The Inflammatory and Immune Response Systems, Part III

November 16, 2011 By admin

ACQUIRED IMMUNITY: WHERE AND HOW

Part III continues our series with a focus on specific defense. In a nutshell, the main immune players can be likened to different types military forces. Microphages and macrophages are the local police (see Part II), white blood cells are the standing army, at-the-ready, from all divisions, and immunoglobulins are the the special ops class, trained to react with precision in order to eliminate the enemy.

ANTIGENS AND ANTIBODIES: Immunoglobulins and White Blood Cells
Specific defense (acquired/adaptive) can be likened to the military’s special ops. The immune cells are found in the body tissue and on cell membranes, and their key function is to protect against pathogenic organisms or other sources of not-self. Specific defenses are unique responses (antibodies) to not-self elements (antigens).

1) Immunoglobulins
An antigen is a foreign substance that sets off an immune response. Antigens can be microbial (bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi) and non-microbial (poison plants, insect bites, and tree pollen). Our body creates antibodies to counteract each antigen.

Antibodies are proteins called immunoglobulins. There are five types of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE), to respond to different kinds of enemies (antigens), located in different types of body tissue and fluids.

Structurally, antibodies are shaped like a Y so that they can easily lock onto the target cell and enable other immune components to find and either destroy the antigen, or stop its replication mechanism.

2) Immune Cells
Like soldiers, airmen, and seamen on the front line, there are different types of immune cells to attack not-self from all angles. These cells are present and active in both non-specific and specific defense.

Lymphocytes are the most common cells of specific immunity, and they are separated into two classes: T cells and B cells. Neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils are white blood cells. Other kinds of immune cells are monocytes, macrophages, denritic cells, natural killer cells (NK), and the major histocompatiblity complex (MHC).

3) Humoral Immunity and Cell-Mediated Immunity
Humoral immunity is found in body tissue and the blood’s plasma, on the lookout for invaders, and creates an antibody in response to an antigen. Cell-mediated immunity issues the clarion call that activates other immune players.

The Inflammatory and Immune Response Systems, Part III
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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

Filed Under: Conditions Treated, Health Tips, Integrative Medicine, Stress Busters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Trigger Points

October 27, 2011 By admin

Trigger Point

A trigger point is an area of the muscle where normal physiologic activity has become disrupted, causing local pain and sometimes in an adjacent area. I (Tom) frequently see that trigger points in the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle at the front of the neck responsible for causing headaches on the side of the head. Trigger points also can reduce the normal range of motion in a muscle or cause it to be weak.

Trigger points can be caused by overuse or continuous contraction of a muscle, poor posture, traumatic injury, and even emotional stress. Let’s say for example, that when you sit at your computer, you are continually gripping your mouse. The muscles involved in this action stay shortened an unnatural length of time, and this creates trigger points that may produce carpal tunnel syndrome.

The only diagnostic test for a trigger point is palpation. When examining through touch the muscles that might be involved, a nodule (tightly bound area) or taut band of tissue is found to be exquisitely tender, evoking a response of recognition- as in, “yes, right there.”

Anatomy of a Muscle
A muscle contains many muscle fibers or cells that runs from its origin to its insertion. A nerve axon is attached to each muscle fiber. The area of attachment is known as the motor endplate or motor point. Motor points are usually found in the body of the muscle. Normally, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is released at one end of the motor endplate across the neuromuscular junction, to connect the muscle fibers, but where there is a trigger point, no acetylcholine is making the jump. Acupuncture with electrical stimulation invigorates this mechanism, effectively restarting it and knocking out the trigger points.

Most trigger points are usually found in the body of the muscle or at its origin or insertion. Every muscle has an origin and an insertion. The origin of a muscle attaches to a bone and does not move that bone. The area of insertion is where the muscle attaches to another bone, and when the muscle contracts, the insertion area moves closer to the origin. Muscles usually crosses a joint, this is what allows muscles movement.

Most trigger points are near motor points, and interestingly, a lot of acupuncture points are also located on or near motor points.

Trigger Point Types
There are two types of trigger points, active and latent. An active trigger point is the full manifestation of symptoms, from local and referred pain, to muscle weakness. A latent trigger point may show as loss of range of motion to a muscle, and may be accompanied by some local tenderness in the muscle.

Here’s where it gets tricky and why it’s important for an experienced practitioner to assess your problem: active trigger points can set off latent trigger points in the same area and become active, and this cascading effect can cause much discomfort. The aim is to knock them all out with treatment, not leave some behind!

Case Study
A patient came into my office complaining of sciatica pain down the back of her leg. I had her lay face down on the table, and proceeded to palpate her lower back and gluteal muscles. I found a taut band and exquisitely tender knots on her gluteus minimus muscle that elicited the pain that she had been feeling down the length of the leg. Based on experience, I knew it was a trigger point problem, and treated this muscle with acupuncture and electrical stimulation. The sciatic-like pain was gone after 3 treatments of releasing the trigger point and allowing her neural pathways to adjust.

Conclusion
Trigger points do affect the quality of our life in one way or another, but this does not have to be, for they can be treated easily and affectively with acupuncture. One way to prevent trigger points is through injurious habits. Be aware of repetitive movements at work and play that put unnecessary stress on muscles: this includes postural habits you may not be aware of.

It is important to see a western doctor for tests to rule out the origin of the pain, because trigger points sometimes mimic other conditions. Diagnostic tests for pinched nerves, slipped discs, or arthritis can determine if there is another underlying problem.

Why suffer with physical pain if you don’t have to? Put yourself on a pain-free path by taking care of you, through by proper exercising, diet, and receiving bodywork when needed. Be well!

Trigger Points

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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

 

 

Filed Under: All Things Exercise, Health Tips, Integrative Medicine, Stress Busters Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Osteoporosis: Catching it Early

October 27, 2011 By admin

photo courtesy of the Mayo Clinic: normal bone (A) osteoporotic bone (B)

Osteoporosis is a disease of bone density loss. The diagnosis of osteoporosis is determined upon findings of at least 30% loss of bone mass. The test of choice is the DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry). The hip (at the femoral neck) and the mid-low back (lumbar vertebrae) are the most commonly affected areas, so these are the areas that are tested. The DEXA test is painless and quick.

Major risk factors for osteoporosis are:
Genetics- family history
BMI below 25% (<22kg/m2)
History of fracture in adulthood
History of cigarette smoking & current cigarette smoking

Additional, lesser risk factors are:
Lifelong inadequate calcium intake (a relatively weak risk factor)
Never pregnant
Caucasian
No physical activity
Leanness
Early menopause
Alcoholic
Long-acting benzodiazepines

Prevention is key, and treatment with calcium supplements and exercise can reverse osteoporosis if detected early. The rate of decline in bone density is most rapid in women within 2 years of menopause. The average age of menopause is 51, but depending on several factors (genetics, exercise, lifestyle, diet, and menstrual history), you might arrive there earlier or later. Therefore, while the medical establishment recommends having a DEXA scan at age 65, requesting one at menopause or shortly thereafter will indicate if you need to take preventive measures.

The recommended dose of calcium is 1,500 mg. Also recommended is drinking 48 ounces of water a day, limit alcohol intake (1 daily glass of wine), reduce sugar in the diet, and generally eat whole foods, something we admonish you to do on this site on a regular basis.

Exercise needs to be “pounding,” such as walking or jogging. The reason is that in osteoporosis, osteoblasts- the cells that build bone- are outnumbered by the osteoclasts- the cells that break bone down – and your activity is designed to increase the number of osteoblasts as the body’s natural response to the pounding on the pavement or a treadmill.
Yoga pulls at bone and creates a good stress {see Maximizing Potential], yes, but not as radically and efficiently as does plain old walking.

Food sources of calcium include the seaweeds kelp and dulse; greens: collards, kale, turnip, dandelion; seeds and nuts: almonds, sunflower; dairy: cottage cheese; brewer’s yeast; vegetables: watercress, edamame, olives, string beans, sweet potato, broccoli, carrots; dried fruit: apricots, figs, dates, raisins; grains: barley, brown rice; cooked dry beans; tofu; oranges.

Osteoporosis: Catching it Early

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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

Filed Under: All Things Exercise, All Things Food, Conditions Treated, Health Tips, You Are What You Eat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Simple Remedy to Avoid Getting that Cold!

September 30, 2011 By admin

dried orange and tangerine peels with rock sugar

People always ask in a panic what they should do when they feel a cold coming on, and honestly, I (Carol) forget just as easily the minute those telltale signs appear. This year it seems cold season started earlier, in August, and this week I managed to fight one off using my arsenal of remedies.

I wrote about this simple remedy of dried citrus peel and rock sugar last year, but it’s worth sharing again, because everyone can keep this on hand, and it works. The dried citrus peels are loaded with vitamin C.

All you need is a handful of dried citrus peels from the orange variety (tangerines, mineolas, navels), a little rock sugar to take the slightly bitter edge of the citrus, and a couple of cups of water. Boil, then lower to a simmer for 30-45 minutes and drink this decoction: it soothing and yummy, an irresistible combination!

If you haven’t begun to save your citrus peels, start this fall and winter when they are plentiful:

  • dry them in a brown lunch bag
  • store them in a jar
  • substitute honey or agave if you don’t have rock sugar on hand, which, incidentally, is found in the markets in Chinatown

A Simple Remedy to Avoid Getting That Cold

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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

 

Filed Under: Conditions Treated, Health Tips, Nourishing You, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Inflammatory and Immune Response Systems, Part 1: Inflammation in a Nutshell

September 30, 2011 By admin

courtesy of digital thermal imaging, showing back pain originating from inflammation in the (R) kidney

Large or small, inside or outside, wherever injury occurs the body’s defenses set off a cascade of players to deal with the tissue damage (inflammation system) and keep strangers out (immune system). Whether you bump your elbow, get a splinter, or have an autoimmune disorder, the same sequence unfolds, aimed to restore order and heal you, naturally.

This series will cover the major components present where injury to tissue occurs. It’s a fascinating, complex process, with a lot of moving parts in a rapid sequence of events. We begin with a discussion of inflammation, and move on to immunity, inflammatory conditions, health tips, and related topics in future posts.

Inflammation is characterized by four cardinal signs:
Redness
Pain
Heat
Swelling

The inflammatory response serves to stop bleeding and wall off the injured area to prevent further damage to the local tissue. This unfolds as a natural process beginning with acute-phase and transitioning into chronic-phase responses.

1. Acute-phase response has active two stages, the vascular stage and the cellular stage.

a. During the vascular stage, the blood vessels first respond by constricting, then rapidly dilate (enlarge). The blood vessels that supply the area also dilate to allow fluid and plasma proteins to move out of the vessels and into the surrounding (interstitial) spaces, causing the swelling, heat, pain, and redness associated with acute-phase inflammation.

b. During the cellular phase, the capillaries become permeable for the delivery of immune factors, nutrients, and blood-clotting factors.

Chemical mediators produce the signs and symptoms of inflammation at both the vascular and cellular stages. These mediators perform an array of functions that keep the intricate process moving forward step-by-step, with the ultimate purpose of stopping the damage and returning the system to homeostasis. We will cover some of these in future posts.

2. Chronic-phase responses can become long-lasting if not treated. Some chronic-phase injuries are local (shoulder pain) and some are systemic (autoimmune disease). Foreign substances, both living (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites) and non-living (example: splinters) can also underlie chronic inflammation.

Chronic-phase responses put an additional demand on the body’s resources, hence the reason why we stress the importance of quality nutrition that supplies the raw material for all the body’s functions.

The Inflammatory and Immune Response Systems, Part 1: Inflammation in a Nutshell

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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

 

Filed Under: All Things Exercise, All Things Food, Conditions Treated, Health Tips, Nourishing You, Stress Busters, You Are What You Eat Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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