Acupuncture

Don Kimon Lightner

Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to promote healing, it regulate blood flow, the nervous system, cellular metabolism and helps brings the body into balance. Acupuncture works by stimulating an electromagnetic current or Qi which is accessed via very specific points along the twelve main and eight extraordinary meridians. Almost anything can be successfully treated using acupuncture if a correct Chinese medical diagnosis is made. While in some cases a single treatment can have profound effects, it is wise to expect a series of treatments to resolve one's condition, especially if it is a chronic condition. The thorough knowledge of each of the point's locations, the experience and knowledge of how to combine points for optimal effect and the practitioner's cultivation of their own Qi is what makes a good acupuncturist. 

The beauty of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine is that there are many ways to treat the same imbalance or condition. Don draws from many of the different traditional styles of acupuncture such as Classical (pre-Mao), TCM (post-Mao and the western world), Wu-Xing (Five Phase/Element), Japanese styles, Korean wrist-ankle, I-Ching Balance Method, modern science-based acupuncture, and various cupping techniques.

Conditions commonly treated with acupuncture:

Fatigue, immunity, women's health, fertility, Men’s health, anxiety, stress, depression, back, knee or shoulder pain, sports injuries, migraines/headaches, neck and shoulder tension and pain, sleep problems, digestive problems, spasms, tendinitis, adrenal fatigue, lung problems (chronic cough, asthma, bronchitis, etc.), allergies, Bell's Palsy, the side-effects of chemo and radiation and many more.

Interstitium

Recently, in the world of modern science and technology, scientists have discovered the Interstitium which is a vast body-wide complex fluid-filled network which accounts for 25% of the fluid in the body (four times more than blood). The Interstitium, or the Jing Luo/Meridian Sysytem, is what Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine has been accessing, mapping and utilizing for over 4000 years. The fluid is a combination of water, proteins, hyaluronic acid and other components that transport cells and information throughout everywhere in the body.

Click here for article on the science of acupuncture.

Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture Training: a Licensed Acupuncturist graduates after completing between 2000-3000 hours of training and must qualify for national certification with the NCCAOM and be licensed in the state they practice. In contrast to this, Naturopaths receive an average of 300 hours or less training in acupuncture and MDs (medical acupuncture), chiropractors and auricular acupuncture techs receive less than 100 hours of training. Physical Therapists whom practice acupuncture under the guise of "dry needling" have typically taken only a weekend class in acupuncture, which raises serious issues of safety and ethics.

World Health Organization and TRADITIONAL MEDICINE. 

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Don Kimon Lightner

Prescriptions filled by Yong Sheng Herbs

please call (520)975-3983

CUSTOM CHINESE HERB FORMULAS - WHAT TO EXPECT

Chinese herbal medicine has evolved from international empirical knowledge over the past three thousand (or more) years and through scientific biochemical studies since the 1950's (most notably research done since the 1990's).  Chinese Traditional Medicine is unquestionably one of the world's most complex forms of medicine and most effective. Chinese Medicine uses more than 350 different ingredients from all over the planet and strategically combines them into synergistic formulas which treat an individual's specific Chinese Medical Pattern. What is paramount is determining a precise diagnosis of an individual's pattern and then choosing the most beneficial herbs to address each piece of that pattern. Often a single western medical disease will manifest as diverse Medical Patterns. Pharmaceuticals are generally aimed at suppressing symptoms of a disease while Chinese Herbal Medicine treats both the root cause of a condition and its manifestations or symptoms and does so without the often annoying and sometimes dangerous side-effects which drugs often have, not to mention being much less expensive.  

The elegance of Chinese herbs is that they can be combined into a formula that treats an individual, instead of a statistical average, at the particular stage their malady is presenting, and PREVENT disease. A formula is thus often adjusted as the individual's pattern develops or changes. There have been thousands of standardized formulas (called patents) created in pill, tablet and various other forms to address common patterns/ailments. Sometimes if the individual's problem matches a pre-made formula then tablets can be taken (very similar to the pharmaceutical model of treating an average). Otherwise, the formula needs to be customized using bulk herbs or powdered herbs, which is how I practice, as custom formulation gets the best results. Powdered herbs tend to be the method of choice for busy people as they are easy to take and don't require any preparation on the part of the patient.

Q: "Are Chinese herbs safe?"

A: YES! If prescribed by an expert in Chinese herbal medicine. MDs, NDs and other health care practitioners do NOT have sufficient training to make a Chinese medical pattern diagnosis, nor training in Chinese Herbal prescriptionology and thus CANNOT safely prescribe Chinese herbal medicine (Also, not all acupuncturists have had sufficient training in Chinese herbology). And yes, the herbs we use are of high quality and have been rigorously tested to ensure they are free of pesticides and other hazardous chemicals.

Q: "Is Chinese Medicine scientifically proven?" 

A: Absolutely! We know the molecular structure of each of the herbs we use, their pharmacological properties, uses and proven clinical trials. There would be no pharmaceuticals without the knowledge of traditional medicinal herbs, as herbs are the source of most drugs. However, the biased scientific model that is used to test and approve drugs is not sophisticated enough for the complexity of the synergistic effects of multiple herbs in a complex formula nor is it economically viable since an herb cannot be patented (Also, most drugs are being prescribed for diseases which they were not tested nor approved for and herbs cannot be patented because nature makes them not chemists). 

Q: “Do you use herbs which are not Chinese?”

A: Chinese Medicine is a SYSTEM, the herbs come from all over planet earth.

Q: “I heard that Chinese Medicine uses endangered animal products, is this true.”

A: No! We don’t condone the use of endangered species in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Dietary supplements found at a health food store or online are NOT the same as Traditional Medicine. Dietary supplements often come with unrealistic claims and are of questionable quality. We do not offer supplements.

World Health Organization - Traditional Medicine

World Health Organization article on sustainable medicine here.

The term "craniosacral" comes from the words "cranium", the head, and "sacrum", the fused spine just above the tailbone. Popularized by Dr. John Upledger D.O., Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a very safe and gentle method of bodywork derived from osteopathic manual techniques. The Craniosacral System is intimately connected with our central nervous system. CST treatments have a profound ability to bring deep relaxation to the physical body, accelerating homeostasis (the innate ability of an organism to adjust its physiological processes to balance itself). Some CST techniques help uncover and resolve buried emotional trauma; traumatic experiences that can be stored in our tissues and ultimately interfere with our physical and psychological health. Releasing theses energetic cysts is referred to as a somato-emotional release. CST treatments are great for all stresses, migraine headaches, TMJ disorder, anxiety, trauma recovery and many other health conditions. Treatments are received over clothing. (CST is not massage)The therapist uses "holds" to work with the Craniosacral system by way of what is called the 'Cranial Wave'. By gently working with the spine, the skull and its cranial sutures, diaphragms, and fascia, the restrictions of nerve passages are said to be eased, the movement of cerebrospinal fluid through the spinal cord can be optimized, and misaligned bones restored to their proper position.

Because Craniosacral Therapy is so gentle it is suitable to any age or ailment, with few exceptions.

Sports Massage

The science of sports massage evolved to better support Olympic athletes in training and competition, enabling them to perform optimally and recover faster. Sports Massage should not simply be massage done on athletes at a sports event. Sports Massage utilizes techniques and methods which are specific to an athlete's training, pre-event and post-event needs. Its efficacy is dramatically beneficial not only for professional and Olympic athletes but for most anyone else. 

Therapeutic Massage

Therapeutic massage is a continued relationship between client and practitioner, to assess, treat and continue caring for the clients health and well-being. The treatment usually involves the practitioner applying manual techniques, or adjunctive therapies to the soft tissue structures of the body to prevent and alleviate pain, discomfort, muscle spasm, stress, etc., so as to increase relaxation and healing. This type of session may retain a large Swedish massage element to it but advanced techniques, such as trigger point therapy and deep tissue, are likely to be used for pain and chronic health issues. 

Too much unresolved stress in our lives can cause constant muscular tension. This tension or tightness reduces the flow of blood and oxygen to the muscles and organs and also restricts nerve & lymph supply. Tension creates a tendency for a build up of wastes or toxins in the body, and reduces the flow of the more subtle energy or life force (Qi). Tension can lead to symptomatic feelings of fatigue, heaviness, aches and pains, tight muscles and stiffness,  and ultimately illness. Muscular stress can increase the likelihood of strains and injuries as it also distorts the skeletal structure which further compounds existing problems and creates new ones.

Therapeutic massage helps to alleviate these issues by improving the function of the circulatory, respiratory, lymphatic, muscular, skeletal, digestive, endocrine, emotional and nervous systems, which in turn improves the rate at which the body recovers from injury, stress and illness.

Zen Shiatsu

Zen Shiatsu, also called Masunaga shiatsu, is a form of bodywork administered by palms, thumbs, fingers, elbows, feet and knees, using perpendicular pressure to access the individuals Ki (Qi or life force). The client is fully clothed for the duration of the treatment and a variety of stretches are applied to open and release specific meridians, or vessels. These are essentially the same meridians/vessels that are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for acupuncture, though modified and extended in Zen shiatsu. The professional Zen Shiatsu therapist is trained to feel the body's condition, particularly the circulation, by his/her hands in order to find the imbalanced areas in the body. By skillfully stimulating the imbalanced meridians, the therapist attempts to restore the balanced flow. The meridian system represents the "crosstalk" between tsubos, or acupoints of the human body. It represents divisions of the complete function of the human organism into discrete spheres of influence. Masunaga advocated treating the whole meridian system through pressure and stretching to achieve systemic change for the entire body. For its success, the treatment depends on a meditative activity of the practitioner, aimed especially at detecting the body responses to the treatment which influences the subsequent treatment step by step.  It is understood that this technique stimulates the natural healing powers of the body, wherefore symptoms of dis-ease lessen and vitality is regained. From the Western point of view, shiatsu works directly to calm the autonomic nervous system, which has the effect of calming nervous distress and increasing resistance to stress, essentially relaxing and rejuvenating the body/mind. By helping with blood and lymph circulation in the body, shiatsu helps to maintain and improve muscle tone and healthy internal organ functions, which then stimulates and assists the immune system and helps to strengthen it. Regular and consistent shiatsu treatments can become an important aspect of preventive health care as well as treatment for existing symptoms.

 The primary precept of Zen Shiatsu is the importance of remaining in a meditative or present state (often associated with Zen) when practicing shiatsu; nourishing weak, kyo areas and dispersing full, jitsu areas; using "Mother, Son" hand (2 handed) technique to better feel the flow of Ki; working from Hara (belly), the body's energy center.  Masunaga moreover expanded the meridian system, extending the classical Chinese meridians, and developing an effective new system of Hara diagnosis predicated by his experience as a Western-trained psychologist.

Ampuku & Qi Nei Tsang