Acupuncture Volunteering in Peru with Project Buena Vista

Acupuncture Volunteering in Peru with Project Buena Vista

Let’s talk about volunteering your acupuncture skills in underserved areas today, shall we? What does this have to do with marketing? It’s related-ish. Keep reading.

Most acupuncturists I know are in this business because they want to give back, yes? You could say that’s the exact category of career we’ve chosen: the business of giving back.

And many of us have thought to ourselves at some point in our careers – where can I volunteer with acupuncture? How can I reach all the people who can’t afford acupuncture, but who would clearly benefit from it? How can I give more of the skills that I have?

The short answer is acupuncture can take you all over the world to treat patients in need. Peru, Nepal, India, Thailand, Mexico, the list goes on and on. How exciting is that?!

Cusco, Peru

Acupuncture is a low-cost, low-risk, profoundly effective medicine that has the capacity to impact a huge range of illnesses – all without the need for tons of medical equipment or medication. (But you knew all that already.) This makes it an ideal medicine to deliver in remote parts of the world.

I’d like to share my personal experience volunteering in Peru with the nonprofit Project Buena Vista as a firsthand look at where your acupuncture skills and compassion can take you. (With muchos pictures, of course.)

This is a topic that’s near and dear to my heart. After an incredible trip to Peru with Project Buena Vista, I decided to volunteer as a board member for the nonprofit, so I can keep contributing to their cause even when I can’t make it to Peru.

At the bottom of this post, I’ve provided a list of many international (and domestic) organizations that you can travel with, all over the world, to deliver free acupuncture to those in need. So scroll on down there if you’re not into pictures. (You’re not into pictures?!)

Before I dive into Peru and my incredible experience with Project Buena Vista: What does volunteering in underserved areas have to do with marketing, and why is it important?

1) Acupuncture Volunteering can benefit your practice:

The fundraising efforts and press releases that often accompany volunteering abroad can bring positive attention to your acupuncture business. Now, I’m not saying you should volunteer to provide acupuncture in underserved countries just so you can get good press. Volunteering in another country is a lot of work and takes serious commitment. You have to be in it for the right reasons, and publicity is not the right reason. Rather, publicity is a wonderful side benefit that will boost interest in and support for your practice.

The fundraiser I hosted for Project Buena Vista in my office landed us on the front page of the local newspaper, for example. Great exposure for everyone.

2) Acupuncture volunteering can benefit you as an acupuncturist (which in turn benefits your practice):

The learning curve is steep on many medical outreach trips – in a good way. Most volunteer opportunities in underserved countries involve community-style acupuncture that is jam-packed with patients from the moment you open the doors until the moment you close them. High volume clinics teach you how to be efficient: to know what’s important, to determine which treatment protocols are best, and to give your best to every patient, in a very limited time frame. This makes you a better practitioner, which will translate to your practice at home. You won’t forget what you’ve learned.

3) You can usually get Continuing Education (PDA) points for acupuncture volunteering:

According to the NCCAOM Recertification Handbook, you can get one PDA point for every 2 hours spent volunteering acupuncture services to people in underserved or low-income populations, the military, or for disaster relief. You can earn up to 10 PDA points per 4-year recertification cycle. There may be specific learning requirements that have to be met, but the organization you plan to travel with should be able to fill you in on those.

4) Personal growth:

Well, this one is a no-brainer, but I think it’s worth mentioning. Many people go on these kinds of trips to reconnect with acupuncture and remind of them why they are acupuncturists in the first place: to help people, to put patients first, and give of yourself for the greater good. It’s also incredible to see how differently other people live from us, and how happy they are without modern amenities, without fancy clothes, without a dream of ever owning a car. It can be refreshing and profound, if you let it.

Project Buena Vista is a small nonprofit based in Oneonta, NY and the Manu Biosphere Reserve (aka, the rain forest) in Peru. Founded by Laura and Florian Reyda, their goals are to help preserve the rain forest through providing education and health care to the local people who live there.

Laura and Florian originally went to Peru as college freshmen for a summer class, and fell in love with the area and the people. They’ve been traveling in and out of Peru for the last 20 years and purchased property in Manu, Peru about 5 years ago. Shortly after that, they set up the nonprofit Project Buena Vista.

They are the best tour guides and travel companions you can ask for. After spending so much time in Peru over the years, they’re well-known in the area, well-connected, and very familiar with the needs and goals of the local people.

Felipe, the boat driver, tour guide, and groundskeeper at Buena Vista Lodge

Laura, a licensed acupuncturist and massage therapist, leads the medical outreach portion of Project Buena Vista. I went with Laura to Peru in April 2013, with one other volunteer, Caitlin, to treat patients. It’s an experience I can’t wait to repeat. I love traveling, and traveling to give back to others – what could be better?

We spent two days in the gorgeous city of Cusco to purchase supplies and pick Caitlin up from the airport before taking a bus down into the jungle, which was about an 8-hour trip.

Cusco Cathedral in Cusco, Peru (one of many)

On our first day of clinic, in a town called Pilcopata on the edge of the rain forest, we treated 92 patients. I never imagined it would be possible to treat so many people with just two acupuncturists and one assistant. I was so proud of what we accomplished and the number of people we had the pleasure and honor of helping. I’ll be honest, it was hard, hard work, but it was worth it.

We took the next day off for travel deeper into the rain forest, to the Project Buena Vista property.

The kitchen and bunk house at Buena Vista Lodge

After some rest in the gorgeous, green jungle, we then spent the rest of our time treating patients in the rain forest town of Salvacion. Salvacion is across the river from Project Buena Vista’s property, and we took a boat to the opposite shore every morning. Then we had a 40 minute hike from the shore to the small town.

The beautiful hike to clinic in Salvacion

In Salvacion, over the rest of the week, we treated another 110 people. The pace was slower than in Pilcopata, but consistent. Our presence was announced on the local radio, as well as by one friendly guy with a loudspeaker in the center of town.

The people were kind, generous, and open-minded. Patients brought us water and ice pops as thank you gifts for treatment, to help alleviate the heavy jungle heat. Some patients showed up at our door because they heard there was “free pain treatment” but had no idea what acupuncture was. They were brave and let us treat them anyway.

I took a lot of things away from this trip, including new perspectives on treating patients. It was great to get to work with Laura and learn efficiency as well as to see how she approaches treatment. I feel like whenever you get the chance to practice alongside someone else, you learn so much.

The thing that sticks with me the most from Manu, of course, was the people the fact that I got to ride a dirt bike through the jungle like Indiana Jones! Woop! Okay, no, it really was the people!

They were open, trusting, and kind. I brought a copy of my acupuncture license thinking I would have to show proof of my training, but not a single person asked for it. We set up shop in a tiny hospital (with no MD) in Pilcopata, and the lead nurse never asked us to prove that we were who we said we were. It was as simple as this: we said we were there to help, so they let us help. If only the rest of the world was so trusting and straightforward!

The people in the rain forest had more than I imagined they would, but they still had much less than the volume of “stuff” that other countries (ahem, USA) think is important. And yet it mattered not at all. They were still kind, still funny, still sweet and generous. I try to carry that lesson with me always.

I look forward to returning to Manu, Peru so I can keep learning; I’m certain that every time I go, something new will surface. And I feel confident that most acupuncture volunteering trips are similar to this one, in that you’ll learn things you never expected.

If you want to travel with Project Buena Vista, check out their website at www.ProjectBuenaVista.org or feel free to shoot me a message on the Contact Page. Project Buena Vista travels to Peru twice a year, in late April and October. Laura’s next trip is October 9th, 2014, and she’s still accepting volunteers. Even if you’re not an acupuncturist, you can still be incredibly helpful.

Or, you can donate to Project Buena Vista if you’re so inclined.

And, as promised, here’s a list of the (mostly international) acupuncture volunteering groups that I’ve heard of. If you know of any that I’ve left off this list, please let me know so I can add them.

Acupuncture Volunteering Opportunities – Abroad and Domestic:

• Project Buena Vista (Peru) – www.ProjectBuenaVista.org
• Acupuncture Relief Project (Nepal) – www.AcupunctureReliefProject.org
• Acupuncture Without Borders (Domestic and international, such as Haiti) – www.AcuWithoutBorders.org
• Mindful Medicine Worldwide (Nepal and Thailand on the Thai-Burmese border) – www.MindfulMedicineWorldwide.org
• Pan-African Acupuncture Project (Mexico and Africa). Teach people in Mexico and Africa how to administer acupuncture to help manage AIDS and other conditions –www.GlobalAcupuncture.org
• Projects Abroad (Nepal) – www.Projects-Abroad.org
• Barefoot Acupuncturists (Mumbai, India) – www.BarefootAcupuncturists.com
• Acupuncture Ambassadors, for those more interested in the research side of acupuncture volunteerism abroad – http://AcupunctureAmbassadors.org

Have you traveled to treat patients in underserved or low-income areas, or for disaster relief? What was your experience like? Have you always wanted to travel abroad to treat new populations?

Original article and pictures take www.modernacu.com site

Acupuncture Treatment for Tennis Elbow & Golfers Elbow

Acupuncture Treatment for Tennis Elbow & Golfers Elbow

Acupuncture for Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

Acupuncture, among other methods, can be successfully used to treat tennis elbow. Tennis elbow is really an inflammation of the outside of the elbow. This area of the elbow is the bone called the lateral epicondyle, which is why tennis elbow is also known as lateral epicondylitis. The outer part of the elbow becomes painful and tender as a result of damage or tearing of the tendons and muscles of this area.

Golfer’s elbow is quite similar to tennis elbow except the inflammation occurs on the inside of the elbow, around the bone called the medial epicondyle. It too can be treated with acupuncture. Golfer?s elbow is also referred to as medial epicondylitis. The inner part of the elbow becomes painful and tender as a result of damage or tearing of the tendons and muscles of this area.

Causes of Tennis Elbow and Golfer?s Elbow

The terms Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow are misleading because most people don?t develop them from playing tennis or golf. The conditions are often brought on by overused or strained muscles, which in turn leads to the inflammation. Activities such as painting, raking, pitching and hammering involve repetitive arm movements that overuse and strain the muscles of the elbow.

Sometimes the conditions can be the result of a single injury or, they can be brought on from other conditions such as arthritis. The problem may be due to problems in the neck, or there may be no explanation for the inflammation at all. Usually, however, any activity that involves excessive force or repetition when gripping, twisting or reaching can trigger tennis or golfer?s elbow. The latter can be treated by the acupuncturist.

Symptoms of Tennis Elbow and Golfer?s Elbow

• Difficulty with movements such as gripping, lifting and carrying
• Pain and tenderness either on the outside of the elbow (tennis elbow) or on the inside of the elbow (golfer?s elbow)
• Pain that radiates down the arm toward the wrist
• Difficulty extending the forearm

Tennis elbow is a result of overuse of the common extensor muscle group. The common extensor muscle group is not only excessively used by tennis players, but also computer users, typists, cash register operators, carpenters, and hair stylists. Tennis elbow is far more common than Golfer?s elbow. General treatment procedures are similar for both but the following is specifically written for tennis elbow sufferers.

Evaluation Procedures:

Resistance Test (Cozen?s test). This test is used to determine whether the pain gets worse when you bend your wrist back (extend it) against resistance. Small tissue damage around the elbow tendon attachment of the Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis (the muscle that runs from the lateral epicondyle to the middle finger) can be found in many tennis elbow cases. In those cases, the patient will feel sharp shooting pain in the elbow by extending his/her middle finger against resistance.

Tenderness. Here we test for tenderness over or near the bony bump on the outside of the elbow. In the event of both these signs being present, it is likely that you have tennis elbow.

Grip Strength. Patients are asked to grip the dynamometer and stop as soon as pain is felt in the elbow (pain-free grip power), then grip with maximum power despite any pain (maximum grip power). Tennis elbow sufferers usually show a decreased maximum grip power and a large difference between pain free and maximum grip.

It is also important to examine your neck and upper chest regions, as factors in these areas may be fully or partly causing your pain.

What is the treatment?

The conventional approach often involves physiotherapy treatments, use of anti-inflammatory drugs, and may include an injection of a small dose of steroid to the affected area.

Is there any natural alternative treatment?

Acupuncture and moxibution treatment is used in order to decrease the hyper-tonicity of common extensor muscles.

In some acute cases, cryo (ice) massage is applied around the lateral epicondyle. After acute inflammation has subsided, the massage technique called transverse friction is often incorporated to break down the existing scar tissues around the tendons and restore normal tissue health.

Is there anything, besides the treatment, I can do or shouldn?t do?

• Rest: The best way to relieve tennis elbow is to stop doing anything that irritates your arm ? a simple step for the weekend tennis player, but not as easy for the manual laborer, office worker, or professional athlete.
• Wearing a Brace: For those who are unable to commit to complete rest, wearing a brace (especially designed for tennis elbow which helps decrease the stress on the lateral epicondyle) is recommended. In order to avoid muscle atrophy, the brace should be worn only at certain times of the day during activities and should be considered a temporary solution.
• Ice: Application of ice helps decrease the inflammation. During the acute phase of tennis elbow, it is recommended that you apply ice at home or office at least a couple times a day (10-15 minutes duration). Ice should also be applied immediately after any activity that has caused pain and in some cases after the treatment.
• Exercise: When the acute inflammation has subsided, I?ll show you an exercise that is helpful for your condition. The exercise consists of strengthening the common flexor muscle group (which will help relax the extensor muscles through the mechanism of antagonist inhibition reflex) and stretching the common extensor muscles. You should avoid doing any weight exercise that puts stress on the common extensor muscles.

How about vitamins or herbs?

Certain nutritional supplements are helpful in decreasing the inflammation around the tendons and in repairing of soft tissues. I will provide my recommendation at the appropriate time in the course of your recovery.

Original article and pictures take www.acupuncture-treatment.com site

Acupuncture Treatment for Hip Bursitis

Acupuncture Treatment for Hip Bursitis

Director, The Pacific Wellness Institute Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Causes of hip pain

Pain or discomfort around the hip region is a common problem among both genders and all ages. There are many conditions that cause hip pain such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis of iliotibial (IT) band, hamstring/groin strains, dislocation, fracture, infection, osteonecrosis, or tumor. It is important to see a qualified medical professional and obtain a diagnosis and treatment appropriate for your condition. Here I mainly discuss trochanteric hip bursitis, one of the most common causes of hip pain.

What is Trochanter Bursitis in the Hip?

Bursitis means inflamed bursa. A bursa is a small sac of fluid-filled cushion that prevents friction between bones and tendons. Major bursae are located around the large joints such as the shoulders, elbows, knees and hips. There are two major bursae of the hip. The trochanteric bursa, which is located on the outer side of the hip and the ischial bursa, which is located in the lower buttock area (near the sitting bone). The trochanteric bursa is designed to reduce friction between the greater trochanter and the iliotibial band. When the bursa becomes inflamed, it can cause swelling and pain.

Trochanteric bursitis is sometimes viewed as a condition among middle-aged or elderly persons. However, because bursitis can develop either by a direct trauma to the area, prolonged pressure, or by repetitive friction of the iliotibial band on the bursa from overuse through sports and other activities, the condition is common among young individuals and athletes.

Signs and Symptoms of Trochanteric Bursitis

• Hip bursitis causes pain, aching, and stiffness. The pain may be dull, burning, or throbbing and it can be very severe.

• The trochanteric bursitis typically causes pain over the outside of the hip and thigh.

• The pain is often aggravated by excessive walking, running or stair climbing.

• The pain is often intensified at night, especially when one lies on the painful side.

• Practitioners can often detect a tender spot or an area that is painful to touch or pressure on the greater trochanter region (a bony lump at the top of the outside of the thigh bone). A maneuver involving external rotation of the hip often elicits the pain.

• Getting up from a chair or getting out of a car can be difficult due to the pain and stiffness in the hip.

• Hip bursitis may cause radiating pain down the leg towards the knee. However, if pain radiates below the knee towards the foot, another cause or injury other than the hip needs to be investigated (such as lumbar herniation or sciatica). Another type of hip bursitis called ischial bursitis can cause pain in your buttock around the sitting bone and upper part of the hamstring muscles. In these cases pain is often aggravated after prolonged sitting on a hard surface.

How is trochanteric bursitis conventionally treated?

Your doctor may recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroid injections, aspiration/drainage of the bursa and/or physiotherapy. If all other approaches fail, surgery may be suggested.

Acupuncture treatment for hip bursitis

The greater trochanter is the point of attachment for several powerful muscles of the thigh and pelvis. Acupuncture treatment is targeted at reducing excessive tightness and spasm of the muscles attached to the greater trochanter (the palpable protrusion at the top of the femur). This can help decrease excessive stress on the tendons attached to the hip. In many cases we utilize a dynamic acupuncture procedure involving periodical self and assisted joint movement called dynapuncture. This is particularly useful for patients who have trouble finding a comfortable position to lie down in long periods, which is very common among bursitis patients.

Applying ice is often recommended for bursitis. Icing constricts local blood vessels and temporarily decreases the blood flow, thus can be useful for controlling acute local inflammation. We also use a traditional heat therapy called moxibustion. In many cases, muscles around the inflamed hip joint and tendons are actually in an ischemic state (poor flow of blood and oxygen). Application of localized heat on specific acupuncture points is used to enhance blood flow and reduce the muscle tension. Therefore, with careful selection of acupuncture points, moxibustion heat therapy can be effectively used for bursitis during both acute and chronic stages.

Although orthopedic specialists may disagree, I believe an extremely important element for long-term success of bursitis treatment is stress management. The possible mechanism is the same as in the relationship between low back pain and emotional stress which is described in more detail in the low back pain page. Acupuncture treatment at The Pacific Wellness Institute encompasses a stress management technique, which incorporates breathing and systemic acupuncture procedures.

Besides acupuncture, patients with hip bursitis are recommended to obtain proper rest and to modify any activities that aggravate the pain and inflammation. One of the most important considerations is to avoid sleeping on the painful side, particularly for trochanteric bursitis patients. If patients are overweight, losing weight is a very important element for short and long-term improvement.

Many patients with hip bursitis are prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or corticosteroid local injection. It is important to remember the different action and mechanisms between acupuncture and those medications. Please refer to the information posted on this page before deciding to proceed with acupuncture treatment.

Cases when acupuncture alone may provide limited benefit:

How well and how quickly one responds to acupuncture treatment often depends on the underlying nature of the hip bursitis and severity of the condition. While many bursitis patients respond very well with acupuncture treatment, some other patients require medical intervention or other therapies in addition to lifestyle modifications. Some of the conditions with which patients may not respond optimally to acupuncture treatment alone are:

• Underlying hip conditions involving joint deformity or severe degeneration due to dyspalsia, osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
• Bone spurs or calcium deposits in the tendons which attach to the hip trochanter.
• Signs of infection such as feverish swelling around the hip joint.
• If the person is overweight, it is recommended to combine the treatment with dietary and lifestyle modification.

Final note: Hip problems are a common underlying overlooked cause of recurrent low back pain

Pain or discomfort around the hip region is not always related to the hip itself. Because some nerves which originate from the low back spine pass through the buttocks and hips, hip pain can be a referral pain due to low back injury. Although hip bursitis or tendonitis can produce radiating pain down your thigh, it does not typically cause any symptoms below the knee. If you are experiencing pain, numbness, or tingling sensation below your knee, you may be suffering from sciatica associated with a lumbar related injury.

However, it should be noted that the opposite case occurs as well and based on my clinical experience it is often overlooked by health professionals. Many cases of chronic recurring low back pain and spasms are actually triggered by underlying hip problems (pain or instability in hip joint causing recurring spasms in muscles in the low back). In such cases, patients receiving treatment and examination focusing only on their low back are unlikely to heal completely unless the underlying hip issue is properly addressed.

Original article and pictures take www.acupuncture-treatment.com site