Hi, good afternoon. My name is Poney Chiang. I’m one of your hosts for American Acupuncture’s live Facebook podcast show today. My special guest is Suzanne Robidoux, who is joining us all the way from Nanjing China. Dr. Susan Robidoux has spent over 20 years in China sharing when, after completing her master’s degree in us and, uh, went to China to learn Chinese language and martial arts, but ended up there until today.
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And, uh, she was holding a five different distinct lineages of Chinese medicine and martial arts. We should continues to teach and practice. Do you have a PhD in nine gene? She practiced at the neurological hospital treating diseases such as major depressive disorders and post-stroke paralysis after completing her PhD. She spent the following year. So the classical medical systems from various Chinese medical masters to learn their techniques. She combines classical acupuncture, classical moxibustion gene Fong, which is the type of classical herbal system with diet, lifestyle and internal arts and teaching. She’s also the author of three different textbooks on acupuncture, Costco, hers, and Bhagwan thank you for joining us today, Suzanne.
Thank you for having me pony.
I would like to, uh, think you have brains today about, uh, a form of, uh, acupuncture to call it UN she acupuncture that I’d been hearing here in ravey views on, um, could you tell us a little about, about it? What is it, um, how is different from our standard TCM type of acupuncture?
Hmm. Yeah, it’d be my pleasure. Um, UNC acupuncture is a, it’s a classical type of acupuncture. Uh it’s based on the teachings of [inaudible] and the teachings of [inaudible] and from these teachings and from the information of [inaudible] and send you a gig, uh, masters simply, um, and other masters in Taiwan build a system, uh, based on using the cheesy that we have the essence T that we have in our dantian and use that she, in order to balance, um, the channels in our bodies in order to remove obstacles, to increase the flow, uh, but also to increase the general, uh, health care of our body. Um, the main goal of, of the system is using 60 points, 60 very specific points. Uh, we have a very specific needling technique as well, that, um, is used on all the points and using this technique, using these very specific points, we’re able to use the essence T to balance the body now by balancing the body, we increase healthcare. Uh, we improve vision improved memory, but most importantly, of course, it’s, it’s mainly used for quick pain relief. So pain relief relief on numbness, um, blockages, and sometimes I’ve used it also for, um, lack of motility of, of limbs, like a trip for trigger finger or frozen shoulder.
Interesting. Um, are there specific type of patient demographic that would best benefit from this or, or certain types of conditions you in your mind you go, Oh, this is something that you mentioned is absolutely going to be a great for or is broadly approvable.
Yes. The, the, the best patients for this technique is patients that are suffering from chronic pain. Uh, it’s good for many things. We also use it for internal organ, um, disorders, but it’s really best to use when people are suffering from chronic pain. Uh, the best is with when people are suffering from chronic pain, that is result of either a surgery or trauma, then you do think the dantian, she will be a lot more effective, a lot quicker. And within one to three treatments, we can get a great hold on that level of pain.
Okay. Um, so I’m understanding that the system has 60 different points and I’m imagining that it’s a complete different than your quote unquote standard acupuncture points, or are they, they overlaps, okay. They’re different. Okay.
Points that overlap, uh, in terms of location. But interestingly enough is that these points are on different channels. Then what the, the classical points that we learn in TCM. So, um, they are completely different than, than our TCM points location.
Yeah. So they’re not, it’s not, uh, you have the 12 Meridian base. These are extra, like extra, extra ordinary points. They’re outside the channel system.
No, actually they are on the channel. So the, our, our system is based, uh, the, it combines the channel theory combines, um, the tendon or muscular system. And, um, the points are on the channels on the same line, but different, um, locations.
Okay. And, um, um, would you be able to share with us like a clinical story or something that’s memorable, maybe perhaps with something that wowed you when you’re first learning this, how did you first hear about this? Something that will help us, uh, appreciate from your personal experience? Um, that was really, really memorable for you?
Um, sure. Um, I think we all learn acupuncture because we like helping people and release their suffering. And, um, what’s great about the system is we’re able to, uh, get a feedback from our patient. And that’s part of the treatment protocol with the system. You, you put one needle and then you wait for the feedback of the patient and that’s what guides you actually to, uh, know how to continue the treatment protocol. And so, um, I can share maybe one, one of the, uh, first case when I first started teaching the system, I was in Denmark and, uh, one of the participants, one of the acupuncturist was there and she volunteered, uh, to receive a treatment. And she had actually gone to learn acupuncture because of her chronic pain and what had happened to her. She went hiking when she was in her teens and her friend.
Uh, she was a very small lady and her friend had fallen on her and her and her backpack crushed her upper back. And since that moment, she had been suffering from a chronic, upper back pain and tension. It, it affected everything. It affected migraines, dizziness, uh, it caused her posture to be, uh, very stiff and abnormal. And through all the treatments she got through all acupuncture school, nothing released this pain. And by, by needling her according to UN she and needling the corresponding channels that were blocked, um, we were, I was able to needle her arm and follow the pain through, and the pain really left, uh, chronologically backwards, according to how the pain evolved in her body. And after five needles on her, um, arm on her lower arm, uh, her pain was completely gone. And so I saw her the day, the next day, and two days later, and her pain was still gone. Um, and when I came back to Denmark to teach the next year, the pain was still gone. So it is always a pleasure to be able to, to practice you. And she, um, patients that are suffering so much for so many years and just release their pain just by their, their energies, balancing the channels, and also engaging that, that lower dantian that we have.
That’s a great story.
It’s a great pleasure.
Um, so I’m hearing that you’re needling, uh, uh, on the arm is UN Xi acupuncture a form of, uh, more of a distal style acupuncture. The, these points are, uh, in the extremities.
That’s right. So the 60 points are on the extremities. However, what we’re using is that she in a low, lower dantian, and so we’re by using this, the Sochi, so a need, um, points below the elbows and the knees, um, is activating the chin, the lower dantian. And if it isn’t, then we have another technique in the lower dantian to, to fortify and activate.
Hmm. Sounds like it’s kind of a very, um, uh, uh, uh, deep rooted system that draws on like the venture level to, to, uh, to enable healing, I guess usually when we need a, would probably just, um, maybe working on the year in a way, not as deep as, uh, as, uh, as the name of the system implies. Um, I think it’s great that it’s a, uh, distal based system. There are obviously certain limitations or some, um, certain patients, um, you know, may or may not be, um, may have access to the torso, right. Uh, bedridden patients or wheelchair patients, you know, and also even like people that practice more and maybe perhaps communities that acupuncture where, um, you know, uh, they are more of a seated. And so, um, access to below the elbows and knees are more practical. So I think this might, might be, uh, um, very palatable to a lot of practitioners out there that, um, that this is consistent with their style of practice. Um, I know this is a very complicated system, uh, when us coming, but it’s a sophisticated system. And, um, um, but do you think it’s possible, there’s some sort of simple things that you might be able to share with us? Uh, like maybe a simple diagnostic or simple palpation, single needling thing, if it’s possible, if it’s not let me know, um, just to maybe let our viewers, uh, experiment with it themselves or try on a patient that’s, they’re having some clinical challenges with, is that something that’s possible to share?
Well, okay. So first I agree completely with you. It’s a system, first of all, that’s very easy to use if you’re using a community acupuncture or if you’re treating, um, paralyzed patients, you’re, you have access to the Bo the limbs of the body, a lot easier than the trunk or the back of the, so it’s very easy to use, and it’s fairly easy to learn since it only takes a few hours, you know, the 60 points. Um, and, and then you’re able to, to practice, once you learn the location, you’re able to practice the depth of the points, um, what I would be able to share. Um, it’s, it’s not that I don’t want to share is just that it’s, it’s really a complete system within itself. And, um, after learning the location, you have to learn the needling technique. And then, then the treatment protocol, which is very important that if you don’t follow the steps, then you might, um, cause further blockage within the patient’s body.
And so, um, what I could learn, what I could speak about is maybe the palpation technique, um, within the system we, for, for the earth points, uh, as we use a lot of the five element points, um, the earth points are always in between, um, the wrists and elbows. And so, and there are a long, uh, the channels. However, the locations of the channel in the classical texts, uh, are really, really close to the bone. And so this needling approach will be a lot about palpating along the area of the bone and developing that sensation or that sensitivity that, that we can develop as acupuncturist, not on the chin level, but also at a, as a channel level and really feel the condition of the channel. And once we can feel the channel on the side of the bone, then we’re able to really power pate where the blockage is. And once that happens, then we know exactly the location of the point. One of the things that my, my teacher always says is if, if we’re not feeling the entrance of the needle before we need, or we can’t needle the point. So basically it, what he meant by that is he, we really need to feel the entrance, uh, within the channel. So the, the fine, um, entry point before we actually use our needles.
Okay. Um, can you talk about, um, like, just give us an example of one point and then describe how describe the technique that would be used for that point. Are there different techniques for different points or, um, or is it a similar technique applied to the 60 points?
Um, the needling technique that we applied to the points is very similar. Um, we must reach the needle tip within the channel, feel the channel cheat, and then, uh, we lift the needle very slightly, give it space. And after that, we turn counter clockwise and counterclockwise, we’ll the flow of the cheek balancing the body, um, in terms of points. Sure. Um, what, what I thought of when you asked that question, as I thought about my brother-in-law, uh, that was suffering from very chronic elbow pain. So the, uh, entrance, so the heart channel, um, at the elbow was, was hurting him so severely that nobody could even palpated. It woke him up at night. It was very severe. And this occurred after a very severe disappointment and separation in his relationship. And, uh, he tried everything to get rid of it, but nothing was, was useful.
And so if we look, um, at this channel for us, the elbow, uh, the map that I have behind me separates the body in the five elements. So our whole body is not only separated in channels. It’s also separated in, in elements. And so as, uh, the elbow is the element of water I needed to reach, uh, on the corresponding channel. Uh, so the heart channel being shalion, uh, the corresponding channel being, um, shall young. So I needed the water point of shall yang on, um, on the opposite side. Uh, and as soon as I needled this pain, he felt a shooting pain down his arm, and I just stimulated the needle. So, um, it’s very close to gallbladder 34 area, but it, it isn’t. So once we learned the location of the points, uh, you’ll know exactly where they are. And as soon as the pain was gone, then that blockage had left through, uh, the heart channel. And, uh, the pain was completely gone. Now, this was about five years ago and the pain hasn’t returned since
Hmm. That’s really useful. Um, and then it’s a great success story. And also for me, I think, I think for the other viewers too, uh, gives us a sense of how you, um, are attempting to balance the energy and the thought process does involve, uh, so that that’s, uh, I think, uh, uh, thirsty people are starting to have a better understanding of, um, the, um, the, the, the process, um, of, uh, of the strategies that acupuncture. Can you tell us, um, how will learning, does wrenches of acupuncture compliment, uh, TCM staff acupuncture, or compliment people that do more to be used to stash score, stab acupuncture would do, is it something that they can super impose? Something they, uh, um, I don’t know, like, uh, sequences, uh, how do you have any thoughts on that?
Yes. Um, this, again, she acupuncture is used, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes, uh, in terms of using these points, we only use about one to five of these points, and afterwards, of course, we can integrate any kind of TCM acupuncture treatment that we would normally do with our patients. And so this, this treatment, we usually do it in the beginning to release that, that acute type of pain or the acute excessive blockage in the body. And afterward, it just makes the TCM treatment more successful or more acceptable and peaceful for the patient. Or we could use it at the end of our treatment when, when we’ve completed our treatment, but there’s still a nagging pain somewhere in the back or, uh, in, in the neck. And then we can use one or two points release that pressure release that blockage, and then the patient goes home without any nagging pain or residual pain. So this system is very well combined with any other acupuncture techniques that, that somebody might do. I always use it with TCM points. I use it with, um, scalp acupuncture and, and even with moxa, it integrates very well. It’s a, it’s a very successful tool to have as an acupuncturist.
Yeah. Sounds, sounds like it’s very versatile. Uh, um, obviously the fact that it’s, uh, in the extremities, um, it wouldn’t, it wouldn’t interfere with, uh, you know, Microsystems on the scalp or on a year and things like that. Um, thank you very much for giving us a little bit of a introduction. Are you, and shacupuncture puncher today. Um, if we want to learn more about your end sheet, are there some resources that you can recommend, Suzanne?
Um, yes. So unfortunately there isn’t any English publication right now, but we do teach the course online regularly. Um, it’s a one weekend course, uh, uh, accredited by, um, NCC, wham. I used to teach it all over the world, but now with COVID, uh, it’s, it’s better taught online that easier for everyone. And of course, there’s these maps that you can get with the locations we spent over a year, really working hard on getting all the specifics, um, for the point location to help people really, um, cause without the point of location, then no one would get results with this system. So these maps are very useful to have in clinic. Um, and then once you, you know, the points and you’ve taken the course, it’s all about practice.
Yes. Can you give us the, uh, the, the web, the name of your website or the name of, um, some online? Um, yes. Yeah,
Yeah. Um, so my website is a Chinesemedicinetraveller.com, a traveler with two L’s and.com. And you can find everything, uh, about the courses online, about the courses in various location that we have done in the past. And of course the charts are available for you. Great. Thank you very much for spending your time with us. And, uh, we definitely look forward to learning more about your entry criteria in the future. It was very nice seeing you again, Poney and thank you for this, uh, this chat. It was very fun. And, uh, looking forward to see you again,
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