ACUPUNCTURE FOR HEALTH

Chinese Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

First Choice or Last Resort

“You’re my last chance, doc.” “I’ve tried everything.” As an acupuncturist for 25 years, I’ve heard that too many times. I can’t blame people, acupuncture and Oriental medicine may be very old, but in America, it’s new. People just don’t know about Chinese medicine and acupuncture , and what they do know might sound very strange, and let’s face it, the idea of someone sticking needles in you is a little scary.

Though Chinese accupuncture and Chinese medicine are now available almost everywhere in the USA, people just don’t think of trying it first. In some states they can’t try it first, because acupuncturists have to practice under the authority of an MD, and the few insurance policies that cover acupuncture require that it be prescribed by a doctor. But in California and several other states, acupuncturists are licensed as primary care physicians. In these and other states, you can see your acupuncturist first. If your problem is beyond our capability, we’ll refer you to an MD.

Despite the rise in the popularity and availability of acupuncture, the fact is that most people see an acupuncturist last or not at all. This is unfortunate, because for many conditions, acupuncture and Oriental medicine is more effective, safer, and cheaper than Western treatments, and needles are not always required.

Few people know that accupuncture and Chinese medicine has solved some problems that modern medicine is still puzzling over. Probably the best example is the common cold. Faced with a bad cold, many of us go to the doctor. The common cold accounts for more doctor visits than any other ailment. Just what can your doctor do for a cold? Nothing - or worse. Some doctors, despite knowing better, still prescribe antibiotics that will be ineffective and have possible unwanted effects. They do it because the patient wants something, anything, to relieve their suffering. Doctors may rationalize, or I’d say fantasize, that a bacterial infection might be present for which the antibiotics might be effective.

Chinese medicine has not cured the common cold, but has come a lot closer. In 1798 Dr. Wu Ju Tong published the herbal formula for Yin Chiao. Since then, this herbal masterpiece has relieved, shortened, or even stopped more colds than all Western drugs combined. Yin Chiao and several other Chinese cold remedies have done this reliably and with absolute safety for both children and adults. Why haven’t we heard about it till now? Maybe good new travels slowly; maybe no one was paying attention; maybe drug companies can’t make a profit on an herbal remedy. No matter. Remedies like Yin Chiao and its younger companion Gan Mao Ling, have found their way to your local natural food store. When you start to get your next cold, try them first, before running to your doctor. And don’t wait too long, the sooner you take these herbal remedies, the better they work. For more information see: Acupuncture and Colds or Chinese herbs for Colds.

Colds are not the only conditions where you should think of accupuncture and Chinese medicine first. Acupuncture is a remarkable stress reliever. Try it before you visit your doctor for simple stress related conditions. If simple stress is causing you sleeplessness or anxiety, you may find that acupuncture can make tranquilizers and sleeping pills unnecessary. Why go down the road of addicting or dangerous drugs? Acupuncture is painless, comforting, and extremely safe.  For more information see: Acupuncture and Stress.

Fertility is an increasingly common problem as more and more women in their thirties and forties try to get pregnant. Your doctor has only highly technical and very expensive procedures like In Vitro Fertilization to offer. But search the web and you’ll find that many women have been successful using acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Even if you do try IVF, a study at the University of Texas found that TCM increases your chances of success by as much as 50%. For more information, see Acupuncture for Fertility or Chinese herbs for fertility.

All this is not to say that you should try TCM first for every disease or suspected condition. Chinese medical doctors, despite some claims, cannot diagnose or cure cancer. TCM cannot look inside you or analyze your blood. High blood pressure, for example, is a serious killer, yet ancient Chinese doctors were not aware of it and had no way to measure it. If you have or suspect a serious medical condition, see your doctor first. Modern medicine is the best kind of health care for diagnosing these conditions. Western medicine deserves our respect, yet TCM has survived for thousands of years perfecting itself and is not going away. If you want the best in health care, learn about both of these medical alternatives. Then choose where to go first.