Hi guys –
Some of you have commented or written to me that you want the same formulas Martina, Stink’s acupuncturist, is using on Stink.
The reason I’m not giving them out is because these particular formulas are based on Stink’s individual make-up:
* The color of his tongue (his is bright red which goes back to his liver)
* His pulse – different kids have different circulation issues based on their individual make-up
* His “wind” – whether he has hot or cold energy
* His particular issues – for him, lingering head shakes. The vocals are GONE
I am NOT PUSHING you to call Martina for a consultation, but I CAN tell you that she will help guide you toward someone who can help your son or daughter get their particular needs met.
Full Disclosure: Despite all of Martina’s amazing acupuncture, my son has mild to moderate head shakes still.
“Some of this has to do with the fact that Stink isn’t up to speed with his full set of formulas yet,” Martina informed me. “He had those loose stools, so we had to wait for his body to adjust to the supplements more slowly.”
She went on to add, “Remember, acupuncture is not like Western Medicine. It’s not a ‘drive thru cure’ where you take a pill and symptoms are masked. It’s a slow and steady build up towards optimum health. You must commit to the process or you’ll be disappointed.”
“Well, okay. But I want a silver bullet!!!!!” I screamed on the inside. (or maybe to her. I won’t say.) My gut is going with Martina on this though. We’re going to have to trust the process.
Questions for Martina re: how she can help your child with his/her specific issues?
What are they? Leave a message and I will have her answer them within 3 days, via the comment section or a post.
Happily Ticked Off 
I have two questions:
1. What would she consider to be the most important questions to ask when looking for an acupuncturist for a child with tics or TS.
2. I have always heard that the vocal tics are the first to go away naturally (meaning if/and when someone starts growing out of their tics). However, I have also heard that they are the hardest to treat and/or “cure” (I use the term lightly) before then. Why does Martina think Stink’s vocals responded quicker to the procedure?
Thanks! 🙂
Lynn – Martina will write soon! Martina, chime in!
Hi Lynn, this is Martina. I am happy to address your first question here but I will go more in detail in a video that ANdrea and I will be posting soon. But as a quick overview, when you’re interviewing an acupuncturist there’s a few key things to find out:
One – you want to find out how long they have been practicing and where they got their licensing from and whether it includes both acupuncture and herbs or if it’s just one or the other.
two – you want to find out if they work with children a lot or work often with families
three – you want to find out what their experiences have been with treating tremors, convulsions and if they have ever treated people with tics. I would refrain from using the label Tourette’s syndrome at first only because some acupuncturists may not be familiar with that western label. Which is why I mention more of the symptoms rather than the syndrome label.
So I want to go more into detail in the video but when looking for the perfect match for you and your child,finding someone that you have resonance with is key. The points I made above should help you begin a meaningful conversation with the acupuncturist.
In regards to your second question Lynn, that is more of a neurological issue and is beyond the scope of practice of an acupuncturist. Having said that, based on the patterns of symptoms and tongue and pulse a particular child presents, the treatment protocol an acupuncturist applies does have an effect on the symptoms. As to why which affect resolves first, it’s not clear to me at this time from a Chinese medicinal perspective. I continually search for solutions and answers for all of my patients’ concerns and questions. If I don’t know, I’ll do my best to get the answer. So now I’m on a new quest, for you Lynn. 🙂
If I can assist you further in your personal needs feel free to contact me directly.
Hope this was at least a little helpful to you Lynn!
I’m honored to offer any assistance.
Martina Eberhard, MSOM, L.Ac.
Hi ! I was wondering if your son has trouble falling AND staying asleep? Do you give him anything before bedtime ?
Hi Centphil – My son used to have a ton of trouble falling asleep. A TON. When we put him on Intuniv, he fell asleep super fast. He only stayed on the Intuniv a year and now that he’s been off it, he doesn’t have issues sleeping. I think some of it is his mile walk each day. He showers at night at 7 and is in bed by 7:30 with a book. I think he winds into it more easily that way, with the acupuncture helping also! I have friends who give their kids melatonin and practice meditation with them. Thoughts?
I am so intrigued. I wonder what she thinks about needle free acupuncture. My son is only 6 years old and is still very afraid of needles. We need help with barking cough, sniffing, eye rolling and nose scrunching at this point. I am so over being asked, “He doesn’t have whooping cough does he!?!?!”
Hi TG, it’s Martina. There is a section of Chinese medicine that deals with pediatrics. Just as in Western medicine, it is a very specialized branch. I am a family practitioner but I work with children old enough to handle the needles and as Stink would say, he hardly feels them. I treat the younger ones more with herbal remedies but will admit I have not treated anyone for tics younger than Stink.
This would be another excellent question to have in a conversation with your potential practitioner. What techniques they use on really young children? Acupressure, massage, laser?
A pediatric practitioner could definitely start your six-year-old on modified formulas that are tinctures rather than capsules or tablets switch the child cannot swallow yet. That’s how I would begin. I believe starting on formulas then working up to acupressure then Acupuncture would be a prudent path to follow. But as I said pediatrics is evolving and unfolding even in Chinese medicine and there may be a whole host of new techniques that are being used now that I am not currently aware of.
I say start a conversation. Ask all of your questions. Find some new questions you haven’t thought of in the upcoming videos will be posting here.
TG, I hope this is inspiring you to act.
Martina Eberhard, L.Ac., MTOM
Martina, thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I actually heard of a local practitioner through my naturopath just yesterday. It was a stroke of luck, because there was another patient of her’s who had just had great success with this practitioner. I have not contacted her yet but I was told that she uses “beads” with young children, instead of needles. I have not asked about formulas, but I will.
I look forward to learning more about what you are doing with Stink. I think it’s amazing they have had so much success with your treatment. Well done and thank you so very much for sharing with all of us.
The vocals are GONE?? Seriously? Why did you not tell me this last time we talked? I would have celebrated… we would have killed the fatted rooster or something in Stink’s honor… or maybe just dressed it in pink and let it chase the hens in style, as I’m sure Stink would approve of that even more. Anyway, I am so happy. I will be thanking God for his answer to prayer as soon as I finish this comment.