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KIMBERLY THOMPSON PRINTED RESOURCES

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New Patient Discussion Checklist 1. New Patient Intake

2. Chief Complaint Intake • Onset • Location • Duration • Characteristics • Aggravated/Alleviated • Related factors • Treatment to date • Severity

3. TCM Intake

4. Head to Toe: Pain and Scars

5. A little lesson in Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture began 4000 years ago. Points were recognized which affected distal areas of the body. Over time, more and more points were discovered. Next the points were categorized in pathways because multiple points on the same pathway affected the same organ system. In modern times, it has been discovered that acupuncture channels can be measured. We can now take a look on a computer and SEE the condition of the acupuncture channel. Let’s measure your acupuncture points.

LI Channel Discussion: • Channel • Muscular channel. Muscular channels follow the area of the acupuncture channel itself, but it also

extends to greater areas. This explains why I can use a point on your arm to treat the back of your scapular area.

• Internal channel. Take a look at this same channel from an internal perspective. The acupuncture channels have specific “secret pathways” which go internal, thus affecting the internal organs within the body. Notice how this channel also affects the mouth, the lung, the intestines, and down the leg.

• Emotions. Each acupuncture channel has an emotion attached to it as well. So, if the channel is out of balance the emotion for that pathway can be disrupted as well.

Basic theory of Acupuncture: Channel flow. When everything is flowing the way it is supposed to, all system of the body work better. Pain, sleep, digestion, emotions, libido, etc.

6. Graph the patient

7. Let’s Look Deeper at your Graph

We measured all of your acupuncture channels, did a mathematical evaluation, and came up with an average. Your average is this green line. So many points above average means there is too much energy in the channel. Too many points below the average shows there is too little. There are matching channels on both sides of the body. Sometimes a channel will show up purple. This means that there is a significant difference between the left and right sides.

Let’s take a look at your imbalances. Start with pain. (Show channel pathways as appropriate.)

Now let’s look at channel flow from beginning to end. Here we can see how excess in one channel an cause a deficiency in the next. My job is to be an engineer of the dynamics of how energy is flowing in your bod, get the energy in your body to flow freely so all the systems in your body can run at your full potential.

8. Report of Findings

I’ll be sending you home with a report…. This report is specific to your imbalances. It will show you how I am thinking about your body. Example: If your Kidney channel is deficient, there are certain symptoms which can occur from a Chinese medical perspective. I am not saying that you have all of the symptoms in the report. I’m just helping you to recognize how imbalances lead to symptoms.

9. Book the Series

We will treat you with a series of visits to recreate the flow imbalances in your body. You will recognize progress along the way with your chief complaint, but because we are putting your entire body into balance, you will ALSO find that all other systems of your body will naturally feel better as well. As you can see by the internal pathways, it is impossible not to create balance through your whole body, even if we are focusing on your chief complaint.

In my experience over a series of six visits we will see really great results. If your condition is longterm chronic, it is likely to take longer but we will reevaluate how far we have come at the end of your treatment series. AT that time, I’ll let you know if I think we can continue with our progress, and possibly readjust how often we are treating. Right, now I’d like to begin by treating you twice a week.

Let’s get you on the schedule right now.

10. Let’s get started with treatment!

Follow-Up Visit Discussion 1. How are things since your last visit?

• Did you notice any change? • Did your pain shift? • Has it become more localized? • Did you notice any other changes?

2. Graph the Patient

3. Quick analysis of today’s graph. Ask questions based on what you see and add them into the notes.

4. Compare graph 1 and graph 2.

(Just do a quick an analysis. Make note that change can take time. The body continues to shift through the healing process.)

5. Okay, let’s get started on treatment.

Note Template Ideas Template Title: SOAP Note

Chief Complaint:

Subjective:

Objective:

Assessment:

Plan:

Template Title: New Chief Complaint

Chief Complaint:

Onset:

Location:

Duration:

Characteristics:

Aggravated:

Alleviated:

Related:

Treatment to Date:

Symptoms:

Things to work on in the future:

Research:

Template Title: Follow-Up Intake

Chief Complaint:

Since Last visit:

Symptoms Today:

Graph Questions:

TCM • Tongue: • Pulse: • Pattern:

TX • Balance Graph: • Root Treatment: • Auriculotherapy: • Extra modalities:

Follow-up for next week:

Research:

Template Title: TCM Intake

TCM Intake

Energy Level:

Sleep:

Temperature:

Sweat:

Appetite:

Thirst:

Digestion:

Elimination • Stool: • Urine:

Emotion:

Pain:

Scar Tissue:

HEENT:

Other:

Female • Last period: • Menopause: • Hysterectomy:

• Hormone Replacement Therapy: • Leukorrhea:

Male • Erectile Dysfunction: • Enlarged Prostate: • Premature Ejaculation: • Low Sperm Count:

Tongue:

Pulse:

TCM Pattern:

Template Title: Pregnancy Intake

Main Chief Complaint: • 2nd Complaint: • 3rd Complaint:

History of Chief Complaint:

Gravida/Para:

Past pregnancies/complications:

Current Pregnancy • Number of Weeks: • Estimated Due Date: • Doctor or Midwife: • Where Delivering: • Complications: • Doula: • Education:

Symptoms • N/V: • Fatigue: • Pain: • Anemia: • HA: • Swelling: • Vericosities: • Other:

TCM • Energy: • Sleep: • Temp: • Appetite: • Digestion: • Elimination: • HEENT: • Emotion: • Other: • Tongue: • Pulse: • TCM Diagnosis:

Treatment:

Birthing Process • Education: • Birthing Team: • Fears or Concerns: • Support and Referrals:

Research:

Template Title: Pediatric Intake

Chief Complaint: • Description: • Past Medical History: • Precipitating Events/Stressors: • Past Care: • Previous Pediatrician: • Immunizations (any reactions?):

Appearance • Complexion: • Shen:

Behavior • Activity Level: • Connectedness: • Attention/Focus: • Defiance:

Questions • Fever and Chills: • Sweating: • Recent Illness: • Nose: • Skin: • Head and Body: • Thorax and Abdomen: • Food and Taste: • Stools and Urine: • Sleep: • Drink and Thirst:

• Food or Environmental Allergies: • Food Aversions: • Suspected Food Sensitivities: • Life: • Moods: • Stress/Anxiety: • Bowel Movements:

Evaluation• Pulse: • Tongue: • Glands: • Abdomen: • Temperature: • 02Sats: • Lungs:

Diagnosis:

Treatment:

Follow-Up • Herbs: • Diet:

Dietary Recommendations:

Research:

Template Title: Pediatric Follow-Up Intake

Chief Complaint:

Since last visit:

Symptoms today: • Appearance: • Behavior:

Graph Questions:

Evaluation• Pulse: • Tongue: • Glands: • Abdomen: • Temperature: • 02Sats: • Lungs:

Diagnosis:

Treatment:

Follow-Up: • Herbs: • Diet:

Dietary Recommendations:

Research:

Part 5: Advanced Acupuncture Treatment Strategies To get the most effective results with any chief complaint (pain, digestion, emotional, etc.) we suggest using Advanced Acupuncture Treatment Strategies. If you balance the body with a Root Treatment BEFORE treating the chief complaint, you will get better results with treatment.

An advanced acupuncture treatment strategy looks like this:

1. Root Treatment 2. Branch Treatment

a. Treat the channel with painb. Treat the NEXT channel in the energetic flow

Note: This strategy is not device specific. I use it with needles OR with laser, micorcurrent, massage, acupressure points, etc.

The theory behind this strategy is simple…

SAMPLE RAPID RELEASE TECHNOLOGY

Root Treatment

The root treatment balances the meridians before you begin working on the chief complaint. Many internal symptoms can be resolved by simply doing a root treatment. A root treatment is often enough to balance emotions, sleep, digestion, etc.

I have an analogy that helps to explain why this first step is important. (Bear with me here… I’m a mother of 9 kids, so my analogies often involve things I have learned while mothering.)

Let’s say today is the day you have decided to deep clean your house. You are determined that by the end of the day your world will be a whole lot better because your house is really clean. So, you jump in with all of your cleaning supplies and you’re ready to scrub the floors, clean the grout, and deep clean carpets… The idea sounded great, but once you get started, you realize that no matter how hard you scrub, at the end of the day your house isn’t going to look fabulous. Why? Because you forgot to organize first. There are piles everywhere, there’s dirty laundry built up, there are dishes that need to be washed and put away, and there are toys strewn all over the floor. Deep cleaning sounded like a nice idea, but without organizing your house first, the whole deep cleaning job isn’t going to be very effective.

Advanced acupuncture treatment strategies are just like that.

Step one involves a root treatment. The root treatment organizes the energy in the body, creating a state of balance—so energy can flow where it needs to, thus preparing the body to heal. If you do this first, BEFORE you go in and deep clean that shoulder problem, or the lower back problem, or the knee problem—you will get better results. Now you are ready to move on to step two, the branch treatment (or chief complaint).

Branch Treatment

Branch treatments in general have to do with focusing on the symptom—headache, nausea, sinus congestion, etc. In the context of this book, we are narrowing our branch treatment focus to tendinomuscular pain—aka qi and blood stagnation in the related area.

Back to our analogy about deep cleaning your house…

Now that your house is organized, it’s time to go in and deep clean. Does your patient have shoulder pain, lower back pain, foot pain? These are all issues of qi and blood stagnation that needs to be removed. In the past I have used many different methods to deep clean such as: guasha, cupping, massage, deep needling, microcurrent, etc. These all took a significant amount of time and elbow grease to get the job done. I’m a busy woman. Nine kids takes a lot of energy out of you! I’m all about getting the job done quickly and effectively. Having the right tool makes all the difference. Rapid release is my tool of choice for deep cleaning tendinomuscular problems from qi and blood stagnation.


Next, I’ll teach you an excellent two-step treatment technique, which involves a root and branch approach to tendinomuscular pain conditions.

STEP 1: Root Treatment (general meridian imbalances)

There are multiple root treatment approaches that work well. I’ve included three of my favorites. Just choose one. You do not need to use every strategy listed below. One is sufficient. Choose the system that works best for you and treat the acupressure points related to the style of balancing you choose. Treatment with Rapid Release Technology should be 15-20 seconds for each point. Remember, just choose ONE of the following options. You don’t need to perform all three.

A. AcuGraph: Ryodoraku Channel Balancing

Graph the patient to find out which channels are excess, deficient or split from left to right. Use the Small Actuator Tip to treat the recommended points in AcuGraph.

Note: Typical recommended points in AcuGraph include Tonification points, Sedation points, and Luo points. If you want to quickly simplify treatment, you could treat the source point for each channel that is imbalanced.

B. TCM: Pattern Diagnosis

Decide which TCM pattern is the root cause of your patient’s problem and treat the customary points related to their condition.

Note: Teaching TCM patterns is beyond the scope of this book. It is assumed you already know and understand TCM patterns. If you want to expand your knowledge of TCM patterns related point selections we suggest the Points software app as a resource. Type “TCM” into the search box to find points for patterns such as Liver Wind, Phlegm Damp, Yin Deficiency, Wind-Heat, etc.

C. Back Shu: Full-body Meridian Balancing

We discussed the discovery of this theory earlier in the “Clinical Experiment” portion of this book.

Treatment is pretty simple, yet very effective. Begin with the 1-inch, Smooth Head. Treat the paraspinal muscles along either side of the spine, including specific attention to the Back Shu Points. For added effect I like to add point-specific treatment to points such as SI 11, GB 21, generalized treatment across the lower back band to include the hips and glute muscles with an emphasis at GB 29 and 30. Continue treatment down the back of the leg along with point-specific treatment at GB 34, BL 58 and SP 9. The entire treatment takes about 5-7 minutes.



Clinical Pearls

• Note: Patients LOVE the Full Body Meridian Balancing treatment. This overall meridian-balancing approach is great on multiple levels. If your branch treatment is focused on musculotendino pain issues, this treatment is a great root treatment. Branch conditions such as shoulder pain, lower back pain, hip pain, knee pain, and foot pain are most often related to muscular imbalances along the spine. The Urinary Bladder Channel runs along the spine and involves the biggest musculature in the body. If you do a general treatment along the UB channel, you will accomplish two things that lead to extraordinary results.

• You will be treating every channel in the body via the Back Shu points. It’s a great way to jump start each organ system before you begin any branch treatment.

• Your patient will immediately move to a state of relaxation. This will make working on their chief complaint much easier.

STEP 2: Branch Treatment (aka Chief Complaint)

To get the best results for your branch treatment involving musculotendino pain, I suggest you follow a three-step approach.

A. First choose the musculotendino channel that has pain

• Use Rapid Release to stimulate the muscular area associated with the channel—focusing specifically on the distal area of the limbs and possibly the trunk of the body.

• Notice the areas that are dark in the pictures. This is where qi concentrates in the tendinomuscular channel. It’s good to add some extra focus on these areas when you are creating movement of qi and blood in the tendinomuscular pathway.


LU LI

ST SP

HT SI

BL KI

PC TE

GB LR

*Larger pictures can be found in Addendum 1

B. Treat the NEXT Channel in the Energy cycle

After you treat the musculotendino pathway related to the chief complaint, continue to open the flow of energy by treating a few points on the next channel within the energy cycle.

Note: You’ll notice that I don’t focus on the entire muscular channel for this step. My goal is to open pathways in the next channel in sequence, so that the qi and blood stagnation within the pain-related channel has a place to go.


There are multiple ways of considering which points you choose on the next pathway.

• One way is to simply palpate for a tender or stagnant area on the next acupuncture pathway.

• If you want specifics to consider for palpation, here are some good options: Source Point, Xi Cleft Point, Luo Point

• I do have some favorites, based on personal experience when palpating, as follows:

C. Treat acupressure and/or ashi points related to the patient’s pain

By the time I reach this part of the treatment, most of the pain is already resolved because we have been so effective at moving qi and blood. This step is essentially the cleanup plan. Often I am treating “ashi” points where there is a bit of residual pain. Here’s an example of how to approach a branch treatment.

Source Point

Xi Cleft Point

Luo Point My Favorite Points

Lung 9 6 7 6 or 7

Large Intestine 4 7 6 4 or 10

Stomach 42 34 40 34 or 36

Spleen 3 8 4 6 or 8

Heart 7 6 5 7

Small Intestine 4 6 7 10 or 11

Bladder 64 63 58 58

Kidney 3 5 4 3 or 11

Pericardium 7 4 6 6

Triple Energizer 4 7 5 5

Gallbladder 40 36 37 34

Liver 3 6 5 5


Example Chief Complaint: Left Midback Pain


A. Musculotendino Channel Treatment

• If the patient has midback pain on the Bladder Musculotendino channel, begin Rapid Release treatment on the limb and begin working toward the trunk of the body.

• Make sure you spend extra time at the areas shown in black.

B. The Next Channel

• Treat a few points on the NEXT channel using the Small Actuator Tip.

• This will open the flow of energy into the next channel and help your treatment to be more successful.

This three-step branch treatment approach is really powerful. You are moving qi and blood in the channel, in the next channel, and at the location of pain. When you treat with this approach, pain often resolves immediately.

*Repeat treatment every 1-2 days until pain is resolved

SUMMARY: Advanced Treatment Strategies

Step 1: Root Treatment

Choose ONE root treatment. Do this BEFORE you treat the symptoms.

• AcuGraph Channel Balancing: Measure the meridians, treat excesses, deficiencies and left/right imbalances based on graph analysis.

• TCM Pattern Balancing: Decide which pattern your patient presents with via tongue, pulse, and/or TCM questioning. Treat the pattern via acupressure points.

• Back Shu Full Body Meridian Balancing: Treat the UB channel, thus affecting every meridian to jumpstart the flow of qi throughout the body to create balance.


C. General Pain Relief for Qi and Blood Stagnation

• Focus on the area of pain initially, then continue outward on the surrounding areas of tendons, muscles and ligaments.

• Choose acupressure points or trigger points related to the chief complaint.

• Note: Most acupuncturists are very aware of points where they would stick a needle if they were using a needle. The same points can be treated with Rapid Release Technology as well. More detailed acupressure point suggestions related to specific conditions will be shown in the next session.

Step 2: Branch Treatment

• Decide which musculotendino channel to treat based on location of pain. Try not to focus on more than two.

• Treat the next channel in the energy cycle.

• Treat the general area of pain.

• Repeat treatment every 1-2 days until pain is fully resolved.


Which points are Extraordinary?----Which points are Divergent?----




Divergent Channel Quiz

Which points are Extraordinary?- LU 7- KI 6- HT 5-Which points are Divergent?- Ki 10- BL 1- ST 36- ST 1

Which points are Extraordinary?- TE 5- GB 41- SI 3- BL 62Which points are Divergent?- ST 36- ST 1- BL 40- BL 1

Which points are Extraordinary?- ST 40- LI 5- LR 4- PC 6Which points are Divergent?- HT 3- BL 2- SP 9- ST 1

Which points are Extraordinary? - ST 40- LI 5- SP 4- LU 7Which points are Divergent? - KI 10- BL 1- LI 11- ST 12

L: ST 40 L: LI 5

R: SP 4 L: LU 7

R: KI 10 R: BL 1 or 2

L: LI 11L: ST 12

R: ST 40 R: LI 5

L: LR 4 L: PC 6

L: BL 2 L: HT 3

R: ST 1 or 2R: SP 9

L: TE 5 R: GB 41

L: SI 3 R: BL 62

L: ST 36 L: ST 1 or 2

R: BL 1 or 2R: BL 40

R: LU 7 R: KI 6

L: HT 5 R: KI 6

R: KI 10 R: BL 1 or 2

L: ST 1 or 2L ST 36

Divergent Channel Answers

Bonus Questions True or False

1. I can use extraordinary points all by themselves. ______________

2. A branch treatment can be done at the same time as a divergent treatment. ______________

3. Sometimes there may only be three extraordinary points. In this case two wires will wind up on one needle. ________________

4. You can also do the divergent treatment with red and blue laser. _______________

Fill in the Blank

5. What are the replacement points for BL 1 and ST 1? • The replacement point for BL 1 is: ___________ • The replacement point for ST 1 is: ___________

6. Ion pumping cords are used to transfer energy from one channel to the next. Each cords has a a black end and a red end. The ______ end pulls energy out, which sedates, a point. The _______ end puts energy back in, which tonifies a point.

7. You will need _________ cords for EACH treatment room.

8. Green Serin needles and micropore tape are recommended for the face as long as you clip on the ____________________.

9. Fill in the blanks for the “Original 8 Extraordinary Points”

10. Fill in the blanks for the NEW Extraordinary points:

Ren Yin Qiao

Chong Yin Wei

Du Yang Qiao

Dai Yang Wei

Large Intestine

Stomach

Liver

Heart

Bonus Questions Answers True or False

1. I can use extraordinary points all by themselves. TRUE

2. A branch treatment can be done at the same time as a divergent treatment. TRUE

3. Sometimes there only be three extraordinary points. In this case two wires will wind up on one needle. TRUE

4. You can also do the divergent treatment with red and blue laser. TRUE

Fill in the Blank

5. What are the replacement points for BL 1 and ST 1?

• The replacement point for BL 1 is: BL 2 • The replacement point for ST 1 is: ST 2

6. Ion pumping cords are used to transfer energy from one channel to the next. Each cords has a a black end and a red end. The BLACK end pulls energy out, which sedates, a point. The RED end puts energy back in, which tonifies a point.

7. You will need 4 cords for EACH treatment room.

8. Green Serin needles and micropore tape are recommended for the needling the face as long as you clip on the metal shaft.

9. Fill in the blanks for the “Original 8 Extraordinary Points”

10. Fill in the blanks for the NEW Extraordinary points:

Ren LU 7 Yin Qiao KI 6

Chong PC 6 Yin Wei SP 4

Du SI 3 Yang Qiao BL 62

Dai TE 5 Yang Wei GB 41

Large Intestine LI 5

Stomach ST 40

Liver LR 5

Heart HT 5

Jade Vitality Three Days of No Pain

I've got a great story to share. It's really gratifying when your patient, who has been suffering from chronic pain for 30 years, all of a sudden has a huge breakthrough. Something changed in her body. Now she walks into my clinic, she's glowing. When I ask what's different she says…

"I had three days where I was 100% pain free."

Let me introduce one of my many fibromyalgia patients. First, I'll tell you her story, then I'll share what made all the difference.

Fibromyalgia Since 1990

This patient is 57 years old, a workaholic, and an overachiever. Her kids are now grown and she throws all of her energy into her work. She pushes herself beyond her limits; she goes to work at 4:00 in the morning every day, sits at her desk working at a computer all day, barely taking a break until she goes home 4:00 in the afternoon. Of course she doesn't leave her work at the office; it always comes home with her. During her "free time" she manages rental properties and runs on her treadmill.

She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1990. Through the years she has been to chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, etc. She's been seeing me for a year now.

As you know, fibromyalgia is a complex pain syndrome which includes a lot of other symptoms. It's more than just pain. This patient is the perfect example of the complexities that come with treating fibromyalgia.

Take a look at the symptoms she has had within the last year. As soon as we get one problem under control another one shows up.

Kimberly Thompson, L.Ac. [email protected] MeridianFamilyAcupuncture.com

Acupuncture and Fibromyalgia

The reason acupuncture is a great resource for fibromyalgia patients is because as acupuncturists, our goal is to put the entire body into balance. We treat pain, digestion, and emotions all in the same treatment. Really, treating fibromyalgia is like peeling through layers of an onion. You can't just treat the pain. Fibromyalgia involves so much more.

In my clinic I use a multi-faceted treatment approach for fibromyalgia patients which includes:

1. Acupuncture 2. Massage 3. Far-Infrared Heat and Negative Ion Therapy 4. Diet to Resolve Inflammation 5. Emotional Wellness Education

Within the last year, this protocol has helped my patient make a lot of progress, but nothing like what I saw on her last visit.

A Life Changing Gift

I treat this patient's husband as well. He began seeing me first. It was his idea that his wife come in for acupuncture. Each time he comes in he thanks me for the progress his wife is making.

"Thank you for helping me get my wife back. I am watching her come to life again."

The last time he was in, as he was laying down all cozy, warm and relaxed on the Jade Vitality far infrared heating pad, he asked me if having a Jade Vitality pad at home would benefit himself and his wife.

My answer was “Absolutely YES!” The benefits of far-infrared heat and negative ions that radiate from the Jade Vitality pad provide an incredible at-home treatment. Here’s why. They…

• Increase circulation, which helps to resolve muscle tension and inflammation • Increase energy and improve sleep • Help regulate emotions such as anxiety, stress, and depression

The husband bought the Jade Vitality pad that day, and took it home to his wife as a surprise.


I saw her in my clinic 4 days later…

Something Changed

When she walked into my office, she immediately boasted about her new Jade Vitality heating pad. I asked her how things were going, and this is what she shared with me:

She was really excited to see if things had changed on her graph.

Well, they sure did! Take a look at this perfectly green graph!

Chronic fibromyalgia patients don't get green graphs very often…this was really a breakthrough!

Next, I put her on the table, face down, and did my typical analysis of tender points. I was amazed at how much her body had changed. Her back, neck and shoulders were soft and receptive! She had clearly let go of multiple layers of dense tissue.

There's one more cool part to this story.

While she was laying on the table, she reported that just before she came to the clinic she QUIT her extra job. I smiled.


"You know, I didn't do a lot different than my typical everyday life. I still worked my normal job, I still went out to the ranch to work on the rentals and I still ran on my treadmill."

"Here's the ONE thing I did different. I laid on the Jade Vitality Mat twice a day for at least 30 minutes."

"Kimberly, I had 3 days where I was 100% pain free!"

What a breakthrough! Three days using the Jade Vitality heating pad literally changed her life. Jade Vitality helped her resolve pain and find the clarity of mind she needed to let go of some of the extra stressors she had been holding onto for so long.

Acupuncture is amazing for fibromyalgia. The Jade Vitality far-infrared heating pad makes it even more effective.

I'm excited to get the Jade Vitality heating pad into the hands of more patients who suffer from fibromyalgia and chronic pain in general. Best Regards,

We Have Jade Vitality in Stock!

The Jade Vitality is a GREAT at home resource for helping to put the body into balance. The clinical studies are impressive.

• Pain relief from minor muscle/joint pain and stiffness • Relief from minor sprains and strains • Relief from minor muscular back pain • Increased circulation • Increased muscle relaxation • Increased function in the body • Help with anxiety, depression, stress and energy • Increased immune system function

Who do you know that needs a special gift? Especially one that could be life changing…


Other Jade Vitality Experiences

Others are getting incredible results with the Jade Vitality far-infrared heating pad. Check out the incredible story below!

She Wanted to Return her Jade Vitality Pad Until…

"I wanted to let you know that I have decided to keep my Jade Vitality pad. I’m going to tell you what changed my mind.

I wanted to return it because I didn’t see any benefit in it. I did love the heat, but I thought if that’s it, I really don’t need it. I also like the feel of all the stones on my body, but that was all there was to the pad for me.

Well, Friday I volunteered to work a fundraiser all day, I was on my feet for 8 hours with very little breaks. When I got home that night, I could barely walk. My back and one knee were so sore I couldn’t sit down or stand up without help from my husband.

I was in so much pain, I decided to see if the Jade Vitality pad would help. I honestly did think it would help a little, after all it is heat, but I didn’t expect to feel the way I felt the next morning.

I was scheduled to work the fundraiser Saturday all day, but I told my husband I didn’t think I would be able to do Saturday. When I woke up Saturday morning, if felt absolutely NO PAIN!!!!! I expected to feel a little pain, because of how sore I was, but because I had no pain, I totally forgot I was in pain when I jumped out of bed. It was a few minutes later that I realized I didn’t have any pain.

Honestly, I still didn’t think it was really the Jade Vitality pad. So, I decided I could go do the fundraiser Saturday. Well, at the end of Saturday I was in the same amount of pain again. So, I said 'Here’s the test to see if this Jade Vitality pad really helps.' I used the pad Saturday night and Sunday when I got up I had zero pain!!!! All I kept saying to myself is, ‘I’m so glad I didn’t send that Jade Vitality pad back yet.’

I can’t tell you how happy I am that I didn’t return it.

Now that I know it really helps with pain, I’m going to let me husband use it. I just wish I got 2 pads, because I like the way it feels and it will keep me pain free. Thank you so much for this wonderful Jade Vitality pad!!!”


Fat Belly Breathing

Do you have "Bad Breath"?!?!

I got your attention didn't I? I'm not talking about the smell that comes from not brushing your teeth! I'm pretty sure you brush your teeth multiple times per day.

I'm talking about the daily action of breathing in and out through your your lungs!

Most adults breathe shallowly out of habit. I find that when patients are lying on the table and I ask them to take a deep breath, they can't fill their lungs all the way. Sometimes when I ask them to take a deep breath, they actually cough because their lungs simply aren't used to filling up with air. The lungs actually extend down below the ribcage. Most of us are only breathing about 3-4 inches down the chest.

Take a breath right now and recognize how far your breath is extends. When I first learned about breath-work, I was really surprised that my breathing was so shallow. The result of bad breathing is under-oxygenation. This is the foundation for ALL major disease and stress related disorder.

Have you ever watched a baby breathe? Babies use their whole belly to breath. Over the years babies grow-up and learn to hold their breath. We subconsciously hold our breath when we over think or experience emotions such as stress, fear, or anxiety.

How energy moves in the acupuncture pathways mirrors the flow of our breath. Notice lung acupuncture pathway, shown to the right. See how the pathway goes all the way to the belly and the intestines?

If you are shallow breathing, you are only getting air into the top half of the lungs, thus shorting yourself 50-80 percent of the oxygen your lungs are meant to take. Over a lifetime, this can really impact your health.


Tight Neck and Shoulders: STUCK Energy

Breathing poorly leads to stuck energy in the belly…AND shoulder tension!

Here is another acupuncture pathway. Notice how the Small Intestine pathway goes internally through the stomach? When we are not breathing at full capacity, we are slowing energy down through the belly. In this case, the muscles of the head, neck and shoulders are affected.

Breathing fully calms the mind and resolves muscle tension.

We live in a society where our minds are always thinking. When the mind is in control it hoards our energy up into the head. When the brain won't relax completely, then energy doesn't flow through the body. We pull energy up from our body, lock it up in the head, leading to tightness in the head, neck and shoulder muscles.

Solution: Fat Belly Breathing

One of my favorite authors, Denise La Barre, LMT, explains Fat Belly Breathing in her book "Issues in Your Tissues."

1. Decide to Breathe

Take some time to lie down and breathe. Take a deep breath. Notice how deep it goes. Breathe out.

2. Deepen and Expand your Breath

Now, breathe in again. Pull your energy all the way to your toes. Put your hand on your belly and make it FAT, like you did when you were a little kid. See if you can puff your belly out while you are breathing.


Breathing fully circulates energy through the body, revitalizing and nourishing all the systems. As we deepen the breath, our muscles relax, thinking slows, and we feel more space in our bodies.

— Denise La Barre

3. Hold your Lungs Full

Now that you have expanded your belly, hold your breath for a couple of beats. Feel what it feels like for your lungs and your belly to be full.

4. Explore the Exhalation

It's hard to breathe in fully if your lungs still have air in them. Breath out fully. Use your abdominal muscles to help push the air out. Exaggerate this just a little while you are learning. Notice how your lower belly is helping you. When you do this, you are helping to move energy through your acupuncture pathways.

5. Notice your Breathing

Notice what your breathing feels like right now, so that you can remember what fat belly breathing feels like.

6. Catch Yourself Breathing Minimally

As you go about your day, catch yourself breathing minimally. Smile and remember that your acupuncturist told you this would happen. Then just take a few breaths and keep going about your day. It takes practice. Recognition is the FIRST step.

7. Breath in the Transitions

Find times within your day when it makes sense to breathe. Breath between projects, at a stop light, when you are driving in your car, when you are tired, etc.

8. Breath into Resistance

Once you recognize your breath getting stuck with an emotion, you can make a quick change in your breathing. It's common for breath to minimize when you are worried, anxious, fearful, angry, overwhelmed, etc.

I'm looking forward to the new transitions you are making in your life. Learning "Fat Belly Breathing" will help me help you BETTER as we work through your acupuncture series.

Be Well,


NOTE: To get a deeper understanding about Fat Belly Breathing, I recommend you read chapter one, “Breathing Like you Mean It” of "Issues in Your Tissues" by Denise La Barre, LMT.

Journaling

Chronic Conditions Have Emotional Roots

Chronic conditions are typically emotional in nature. Emotions begin as thoughts and experiences, which then “land” in the the muscular and the internal organ systems within the body. Over time, these emotions become part of our DNA structure, which means that as cells naturally replicate, they hold the memory of the current events within the body. So, if you experience chronic pain due to emotions, the new cells will have the same emotional foundation. Our goal is to resolve the old memories of your cellular structure.

Acupuncture is a great way to balance emotions. Every acupuncture pathway in the body relates to tendons, muscles, bones, ligaments, internal organs, AND emotions. As we work on chronic long-term health problems it is typical for old emotions to surface. Over time, your cells will regenerate with the NEW patterns we create through acupuncture treatment.

Your Brain Files Your Thoughts

At the end of the day, when it's time to go to sleep, do you ever catch yourself with 100 million thoughts going through your head? Do you find that it is hard to turn your brain off?

When you go to bed at night your brain is supposed to shut down and go to sleep so your body can heal. Many patients who experience an overactive brain also have chronic pain conditions such as neck pain, shoulder pain, jaw clenching, headaches, and low back pain. When your mind is overthinking, your muscles naturally tighten up. This is how your body memorizes stress, which then leads to chronic pain.


I Something New—You Should Too

Several years ago I had a chronic health condition. My body was overwhelmed with hives. No matter what I did, I could not resolve them. I tried to change my diet, get more sleep, "be less stressed", anti-inflammatory medications, anti-itch medications, etc. Nothing helped.

An idea came to me. I had a lot on my mind. The more I thought about what was going through my head, the more my hives reacted. I had to do something. That's when I discovered "Brain Dump Journaling." I spent an entire summer sitting on my back porch, watching the sunset and literally "dumping" everything that was going through my mind. I wasn't writing beautiful life stories for my kids to read someday in a formal journal. I used the cheapest back-to-school notebooks I had in the house and I just dumped.

I wrote down everything I was thinking. Often it was in the form of bullets and lists of all the things I was thinking of.

Here's What I Learned: • When I went to bed at night, my mind wasn't filled with all of the worries from my day. Instead it was

empty. • The worries were still available if I needed to pick them up the next day. • The BEST part: my body began to heal.

Additional Journaling Ideas

1. This is a new kind of journaling. Remember, I’m not asking you to sit and write your whole life story. Instead, I just want you to "brain dump." When your mind is full of thoughts, fears, anxieties, to-do lists, etc, your body has a clever way of filing all of these thoughts into your body to “save for later”.

2. You can trick your brain by filing all of your thoughts onto a piece of paper. This practice is especially helpful for those with anxiety and fear, or those who go to bed at night and just can’t turn off their thoughts in order to go to sleep.

3. Learn to ask your body questions. What is bothering me? What am I afraid of? What am I worried about? What is on my mind? Write it all down. I find that a general topic, followed by a bunch of bullet points is a good way to dump quickly.

4. Don’t be afraid to write down what you are afraid of. This is a really good exercise to help you recognize old emotions that are still lingering. Anger is another emotion that is great to write down.

5. Consider looking at OLD emotions with your new, mature eyes. A lot of old emotions were from times in our lives when we had less wisdom. Consider how you might want to look at that emotion now. Was any of it your responsibility? Have you grown? Is there someone you might reconsider forgiving?

6. Just allow the thoughts to flow. Your body is really wise. It will tell you what you need to work on to improve your health.


7. You may find that you gain inspiration through this process. If an idea comes, write it down and circle it. Perhaps tomorrow when you pick up your notebook again, you will start with that item and brainstorm.

8. Notebooks are REALLY cheap at back-to-school time. I suggest you buy a dozen of them and put them away.

9. When you are done with a notebook, feel free to drop it in the trash.

10. One final thing… If there is something you CAN do about what you are writing down, make a plan to do it. Write the answer, circle it, and do it. If you find that something which is bothering you has absolutely no solution at this time, I like to give that item a spot on the last page. On my last page I write: “Hand it over to God.” You can hand it over to whatever source you want. The universe. The garbage, etc. Just hand it over to “something” besides your body.

BONUS: Additional Ways to Move Your Qi

In order to make your acupuncture treatment more effective, it is important that you take an active role in moving your qi. The goal of an acupuncture treatment is to move qi. When you are at home, you can HELP in the process.

As you create a plan to help me keep your qi moving, here are a few things to consider:

• Thoughts are Qi. Recognize what you are thinking about. If you have a lot of stress, go back to item #1 above and start making a huge list of your stressors. Having a tool to get these thoughts out of your body will help. I promise!

• Breath moves Qi. Mindful breathing is really helpful. There are a lot of really great meditations to help you breath more effectively. I suggest a FREE app called Insight Timer. Put it in your phone. It has meditations that will fit into the amount of time you have available, even if you only have 5 minutes! Go and explore. It has hundreds of creative options.

• Blood moves Qi. You don’t have to do aggressive exercise, but a simple walk or stretch will do the trick. Move your body. If you sit for long periods of time at a desk, get up and move. Get others to move with you. Tell the that you are doing homework from your acupuncturist.

I'm excited to see how much wisdom your body shares with you through journaling. Using this technique to release emotions will help me help you BETTER as we work through your acupuncture series.

Be Well,


Meditation Have you ever considered meditation? I'll be honest. My original understanding of meditation included two scenarios.

1. Prayer. Sit and pray. Let all thoughts go out of your mind. Listen. Contemplate. Maybe fall asleep…

2. Sit on the floor on a round meditation pillow, look at a candle, breathe, let all the thoughts float out of your head, and "connect" with the nothingness defined as presence.

That was it. Once someone asked me if I meditated and my answer was: "Yes, of course I meditate. I pray every day. I'm not really a sit on the floor and look at a candle kind of girl though."

Then I attended a class where I was introduced to guided meditation. That's when I realized how many ways there are to meditate. I was surely missing out!

Let me teach you a few things that I have learned.

1. You Don't have to Know HOW The best way to learn how to meditate is through "Guided Meditation." In guided meditation you sit in a chair, or on the floor, or you even lay down on your bed. I've even done it in my car while I'm waiting to go into an appointment.

Then you close your eyes and listen to the voice of someone who knows how to meditate. They will talk to you, and tell you what to do while you relax. Your guide will typically have you take a few deep breaths, walk you through relaxation techniques and help you recognize where you are holding stress in your body.

I have come to realize that there are multiple subjects to choose from such as sleep, stress, anxiety, relaxation, confidence, happiness, love, motivation, depression, pain, focus, and more.

Once I realized that it wasn't about just me sitting and trying to force my brain to do nothing, everything changed. You can actually choose what you want to meditate on, and have someone guide you.

The BEST part of meditation is that, if you learn to meditate at home, your acupuncture treatment will last longer, and you will get better FASTER!


Here's what you need to know…

2. Meditation is FREE

I have found an amazing FREE app that is available to download on your phone. It's called Insight Timer—and it looks like a copper bowl.

Go ahead and download the app. I'll teach you a few basics on how to maneuver your way through so you can get started right away.

3. Getting Started is Easy

When you open the app it looks like this… It's kind of interesting because you can see how many people around the world have meditated today, and you can see how many people are meditating right now.

But, since this lesson is for YOU, let's get YOU started.

• Click on “meditate” at the bottom of the screen. • When you get to the next page, click on “guided”.

4. You Don't Have to Have a Lot of TIME

Notice on the next screen you can choose several numbers: 5, 10, 15, etc.

• Decide how long you have to meditate and click on the right number.

Or you can choose a subject. You'll notice there are several. Choose the one that fits your needs for the day.

Let's explore by subject for a moment. How about relax?


Once you have chosen a subject to go into, you'll notice that there are three categories at the tope of the page. Let's go over them for a moment.

Sort:

If you click on sort you can choose meditations based on most played, highest rated, newest, shortest, and longest.

Length:

If you click on length you can pick how long you want to meditate. Notice that even if you only have 6-10 minutes, you can find meditations on your subject that will be great for you!

Filters:

When you click on filters, at the bottom of the screen you'll notice how many meditations there are on your subject. You will also see multiple types of meditations.

NOTE: This click is REALLY IMPORTANT.

• To get started I'd suggest you click on meditations. That way ONLY the guided meditations will come up.

• Guided meditations are the perfect way to learn to meditate. • I'd suggest you leave the rest of them alone while you are learning. Listen

to the many types of voices and music. In time you'll find what suites you best.

Here's a helpful tidbit for the future…

• If you are driving in your car or hanging around at home you can listen to talks or music on any of the subjects within the app. Again, you can choose the length on these talks as well.

• I find this really powerful when I am driving in my car. Let's say it takes me 10 minutes to get home from work and I want to unwind. I can listen to a quick talk about any subject I choose.

5. Enjoy your Experience!

After your meditation is done, click on finish. If you really love the meditation and want to come back to it in the future, you can click on bookmark.

I'm excited to hear about your meditation experience when you return for your next acupuncture visit. I am convinced that incorporating meditation into your life will absolutely help me help you BETTER as we work through our acupuncture series.

Be Well,


Issues in Your Tissues Your Body is a BRILLIANT Teacher

Did you know your body has a voice? It talks to you regularly. It tells you what you need. The problem with many of us is that we haven't learned to listen…yet.

The truth is, your body is very patient. It first begins talking to you in a soft voice. It will continue telling you what is wrong. Then eventually, if the problem isn't resolved, your body starts SCREAMING at you!

Do you realize that your body told you that it was time to come in for acupuncture? Your body finally "spoke" loud enough for you to recognize its voice.

Good job for listening! I'm glad you are here, even if it took you awhile. :-)

SYMPTOMS are Messages

Symptoms of any kind are messages which tell you that your body is out of balance. When your body is out of balance, energy doesn't flow well. You wind up with physiological symptoms such as pain, nausea, cramps, headaches, constipation, insomnia, exhaustion, acid reflux, palpitations, weight gain, etc.

Sometimes we are aware of unresolved emotions we need to deal with. They are often subconscious, and we are not aware of how they are affecting us physically. Truth: You have to address the emotional aspects of your illness in order to heal completely.

Emotions in Relation to Chronic Pain

Emotions are symptoms as well. If you are feeling anger, irritability, stress, resentment, fear—your body is telling you that it's time to make a change. When old emotions get stuffed down, they create a blockage which will inevitably need to be dealt with in the future. We call these "unresolved emotions."


Your muscles have memory. Even though you may have moved on from that moment, thinking you had resolved the issue, sometimes when there is an extreme emotion, your body subconsciously holds onto that memory—causing "Issues in your Tissues.”

What if you Knew How to Listen and Respond to Stuck Energy IMMEDIATELY?

Somewhere around age 50 I became aware of my body. I learned to listen. I learned to feel. I learned what it feels like to let go of old emotions. I learned to recognize where fear, anger, hurt, and resentment get stuck in my body. Then I learned how to shift it. Immediately. In the very moment I feel it. Oh how I wish I had known how to make this change earlier in my life! I would have lived just a little differently. I would have taught my children to be more mindful, thus saving them from years of packed down emotions leading to chronic pain.

It's too late to go back and change my past, but I CAN change my future. I can help you too. I think you are ready. That's why you are here, right?

Here are Some Important Questions to Ask Yourself

Imagine if you had learned as a child how to recognize stuck energy in your body. Would your life be different?

What if you could catch yourself mid-thought—feel stuck in your gut—and do something physically to make that change immediately? Would you make the change?

What if I told you that your acupuncture treatment will be more effective if you read a book first? Would you do what it would take?

What if I taught you how to recognize and change the energetic flow in your body, even when you are sitting at a stop light? Would you make the effort?

What if I could teach you how to let go of old emotions that are causing you pain many years later? Would you be brave enough to face them so you could fully resolve your pain?

Let's Get Started

I'm going to help you to put your body in balance with acupuncture. You came for acupuncture because you want to heal. We are going to work as a team.

You are going to help me help you BETTER by learning about emotions and how they affect your body.

Read this book: "Issues in Your Tissues”. You are going to love it. Denise La Barre is an amazing teacher. She'll teach you how to recognize stuck energy in the body on a daily basis. AND—she'll teach you techniques to make energetic changes in the very moment you feel stuck.


Honestly, I wish I had learned her philosophies earlier in life. I use these techniques personally. We will also use them together during our acupuncture sessions.

HOMEWORK:

I'd like you to read the first TWO CHAPTERS of "Issues in Your Tissues" before our next acupuncture visit.

• Breathing Like You Mean It • Your Fabulous Body Electric

The rest of the book you can read in bite-sized pieces.

Together we will help your body to heal.

I'm looking forward to our journey together. Incorporating what you learn from "Issues in Your Tissues" will help me help you BETTER as we work through your acupuncture series.

Be Well,

References

La Barre, D. (2012). Issues in your tissues: Heal body and emotion from the inside out. Haiku, HI: Healing Catalyst Press.

Denise La Barre runs a private massage practice in Maui. If you are ever there, I'd suggest you look her up. Here is her website. https://healingcatalyst.com


https://healingcatalyst.com

Inflammation

Chronic Inflammation We have found that most health related conditions have one common component—inflammation. Chronic inflammation is your body's natural response to prolonged stress that primarily comes from your diet, lifestyle or other environmental factors. Inflammation affects all of the systems within the body.

Lifestyle

There are many lifestyle contributors to inflammation including: inflammatory foods, environmental toxins, lack of exercise, dehydration, prescription medications, hormonal imbalances, whole food deficiencies, postural stress, inadequate sleep, over-the-counter meds, and work/emotional stress.

Symptoms

How do you know if you you are suffering from inflammation? Your body will tell you. Take a look at these symptoms. Are you experiencing any of them?

Symptoms are your body's way of trying to communicate with you. With early signs of inflammation, your body will whisper.

Disease

As inflammation becomes more and more of a problem your body will start yelling at you with MORE and MORE symptoms which eventually lead to DISEASE.

Diseases related to chronic inflammation can be reduced with: • Diet • Exercise • Lifestyle Changes • and Acupuncture!


Symptoms Related to Inflammation

Weight GainFatigue

Brain FogRestless Sleep

Joint PainStomach PainGas/Bloating

High CholesterolWeaknessHeadachesMuscle PainAcid Reflux

ConstipationHigh Blood Pressure

High Blood Sugar

Diseases Related to Chronic Inflammation

DiabetesObesity

Heart DiseaseArthritis

Alzheimer's DiseaseOsteoporosis

Irritable Bowel DiseaseRenal Disease

CancerStroke

FibromyalgiaDepression

Auto-immune DisordersPancreatitisChronic Pain

We Have Solutions to Help Inflammation begins in the gut, so along with acupuncture, we also recommend dietary and lifestyle changes.

First step includes: Drink more water, get your body moving, avoid fast food and processed food, and get good sleep.

If you are experiencing multiple symptoms of inflammation, I recommend a 7 day cleanse which is really good at resetting your digestive system. For those with really extreme conditions I recommend a 28 day cleanse.

The program is pretty simple and includes real foods, along with products to help to detox your liver and kidney.

We also have delicious supplements to add to your daily diet to help reduce the accumulation of inflammation: • Inflammedix Capsules: Turmeric, Bosellia, and Ginger extract in a capsule to reduce inflammation,

and relieve pain. • Aomega Plus: Reduces inflammation; balances the immune system; pain relief of bone and joints;

healthier brain, eyes, skin, and hair; and strengthens the heart by normalizing triglyceride levels. • Pure Greens: Delicious fresh apple green drink to lower blood glucose, strengthen the immune

system, detox the liver, strengthen the cardiovascular function, and promote cellular health.

You can read more about it here: https://nutragen.com

The REAL Goal is Lifestyle

Ask me about my favorite cookbook, written by one of my favorite mentors, Dr. Daniel Nuzum. Dr. Nuzum and his wife Gina Nuzum Orozco help patients with extreme health conditions detox naturally.

I'm really excited to see where your journey takes you. Resolving inflammation is the key to longterm results. A lifestyle to resolve inflammation in your gut will help me help you BETTER as we work through you acupuncture series.

Be Well,


"Gina and I have written this book together and it is our hope that through this content, you will derive a deeper understanding about the many sources of toxins, how they contribute to illness, and the process of detoxification, helping you further develop your own understanding of your body's natural healing process."

— Dr. Nuzum

https://nutragen.com

26 S Baltic Avenue, Suite 100Meridian, ID 83642License #: Acu-244NPI: 1164677407

(Insert Date)

Dear Dr. {Insert Doctor Name},

My name is Kimberly Thompson, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, nationally certified and licensed in the state of Idaho. I am writing you in regards to a mutual patient we are co-treating for fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia Discussion:

As you are aware, fibromyalgia is a complex pain syndrome that is difficult to diagnose and treat. Currently, most patients who present in my office are being treated for fibromyalgia by their primary care physicians with pharmaceuticals, including anti-depressants, NSAIDS, anti-convulsant medications, and psychoactive drugs such as benzodiazepine.

“While drugs have been shown to reduce pain to variable extents, current meta-analysis on the subject of fibromyalgia suggests that “management of [Fibromyalgia Syndrome] patients should integrate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches [to treatment] while engaging patients as active participants in the process” (Russell, 2008). On the other hand, because diagnosis and treatment is investigational in nature, diagnosis often leads to excessive drug therapy with an array of unwanted side effects (Lichtenstein, 2018). Recommendations for a multimodal treatment approach includes adjunct therapies: acupuncture, massage therapy, meditation, tai chi, and yoga (Nahin, 2012; Theoharides TC2015).

The World Health Organization (WHO) supports acupuncture as an excellent adjunct therapy for our fibromyalgia patients. According to the WHO, the main symptoms associated with fibromyalgia (including chronic pain, fatigue, insomnia, stress, mood disorders, depression, anxiety, and disturbed sleep) are commonly treated in an acupuncture clinic (WHO 2018).

Experience:

At Meridian Family Acupuncture, we have been treating fibromyalgia patients for more than 20 years with excellent results. Our multi-faceted treatment approach includes acupuncture, massage therapy and patient education regarding diet and meditation, along with an array of patient education stress-resolving techniques. With this multi-faceted approach, patients typically experience a significant reduction in chronic pain, stress levels, insomnia, depression, and mood swings, which then leads to the ability to transition from the plethora of pharmaceuticals which have compounded over time.

Medical Report: Patient: (Insert Patient Name)

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Theoharides%20TC%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=26306765

Chief Complaint: Fibromyalgia, fatigue, insomnia

Patient Goal: The patient would like to resolve pain, fatigue, and insomnia with acupuncture, with the hope of eliminating many of her current medications for pain, emotions, and sleep.

History of Presenting Illness: {Insert Patient Name} is a 53-year-old woman with widespread, moderate to severe migrating pain, fatigue, and insomnia. Other notable symptoms include restless legs, weight gain, TMJ, IBS, depression, nervousness, hives, and dizziness. The patient began experiencing chronic pain after her divorce in 2010. Pain at that time was considered moderate.

Current Medications: The patient’s current list of medications include: tramadol, 100 mg per night; acetaminophen and hydrocodone, as needed; pramipexole, 1.5 mg at night; clonazepam, 0.5 mg per night; Zoloft 25 mg/day; Tylenol PM; and Ambien, as needed.

Past Medical History: The patient has no significant past medical history in relation to fibromyalgia.

Chinese Medicine Diagnosis: According to modern clinical studies, acupuncture pathways follow fascia tissue planes throughout the body. In our clinic, we do an AcuGraph examination to measure electrical skin resistance on acupuncture points to tell us which pathways are out of balance. AcuGraph gives us a baseline diagnostic of the acupuncture pathways, which include muscular pain, internal medicine disorders, and emotional tendencies.

Initial Baseline Analysis:

Key:

• Each of the 12 acupuncture pathways may include symptoms in relation to blood flow in the muscular pathways, digestion, and/or emotions.

• GREEN shows balance and signifies good circulation in the acupuncture pathways. (*Typically, in most cases green indicates less overall symptoms.)

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• RED often signifies ACUTE conditions within the pathway. • BLUE often signifies CHRONIC conditions within the pathway.• PURPLE signifies an imbalance between the right and left side of the body—which is often pain

related.

Overall Balance Score:

Recommended Acupuncture Treatment Schedule: Based on AcuGraph analysis, we recommend a three month treatment plan involving a multi-modality treatment approach, which may include body acupuncture, ear acupuncture, cupping, massage, vibrational therapy, and/or herbal therapy.

Our three-month treatment plan includes:

• Initial series for acute care: Two treatments per week for three weeks• Management series: One treatment a week for a six week duration—or longer, based on

evaluation at nine weeks.• Maintenance care: Monthly wellness appointment.

Prognosis: Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition with no specific cure. Research shows that patients treated with a multi-disciplinary team–including a primary care physician to oversee medications and adjunct therapies such as acupuncture and massage therapy–overtime experience significant improvement with symptoms.

At the end of the three month treatment, it is our desire to see the patient’s symptoms decrease to a point they are manageable with self-help, lifestyle management and/or over-the-counter remedies for occasional mild/moderate pain control.

An Integrative Approach: Thank you for your time. I look forward to working in conjunction with you and your patient for an integrative multimodality treatment approach to fibromyalgia.

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The Personal Integrative Energetic or P.I.E Score reflects the patient’s overall energetic balance and integration. A higher score is better.

The purpose of the P.I.E. Score is to give us a convenient way to compare results from treatment to treatment.

Our goal: 85-100

Within the next two to three months, I’ll expect (patient name) to follow-up with you for a reevaluation of current medications in relation to current fibromyalgia symptoms —including pain, depression, anxiety, and insomnia —in hopes that many of these medications will no longer be necessary.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me regarding (patient name) or any other patients with fibromyalgia symptoms who may benefit from an expanded integrative treatment approach including acupuncture.

Best Regards,

Dr. Kimberly Thompson, DACM, MSTOM, L.Ac. Meridian Family Acupuncturekimberly@familyacu.com208-965-3777MeridianFamilyAcupuncture.com

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mailto:[email protected]

References

ACUPUNCTURE: REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF REPORTS ON CONTROLLED ... (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.iama.edu/OtherArticles/acupuncture_WHO_full_report.pdf

Colbert, A. P., Spaulding, K., Larsen, A., Ahn, A. C., & Cutro, J. A. (2011). Electrodermal Activity at Acupoints: Literature Review and Recommendations for Reporting Clinical Trials. Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, 4(1), 5-13. doi:10.1016/s2005-2901(11)60002-2

Evidence-Based Evaluation of Complementary Health Approaches for Pain Management in the United States. Nahin RL1, Boineau R2, Khalsa PS2, Stussman BJ2, Weber WJ2.

J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2015 Nov;355(2):255-63. doi: 10.1124/jpet.115.227298. Epub 2015 Aug 25.

Lichtenstein, A., Tiosano, S., & Amital, H. (2018). The complexities of fibromyalgia and its comorbidities. Current Opinion in Rheumatology, 30(1), 94-100. doi:10.1097/bor.0000000000000464

Nahin RL. Estimates of pain prevalence and severity in adults: United States, 2012. J Pain. 2015;16(8):769–780. [PMC free article] [PubMed]

The complexities of fibromyalgia and its comorbidities., Lichtenstein A1,2, Tiosano S1,2, Amital H1,2. 2018. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2018 Jan;30(1):94-100. doi: 10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29040155

Theoharides, T. C., Tsilioni, I., Arbetman, L., Panagiotidou, S., Stewart, J. M., Gleason, R. M., & Russell, I. J. (2015). Fibromyalgia Syndrome in Need of Effective Treatments. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 355(2), 255-263. doi:10.1124/jpet.115.227298

WHO traditional medicine strategy, 2014-2023. (2013). Geneva: World Health Organization

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http://www.iama.edu/OtherArticles/acupuncture_WHO_full_report.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Nahin%20RL%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=27594189

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Boineau%20R%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=27594189

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Khalsa%20PS%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=27594189

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Stussman%20BJ%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=27594189

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Weber%20WJ%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=27594189

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4562413/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26028573

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Lichtenstein%20A%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=29040155

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Tiosano%20S%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=29040155

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Amital%20H%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=29040155



Think Like an Acupuncturist Lung

Kimberly Thompson, L.Ac. Think Like an Acupuncturist AcuGrowth 2019

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Kimberly Thompson, L.Ac. Palpitation Chart AcuGrowth 2019

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