" of someone's suffering. And then inflammation is easily correlated with a hot process in the body (red, warm, swollen, painful) and so cold medicinals are applied (pharmaceutical, botanical, etc.) to reduce the body's ability to respond to threats and challenges.

But to understand inflammation not as root cause, but rather as the branch of some other dysfunction, is hugely important. The body causes inflammation as a necessary, healthy process to heals us from injury, protect us from infection, etc. The question then is not "is there inflammation?", but rather "why is inflammation out of control in this particular case?" And there are many possible answers (this is why one-size-fits-all approaches to medicine are so limited).

One of my favorite formulas to teach about is Guizhi Shaoyao Zhimu Tang, precisely because it cuts through this very simplistic layer of allopathic thinking. This formula treats hot, swollen, painful joints (think rheumatoid arthritis), and it does so primarily with warm and hot herbs. In the case of this formula's application, the localized inflammation in the joints is due to fluids that have accumulated and migrated into the joint spaces. Hot acrid medicinals (Guizhi, Mahuang, Fuzi) are needed to metabolize and transform these fluids (the root problem). A single cold medicinal is used to specifically cool the joints (Zhimu), which is treating the branch.

Acupuncture itself is a process which creates micro-damage in tissues, causing a curative type of transient local inflammation, often with the result of decreasing chronic unhelpful inflammation.

A lot of the modern ways developed to treat pain have proven to be problematic. Luckily there are other methods available.

Anti-inflammatories may relieve pain in the short term, but blocking inflammation can lead to longer-term chronic pain, a new study reports.

04/28/2022

08/23/2021

Unfortunately, this is the lived experience of many of the patients who go on to seek acupuncture treatments and herbal consultations.

In Chinese Medicine, there is an old saying: Bian Zheng Lun Zhi
"All treatment is based on pattern differentiation."
Patterns are differentiated based on an individual patient's signs and symptoms.
I hope to never invalidate someone's experience in this way.

ugh. it always feels like this. 😔

03/23/2020

Many patients are showing with digestive symptoms as well as respiratory symptoms.

A common thread in a lot of cases is underlying cold, dampness and phlegm.

Keep your Taiyin (lungs and spleen) warm and unobstructed by dampness.

This means limit sugar, alcohol, and dairy.
Eat cooked foods and drink warm fluids.
Aromatic herbs like those found in chai are particularly good.

If you're taking a preventative formula, something that warms and transforms fluids is likely going to be more useful for most people than the standard formulas people associate with strengthening the immune system (Yu Ping Feng San) or anti-viral herbs (Yin Qiao San, etc.).

Formulas like:
Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San
Banxia Houpo Tang
San Ren Tang
in conjunction with something like Xiao Chaihu Tang would likely be broadly helpful.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-digestive-symptoms-diarrhea-almost-half-of-patients/

03/17/2020

The good news is that Chinese Medicine can often play a role in helping resolve COVID-19.

The other good news is all the most popular and sold out herbs and formulas - mostly used for their antiviral properties - are not necessary to treat the disease.

Customized formulas, based on an individual's signs and symptoms, have the best chance of helping.

Scientists around the world have been working to find an effective treatment for COVID-19. Along with some anti-viral drugs, traditional Chinese medicine has...

03/11/2020

Great information about clinic precautions in this qiological episode with Craig Mitchell and Michael Max.

Take-aways:

• Humility
CM can potentially play a great role, but we should hope it doesn't have to. Prevention, caution are warranted. At some point, closing CM schools/clinics may be warranted.

• Differential Diagnosis
The real power in CM lies in assessment of individuals, not in blanket prescriptions for either prevention or treatment.

• Traditional Models
Wenbing and Shanghan diagnostic models can still come into play in modern epidemics. Case studies from China back this up, where diagnoses along 6-Syndromes, 4-Levels and Triple Warmer can guide effective prescriptions.

https://qiological.com/covid19-methods-safety/

Considering Covid-19, Methods and Safety • Craig Mitchell • Qi130 - qiological

03/09/2020

I'm getting more requests for tele-medicine consults, and more inquiries for preventative formulas for COVID-19.

There is no one-size-fits-all preventative formula, the same way there is no one-size-fits-all treatment formula. I'd be somewhat wary of any doctor who indicates differently.

After analyzing case records that have been translated from Chinese physicians' experiences in China, it seems clear that COVID-19 presents with a strong dampness component, and can be interpreted and treated according to either 6-Channel theory (Shanghan Lun school) or 4-level / 3-burner theory (Wenbing school). It's more the tendency of the practitioner, rather than the nature of the illness, that determines which approach will be used effectively.

Proper formulas have been making a big difference in treatment of this flu in China, and they will play a significant role here as well.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32065348

Chin J Integr Med. 2020 Feb 17. doi: 10.1007/s11655-020-3192-6. [Epub ahead of print]

03/03/2020

Solid advice on precautionary measures for Covid-19 (the novel coronavirus), from James Robb, MD UC San Diego.

"Subject: What I am doing for the upcoming COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic

Dear Colleagues, as some of you may recall, when I was a professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego, I was one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses (the 1970s). I was the first to demonstrate the number of genes the virus contained. Since then, I have kept up with the coronavirus field and its multiple clinical transfers into the human population (e.g., SARS, MERS), from different animal sources.

The current projections for its expansion in the US are only probable, due to continued insufficient worldwide data, but it is most likely to be widespread in the US by mid to late March and April.

Here is what I have done and the precautions that I take and will take. These are the same precautions I currently use during our influenza seasons, except for the mask and gloves.:

1) NO HANDSHAKING! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc.

2) Use ONLY your knuckle to touch light switches. elevator buttons, etc.. Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove.

3) Open doors with your closed fist or hip - do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors.

4) Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts.

5) Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return home from ANY activity that involves locations where other people have been.

6) Keep a bottle of sanitizer available at each of your home's entrances. AND in your car for use after getting gas or touching other contaminated objects when you can't immediately wash your hands.

7) If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have to. The clothing on your elbow will contain infectious virus that can be passed on for up to a week or more!

What I have stocked in preparation for the pandemic spread to the US:

1) Latex or nitrile latex disposable gloves for use when going shopping, using the gasoline pump, and all other outside activity when you come in contact with contaminated areas.

Note: This virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you! BUT all the surfaces where these droplets land are infectious for about a week on average - everything that is associated with infected people will be contaminated and potentially infectious. The virus is on surfaces and you will not be infected unless your unprotected face is directly coughed or sneezed upon. This virus only has cell receptors for lung cells (it only infects your lungs) The only way for the virus to infect you is through your nose or mouth via your hands or an infected cough or sneeze onto or into your nose or mouth.

2) Stock up now with disposable surgical masks and use them to prevent you from touching your nose and/or mouth (We touch our nose/mouth 90X/day without knowing it!). This is the only way this virus can infect you - it is lung-specific. The mask will not prevent the virus in a direct sneeze from getting into your nose or mouth - it is only to keep you from touching your nose or mouth.

3) Stock up now with hand sanitizers and latex/nitrile gloves (get the appropriate sizes for your family). The hand sanitizers must be alcohol-based and greater than 60% alcohol to be effective.

4) Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY "cold-like" symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. Cold-Eeze lozenges is one brand available, but there are other brands available.

I, as many others do, hope that this pandemic will be reasonably contained, BUT I personally do not think it will be. Humans have never seen this snake-associated virus before and have no internal defense against it. Tremendous worldwide efforts are being made to understand the molecular and clinical virology of this virus. Unbelievable molecular knowledge about the genomics, structure, and virulence of this virus has already been achieved. BUT, there will be NO drugs or vaccines available this year to protect us or limit the infection within us. Only symptomatic support is available.

I hope these personal thoughts will be helpful during this potentially catastrophic pandemic. You are welcome to share this email. Good luck to all of us! Jim

James Robb, MD FCAP"

02/17/2020

While I don't read Chinese, I'm grateful to have colleagues who do, and who are generously taking the time to translate some of what China's top Chinese Medical physicians are saying regarding treatment of Corvid-19 (novel coronavirus) virus.

My own mentor, Dr. Huang Huang, of Nan Jing University of Chinese Medicine, was one of those interviewed.

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzUyMzM3MDIzNw%3D%3D&mid=2247486365&idx=1&sn=25bd3993381d523fdbc304ff774f2459&chksm=fa3ce00fcd4b69193f31e2814dfaf97883683ddf2027ba2865f43f750321fd8178d02a77a740&scene=21

防治新型肺炎中医经方应有所作为

01/13/2020

In my experience, acupuncture and herbs during chemotherapy have had a big impact on patients feeling better, being able to tolerate chemo so they can complete the recommended course, and avoid or recover from some of the troubling side effects such as peripheral neuropathy.

Many oncologists are skeptical of acupuncture and herbs, and prefer their patients to avoid them. Hopefully research like this, that speaks to our collective experience in supporting these patients, will sway mainstream medical opinion and improve the experience of those undergoing chemotherapy.

Press release posted 28 December 2019

01/06/2020

Corticosteroids have the potential to cause very serious side effects. Best to try those therapies that are low risk first, because there’s a good chance you could relief without rolling the dice With severe collateral damage.

Doctors and patients should beware if they're hoping to use steroid injections to relieve the pain associated with osteoarthritis.

01/02/2020

"The Kidney governs birth, growth, reproduction and development"

The Kidney Essence (Jing) produces Marrow. The Brain is the Sea of Marrow (Marrow fills up the Brain).

"The Kidneys open into the ears which are its orifices."

So the Classics tell us that the Kidneys have a lot to do with reproduction, with brain function and with hearing.

Modern science (well, 10-yr old science) tell us of the same connections.

"We show that estrogen plays a central role in how the brain extracts and interprets auditory information. It does this on a scale of milliseconds in neurons, as opposed to days, months or even years in which estrogen is more commonly known to affect an organism."

"Now it is clear that estrogen is a key molecule carrying brain signals, and that the right balance of hormone levels in men and women is important for reasons beyond its role as a s*x hormone," says Pinaud.

2,000-yr old statements from Ancient China don't depend on validation from modern research in order to be clinically useful, but it's kind of nice when it happens.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505174543.htm?fbclid=IwAR1LLwyYAYU6petl9aKammcXoU7ojDU5OHbjHm6eENVE_gVZ20CoZUYWUZQ

Scientists have discovered that the hormone estrogen plays a pivotal role in how the brain processes sounds.