Elliott Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine

12/24/2021

🙏 & in French 🇫🇷: There is an unfortunate misunderstanding that surrounds the small red dots (called ‘sha’ in Chinese Medicine) that frequently (and ideally) appear during Gua Sha treatment. Some think 🤦🏻‍♂️ and so name them petechiae - ironically being a dermatological skin pathology! This is utterly inconsistent with the ‘sha’ in Eastern medicine - which is a positive response, not a pathology, that indicates formerly embedded globules of intense heat toxin being released to the skin surface. This is achieved simply, and remarkably, by rubbing (smoothly scraping) a smooth edged instrument benevolently across the skin surface. Simply stated, ‘sha’ does not exist as a feature of the biomedical construct of the body. Furthermore, years ago when I had a dermatologist as a patient, I performed Gua Sha in front of him on a friend and asked if what he observed was petechiae. He answered ‘no’. Photos by Bruce Bentley
*** Please dear readers: don’t mess up and start calling all cupping marks “sha” - like was the wave that occurred when I first brought this concept to attention and explained it. Sha is the red dotting, and sure it also comes to the surface with cupping when it’s there... but it is certainly not a generic term to describe a cupping mark, which often represents a multitude of other manifest pathogens and imbalances. Read my description of sha in https://healthtraditions.com.au/essays/gua-sha-smoothly-scraping-the-sha/
🌹 Come and learn what you need to know and how to properly go about it at my Gua Sha workshops: www.healthtraditions.com.au and online in February
Contact Jasmin at jasmin@healthtraditions.com.au

Guasha : la notion de "sha" par Bruce Bentley
“Il y a une malheureuse méprise au sujet des petits points rouges qui apparaissent fréquemment (et idéalement) lors d’un traitement de Guasha.
Ces points que certains nomment de manière erronée des pétéchies en dermatologie et qui relèvent d’une pathologie cutanée, ne correspondent pas du tout à la notion de "sha" en médecine chinoise. L’apparition du "sha" indique la libération d’une chaleur toxique intense emprisonnée vers la surface de la peau, ce qui est positif. Ceci est obtenu simplement et de manière remarquable en frottant gentiment (grattage en douceur) un instrument à bords lisses contre la peau. En termes simples, le "sha" n’existe pas en biomédecine. De plus, il y a quelques années, j'avais un dermatologue en tant que patient, j'ai pratiqué le Guasha sur un ami devant lui. Je lui ai demandé si ce qu'il avait observé étaient des pétéchies. Il a répondu "non"."
Translation by Caroline Kessedjian

12/10/2021

More than 20 years ago, a spit in the ocean in cupping's long career mind you, I spent a few days observing therapists working on athletes at the Australian institute of Sport in Canberra. When dealing with back issues, especially the erector spinae, or illiotibial band contracture, no one bothered with any therapy other than cupping.
Closer to now in class a few years ago, we dealt with the issue of treating long standing hip pain with much tension and pain gripping around the greater trochanter and the associated attachment periphery surrounding the joint. There was also, often to be expected, accompanying tightness along the ITB and extending into the anterio-lateral aspect of the lower limb.
In TCM it is a classic pain pathway related to the gall bladder channel. My inspiration for a treatment such as what you see here occurred decades back in the mid-seventies when I was studying in Taiwan with an injury specialist, as part of my 5-year doctors programme. The configuration of cups on the hips is called a plum flower design with a centre and five petals. The large cup is over the trochanter and the petals surround the attachments. Instead of bearing downwards like so many other therapies, the cups lift and release without pain. It is a great treatment and the receiver was over the moon how good she felt afterwards.
There's so much more involved in this practice - learn its stages properly by joining my upcoming online Advanced Certificate in Integrated Cupping Therapy. In the meantime, here’s what’s in store online coming up this weekend: https://www.facebook.com/413260612084347/posts/4522808707796163/?d=n

11/04/2021

The head weighs about 5 kg.
The neck supports the weight of the head, which, depending on the angle of the inclination, increases. The more we look down, the more our head weighs. Depending on the cervical segment taking the weight and stress, the weight of the head fluctuates within 5 kg, but if you lean it forward, it weighs more and more. When it is bent at 60 degrees, it loads 22-27 kg on lower cervical vertebrae and downwards into the thoracics. Indeed the entire spine.
What’s more, the plethora of supporting soft tissues, fascia, muscles, ligaments and tendons get strained and tired, which builds further tension on the joints and discs. If not now, then down the track this will impact the neck as it gets stiffer as well as the likelihood of creating problems elsewhere.
Take care using smartphones. We are fully absorbed by what is going on and we don't check our body position and what this little device can do to us over time.

05/02/2021

Totally fascinating and informative conversation about treating SIBO and SIFO. I learned a few things. The gut and microbiome are such fascinating territory.

Dr. Jocelyn Strand is the Director of Clinical Education at Bio-Botanical AND a great clinician herself. Prepare yourself: this is a very actionable podcast for clinicians using bioB. And for me, a h

12/03/2020

These lovelies just in from the amazing fantasy furist.

09/15/2020

One of the best summary articles I've read so far on how the virus might be operating. Kind of functions like an ACE inhibitor (type of blood pressure medication) out of control

"As bradykinin builds up in the body, it dramatically increases vascular permeability. In short, it makes your blood vessels leaky. This aligns with recent clinical data, which increasingly views Covid-19 primarily as a vascular disease, rather than a respiratory one."

A closer look at the Bradykinin hypothesis

06/26/2020

I just caught snippets getting in and out of the car - but much of what Dr. Tieri was saying about common pain complaints, and how to address them, struck me as right on - can't wait to listen to the whole interview.

(Airs 6/25/20) Today at 1 O’clock, an encore interview - WAMC’s Alan Chartock In Conversation with Dr. Joseph Tieri, Osteopath and Author of End Everyday

06/16/2020

An article on the finer points of masks and breathing. Looking forward to James Nestor’s book Breath.

Even without a mask as an impediment, many people breathe in ways that compromise their well-being.

06/04/2020

Elliott Acupuncture is OPEN! Albeit with a lot of new guidelines and manual scheduling for now - call or email for an appointment. The “Make an Appointment” button on the website will soon take you to Jane to schedule. Stay safe, contact me with any questions, and donate to organizations that support African Americans and people of color so we can begin to right the current wrongs and inequities.