Patient 26: Treatment: Water

Patient:  Female, age 70

Element:  Water

Number of years coming for treatment:  First treatment with me, referral from another practitioner

Number of prior treatments with previous practitioner: 2 months’ treatment on Outer Fire. 

Main problem today:   Suffering from severe coordination problems, which her doctor thinks may be the onset of Parkinsons.  I could not see signs of Fire in her, and diagnosed her as Water as a result of the nervousness she showed when she met me for the first time.  There was real fear in her eyes.  I also heard her voice as being groaning, and her colour was a darkish blue.

Treatment given:  

1        Changed treatment to treatment on Water.   Tapped AE, none.

2        Because she had had a lot of previous treatment, I though it would be alright to do some quite heavy treatment, something I would not have done if she was coming for her first treatment.  The elements need to be approached carefully when we first offer them treatment, to ensure that they can cope with the change treatment brings about.  So we should treat gently at first, and where necessary add stronger treatment when the patient’s energy can cope with this (in other words, when the elements have been strengthened sufficiently).  I therefore chose the following:  GV 14 (Great Hammer), followed by the AEPs of Water (with 7 moxas – her BP is normal).  I would not have selected GV 14 or AEPs if this was patient's first treatment.

3        Bl 64, Ki 3

At the end of treatment:   Her colour had improved a little, and she looked very peaceful.  I suggested she rest a little, and she enjoyed just lying on the couch for 10 minutes.

Time of next treatment:  She will return to her original practitioner, who was observing this treatment with me.  She needs weekly treatment for some time now. 

Proposals for next treatment:   Work on Governor Vessel as well as work on the Water officials.  GV 12 and GV 4 would be good.  Watch for entry/exit blocks which are likely to occur with the change of element, as renewed energy flows through the meridians.

Final note:  Patient’s practitioner told me a week later that the patient’s swollen ankles were now much less swollen, and she was experiencing less pain from one of her knees.  She also seemed what he called "better generally", with some improved coordination.

Patient 19: Treatment (Water)

Patient 19:  Treatment (Water)

Patient:  Female, age 46

Element:  Water

Number of years coming for treatment:  23 years

Number of prior treatments: Comes every 6 weeks or so

Main complaint:  Cushings' syndrome (cancer of the pituitary gland), which was successfully treated some 9 years ago.  It remained undiagnosed for many years, and the extreme weight gain and general fatigue which it caused was ascribed to the after-effects of pregnancy and childbirth.  Has had very traumatic emergency treatments and surgery at various stages of her illness, but is now symptom-free, although receiving various forms of medication and replacement therapies.  She attributes her recovery from what is a very serious and debilitating form of cancer very much to the frequent acupuncture treatments she has had throughout, which included my treating her in hospital before and after surgery.

Problems today:   Recovering from bad flu:  “My immune system doesn’t feel good.”  Otherwise very happy with the way her work is going and very optimistic about the future. 

Treatment given:  (No moxa because of the risk of the recurrence of very high BP as a result of her pituitary gland tumour)

1                    AEPs of Bl and Ki (Bl 28 and 25)

2                    Bl 38 (for general tiredness)

3                    Bl 66, Ki 10 (winter seasonal treatment)

At the end of treatment:  When patients have had as much acupuncture treatment over as many years as she has, there will be less detectable changes than in patients who are just beginning treatment, where the most startling changes will be seen.  Treatment for such a long-standing patient tends to gently reinforce the energy of the elements rather than effect major shifts.  I did note, however, that her cheeks looked pinker.  

Time of next treatment:  She will have another treatment in about 6 weeks from now.   

Proposals for next treatment:  Bl 38 again, Ki 25 or 27 (both storehouses of Kidney energy)

Patient 17: Treatment (Water)

Patient:  Female, age 23

Element:  Water

Number of years coming for treatment:  3½ years

Number of prior treatments: Comes every 2 months or so for treatment

Original problems:  Very bad circulation to toes.  Some toes very badly swollen, very blue in colour, as though the blood was not reaching them properly, and sore, so that any pressure on them was extremely painful.  Some bleeding from pressure sores.  Circulation to fingers also very poor, so that they could turn blue even when the weather was not cold. General feeling of not being well.  Been to many specialists, only diagnosis given was that she suffered from a “lupus-type” infection.

Change since start of treatment:  Health completely restored after about 3 months of treatment.  Circulation to feet and hands returned to normal.  She phones for an appointment as soon as any symptoms re-appear, and one or two treatments are usually sufficient to restore health.

Problems today:  She and I both overlooked the importance of giving her her seasonal treatment at the start of winter.  Her circulatory problems re-appeared as the cold weather set in just before Christmas.  Yesterday (mid-January) her toes were again swollen and blue, one finger was also starting to swell.  Apart from that, felt very good, was happy in her life and had started a new relationship.

 

Treatment given:

1                    Bl 38 (43)  (see my comment on Patient 15 for the rationale behind choosing this point)

2                    Bl 66, Ki 10 (winter seasonal treatment)

At the end of treatment:  She told me that she knows immediately that something is changing as soon as I palpate for the points, and she felt the difference once I needled Bl 38.  Her colour had changed from a slightly peaky colour to a healthy translucent colour, which I associate with the Bladder.  Very bouncy as she left. 

Time of next treatment:  She will have another treatment in about 2-3 weeks to reinforce today’s treatment.  I will make sure that she comes for her winter treatment in time this year.

Proposals for next treatment:  Possibly III 38 with more moxas, Bl 60, Ki 2 (Fire points to warm Water)

Patient 15: Treatment (Water)

Patient:  Male, age 52

Element:  Water

Number of years coming for treatment:  2 years

Last treatment given:  1 year ago

Problems today:  Recurrence of irritable bowel syndrome, and minor flaring of psoriasis in the scalp.  Less worried about his family troubles (one son was in trouble at school, but now appears to be settling down better).

Treatment given:

1                    Co – St block (Co 20 – St 1)

2                    Bl 38 (43)

3                    Bl 66, Ki 10 (winter seasonal)

At the end of treatment:  His darkish blue-black colour had lightened, his face looks rounder and less drawn. 

Time of next treatment:  We both felt that he had left it a bit too long since the last treatment.  Appointment therefore made for beginning of February, but will cancel if he feels very good in himself.

Proposals for next treatments:   Ki 16, AEPs or Ki 25

Note on Water:  I like to think that I can see two different kinds of Water colours, one a darkish-bluish-black, which I see as being more related to the dark, yin side of Water, therefore the Kidney, and a lightish, translucent kind of colour which seems to reflect all the colours, and which I relate to Bladder, the more mobile, less static, more yang of the two Water officials. 

Patient 8: Treatment (Water)

Patient:  Female, age 39

Element:  Water

Number of years coming for treatment: 1

Number of prior treatments: 10, last treatment 6 weeks ago

Original problems:  Very bloated stomach, bad period pains, lack of direction in life, uneasy relationship with extended family.  Parents both with new partners, and she now has to deal with a complex relationship to different step-brethren.  No partner of her own at the moment.  

Change since start of treatment:  Much more at ease with her family, able to develop better relationships outside the family, too.  Physical symptoms have all improved, and she no longer mentions them.

Problems today:  Nothing in particular.  She just likes to have regular treatments to maintain her balance.  She had been pleased to note how she seems to be detaching herself more from her family, rather than anxiously keeping in touch with all of them, as she did in the past.  She thinks she is ready for a new relationship now, but doesn’t feel in a particular hurry about it.

Treatment given:

1                    Ki 27 Store House:  I see this as a point which reaches down into the store of reserves housed in the Water element.  This patient needs to maintain this store so as not to drain herself.

2                    Bl 58 Fly and Scatter, followed by Ki 4.  I think she is still what could be described as somewhat “scatty”, with a tendency to lose her focus.  That’s why I chose Bl 58.  Ki 4 is the junction (luo) point, drawing Bladder energy to the Kidney to complete the treatment.

At the end of treatment:  She looked at peace and quieter.  I feel happy about her.

Time of next treatment:  Appointment made for early January to give her her winter seasonal treatment (if possible in horary time).

Proposals for next treatment:  Bl 66, Ki 10 (Water points on the Water element – winter treatment).