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Acupuncture
& Chinese Herbs
Traditional
Chinese Medicine, of which acupuncture and Chinese herbal
medicine are just two aspects, is the oldest continuously
practiced system of medicine in the world. Conservative
estimates place its inception at about 2500 years ago,
but there is some evidence that acupuncture may be nearly
5000 years old.
Acupuncture
involves the insertion of very thin, stainless-steel
needles into specific points on the body, usually in
muscle, connective tissue and joint spaces, to increase
blood flow to a particular area and/or stimulate the
body's natural ability to heal itself. Its counterpart,
Chinese herbal medicine, artfully combines plants, minerals
and some animal parts* to create individualized medicinal
formulas that treat everything from colds to infertility.
Both can serve as alternatives or complements to Western
treatments without adding a high degree of risk or dangerous
side effects.
Acupuncture
and Chinese herbal medicine are practiced according
to the principles of Chinese medical theory. At the
core of this theory is the idea that the body is made
up of opposing but inseparable elements called Yin and
Yang. An imbalance of Yin and Yang (relatively too much
or too little of either) will manifest in symptoms of
disease. For example, someone with too little Yin might
exhibit the symptoms of relatively too much Yang, hot
flashes, sweating while sleeping and waking frequently
in the middle of the night (as in menopausal syndrome),
whereas someone with too little Yang will exhibit the
symptoms of having relatively too much yin, feeling
chilled and low on energy (as in hypothyroidism). According
to the National Institutes for Health, the insertion
of needles at acupuncture points stimulates the central
nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), prodding
the body to release endorphins (natural pain killers),
change the levels of various chemicals in the brain
and regulate involuntary body functions like immune
system activity and blood pressure.
Clinical
research into the effectiveness of acupuncture has grown
tremendously over the past few years, showing that acupuncture
may be effective in treating osteoarthritis of the knee,
low back pain, migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, patients
undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, and patients
undergoing IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization). For the most
up-to-date information on current acupuncture research,
visit the website for the National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
or Acupuncture
Today, a publication that focuses on the world of
Chinese medicine.
As
an added benefit, acupuncture is a powerful sedative,
leaving most patients in a state of deep relaxation
and causing some to fall asleep during treatment. Most
of my patients report sleeping better, having more energy
and feeling less anxious or depressed, even if those
were not the symptoms that caused them to seek treatment
in the first place.
Your
first appointmetn with me is spent gathering detailed
information about your symptoms and health history.
I feel the pulse at both of your wrists to determine
its shape, speed and "quality", and I look
at your tongue for color, shape and coating. These tecnniques
give me information about any imbalances occuring in
your body. For example, if you have migraine headaches,
your pulse might be fast and feel tight like a guitar
string, and your tongue might be red with a thick yellow
coating. This information tells me what type of imbalance
is causing your headaches and tells me which acupuncture
points and Chinese herbs I should use to help you.
Acupuncture
needles are pre-sterilized to eliminate the risk of
disease transmission and, unlike hypodermic needles,
are so thin and smooth that they cause very little pain
or damage when inserted. The needles are tapped in quickly
and gently wiggled to produce a heavy, warm or tingly
sensation. This sensation signals that the point is
"active" and will have an effect on your body.
The needles are usually left in place for 20 to 30 minutes
while you rest comfortably on a massage table.
A
typical acupuncture treatment lasts about 50 minutes.
Most people need about 10 acupuncture treatments to
see significant results. Some need more (with fibromyalgia
20-30 treatments are commonly needed), some need less
(with a new muscle or joint injury, 2 to 4 treatments
may be enough). Treatment with Chinese herbal medicine
can last 3 to 6 months or longer. Results vary depending
on how an individual's body responds to Chinese medicine.
Some patients see dramatic results right away and some
see gradual results over time.
Acupuncture
and Chinese herbal medicine are available in about 40
states and some health insurance companies have started
to cover the cost of treatment. Call your insurer directly
to see if acupuncture is covered. If not, please explore
our fees & services to see if there is a way to
fit acupuncture into your budget.
*
Parts from endangered animals or those harvested in
inhumane ways are not generally used in the US and certainly
not in my practice. If you have an objection to using
animal parts in your herbal formula, I would be happy
to prescribe a different formula that does not contain
animal parts.
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