I recently lifted a large bucket of water incorrectly and felt a painless “pop” in my lower back. I assumed that I had pulled a muscle. Over the next 3 weeks, I tried to stretch it out and applied several healing techniques but my symptoms progressively got worse. Finally, I had severe pain in my right leg, a symptom known as sciatica. Then, I knew that I had herniated a disc.

A herniated, or bulging disc is when the soft tissue between the vertebra becomes injured and swollen and begins to exert pressure on one of the spinal nerves. In some cases, the tough outer surface of the disc can tear or break, allowing the soft inner nucleus to be extruded out of the disc and into the vertebral recess and the spinal canal. It’s a very painful condition but in 90% of the cases, a herniated disc will heal on it’s own, over 6 to 8 weeks of conservative treatment. During that period, the body’s natural healing energy goes to work, dissolving the herniated tissue and repairing the disc that remains in tact, a process called resorption.

To help reduce pain and buy time while the body heals, a steroidal epidural injection can be very helpful. This is a process of injecting a small amount of steroidal anti-inflammatory into the injured area to reduce inflammation and swelling and make the healing process considerably more comfortable.

Japanese acupuncture can also help to speed the process of resorption. In the case of an acute injury like this, I recommend treatments every 3 or 4 days. When applied correctly, acupuncture will ease the pain and help to direct the body’s healing energy to the affected area in the back. In Japanese style acupuncture, after an injury like this, we treat the Kidney and Liver channels as well as local points along the lumbar spine.

Other important healing techniques are cold packs to reduce inflammation, and complete bed rest for the first 2 or 3 days. After about 3 days, it’s best to resume a reduced schedule and try to stay vertical as much as possible. Walking is the exercise of choice (lots of it) and sitting is to be kept to a minimum. After 2 or 3 weeks, a gentle stretching program is recommended. After 6 to 8 weeks, it’s important to begin a strengthening program to prevent recurrance. In most cases, injury to the spinal discs is due to weak back muscles.

For a health care practitioner, an injury like this is very humbling. It reminds us that we really don’t know as much as we thought. And it helps to make us more compassionate with the suffering of others. Pain is a great teacher and helps to bring us down to earth and come face to face with our mortality and the frailness of the human condition. At times, we all have illness or injury which serve as an important “reality check” for us all.

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you have questions about acupuncture and shiatsu, or if you have a specific health concern, please contact me at:

Bart Walton, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncture & Shiatsu
Portland, Oregon
503/939-5805

As an acupuncture and shiatsu practitioner in Portland, one question I am frequently asked is, “How does Japanese acupuncture differ from Chinese style?” The short answer is that they both share the same theoretical basis but they differ in their technique and application. The long answer could fill several volumes. But here are a few of the more basic differences.

In Japanese style acupuncture, we believe that the body’s most responsive “Qi” lies on, or just beneath, the skin surface. From this perspective, it is unnecessary to needle deeply or to produce a strong needle sensation. Also, in Japanese acupuncture thinner needles and fewer needles are used in a typical treatment. In short, Japanese style follows the premise that “less is more”. It is only necessary to offer a gentle reminder and the body’s own healing abilities will do the rest.

Another difference between Japanese and Chinese acupuncture involves the use of several other modalities such as moxibustion, shiatsu (acupressure massage), cupping, intradermal needles and ear seeds. While traditional Chinese acupuncture may include these modalities, they typically do not hold the same importance in day-to-day practice as they do in Japanese style treatment. In Japan, for instance, it’s commonly held that moxibustion and shiatsu share a synergistic relationship with acupuncture. Typically, one or both are included, along with acupuncture, in almost every treatment.

Another unique feature of Japanese style is the tradition of treating both the front and the back side of the body in the same treatment. In Japan, it is widely considered that both the yin and the yang sides of the body should be addressed in a complete treatment.

In Japanese style acupuncture, we apply “direct” moxibustion, by means of small “rice grain” size cones of mugwart (Artemisia Vulgaris). Traditionally, these small cones are burned directly on the skin and the heat is controlled with a bamboo tube. In Chinese style acupuncture, moxibustion is not as common and when it is used, it is applied as “indirect” moxibustion, by means of a moxa stick which is lit and held close to the skin.

Another modality which is very popular in Japanese style is the use of intradermal needles. These are small (almost microscopic) sterile needles which are inserted horozontally about 0.5mm – 1.0mm beneath the skin. A piece of tape is then placed over the needle and it is worn continuously for 2 or 3 days. Likewise, ear seeds are small grains, about 0.5mm in diameter, which are taped on specific acupuncture points in the ear in order to gently stimulate the points for a day or two.

These are just a few of the more basic differences between Chinese and Japanese acupuncture. If you are seeking a therapy in order to stimulate the body’s own healing potential, without harmful side effects, both styles are excellent. To learn more about Japanese style acupuncture and shiatsu in Portland, please visit my main web site, Japanese Acupuncture and Shiatsu.

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you have questions about acupuncture and shiatsu, or if you have a specific health concern, please contact me at:

Bart Walton, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncture & Shiatsu
Portland, Oregon
503/939-5805

Acupuncture in Portland offers a wide range of treatment applications. Japanese acupuncture to curb physical cravings is just one of many applications that are commonly used in my clinic.

While acupuncture itself is over 2,000 years old, the use of acupuncture to reduce physical cravings is a fairly recent development. In the early 1970′s, Dr. H. L. Wen, a neurosurgeon in Hong Kong, was studying the effects of acupuncture on post surgical pain. Coincidentally, he found that stimulation of certain points on the ear dramatically relieved withdrawal symptoms in one of his patients who was a long-term heroin user.

After learning about Dr. Wen’s discovery, the Lincoln Center in the South Bronx and the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic in San Francisco began using acupuncture as part of their standard treatment for addiction. Following the success of these two treatment facilities, the technique was further developed and eventually became known as the “5 Needle Protocol”, referring to the 5 main points used in the ear. In 1985, Michael O. Smith, M.D. founded the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) in order to promoted the use of this protocol as a cost effective treatment for drug and alcohol users.

More recently, acupuncturists in clinical settings have been using the same protocol to treat a wider variety of addictive behaviors. Whether the addiction is of a physical or so called psychological nature, there are certain common behavioral and biological mechanisms at work. For patients who are otherwise healthy but want to stop smoking or lose weight, the 5 Needle Protocol works equally well to stop the cravings and reduce the symptoms of withdrawal.

Exactly how acupuncture works to reduce cravings is still under study. But it appears that stimulation of certain points in the ear has a direct influence on the brain to calm the nervous system and break the neuro-biological connections between the substance and the behavior. The result is like pushing the re-start button on a computer. The person gets a break from the constant craving and experiences greater freedom to reestablish a new behavior pattern.

In the 5 Needle Protocol, the 5 basic points are used with other key points to direct the emphasis of the treatment. For example, for appetite control or food cravings, there is a special point that dramatically stops the craving for oral sensation, which helps to make the treatment more profound and longer lasting. Likewise, for smoking cessation, there is a special point that reduces craving for sensation in the lungs and nasal cavity.

In clinical practice, I have seen the 5 Needle Protocol work on hundreds of patients. From my experience, the key to dealing with an addiction, or any negative habit pattern, is to use two or three supporting therapies simultaneously. To stop smoking, I suggest a gradual reduction method combined with acupuncture and licorice root, both of which help reduce the cravings. Likewise, most weight loss cases respond very well to a course of acupuncture combined with appropriate exercise and a proven, gradual weight loss program such as Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig.

Acupuncture for addiction, is not a magic bullet. Several follow up treatments may be required during the withdrawal period. And it is not a substitute for the desire and focus needed to change a well-established habit pattern. Nevertheless, over the course of several months, acupuncture can provide the extra support people often need to make important and life saving changes in their lives. If you have a serious addiction or simply want to curb your appetite or stop smoking, acupuncture can reduce the cravings and provide an important support to your new goals.

Precautionary Note
Licorice root can cause fluid retention and elevated blood pressure. The deglycyrrhizinated form of licorice will usually not cause these problems. In case of edema or high blood pressure or where estrogen is contraindicated, you should consult with your health care provider before using licorice.

Please visit my main site Japanese Acupuncture and Shiatsu for more information about acupuncture and shiatsu in Portland, Oregon.

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you have questions about acupuncture and shiatsu, or if you have a specific health concern, please contact me at:

Bart Walton, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncture & Shiatsu
Portland, Oregon
503/939-5805