Frequently Asked Questions & Answers About Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

What is Oriental medicine?

Oriental medicine is a comprehensive system of health care with a continuous clinical tradition of more than 3,000 years. It includes acupuncture and herbal treatment, as well as massage, dietary therapy, Qi Gong, meditation and exercise. These therapies work with the natural vital energies inherent with all living things to promote the body’s ability to heal itself. This health care system effectively serves one-quarter of the world’s population who reside in the Orient. It is rapidly gaining popularity in the West.

How does it work?

Oriental medicine is based on an energetic model rather than the biochemical model of Western medicine. The ancient Chinese recognized the vital energy, which they called Qi (pronounced "chee") in all life forms and life processes. In developing an understanding of the prevention and cure of disease, the ancient physicians discovered a system of Qi circulation throughout the human body, along specific pathways. Each pathway is associated with a particular physiological system of internal organs. Disease is considered the result of imbalances of Qi within the body, impairing the optimal functioning of these organ systems.

The pathways, or meridians, which carry the vital energy of Qi, communicate with the surface points of the body at specific locations called acupuncture points. Each point has a predictable effect upon the Qi passing through it. Modern science has been able to measure the electrical charge at these points, thus corroborating the locations of the meridians mapped by the ancients.

Oriental medicine has developed methods of determining the flow of Qi in the meridians, using an intricate system of pulse and tongue diagnosis. Findings from these diagnostic systems are combined with other signs and symptoms to create a composite diagnosis. A treatment plan is then formulated to bring the body back to a balanced state of health.

What can I expect if treated?

Acupuncture and herbs may alleviate many conditions very rapidly; however, some conditions that have arisen over a course of years will be relieved only with slow, steady progress. As in many forms of healing, the patient’s attitude, diet, determination, and lifestyle will affect the outcome of a course of treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine is also an educational process in which the patient becomes more aware, and responsible for his or her own body’s vitality and wellness. Counsel may be given to help the patient establish a more balanced lifestyle and thus maintain a deeper sense of well-being. Oriental Medicine is a complete system in itself, and is complementary to Western medicine. Your acupuncturist may, depending on your condition, recommend that you seek further advice or treatment from your primary care healthcare practitioner.

Is acupuncture safe?

Under the care and supervision of a Licensed Acupuncturist, your safety is assured. The needles for treatments are sterile, disposed of after each use, and students receive extensive training in all areas of safety protocol.

Is acupuncture painful?

Acupuncture needles are very fine, flexible, and are about the diameter of a strand of human hair. Acupuncture bears no resemblance to the feeling of receiving an injection, since the main source of pain from injections is the larger diameter, hollow needle and the medication being pushed into the tissue by pressure. In most cases, insertion by a skilled practitioner is performed with a minimum of discomfort. Most patients find the treatments very relaxing and many fall asleep during the treatments.

What can it treat?

The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture and Oriental medicine’s ability to treat more than 43 commonly encountered clinical disorders, including:

• Gastrointestinal disorders

• Food allergies, peptic ulcer, constipation, chronic diarrhea, indigestion, gastrointestinal weakness, anorexia, and gastritis.

• Urogenital disorders

• Stress incontinence, urinary tract infections and sexual dysfunction.

• Gynecological disorders, including irregular, heavy or painful menstruation, PMS, and infertility in women and men.

• Respiratory disorders

• Emphysema, sinusitis, asthma, allergies, and bronchitis.

• Disorders of the bones, muscles, joints and nervous system

• Arthritis, neuralgia, migraine headaches, insomnia, dizziness, and low back, neck and shoulder pain.

• Circulatory disorders

• Hypertension, angina pectoris, arteriosclerosis, and anemia.

• Emotional and psychological disorders

• Depression, including Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), anxiety and stress.

• Addictions

• Alcohol, nicotine, and many types of drug addiction.

• General Medicine

• Eye, ear, nose and throat disorders, including cold and flu symptom relief.

Does my medical insurance cover my treatments?

A number of medical insurance companies cover acupuncture under their policies. Please contact your employer or health insurance company to inquire about your coverage.

How long is an appointment?

First visits to an acupuncturist generally can take one and a half to two hours. Subsequent visits are usually one hour in duration.

Why are more people seeking this form of health care?

• It empowers people, returning to them the responsibility and control of their own bodies and health care.

• It successfully treats many health issues which may not be addressed by Western medical practitioners.

• It’s safe, effective and has virtually no side effects.

• It treats the whole person, not just the disease.

• It uses the body’s natural healing processes to effect relief.

Question & answer about acupuncture (information for patients)

A: acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into the body at specific point shown as effective in the treatment of specific health problems. These points have been mapped by the Chinese over a period of two thousand years. Recently, electromagnetic research has confirmed their locations.

A: The World Organization has said that acupuncture is suitable for treating the following:

toothaches, pain after tooth extraction, earaches, sinus inflammation, nasal inflammation or dryness.

2. Respiratory Disorders

Uncomplicated bronchial asthma in children or adults.

Digestive tract problems, hiccups, inflammation of the stomach, chronic duodenal ulcers,

Inflammation of the colon, constipation, diarrhea, dysentery caused by certain bacteria.

Inflammation of the conjunctiva, inflammation of the central retina, near- sightedness (in children).

Headaches, migraines, certain facial paralysis or nerve pain, partial weakness after a stoke,

Inflammation of nerve ending, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, sciatica, low back pain, and

osteo - arthritis.

Acupuncture has been used for centuries in China to treat many other problems, such as knee pain,

sprains and strains, and most gynecological complaints.

A: That depends upon the nature of the problem, the location of the points selected, the patient’s style or school. Usually, needles are inserted from ¼ to 1 inch in depth.

A: If your practitioner has obtained the correct stimulus of the needle, the patient should feel some cramping, heaviness, distention, tingling, or electric sensation either around the needle or traveling up or down the affected meridian, or energy pathway. In Chinese, acupuncture is bu tong, painless. Some Western cultures may categorize these sensations as type s of pain. In many case, if you experience any discomfort, it is usually mild.

A: The best practice among acupuncturists in America today is to use sterilized, individually packaged, disposable needles. Needles should not be saved and reused for later treatments. This eliminates the possibility of transmitting a communicable disease by a contaminated needle.

A: Modern Western medicine cannot explain how acupuncture works. Traditional acupuncture is based on ancient Chinese theories of the flow of Qi (Energy) and Xue (Blood) though distinct meridians or pathways that cover the body somewhat like the nerves and blood vessels do. According to ancient theory, acupuncture regulated and restores the harmonious energetic balance of the body. In Chinese there is a saying," There is no pain if there is free flow; if there is pain, there is no free flow."

A: Yes, there are. Acupuncture originated in China but has spread to Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Europe, the British Isles, and America. In different countries, different styles have developed based on differing opinions as to theory and technique. Patients should talk to their practitioners about their particular style and learn as much as possible about the treatment being proposed.

A: That depends upon the duration, severity, and nature of your complaint. You may need only a single treatment for an acute condition. A series of five to fifteen treatments may resolve many chronic problems. Some degenerative conditions may require many treatments over time.

A: Your practitioner will explain the nature of your problem and what treatment he or she is recommending; Your practitioner will tell you what benefits and risks there are to the proposed treatment, what other treatment options are available to you through this practitioner or by referral to another practitioner or physician.

If you agree to go ahead with the treatments, your practitioner will tell you what progress to expect, what to do if you feel worse.

Q: Is there anything I need to do before receiving an acupuncture treatment?

A: Yes, the following suggestions will help you get the maximum benefits from your treatment.

1. Maintain good personal hygiene to reduce the possibility of bacterial infection.

2. to prevent loss, do not wear jewelry.

3. wear loose clothing/ Women should not wear one –piece dresses. Avoid wearing tight stockings.

4. Avoid treatment when excessively fatigued, hungry, full, emotionally upset, or shortly after sex.

A: Yes, again.

1. Relax. There is no need to be frightened. Ask your practitioner any questions you have along the way so that you can get the most benefit possible from the treatment.

2. Do not change your position or move suddenly. If are uncomfortable, tell your practitioner.

3. Some people experience dizziness, nausea, cold sweat, shortness of breath, or faintness during treatment. This often occurs if you are nervous. Inform your practitioner immediately so he or she can read just or withdraw the needles. Also let your practitioner know if you feel an increasing amount of pain or burning sensation during the treatment.

4. If you find your treatment unbearable at any point, be sure to speak up so that your practitioner can make the proper adjustments or stop the treatment.

A: You may note a spot of blood at one or more of the needle sites and /or a small bruise could develop. These should not be harmful, but please talk to your practitioner if you are concerned.

Patients often experience the most dramatic results in the first treatment. Some patients experience an immediate total or partial relief of their pain or other symptoms. this relief many last or some pain many return .in a few cases, there many be no immediate relief only to notice the pain diminish over the next couple of days. Generally, you should expect to feel better.

Some patients will have more questions than this brochure can answer. You practitioner is used to answering questions such as: should I continue to see my medical doctor? Should I continue taking my present medication? What should I eat? Is there anything I can do for myself at home? What signs of success should I look for first and after how long? You should discuss all of your questions in person with your practitioner.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has evolved and developed over thousands of years, and gradually spread throughout the Han society. It formed medical treatment systems for the nobility, peasants, workers and merchants. At the same time, it also reflects certain characteristics of the history, culture and natural resources of the Han Chinese, and has a unique theory and usage.

Ancient books usually attribute the invention of Chinese medicine to Shen Nong(the God of Agriculture), Huang Ti(the Yellow Emperor) and Fu Hsi(a pioneer of animal husbandry). Shen Nong is said to have personally tasted and tested the hundred herbs, which Fu Hsi invented nine needles of different shapes and functions to be used in acupuncture. In fact, the clinical practices of ancient people were the real source of medicinal knowledge.

Inscriptions on orcle bones from the Shang Dynasty(1766 to 1122BC), discovered in Honan Province, have provided a record of illness, medicines and medical treatment. Furthermore, toward the end of 1973, a number of medical treatises on silk banners and bamboo slips were excavated from tomb number three at Ma-Huang-Tui in Changsha, Hunan provice. These were copied from books some time between the Chin and Han periods(300 BC to 3 AD) and constitute the earliest medical treatises surviving in China.

A set of needles used in acupuncture, and some small branding iron for medical use

In Chinese Medicine, acupuncture and moxibustion are specialized treatments which involve the use of needles and the use of burning herbs respectively. The theory and practice of both methods follow the study of human circulation. In the past few thousand years, acupuncture and moxibustion have not only been used as a medical treatment in China, but have also spread to other parts of the world.

One cannot ignore the development of Chinese medicine: From the Sung Dynasty(960 to 1276 AD) the establishment of pharmaceutical system has been a standard practice throughout the country. Before the ingredients of Chinese medicine can be used to produce pharmaceuticals, they must undergo a preparation process, for example baking, simmering or roasting. The preparation differs according to the needs for the treatment of the disease. Preparation methods, production methods and technology have constantly been improved over time.

Chinese medicine has also made a contribution to immunology and forensic medicine. The Chinese method of immunization against smallpox used doses of human pox inhaled through the nose, and was perfected in the 17th century. The method spread all over the country and later throughout the world.

During the Warring States Period (475 to 221 BC), China established a forensic inspection system. More books on forensic medicine appeared up until the Sung Dynasty. "Hsi Yuan Lu" ("A Collection of Vindicated Cases") by Sung Tz'u is an ancient Chinese specialized work, which was comparatively systematic, and is also a world renowned ancient classic on forensic medicine.