I have recently seen a patient who had pain in her foot radiating up from her big toe. It was severe enough make walking very uncomfortable and to prevent her from standing on the foot for long periods of time. She had suffered with the pain for many months and nothing she had tried had helped relieve it. As she described the pain it seemed to me to follow the path of the Liver meridian. This patient had also had an operation some years ago on her foot and a heavy scar crossed the pathway between Liver 2 and Liver 3 acupuncture points, about an inch from the base of the big toe. I thought the scar might be blocking the qi so I needled the two ends of the scar and the sides of the scar where the Liver pathway intersected it. At the same time I needled Liver1,2 and 3 all with evens technique. I wanted to move the qi as I thought the pain was the result of stagnation - things were simply not moving.



I repeated this treatment weekly over the course of five weeks and the results were good. The patient reported a lessening of the pain each week until there was only a residual ache in the area of the first metatarso-phalangeal joint - the base of the big toe. She reported being able to go walking the in Peaks and to be able to stand on the foot for long periods without pain.



Sometimes pain seems to stem from the qi not flowing in the meridian and inserting needles along the pathway - in the local area and distally- gets the qi moving and the result is a reduction of pain and an improvement in mobility. I have found that this type of treatment can help pain in the shoulder and in the elbow.

Spring is on its way. The bulbs are coming up, the buds are swelling on the trees and shrubs and the sun is higher in the sky. At this time of year it is possible to feel the energetic change in season very clearly. If you go for a walk you can see that the birds and animals are changing their behaviour. They were quiet in the winter and reserved their energy. As spring approaches they liven up. They build nests. They get frisky! They are in tune with the seasonal shift. Human beings are part of nature too and also should live in harmony with the seasons.Unfortunately few of us do.
It is not really possible to slow our lives down in the cold dark days of winter and reserve our energy for the spring – though this is what most animals of our size would do in a temperate climate zone. Hibernation does not fit in well with modern life styles. Most employers would take a dim view. When Spring comes we feel it like any other creature – we are part of nature. The problem is that many of us have been working hard through the winter when we should have been resting. We have artificial light. We have air-freighted food. We have stress and deadlines and too much coffee at work. People do not always make the seasonal adjustment well.
In my acupuncture practice I find that many of my patients feel a little ropey at this time of year. They often say they feel a bit 'unbalanced' in the early spring. This is often reflected in their pulses.. If acupuncture has helped a person in the past it worked by helping to restore the balance of qi in their body. Even if a person is feeling well it can be a good idea to come in for a 'tune up' when the seasons change to protect this balance. In traditional Chinese medicine it is always considered wise to catch imbalance quickly and to prevent it getting more severe.

Quite a few patients have asked me recently -how often should I come back once my 'main complaint' has improved. I usually say that there is no simple answer - everyone is different. As rule of thumb it is a good idea to come back if you feel you are beginning to slide into ill health - by which I mean it is better not to wait until the symptoms are so horrible you feel you must do something about them. It is easier to deal with things earlier on.

I would also say that it is a good idea to see an acupuncturist when the seasons change. In Five Element theory people are part of nature and respond to the energetic changes that occur with the seasons. The approach of autumn or the onset of winter for can effect people emotionally. Others wilt in the summer. People often find the transitional times between seasons difficult and as a practitoner I have noticed that there seem to be more blocks and imbalances on the pulses at these times of year. It is a good idea to have a 'tune up' - get the pulses evened up. I go to see my own acupuncturist seasonally and I feel the better for it.