Asian
Medicine
The theory and practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine is based on Asian medicine (also known as Traditional Chinese medicine), a comprehensive natural health care system that has been used in Asian countries for thousands of years to preserve health and diagnose, treat and prevent illness.
Asian medicine uses a sophisticated and complex system of diagnostic methods that take into consideration the person as a whole, discerning the body's pattern of disharmony rather than isolated symptoms. The aim is not only to eliminate or alleviate symptoms, but more importantly to treat the underlying cause, thereby increase the ability to function and improve the quality of life.
Pain and illness result when the flow of qi through the body is disrupted or blocked by many things, including disease, pathogens, trauma/injuries and medication and its side-effects, as well as lifestyle factors such as overwork, poor diet, emotional stress, lack of rest, physical trauma, environmental factors or genetic predispositions.
Even though Asian medicine has been predominant in Asia for thousands of years, it is one of the newest primary health care professions in California and the U.S. The potential benefits of acupuncture and Asian medicine are widely recognized, and it is increasingly being integrated with the Western healthcare system. Since the 1970's, when acupuncture and Asian medicine first became available in the United States, more than 15 million Americans have tried it. The risk of side effects is low and the potential benefits are endless.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture treats health conditions by stimulating "acupoints" found at specific locations on the surface of the body. Acupuncturists stimulate acupoints and produce physiological effects by inserting ultra-fine, single-use disposable needles. According to the theory of acupuncture, proper physiological function and health depend on the circulation of qi and blood through a network of channels throughout your body. This network connects every organ with different parts of the body, providing balance and regulation of physiological processes. The goal of acupuncture treatment is to normalize the circulation of qi and blood by stimulating specific acupoints, which results in the body's natural healing process while relieving pain and other symptoms.
When the needles are tapped into the skin, there may not be any sensation. Much depends on the location (hands and feet tend to be more sensitive) and the condition being treated. Techniques used may include moxibustion, cupping, auricular therapy (ear acupuncture), tui na (manipulation) and acupressure. After your treatment, you will feel more energized but relaxed at the same time.
According to modern scientific research, acupuncture effects the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain, which exerts control over many functional subsystems within the body (e.g., cardiorespiratory, renal, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, reproductive) and help regulate homeostatic balance. The wide range of physical effects exerted by acupuncture and its purported efficacy for a compendium of clinical pathologies suggest that the acupuncture needle's stimulus to the brain may be responsible for maintaining homeostatic balance within and across functional subsystems. Acupuncture's ability to control pain by stimulating the nervous system to release endorphins and encephalin, the body's natural chemicals that reduce pain, is one specific example.
The National Institute of Health and World Health Organization have endorsed acupuncture as an effective method of treatment and identified more than 40 conditions for which acupuncture is helpful. Both organizations agree that the acupuncture holds an advantage with substantially lower incidence of adverse effects in comparison to many drugs or other accepted medical procedures used for the same conditions.
HERBAL MEDICINE
In the course of your treatment, Chinese herbal remedies may be prescribed for you in conjunction with your acupuncture treatment. Like acupuncture, herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years in Asia to treat a wide variety of symptoms while stimulating the body's natural healing process. There are over 500 herbs in pharmecopia and herbs may be dispensed as raw herbs (teas) or in pills, capsules, granules, tinctures or external plasters.
In California, acupuncturists are the only licensed health care professionals required to be trained and tested for competency in prescribing herbal medicine. California-approved acupuncture schools require a minimum of 450 classroom hours of instruction in traditional Asian herbology, in addition to clinical training. Herbal medicine has been practiced safely and effectively for centuries and has the greatest potential for beneficial results when prescribed by a trained professional who recognizes the benefits and risks. In recent years, herbs have become very popular to self-treat many conditions. They are available in health food stores, supermarkets and on the Internet. While herbs are promoted as safe, inexpensive, natural alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs, one should be concerned about potential safety, effectiveness and potential misuse of herbal products, especially when self-prescribed.
Herbology is a complex science, in which each formula is specifically tailored for each person's constitution and condition. The California Acupuncture Board strongly recommends consulting an acupuncturist before beginning any herbal therapy. Also, please inform both your physician and acupuncturist of all the products you are currently taking (drugs, herbs, other supplements) so they can monitor effectiveness, ensure safety from adverse reactions and watch for possible interactions.
