Soliman's book is very informative about the Three -Phase-Treatment, especially in dividing the hand in 16 compartments. Something similar to what Terry Oleson did earlier within the ear in "Auriculotherapy".
The book is easy to read, easy to understand and it can without problems be used as a reference when you treat your patients.
Despite the lack of earlier training in this particular area of treatment, it was easy for me to start the practice on the basis of the well-described methods.
In my Acupuncture - and Auriculotheraphy education and training, I would recommend this book as a source to an effective clinical treatment.

First impressions were positive.

1. Short. Could be read in a few hours up to a couple of days depending on the reader's prior exposure to acupuncture and hand or auricular therapy.

2. Attractive, durable hard binding.

3. While there are other books on hand acupuncture, this is the only one I am aware of yet that is devoted to an extensive adaptation of Nogier's Auricular 3-Phase System for application to another microsystem.

I really wish I could remain excited about this book. After ordering, I awaited its arrival eagerly and started with high hopes. If anything I was pre-biased in its favor, because my unique group of patients just might benefit from a focus on hands as a form of delivery for acutherapies. Given the range of illnesses often seen in persons with kidney diseases, the likelihood of lower limb amputations, accumulating multiple scars from surgeries, procedures, and/or their prior personal accidents, their multiple long-term degenerative conditions and the propensity to be on anticoagulants at least during dialysis sessions; this method has held a special interest for me. I was especially intrigued by the 3-phase paradigm adapted from auricular therapy which utilizes different strategies and locations for acute (phase I), versus chronic (phase III), versus degenerative (phase II) disease. Such a model potentially offers interesting options for the management of complex pain and illnesses in a group of people for whom standard pharmacological interventions often carry substantially increased risk.

However, this book left me frustrated with little information to determine whether I wish to pursue further coursework in the area or abandon the idea completely. Unlike most books purporting to be a "textbook" -- this one falls far short of the target to be a book, much less a textbook. It is not short because of being dense and terse; it is short due to of lack of much needed significant content. It is 148 SMALL pages -- meaning somewhere between pocket and standard size. The text borders actually are 7.25 x 4.5 inches of VERY generously spaced, often larger than normal font. If formatted like other adult or professional education textbooks, this would at best fill 30-50 pages. A significant portion of the "heart of the matter" is unnecessarily padded. There are pages which duplicate or substitute for what a single well- designed illustration would accomplish. If managed by a professional editor, the work would have been even shorter.

Unfortunately, it really appears to be more appropriate as a chapter in a larger microsystems book, a substantive journal article, or a brief course syllabus. Instead its very limited scope and content has been divided up into chapters (whether they qualify to be the latter or not) in order to imitate the form without the substance of a book. The additional requirements for being a text book; meaning detailed instructions on how to do something, clear discussion about why you would want to do one application of the technique at a given time and not another, specific verifiable information on the research behind the system or even well illustrated case studies are all virtually absent.

For the entire "textbook" there are 29 references, all stored at the end. Many of these globally cite another entire textbook (including some of his auricular therapy) as a reference rather the relevant page(s) that would correspond to how the reference is actually used within his text. Thus it would require that I purchase or borrow and then read entire books if I wanted to clarify anything. Chapter 1 (Historical Perspectives) is 1.25 pages in length; it contains approximately 12 sentences. These are carefully divided into 5 paragraphs, most of which only meet the minimum requirement to even be a paragraph -- i.e. contain at least 2 sentences.

For example, he states in Chapter 1: "Hand massage therapy was known to and practiced by many ancient civilizations; Figure 1 (Captioned as Eygptian Reflex Therapies) CLEARLY shows such practice in Ancient Eygpt. This practice was also known in ancient India, among other civilizations."

There is no further discussion of hand treatment in India, China or these other ancient cultures except a single drawing (and who knows if the cited reference does either???). He includes what appears to be a "stylized Eygptian drawing" with no authenticating information on age or source. Thus Figure 1 shows untranslated hieroglyphics (which look rather modernized) plus 2 sequences of postures performed by a pair of males doing an unknown activity for an unknown purpose. I would indeed love to know what it was intended to communicate, but without translation and original context for CLARITY, I can equally imagine that anthropologists such as Felicita Goodman or her followers might want to claim this as an example of ecstatic posturing for couplets or a facilitation of someone's soul journey after death.

This superficial treatment is not confined to the history behind Soliman's technique. It also plagues what seems to be central and critical to it. Thus Chapter 12 on Organ Frequencies is 1.5 pages long, and contains 5 paragraphs. The third one of these states: "Treating with the proper frequency will initiate an energetic response that is transmitted to the corresponding cerebral projection site of the same organ or tissue. The energetic stimulus is expected to initiate a process of energetic normalization and stability at the cerebral projection site. This in turn will be reflected on the actual organ or tissue leading to their energetic stabilization and physiological homeostasis." Then the next paragraph contains a very short list of proposed frequencies for musculoskeletal, organ and nervous system components which is followed by his promotion of a specific device -- the Net 2000.

On pages 115-116 and 147-148 he devotes even more coverage to advertising this single electronic stimulator, the Net 2000, which he sells via his website. He provides no coverage about any other device. More space and words are devoted to the device selling for about 1200 dollars, than to the validation of the technique and these assertions about cerebral projections and corresponding organ responses. He apparently prefers the Net 2000 for a proprietary feature of simultaneously providing all frequencies so that the user doesn't have to change any settings. Very convenient. Yet, there is NO documentation to confirm the critical tenants of his system: cerebral and organ interactions are initiated by hand locations, or that these differing frequencies are needed and actually do something different at the specific cortical sites for the various organs.

It is certainly fine that he borrowed these hypotheses from auricular therapy. However, as the proponent of these hypotheses, as the founder of his 3-phase hand therapy, and as the author of its principle textbook he still has not provided sufficiently clear methodology or data to allow anyone else to replicate or test its application to hands. Perhaps it is all a secret. But, if this foundation is absent, then I am even more perplexed about how he can then support the premise that jumbling up all these frequencies is as effective as delivering only a targeted one to the designated organ location. In fact, one wonders if having all the extraneous jumbled frequencies actually might "confuse" the target tissue. Conversely, if frequencies can be jumbled in this manner, then perhaps utilizing specific frequencies may be totally irrelevant afterall, and simply creating a signal of change may be all that is needed to provoke neuroplasticity and the desired organ response. Who knows? Its simply not possible from this textbook.

The appendix is barely one-half page in length. Not too surprisingly now, it refers the reader to his website and his courses. Nothing else. There is NO clinical or basic science data, no tables, no abstracts from published studies supporting the 20 years he says he has devoted to developing this system.

So being profoundly disappointed and frustrated after fully reading this product, I waited several days before writing any review. Despite more time, the benefits of cognitive dissonance did not settle in. I am still unable to justify to myself having spent 85 dollars (Amazon's price being the same as at his own website) by rationalizing or finding more to like about my expenditure.

I DO empathize that publishing is not cheap, not even for self-publishers. He is a busy man with a clinical practice. But having been published in 2006, this booklet falls below what should be expected comparatively from other works in the field of acupuncture sold at this price. I doubt that it offers much to an experienced practitioner compelling their return for subsequent reference or deeper understanding. Persons who took his course or attempted to try the technique might need the pictures; but alas, for this purpose its seems best to purchase more efficient resources -- his color charts and atlas. A seemingly necessary tool for his system employs filters. Neither his textbook nor his website tell where these can be purchased, how to construct or otherwise obtain them for "advanced diagnosis and treatment". The author might be able to improve the situation if for 85 dollars he included either atlas (which are not currently available through Amazon -- but are at his website). Currently, his full-sized Hand Atlas with 52 drawings is another 90-dollar outlay. His pocket-sized duplication of it is 45 dollars.

Finally, as a fellow physician I am interested in supporting wider understanding, wider credibililty when appropriate, and effective roles for acutreatments within the management of serioulsy ill patients (whether western or eastern) who otherwise have sadly limited options. Thus, I would like to support the work of a former president of the Americian Academy of Medical Acupuncture (he served 2003-2005). Unfortunately this book does not help me do so. The technique may be better than the book, but what is described therein is not a solid model of western medical science (clinical or basic) applied to or integrated with alternative nonpharmacologic techniques. At the time of this review, the Academy bookstore does not carry any of Dr. Soliman's hand therapy books. Interesting!

After spending my time and dollars I remain poorly informed about what I need to know to determine whether this technique has merit for my patients. The book serves best as an advertisement (paid for by us, the customers) to invite us to invest further in his primary course (a 300-dollar seminar that for most of us also costs travel and hotel charges) his atlases and expensive tools (the Net 2000). Indeed the technique may be helpful. I truly hope so. This textbook is simply insufficient evidence pro or con. But then again, if I were to go to his course, I have to wonder if it will also turn out to be another superficial introduction inviting me to just attend the next one.

I am reluctant to criticize without offering suggestions for improvement. I don't enjoy writing negative reviews. In order to be fair, it feels important to me to put more effort in explaining why I have assigned a low-star rating. Obviously, the other customers and the author can decide what they value. Nonetheless, my suggestions are:

Þ Provide your readers with substantial value for their investment. We cannot really take on for you the costs of self-publishing if most of what we get out of it is lacking in necessary detail and recruits us into purchasing advertisements for your seminars and other products. It would be helpful if you, as a leader in this endeavor, provided for hand acupuncture something more like what Terry Oleson has done for auricular acupuncture (New hard-bound editions of his latest work are listed full price at 88 dollars and are further discounted at Amazon).

Þ It would be especially desirable, since much of this is your own work and you have reported teaching 1000's of practitioners, if you provided solid details from case studies and your research to validate what is still quite an intriguing idea. I know your research methods utilized the VAS (Vascular Autonomic Signal) to confirm where you located organs in the 3-phase system. But where is the data or summaries regarding the HANDS for: a) the VAS signal, b) the proposed mechanism that involves interactions between internal organs as well as musculoskeletal locations and their respective cortical projection sites; and c) clinical outcomes. Is this data derived from one, 25 or 100 participants? Is it replicated across one, 25 or 100 practitioners? Is it hampered or facilitated by other medications or herbals products that patient may be taking? What is the data for existance of blockages and the benefits of their resolution by HAND management?

Þ Look closely at the general standards to which other works by either physicians or nonphysicians are now following in terms of content for similarly priced books, and especially for what qualifies as a textbook (detailed and well-documented training texts).

Þ Disclose possible conflicts of interest up front and provide adequate information about alternative products; i.e. disclose that you are selling the only electrical stimulating device discussed in the book. There are other products which provide specific frequencies though perhaps not a scrambled composite of all of them as apparently the Net 2000 does. Be specific about what this means for treatment, not just convenience. Who else sells the Net 2000?

I hope to see an updated edition, preferably by Dr. Soliman, that addresses these concerns and qualifies as a textbook. If he does not chose to produce one, then perhaps some day another author/friend/colleague sufficiently competent in his technique will. For now, It is difficult where I live to survey Soliman's books at a library or conference, or to find a colleague who has tried them BEFORE I purchase. Given this experience, I will clearly need to find a way to do so before investing again. Unfortunately, I must suggest that all potential customers do the same.

Not very useful for me as an acupuncturist ...I gave the book away ...really wanted the Korean hand acupuncture info!

If you would like to add an outstanding health care method to your "toolbox," Soliman's 3-Phase Hand Acupuncture is the way to go. If you're looking for some long-winded, academic paper, filled with unnecessary text, which does NOT further your ability to understand and perform the METHOD... you've come to the wrong place. If one is not comfortable with one of the best doctors in the world recommending the tools he actually uses in his private practice, as well as his fantastic seminars and other books... I challenge anybody to find a better source of practical knowledge.

Please, for your own educational and patient helping sake, ignore the obscenely long and negative review posted on this site. As a long time student of Dr. Soliman, and a doctor using all of his methods, I can say that this book, as well as Soliman's Auricular Therapy Textbook are hands down the finest on the subject available. The person who wrote this other review ought to perhaps spend more time helping patients than criticizing the author.

If you want to learn how to integrate 3-phase hand acupuncture into your practice, this book will get you started beautifully. The good news is that it is easy to read and understand. The cost is a very minor investment considering the practical knowledge contained within.