Dominic P. Lu

Acupuncture and Clinical Hypnosis for Facial and Head and Neck Pain: A Single Crossover Comparison

Abstract Despite their long histories, acupuncture and hypnosis have only recently been acknowledged as valuable by the medical establishment in the U.S. Few studies have used rigorous prospective measurement to evaluate the individual or relative merits of hypnosis and acupuncture in specific clinical settings. In this study, 25 patients with various head and neck pain were studied. Each had an initial assessment of their pain, as well as of their attitudes and expectations. All patients received acupuncture, followed by a reassessment of their pain. After a washout period they received another assessment of pain before and after hypnosis therapy. Preferences for therapy were sought following the hypnotic intervention. Both acupuncture and hypnosis were effective at relieving pain under these conditions. The average relief in pain reported was 4.2 units on a ten point scale, with hypnosis reducing pain by a mean of 4.8 units, compared to 3.7 for acupuncture (p = 0.26). Patient characteristics appeared to impact the effectiveness of treatment: patients with acute pain benefited most from acupuncture treatment, whereas patients with psychogenic pain were more likely to benefit from hypnosis. Patients with chronic pain had more variation in their results. Patients who received healing suggestions from a tape during a hypnotic trance benefited more than those who received no such suggestion, and acupuncture patients who were needle phobic benefited less than those who were not fearful of needles. This study demonstrates the benefits of well designed studies of the effectiveness of these alternative modalities. More work is needed to help practitioners identify which patients are most likely to benefit from these complementary therapies.

Impact of Chinese Herbal Medicine on American Society and Health Care System: Perspective and Concern

Many Americans, not completely satisfied with traditional western medicine, have turned to alternative and complementary medicine which explains the increasing popularity of the herbal products and the Chinese herbal medicine. The lack of government regulations and the increasing advertisements by the manufactures have created an impression to the common public that the natural herbal remedies are inherently safer and cheaper than conventional medicine. The skyrocketing rise of healthcare cost and the adverse reaction and side effects incurred from the prescribed drugs have both reinforced such an impression. Herbs in the USA and in many European countries have been prepared as capsules, tablets, teas, lozenges, juice extracts, tincture, and ointments. Most of the herbs are administered as a single herb in the USA and Europe. However, the traditional Chinese herbal medicine contains multiple active ingredients from various herbs and is prepared as concoctions by simmering them for hours to produce pharma-therapeutic properties useful for the treatment of a particular disease. Those prepared concoctions are taken gingerly with specific treatment purposes. In the USA and some European counties, herbs are distributed and labeled as dietary supplements and are taken by many individuals for a long period of time creating some medical and dental complex problems among them, especially in terms of anesthesia-surgery complications. This paper provides insight into basic differences in how herbs are prepared before administration to the patients in China versus a single unprepared herb sold in the USA and Europe. Also addressed are the interdisciplinary issues with health professionals, the proper regulations for better quality control of imported herbs, and the proper warning on the labels of the herbs.

Treating angina pectoris by acupuncture therapy.

Acupuncture therapy on PC 6 (Neiguan) has a therapeutic effect on cardiac and chest ailments including angina pectoris. Additional beneficial acupuncture points are PC 4 (Ximen), HT 7 (Shenmen point), PC 7 (Daling point), PC 5 (Jianshi point), PC 3 (Quze point), CV 17 (Danzhong point), CV 6 (Qihai point), BL 15 (Xinshu point), L 20 (Pishu point), BL 17 (Geshu point), BL23 (Shenshu point), BL18 (Ganshu point), HT 5 (Tongli point), and ST36 (Zusanli point). Acupuncture not only quickly relieve the symptoms of acute angina pectoris, but also improve nitroglycerines therapeutic effects. Therefore, it is an efficient simple therapeutic method used for emergency and for regular angina treatment. Review of studies on acupuncture therapy has shown effectiveness were between 80% to 96.2% that are almost as effective as conventional drug regimen. When compared with conventional medical treatment, the acupuncture therapy shows the obvious advantage of lacking, adverse side effects commonly associated with the Western anti-anginal drugs such as 1) Nitroglycerine (headache--63% with nitroglycerine patch and 50% with spray; syncope--4%; and dizziness--8% with patch; hypotension--4% with patch; and increased angina 2% with patch). 2) Isosorbide mononitrate (dizziness--3 to 5%; nausea/vomiting--2 to 4% and other reactions including hypotension, and syncope even with small doses). 3) Propranolol (bradycardia, chest pain, hypotension, worsening of AV conduction disturbance, Raynauds syndrome, mental depression, hyperglycemia, etc.). Many conventional anti-anginal medications cause inter-drug reactions with other medications the patients taking for other diseases. Whereas, acupuncture therapy does not pose such an interference with patients medications. Nevertheless, surgery is still the treatment of choice when acupuncture or conventional drug therapy fails. Combination of conventional drug therapy and acupuncture would considerably decrease the frequency and the required dosage of drug taking, thereby decreasing the unpleasant side effects of the drug therapy.

Managing Acute Withdrawal Syndrome on Patients With Heroin and Morphine Addiction by Acupuncture Therapy

Though there are articles and case reports about using acupuncture to detoxify and to break the narcotic addiction, few articles describe in the West about using acupuncture therapy to treat the emergence of acute withdrawal symptom due to heroin, opium, or morphine. Most often the method of treatment are using the methadone or benzodiazepine and phenoziazine drugs this article describes many years of clinical experience with non-drug approach to treat the acute withdrawal symptoms with acupuncture therapy. Unlike the drug approach, which usually has side effects, there is no adverse effect with acupuncture therapy.

Phenytoin (Dilantin) and Acupuncture Therapy in the Treatment of Intractable Oral and Facial Pain

Phenytoin is an anti-convulsant and anti-arrhythmic medication. Manufactured by various pharmaceutical companies with various brand names, phenytoin (PHT) is also known as Dilantain, Hydantoin or Phenytek in the United States; Dilantain or Remytoine in Canada; Epamin, Hidantoina in Mexico; and Fenidatoin or Fenitron or other names elsewhere in the world. Phenytoin (PHT) is especially useful for patients suffering from intractable oral and facial pain especially those who exhibit anger, stress, depression and irrational emotions commonly seen in the patients with oral and facial pain. When used properly, Phenytoin is also an effective anxiolysis drug in addition to its theraputic effects on pain and can be used alone or, even better, if combined with other compatible sedatives. Phenytoin is particularly valuable when combined with acupuncture for patients with trigeminal neuralgia, glossopharyneal neuralgia, Bells palsy, and some other facial paralysis and pain. It also has an advantage of keeping the patient relatively lucid after treatment. Either PHT or acupuncture alone can benefit patients but the success of treatment outcome may be limited. We found by combining both acupuncture and PHT with Selective Drug Uptake Enhancement by stimulating middle finger at the first segment of ventral (palmar) and lateral surfaces, as well as prescribing PHT with the dosage predetermined for each patient by Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (BDORT), the treatment outcome was much better resulted with less recurrence and intensity of pain during episodes of attack. Patients with Bells palsy were most benefited by acupuncture therapy that could completely get rid of the illness.

A Comparison of the Clinical Effectiveness of Various Acupuncture Points in Reducing Anxiety to Facilitate Hypnotic Induction

Abstract This study determined if any acupuncture point (acupoint) known for its calming effects also aided hypnotic induction. Hypnosis was offered to 108 patients requiring minor surgical or dental procedures. All had a history of panic attacks and surgical or dental phobias that complicated or prevented treatment. Unpleasant intruding thoughts of imminent invasive treatments handicapped their ability to accept hypnotic induction; however, acupuncture therapy was proposed to the consenting patient to facilitate hypnotic induction and augment its effects. Each patient received one selected acupoint for acupuncture therapy. Of the 6 acupoints used (LI 4, H 7, SP 6, P 6, GV 24, and Ext-hn-21), GV 24 was best at enhancing hypnotic induction whereas LI 4 produced the best muscular relaxation and P 6 for reducing tension.

Anatomical relevance of some acupuncture points in the head and neck region that dictate medical or dental application depending on depth of needle insertion.

Many of the acupuncture points on the face, according to classic acupuncture textbooks, could be used to treat facial pain, paralysis, and toothache. But it is not specified which acupuncture point would be effective for which tooth. Many of these points, when used for the treatment of dental pain, often fail. From an anatomical point of view, we describe which acupuncture point to use for each specific area for effective treatment of dental pain. Also, we emphasize the importance of the depth of needle insertion, especially the necessity to touch the facial bone, for effective pain treatment. When performed properly, acupuncture can be very effective for relief of dental pain.

Simple New Method of Detecting Lies By Identifying Invisible Unique Physiological Reflex Response Appearing Often Less Than 10-15 Seconds on the Specific Parts of Face of Lying Person; Quick Screening of Potential Murderers & Problematic Persons.

Frequently, we cannot find any significant visible changes when somebody lies, but we found there are significant invisible changes appearing in specific areas of the face when somebody lies and their location often depends on whether the lie is serious with or without physical violence involvement. These abnormalities were detected non-invasively at areas: 1) lobules and c) a small round area of each upper lateral side of forehead; 2) the skin between the base of the 2 orifices of the nose and the upper end of upper lip and 3) Alae of both sides of nose. These invisible significant changes usually last less than 15 seconds after telling a lie. In these areas, Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (BDORT), which received a U.S. Patent in 1993, became significantly weak with an abnormal value of (-)7 and TXB2, measured non-invasively, was increased from 0.125-0.5ng to 12.5-15ng (within the first 5 seconds) and then went back down to less than 1ng (after 15 seconds). These unique changes can be documented semi-permanently by taking photographs of the face of people who tell a lie, within as short as 10 seconds after saying a lying statement. These abnormal responses appear in one or more of the above-mentioned 3 areas 1), 2) & 3). At least one abnormal pupil with BDORT of (-)8-(-)12 & marked reduction in Acetylcholine and abnormal increase in any of 3 Alzheimers disease associated factors Apolipoprotein (Apo) E4, β-Amyloid (1-42), Tau protein, viral and bacterial infections were detected in both pupils and forehead of murderers and people who often have problems with others. Analysis of well-known typical examples of recent mass murderers was presented as examples. Using these findings, potential murderers and people who are very likely to develop problems with others can be screened within 5-10 minutes by examining their facial photographs and signatures before school admission or employment.

Sedating the apprehensive debilitated patients for dental procedures by combining parenteral sedation and hypnosis with supplemental acupuncture therapy.

Treating apprehensive debilitated patients (i.e. geriatric patients, patients with cardiac, pulmonary, kidney, or liver diseases, and those with other severe systemic conditions) for dental procedures can cause unexpected medical complications such as cardiac arrest, stroke, asthma or shock, etc. Due to diminishing functional capacities of their organs, sedating those patients with sedative drugs in normal regular dosage could increase the risk of adverse events for this group of patients and can also increase the risk of liability for the clinician. The authors treated 34 apprehensive dental patients with a combination technique using parenteral sedation and hypnosis together with acupuncture. We used Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (BDORT) to select the compatible sedative drugs and to individualize the dosage suitable to the patients medical condition. Oftentimes, BDORT predetermined dosage amounts to a fraction of regular dosage that is normally recommended by manufacturer for regular healthy patients. Such a reduced dosage, though benign to patient, may be insufficient to render a patient to the sedation level for dental treatment. Nevertheless, hypnosis with acupuncture can be applied to potentiate the therapeutic effect of parenteral sedation, thereby reducing the amount of sedative agents required to alleviate patient anxiety. The results indicated that hypnosis with acupuncture and BDORT could effectively allow the reduction of the sedative dosage and may beneficially provide a safe and comfortable situation for the debilitated patients to receive the necessary treatment.

Sedating pediatric dental patients by oral ketamine with alternating bi-lateral stimulation of eye movement desensitization and minimizing adverse reaction of ketamine by acupuncture and Bi-Digital O-Ring Test.

Ketamine, besides being an anesthetic agent, is also a strong analgesic that can be especially useful for painful procedures. Vivid dreams and nightmare, considered as undesirable side effects of ketamine, are rarely encountered when administrated orally, making it one of the most desirable oral sedative for children because it partially protects the pharyngeal-laryngeal reflex. Besides, if used in recommended dosage, it does not suppress the cardiopulmonary function as most other sedatives do. Ketamines bronchodilator effect makes it a good sedative for children with asthma, allergies, and hay fever. Alternating bi-lateral stimulation (ABLS) of eye movement desensitization, applying pre-operatively before ketamine was found to reduce the post-operative violent emergence and behavioral problems. Acupressure at P 6 (Neikuan) acupoint helps to decrease nausea and vomiting episodes by ketamine. 36 patients with history of unmanageable behavior were sedated with ketamine 3mg/kg and ABLS. To prevent possible adverse reaction, Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (BDORT) were used to test all patients. ABLS significantly decreased tearful separation from parent. It took 15 to 20 minutes for ketamine to take effect, peak effect took 20 to 25 minutes. Working time ranged from 20 to 40 minutes. Post-operative recovery was more pleasant when ABLS was combined with ketamine, acupuncture/acupressure not only prevented vomiting and BDORT safeguard the patients from unpredictable untoward side effects but also promoting calmness.