May 2005 [Volume 4, Issue 5]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Treating Difficult Hiccups With Auricular Acupuncture
• Herb of the Month: Pueraria (ge gen)
• Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum

Hiccups occur when a spasm causes a contraction of the diaphragm, the large muscle that separates the abdominal cavity from the thoracic cavity. Although most cases of hiccups resolve within a few minutes, in certain instances, hiccups can last for several days, or even weeks, causing minor pain, difficulty sleeping, and related disorders.

In this study, published in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, researchers treated 38 patients diagnosed with obstinate hiccups using auricular acupuncture. The main auricular points used were the Middle Ear, Ear-Shenmen, Stomach, Liver and Sympathetic Nerve points. Other points were added depending on whether the hiccups were caused by a surgical procedure, improper diet, emotional disturbances, or other factors.

In the procedure, a #28, 0.5 cun filiform needle was inserted into the patient's ear points and manipulated, while the patient underwent swallowing and breathing exercises. The needles were retained for 45 minutes, with manipulations every 10 minutes. After the needles were withdrawn, vaccaria seeds were embedded on the opposite points, and the patient was asked to press the points five times per day, with each session lasting 10 minutes. The patient's ears were alternately embedded every three days.

The technique resulted in either resolving the patient's hiccups or being "markedly effective" (a basic disappearance of the hiccups, with few reoccurrences) in more than 91 percent of those treated. Only one patient reported experiencing no improvement in symptoms after being treated.

Pueraria is a fast-growing vine native to China. It grows practically anywhere shade is available, from mountainous regions and fields to thickets and forests, and contains a huge root. Pueraria root is high in isoflavones (such as daidzein) and isoflavone glycosides (such as daidzin and puerarin), compounds that are believed to promote general health and reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. Traditionally, pueraria has been utilized by practitioners of Chinese medicine to treat hangovers, allergies, indigestion, diabetes and angina, as well as neck and shoulder pain, thirst and fever.

The amount of pueraria to be taken depends on the condition being treated. Some practitioners recommend between 9 and 15 grams of pueraria root per day. For angina, some herbalists recommend 30-120 milligrams of a pueraria root extract two to three times a day. In addition to whole, dried root, some herbal shops and specialty stores sell tablets of standardized pueraria root and pueraria tinctures.

As of this writing, there are no known adverse side-effects or reports of toxicity associated with pueraria, nor are there any well-known drug interactions. As always, make sure to consult your health practitioner before taking pueraria or any other dietary supplement or herbal product.

To learn more about the benefits of herbal medicine, visit www.acupuncturetoday.com/herbcentral.

Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum

The "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum provides a place for interested parties to ask questions about acupuncture and Oriental medicine and have them answered by a licensed acupuncturist. This month's questions:

Question #1: I have extreme back pain. I fractured my back, and I think have nerve damage because everything from that point down hurts. Can you help?

Answer: Most symptoms of back pain can be treated with acupuncture and Chinese medicine. With the severity of your accident, you would need to have an individual examination in person with your other medical records to know what can be done for you.

Question #2: My mother has hand tremors, which she seems to have inherited from her mother. Can acupuncture help?

Answer: The short answer is "yes." The long answer is that her improvement will be dependent on a number of factors that need to be assessed by an acupuncturist, but it is definitely worth a shot.

Have a question about acupuncture and Oriental medicine? Visit AcupunctureToday.com's "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum at www.acupuncturetoday.com/ask.

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