Lecture presented at a local retirement community.

1. ACUPUNCTURE
zhen jiu fa
Inspiring the body to heal
Zachary B. Corbett
Licensed Acupuncturist

2. Licensed Acupuncturists
• Licensed and regulated by the Oregon Board of Medical
Examiners.
• Our scope of practice in Oregon is quite broad and
includes prescribing herbs and supplements,
acupuncture, nutritional counseling, manual bodywork
therapies.
• California training is for a much broader scope of practice,
more akin to N.D.’s in Oregon.
• Trained to accurately measure clinical progress, assess
other medical needs.
• Training in CA takes 4 years full-time post graduate work
at a state/ federally accredited college.

3. Myself
• Practicing in Oregon for the last 3 years, and previously in
Santa Barbara for 5 years.
• Before that I was a molecular biologist at the VA Westwood
investigating anti-ulcer drugs.
• Practicing in Oregon for the last 3 years, and previously in
Santa Barbara, CA. for 5 years.
• Use both Chinese and Japanese styles of acupuncture.

4. “The web that has no weaver”

5. History
First evidence of use of channels 5000 BCE: Otzi valley
ice man’s tattoos align his medical problems with modern
acupuncture theory.
Survived in China because the Chinese were rather good
at writing things down - first book was about 600 BCE.
17th century anatomists show that acupuncture points are
at safe locations on body. Confirmed by british surgeons
in the 1930’s.
Early use in USA in 1950’s by orthopedic surgeons
Brought to popular attention in the west by Nixon’s China
summit: James Reston had acupuncture analgesia during
an appendectomy.

6. (also spe"ed Ki, Chi, Ch’i)
Best to think of Qi as function. The Qi of the Stomach
is to receive food, produce acid, etc. The Qi of the eyes is
to see.
Qi is also energy. One can talk about energy as quality,
such as “he puts a lot of energy into his family.”
Qi is information, fuel, order.
Qi also parallels contemporary physics - energy and matter
interchange,
Qi = m.c2

7. 72 Channels, with branches to every cell in
the body.
Traditionally thought to be the highways
and byways that Qi flows along.
Roughly follow the paths of nerves, blood
vessels.
Qi flow helps the communication between
the different areas of the body, e.g. between
Heart and Kidneys

8. Safe places on the body to use
acupuncture needles
365 Main channel points all over the body.
Most are in large muscles
100 Points on each ear.
Depth of insertion varies from a
millimeter to 6 inches or more - a" with
the same comfort levels.

9. Understanding acupuncture channels:
Emergent Functions
• Uncooked rice spread on a metal
plate.
• The metal is vibrated.
• At different frequencies, an impressive
range of geometries appear.
• These geometries are “emerging” from
the inherent properties of the metal
acting on the rice.
• Notice that there are no walls on the
metal plate until the peaks and troughs
of the sound wavelength create them.
Likewise, studying anatomy from a cadaver to look for acupuncture
channels would be like looking for these geometries on plate that
is not vibrating.

10. Immune System,
Blood, Nerves,
Brain

11. Physiological changes that can
be measured after
acupuncture
Increase in blood flow to problem, ischemic areas of the
body.
Changes in immune system factors in the blood - increase
white blood cells, compliment activation, Ig modulation.
Changes in blood chemistry - cortisol and other circulating
hormone levels.
Endorphin release stimulated in the brain.
Changes in brain activity followed on brain scan images.

12. Difficulty of doing clinical
trials with acupuncture
You are doing something to a person who is awake and can
see what is going on.
Most people can feel if something is inserted into their
bodies.
“Sham Acupuncture” -
1. Like jury selection, you find someone who has never
had acupuncture and has not heard too many
descriptions about what to expect...(Exactly how much is too many?)
2. You put up a screen between the patient’s eyes and the
target acupuncture point.
3. You tap an empty tube onto the point, and hope they
can’t tell the difference.

13. Difficulty of doing clinical
trials with acupuncture
Science requires “double blind placebo controlled
study”
Acupuncturists do not make treatment designs based
off western diagnoses.
We “do what is necessary.” Our training is to design
individual, case specific parameters :
Needle size. Number of sessions Removal of
Intensity of per week. interfering lifestyle
stimulation. Use of moxa or not. choices or not:
Duration of a Needle technique. posture, diet, work
treatment. Points selected habits etc.

14. Recent clinical efficacy studies
suggesting benefits of method
Menopausal symptoms: insomnia, anxiety, hot flashes.
Osteoarthritis of the knee: reduction of pain, inflammation.
Post-op recovery of head/ neck surgeries.
Hypertension
Multiple sclerosis - fatigue, pain, remission maintenance
Fibromyalgia symptoms

15. National Institutes of
Health Consensus
Allergies Epilepsy Post surgical
Anxiety Emotional recuperation
Arthritis difficulties Painful
Asthma Eczema periods
Back pain Gastric Sleep
Childhood disturbances problems
diseases Heart disease Stress
Chronic Industrial/ Stroke
fatigue sports TMJ
Colds and flu injuries syndrome
Difficulty Infertility Trigeminal
concentrating neuralgia

17. Safety Record
Over 2000 years of recorded anatomical study (in
Europe since 17th century)
Training develops a high level of delicacy and fine
motor control.
Most frequent complications are transient nausea,
lightheadedness, bruising.
There are more serious complications possible,
but modern technique, modern tools and modern
training have largely eradicated these.

18. “...It’s comfortable!?!”
I see that at least 60% of my patients fall asleep during
the session. More have “myoclonic spasms” that are
normal for peri-sleep brain waves.
Designed to work via the body’s natural healing ability
which relies heavily on relaxation. If I go about my day
stressing people out I could never get any results.
Some people feel nothing, some people feel unusual
sensations like electricity, pressure or a moving warmth.
There is nothing in western culture to compare it to.
Absolutely and tota"y unrelated to injections.

19. When is it safe to use acupuncture?
If condition is not currently life threatening.
If life threatening, that the acupuncture therapy will not
interfere with other life saving measures.
No diabetic neuropathy, clotting disorder.
If receiving no treatment will not exacerbate the problem.
If biomedicine is simply not working.
Fundamentally Your choice 
If biomedical treatment options & side effects are worse
than the disease and there is time to safely defer standard
treatment - alternative medicine is the best place to start
or transition to.

20. CASE STUDIES
Of patients in my Eugene clinic

21. Case Study #1: “Mary”
‣ A 60 year old woman with chronic arthritis in both
knees. 6/10 walking; 8 /10 pain level with stairs. Worse
in morning. Severe health problems, not a good candidate for
knee replacement surgery. 600mg ibuprofen/ day.
‣ Started with 1 hour treatment, Tuesday and Friday.
Acupuncture and moxibustion each session.
‣ 1st week: pain gone for 2 hours after treatment, then
returns to usual pattern.
‣ 4th week: pain down 80% for day after session, 50% for
day after, then returns at a consistent 6-7/10 or less,
depending on activity level. Ibuprofen down to 400 mg,
4 days per week.

22. Case Study #1: “Mary”
‣ 7th week: pain down 80% or more (stairs & walking) for
2-3 days after session, reduce frequency to once per
week due to transportation difficulties.
‣ By end of 3rd month: Walking is mostly comfortable and
is able to climb stairs with 4/10 pain. Patient estimates
only using ibuprofen 1-2 times per week, depending on
activity levels.

23. Case Study #1: “Laura”
‣ A 43 year old woman, co-owns a nursery. Diagnosed
with ankylosing spondylitis 10 years ago. Pain is most
severe in the left elbow and in the neck. Worse with
movement, slightly better with rest but job makes it
difficult to take rest periods. Feels very distraught and
hopeless as western prognosis is very poor. 8-9/10 “or
more” severe burning, aching. Can not get comfortable.
Can only make once per week sessions, only most weeks.
‣ At the second session, I spent 30 minutes after
treatment showing her stretches.
‣ At the third session, I taught her how to perform
moxibustion on herself. Goes home with written
instructions and some moxa poles ($1 each pole).

24. Case Study #1: “Laura”
‣ 1st session: Pain down 50% for several hours. A
profound feeling of well being that she has not felt “for
years” that lasted even when pain levels rose again.
‣ By 3rd week, has significantly reduced her suffering. Is
able to extend benefit of session by 2 whole days using
her “homework.”
‣ By the end of her 2nd month, episodes of maximal pain
are down to 1-3 times per week. Ibuprofen is much
more effective at these times. Sleeping better, feels
“more comfortable in her own skin.”
‣ Discontinued acupuncture around 4th month for financial
reasons (no insurance). Continues stretching and
moxibustion with much improved general quality of life.

25. Downtown between Oak & Pearl
Zachary B. Corbett, L.Ac.
132 East Broadway, Suite 312

27. Traditional Chinese Medicine
T.C.M.
I am trained to monitor clinical progress:
warning signs
use of SOAP notes
telephone follow ups
symptom journal design for
home use -
diet, basal body temperature,
activity vs. pain log, others)