Acupuncture Books

As a student of TCM, I am always looking for reference books, and this one is excellent. I would recommend it to anyone, from student to practitioner.

A Pratical Dictionary of Chinese Medicine, by Nigel Wiseman, is the best, so far. The Chinese language is quite dificult. To be able to translate it one must also speak, read and write English very well. We still have to have more then one dictionary to compare.

I received the book, 'The Practical Dictionary of Chinese Medicine' direct from Amazon. I have to say, there's nothing like it in English that I have encountered so far in my studies of Chinese medicine dating back to 1984. Of course, back then, Dan Bensky's book, 'Acupuncture, A Comprehensive Text' was still relatively hot off the press and his herbal series weren't out yet. The 'Essentials of Chinese Acupuncture' was the standard text at most acupuncture schools in the U.S. We've come a long way: clearly, Wiseman's terminological linguistics have made Chinese medical concepts and terms really accessible to the non-Chinese fluent student and practitioner. It's apparent that Wiseman is setting the standard for Chinese medical translations in English for our time. No one even comes close, though I do think that Blue Poppy Press puts out some outstanding books and there are other clinical publications that I have found very useful. All that said: an authoritative and linguistically consistent dictionary is absolutely necessary and I believe that Wiseman's is the one to get! I give this book 5+ stars. Of course, no book can ever have everything but that goes without saying.

- Richard Caiander, Licensed Acupuncturist, Massachusetts

Serious students of Chinese medicine can essentially learn all of Chinese medicine from this single book. It is the single most important English language book currently available on Chinese medicine, bar none.

*except for Flaws - they must use the same translation book.

This book has a lot of information; it is NOT a dictionary, - it has strategies, some history, and even prescribes a few formulas for certain conditions.

This book sucks...

1. because the authors choose to use words like vacuous and replete instead of excess and deficient (they use great big mouthy college words where a simple word works - an 8th grade paper that overuses the thesaurus);
2. because you need to sort through the 250 page index and still not find the topic you are looking for
3. because it is not organized well at all. POOR editing!

E.G.>>> look up thirsting and wasting, not there. look up xiao ke, it refers you to "dispersion thirst" - obviously the most common term for this condition?
Try finding wei syndrome, or muscle wasting. it is not there. But, I randomly found a snippet under "wilting."

Literally, 5/10 really common conditions, are really hard to find in this huge book. Huge because the author is trying to show up the most least used big words committee for abstraction and idioretardicalismaticism.

it always astounds me when folks who don't study think that by briefly skimming a review book they'll score 100%!!!
come on.
this book is a COMPLEMENT to what you should have already been taught in massage therapy school. that's what you paid for right? an education? & it wasn't cheap, right?
if you did pay attention in school, this is a fantastic book, easily laid out in test-like format, and with the answers at the end of each chapter. you can see the areas you need more study on. take the quizzes, note your weaknesses, and work on them. don't over-study what you already know. get this at least 2 weeks before the exam, and use it a bit each day.

then pass the darned national exam!

i thought the book was ok, but it was not what i thought it would be. i do not feel fully prepared to take the boards for massage therapy. i feel there should be more questions on the disk. The book did help some but not to the extent i wished.

Great book, lots of info, perfect to study for the boards!

Q&A Review's layout was well thought out. Answers are separate from questions so there is no chance to "sneak a peak" before your brain engages. Answers are in full sentances, not just bullet points. Nice reading choice when you use public transport!

The time that it took for papers to be processed for the exam was waaay too long. I was pretty nervous and had lost some of my confidence about information retention. The questions in this review book are set up closely to the national exam for therapeutic massage and bodywork. The exam includes a lot of Chinese Medicine and Shiatsu questions so I would suggest some extra study on these topics. I did not use the audio c.d. that came with this book...it was not necessary. This was the only study guide that I used along with notes from school and I scored "high" under all subjects.

I recommend this book to everyone. I am living proof that
alternative medicine works. It is well worth the read. I
am sure you will learn things you didn't know.

If you want to know about the field of energy medicine, the truth about faith healing and the myths abour drugs and traditional medicine, look no fuurther than this well written work by two of the fields shining lights.
The book is so exciting and interesting I could hardly put it down. Sections will leave you stunned asking yourself "Is this possible? And the evidecne of there finding are included.
I hated to get to the end. Find out about the new medical paradign, influenced by quantum physics, that is changing the way we see and repair emotional and physical problems.
John Laughlin, author of Reading Thomas Merton

Reviewed by Terry South for Reader Views (3/07)

"Soul Medicine" conveys that a vibrant spiritual connection is essential to wellness. The author's contend that there is a spiritual connection which is established in the consciousness and through intention which they state can alter the bodies' energy field. You will find these principles described in the book as well as many scientific studies that demonstrate the power of consciousness to heal.

Norman Shealy, MD, PhD is a neurosurgeon and is the founding president of the American Holistic Medical Association. And Dawson Church, PhD, is currently researching Quantum Medicine, which is the exploration of the newest studies on the effects of the consciousness on DNA.

The entire book is so intriguing and engaging, but I will have to say that my favorite chapter is Chapter 10 entitled "Your Personal Soul Connection Inventory." The authors state that "a healthy relationship with your soul, and using soul medicine as primary care, is the best thing you can do for your body." In this chapter they list characteristics which they have found to be common to people with a vibrant soul connection. The characteristics include all the following: forgiveness, tolerance, serenity, faith, reason, hope, motivation, consistency, community, joy, gratitude, and love, all of which are explained in detail. You will also find within this chapter that they include a soul connection inventory of 50 items in which you add up your own personalized score and interpret your own results.

Being a nurse, I know that stress affects the body, the more stress a person endures and has in their life, they eventually begin to adapt, thereby reducing our threshold for new stress is lowered which eventually causes a cascading effect on us. Stress plays a major role in disease, all of which is explained within "Soul Medicine." The holistic approach to medicine is on the rise in our nation and "Soul Medicine" brings to our attention the issues of consciousness and intention.

The authors explain that your consciousness holds the key to your own well being, and even small shifts in energy and awareness can produce major shifts in our health. They continue on and include a look at the history of faith healers, and trace the factors that were and are common to healings they term as "miraculous healings."

"Soul Medicine" is intelligent and engaging, and I found it difficult to put down. This is a very highly recommended read for anyone who is interested in their health and well-being.

Norman Shealy and Dawson Church complement each other nicely in this lively and enlightening discussion on many of the roads to healing. Some chapters are authored by each, others appear (by implication of no identifying author) to have been written jointly.
The premise of soul medicine is this: We allow the perfect consciousness of health contained in the soul to express freely in the patient's energy system. Through this intention, healing is triggered in heart, mind and body. (p. 31)
Shealy contributes his wealth of knowledge about medical aspects of Soul Medicine, including bioelectrical and nutritional therapies. What is most impressive about Shealy's work, teaching and writing is that he walks his own talk. He checks out the therapies he recommends on himself, to the extent possible. What is even more impressive is that Shealy is looking younger each year, following the regimen he lays out in this and in his other books.
Church contributes his personal and researched understanding of the spiritual side of the healing spectrum, including several startling physical healings effected personally through spiritual healing.
Both authors contribute to understanding the energetic paths to healing and suggest helpful ways in which we can access and apply soul medicine to heal our physical and psychological problems.
This is an easy read, a helpful introduction to unconventional approaches to healing for anyone who would like to explore beyond the bounds of conventional medicine. For those wishing to explore further, generous references open doorways to further study.

I just finished reading Soul Medicine: Awakening Your Inner Blueprint for Abundant Health and Energy by Norman Sheali,
MD, Ph.D. and Dawson Church, Ph.D..

The book is broken down into five sections, the first two dealing with the history of health, medicine, healing and healers and the last three explains Quantum Healing, Energy, Electricity and Therapy, and Soul Medicine of the Future.

The authors explain, "The premise of soul medicine is this: We allow the perfect consciousness of health contained in the soul to express freely in the patient's energy system. Through this intention, healing is triggered in heart, mind, and body."

They go on to explain "The Three Pillars of Soul Medicine":
1)'The concept of the human being as an energy system; every atom in the body vibrates at a certain energy level and we are electromagnetic entities.' (31), 2)'Consciousness is the second pillar as our energy systems are affected by consciousness.' (32), 3)'Intention - provides the power, the motive force, to set in motion the complex chain of events that result in healing.' (35)

In chapter nine the authors list 14 soul healing practices:
meridian-based therapies, color and light, homeopathy, sound, touch and healing, aromatherapy, biofeedback, manipulation, meditation, electromagnetic stimulation, traditional medical practices, prayer and faith healing, conscious lifestyle, and subconscious reprogramming. MMMM - no mention of environmental healing and/or Feng Shui healing - although it could be argued that color/light, sound, and aromatherapy could be a part of environmental healing that isn't what I'm talking about.

Some people are in buildings, whether at work, home, or store's, a big percentage of their life and most of those buildings are harming your health and your soul! Our buildings are sick!

I do want to give the authors credit where on page 203 they do start discussing the influence of electromagnetic fields on people and the world. And somewhat about water; however I guess I would like to see more about pollutants in our buildings that effect us as well; perhaps in their second edition they'll consider adding more with regards to this topic as I feel it would make a nice addition to an already good and informative read.

By this I mean that the illustrations are beautiful, sure, but that they show so much. Color illustrations on every page: photos, diagrams, charts, drawings, art.

Table of Contents Highlights...

Foreword
How to Use This Book
Introduction

The Whole View
Historical Overview
The Future

The Ideas Behind Chinese Medicine
- Basic Principles
- Basic Substances
- The Meridian System
- Zangfu System
- Causes of Disharmony

The Chinese Approach to Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Techniques
- Patters of Disharmony

The Chinese Approach to Treatment
- Modalities
- Accupuncture
- Herbalism
- Quigong
- Lifestyle
- Bringing It Together

Next Steps
Further Reading
Glossary
Index

Over 3000 years old, Chinese medicine is based on the Taoist holistic vision of balancing all the body harmonies. This book is a lavishly illustrated and complete guide to every aspects of this tradition. It is not a self-help book, but a guide explaining the concepts and principles and providing a detailed description of certain therapeutic exercises that everyone can use to optimise health.

Part One explores the theories behind the medicine, including basic principles like Yi and Yang, the basic substances like Qi and energy flow, the meridian system, the zangfu system and the causes of disharmony.

Part Two considers the Chinese approach to diagnosis, including diagnostic techniques like looking, hearing, questioning and touching, and includes an overview of the patterns of disharmony.

Part Three deals with Chinese approaches to treatment, including the principles of treatment and diagnosis and specific modalities like acupuncture, herbalism, qigong and lifestyle factors such as exercise, diet and feng shui.

The Further Reading section consists of bibliographies under headings like general, herbal, diet and others. A list of useful addresses in various countries is supplied and the At-A-Glance Directory is an illustrative index to finding treatments. The book concludes with a glossary and index and contains full colour illustrations and photographs.

As someone who has been practicing Chinese Medicine for 16 years in San Diego (www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com), I find this book an excellent resource for anyone who wants and in dept primer into the theoretical basis and practical application of a system of medicine that originates in the Chinese philosophy that emphasizes the natural balance found in Nature and agriculture.

Concise and clear introduction to Chinese Medicine. Easy to read and understand.

This is an excellent book to have as a reference fo eastern methodologies in medicine and healing. Unfortunately it is long out of print, but if you can get your hands on a copy of this text, you will not be dissappointed. In fact, if you are unhappy with it, I will be happy to purchase it from you as I have many peers that would happily use it.

Ever go to a yoga class and the teacher gives you a gentle touch in just the right place that makes your body relax or open into a pose? That's the type of yoga teacher I aspire to be. I was hoping this book could help me learn some the pressure points I could incorporate into my adjustments. What I got out of the book is the re affirmation that yoga practice gives you all the acupressure you ever need.
I liked this book. It is a quick read and is well diagrammed so you can get a quick refresher on a certain subject of interest or you can read the whole book and get quite an education.
I am satisfied with the what I paid for it and the information I got out of it.

Since I am a librarian, usually I don't buy books that I can check out from the library. However, this book is definitely an exception. The first copy of this book I bought in the '80's. Since then, I have bought at least 8 copies. The first copy I let a friend borrow. They liked it so much that I let them keep it as a gift. After this happened with my next copy, I ordered 5 copies all of which I have given away. This last copy that I purchased I promised myself that I would keep. Every time that I didn't have one, I missed being able to look up all the information that I wanted to know. He very clearly connects the accu-pressure points with the yoga positions. As you can see, I love this book.

This is the one book that I recommend for anyone interested in yoga and overall health. By combining postures with meridians, (flows of energy thruout the body)and specific organs of the body, the information gives the yoga practitioner a more complete sense of the benefits of that posture. This also allows for a better focus, more mindfulness of the posture and intent. The photos and essays are clear and easy to view. Enjoy!

I'd agree that Gach writes a very straight forward and simple book. If you are a beginner to the acupressure/kinesiology world, you will easily understand the basics [with the aid of this book]. The book gives many useful points, but for general problems most of the time. His knowledge in some promblematic areas goes into more depth than others. So, if you are looking for help with a specific problem, little information might be given or non at all. For example, the book gives great explanations and cures for colds, indegestion, depression and headache, however, it explains very little about allergies and sinuses. Gach backs his explanations with a strong facts and basic common sense.

I think that the book could give a better explanation on how to stimulate points. The diagrams of the locations of points are very useful and understandable. Overall, the book is well organized and convienent. If done correctly, the Yoga exercises are very powerful. With just a couple of exercises you can be healed instantly. This book left me curious buy more books on acupressure and is great reference to find quick cures.

This is by far my favorite Yoga book. I have been practicing Hatha Yoga for years (Hatha Yoga is the physical Yoga that is the most common form in the Western world), but have discovered that many of the techniques and sets of asanas (exercises) described in Yoga books were not very tuned in to Westerners. Acu-Yoga combines Acupressure and Hatha Yoga into a very palatable form for the common Westerner. It is the best book I've seen as of yet for anyone suffering an acute or chronic disease or symptom. There are symptomatic exercises for such discomforts as the common cold, sinus problems, menstrual tension to exercises for more serious problems such as hypertension and spinal disorders. I have often warded off an oncoming flu or cold by following some of the advice in Acu-Yoga. There is additional supplemental advice from Michael Gach, in terms of lifestyle and nutritional imbalances - and very effective solutions to bring our bodies back into a state of harmony.

For instance, on our natural resistance to illness, Gach writes: "An ancient Indian method for maintaining resistance against illness is to swing a thick branch or club back and forth. The Yogis would do this when they felt any illness about to come on, since it was common knowledge that the tensions which accumulate between the shoulder blades contribute to illness. The swinging motion helped break down this tension. Swinging a baseball bat around moves and stretches the shoulder blades to release the tensions that collect there."

He goes on to describe the exact acupressure points around the tips of the shoulder blades, and then delves into a Yoga asana to help alleviate the oncoming flu or cold. Every exercise is complete with both a photo and an illustration, which details precisely his written directions. I have a terrible time learning physical things from books, even when they have illustrations and photos, but I have never had difficulty from Acu-Yoga.

Even if you aren't prone to illness or a symptomatic approach isn't for you, Acu-Yoga is split into 5 parts: a general introduction to the philosophies and practices of yoga and acupressure, a series of exercises based on the meridians (channels) of acupressure, a whole-body self-treatment emphasizing flexibility of the spine, a series of exercises that balance the chakras, and then the Acu-Yoga postures that benefit specific conditions.

This is a perfect book for the Westerner just beginning to practice Yoga, and for anyone who has an interest in expanding their current horizons of Hatha Yoga and Acupressure.

This book was very easy to understand and I even loaned it to my Chiropractor. I tried many of the tapping methods and they were all successful in the relief of pain and swelling. I highly recommend it.

this book and kinesio tape is just awesome. I have been suffering from a chronic muscular disorder from 3 years on my shoulder. after i heard about kinesio tape in olympics i tried to give it a try and believe me kinesio tape has worked wonders for me. my pain level has decreased to 10000 times and movements are also good in just three days of its first application. i just hope it keeps helping me and people who are suffering from chronic muscular pain.

With fibromyalgia and arthritis, Kinesio tape is a treasure.

I was applying it "ALMOST" properly on my thumb, but after buying the book, I found that slight changes made a huge difference. I have used the tape and the book for sciatica, tennis elbow, wrist and hand pain, and in every case, applying the tape as instructed in the book has diminished my pain, in some cases, eliminating it. I suffered with constant pain in my thumbs for years. After a few months of kinesio taping, I am pain free.

I can't recommend the book and the tape highly enough.

Any who suffer from chronic pain know that drugs and physical therapy - the common treatments for ailing backs - often don't do the job. Here's a guide to a new method of pain treatment - acutaping - which offers an easier alternative, involving an elastic cotton tape placed over painful muscles and joints. The taping directions here are designed to stimulate related acupuncture points as well as apply acupressure and massage science to the mix. Any bodywork health library needs this.

The book has too much background and not enough actual taping information. It could use hints and tips on how to tape areas that are not specifically shown, such as for hamstrings, I.T. band, anterior tibialis etc. Acupressure Taping: The Practice of Acutaping for Chronic Pain and Injuries
Taping like this can be very helpful but this book doesn't come close to giving the information needed to benefit from it.

An outstanding description of both the theory and the practice of Acupuncture. There are not many point locations charts and few from the French edition are reproduced. But the quality and the quantity of the text that describes those points makes up for the loss. If I could have only one book on Acupuncture, this one would be it.

I agree with the other reviews of this book - it is outstanding. One feature which should not be overlooked is that work was written in the 30s, and pre-dates the Maoist revisions of 'TCM' - there is still not a whole lot of material on the 'spiritual' aspects of points, etc., which many say were weeded out during the revisions, but it is still the most thorough textbook available on Chinese Medicine which is not largely shaped by the homogenizing efforts of the Cultural Revolution.

I was very excited about this book when I encountered it as an acupuncture student, mainly because of the psychological indications given for the points, and because I had not found such interesting psychological info before in English.

However, subsequent learnings have dampened my enthusiasm:

1. This book uses terms and theories not found elsewhere in representations of authentic historical Chinese medicine.

2. This book, originally written in 1931, is blamed for the mistranslation of jing-luo as "meridians" and qi as "energy," and the closed-minded aberrance of French acupuncture. What I have heard, but have not been able to verify, is that this book left so many gaps in Chinese medicine that the French were forced to make up their own theories, and now they hold onto them even when they contradict newer more accurate translations of Chinese medical classics.

3. There is more and more historical psychological information available for acupuncturists and we needn't rely on this book alone for that. In fact, this book gives only indications for points without discussing the vessel-related reasons why those points work that way. For more on this, see books by Sionneau or Deadman.

My medical training includes TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), Homeopathy and Pharmacy based medicine.
There are many diferent modalities of acupuncture in the world as well as subtypes of the main systems. Terminology can be very confusing in this field according to the author or location. Some reviewers may have limited views and we should discard bias comments because the world of medicine is not black and white. This is an outstanding work on acupuncture, written truly by a great man.

This is a very interesting book clinically and historically. Soulie de Morant was an accomplished scholar, and obviously studied Chinese medicine in depth, including classical texts. He often quotes Yang Ji Zhou's "Zhen Jiu Da Cheng" as well as the "Yi Xue Ru Men". Some practitioners, notably Dr. Andrew Tseng, previously the district physician of Shanghai, spoke of Yang Ji Zhou as the pinnacle of acupuncture, and so it is of great value to have so many quotes from this under appreciated classic. Historically this book offers a wonderful opportunity to look into Chinese medicine in the fairly recent past significantly before modern communist standardization of the medicine. Soulie de Morant lived in China from 1901-1917. He practiced and promoted Chinese medicine for the rest of his life in France. Definitely a book worth exploring for practitioners.

Shudo Sensei is a true gift to the Acupuncture community. It is rare to find and acupuncturist with such great skill and even more rare to find one who is willing to share his information and personal experiences so openly. Shudo Sensei provides a practical look at points which are commonly used and explains proper needling technique, location and indications. He still stresses the need for a proper root treatment, but also provides "symptomatic" uses for points, along with stories of personal experience. Steven Brown does an amazing job translating this book and makes me think that his skill as a translator is only matched by his abilities as an acupuncturist. If you want your acupuncture treatments become more effective you must read this book.

Quite a bit of useful information in one book with a very effective index at the back. Most helpful!

This book is a great learning tool for acupuncturists. It teaches a Japanese perspective on the art of acupuncture and how to optimize the effectiveness of treatment. It gives a wholistic view on how acupuncture is very individualistic. It highlights how it is a profound medicine that is so unique to each individual practitioner and helps guide the practictioner on how to recognize imbalances through the touch.

As precise as Deadman on point location, but also fleshed out with some clinical notes from the author's personal experience. A very useful little reference book.

This book belongs to a great master of "Meridian Therapy", that it possesses one of the best books on this theme: "Introduction to Meridian Therapy" (this book is extraordinary and indispensable to all and any acupunturist, be him linked to the acupuncture Chinese, Japanese or western. However, to know more about location of points, with clues of practical existence in the touch in search of the necessary location of the acupuncture points, without a doubt "Finding Effective Acupuncture Points" is of great aid. This book will contribute in the choice of the points to they be treated as the diagnosis done according to the school of the therapy of the meridians. This book is of great aid not just in the treatment, but also in the diagnosis of the disturbances of the meridians.

Matthew did an excellent job in this book turning the complicated subjects of yin/yang and five-phase theory into clearly understood topics as they are applied to Chinese medicine. His theory is the best I have seen to uncover the mystical roots of acupuncture....it's very plausable that it happened just the way he describes.

This is a wonderful book for anyone with an interest in the history of acupuncture and acupressure, the Daoist philosophy surrounding Chinese medicine in general, and for detailed information and explanations on basic self-healing acupressure practices

This book is a really good book. It tells you more then just medicine, it also speaks about its orgen of the art of eastern medicine. It explanes the hard to explane, and gives you information to carry with you even after you close the book. Exelent book!

In summary, I certainly have a better understanding then I did before reading the book, but not nearly as much as I had hoped for. I was expecting to be able to treat myself, but I wanted to be able to have a much more informed discussion with my TCM treatment team and to explain better to my western doctor (who was very supportive of giving TCM a try). This book gave me some appreciation for what my TCM folks were doing, but not the knowledge to communicate I was hoping for.

I started acupuncture and picked this book up in an attempt to build up a better understanding. It did help me get a little better sense of the "theory", but much of the book seemed to talk around the subject.

For example, at the beginning of the book there is a lot of space spent discussing the difference between western science and the eastern view. Most of the verbiage was really focused on complaining about western science . I was a little concerned that many of the criticisms were very simplistic views of the western approach. Basically, the way western was explained was set up to make it look really bad. That was not helpful to me since I know what I like and dislike about western medicine.

Similarly, most of the discussion of TCM kept stressing how every case is different so there is not one answer. Thus, it really comes down to a skilled practitioner. Plus, it cannot be tested since it is so different person by person. But you should trust it as it has been around a long time.

This easy to understand, unbiased explanation of acupuncture, acupressure, and Chinese medical philosophy helps fill one of the missing links in our understanding of health and disease. It not only offers the reader a fascinating view of Chinese medicine, but provides self-help acupressure techniques from a practitioner who obviously knows his stuff. I enjoyed reading it and think every one interested in this field of medicine and self care can greatly benefit from reading it as well.

The author begins with a clear and unbiased explanation of the underlying differences between Western and Eastern Medicine. Within this context, he explains how and why acupuncture works using non-technical terms that any layman can understand.

The book includes clear examples of types of illness that are best treated within the Western biomedical model and those that are more effectively treated using Chinese Medicine (rather than opinion, his information rests on the NIH Consensus study of Acupuncture Effectiveness)

Part Three of the book gives many helpful Self Care instructions and explains the points that one can safely use acupressure on oneself and others to treat a variety of conditions.

An excellent resource for anybody interested in Acupuncture or the Oriental Healing Arts.