Acupuncture is one of the key components of the system of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Acupuncture utilizes hair-thin, extremely fine, sterile, disposable needles to treat widely ranged illnesses. Acupuncture originated in China more than 3000 years and is the one of most commonly used, well tested, and oldest medical procedures in the world. In the past two decades, acupuncture has continued to grow in popularity within the US. The National Institute of Health (NIH) declares acupuncture as “widely practiced – by thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners – for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions.”

Acupuncture promotes natural healing. It can enhance recuperative power and immunity, support physical and emotional health, and improve overall function and well-being. Most people associate acupuncture with pain relief. While acupuncture works very well for pain, it works for a wide range of other conditions as well. In fact the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes over 40 conditions for which acupuncture is effective. A partial list includes allergies, asthma, nausea, IBS, tennis elbow, TMJ, sciatica, headache, migraine, dizziness, diabetes, back pain, arthritis and knee pain. Acupuncture and modern medicine, when used together, have the potential to support, strengthen and nurture the body towards health and well-being.

During the treatment the thin needles are gently inserted at specific acupuncture points on the body along special pathways or meridians http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/meridian_(Chinese_medicine). Once the needles communicate with the body and circulate a subtle energy called ‘Qi’ (pronounced Chee). This energy circulation stimulates the body’s natural healing intelligence to help restore and maintain health. The NIH Consensus Statement on acupuncture in 1997 noted that concepts such as qi "are difficult to reconcile with contemporary biomedical information but continue to play an important role in the evaluation of patients and the formulation of treatment in acupuncture.

According to research, it is proposed that acupuncture produces its effects through regulation of the nervous system. It effectiveness in treating pain may be due to the release of pain-killing biochemical’s such as endorphins at specific sites in the body. Studies have also shown that acupuncture may alter brain chemistry by changing the release of neurotransmitters that affect parts of the central nervous system related to sensation and involuntary body functions, such as immune reactions and processes that regulate blood pressure and blood flow.

For more information on scientific findings about acupuncture, visit the NIH web site for acupuncture and complementary medicine at www.nccam.nih.gov .

Acupuncture Wiki
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Chinese Herbal Medicine is another of the key components of the system of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). For more than 4,000 years, in the process of defending against diseases for thousands of years, herbal medicine has been developed and systemized based upon theoretical principles as a means of both prevention and treatment of illness and disease.

Chinese herbal medicine is the most practiced modality in Chinese medicine and it has been applied for the clinical management of a wide range of clinical conditions. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated the value of Chinese herbal medicine in the clinical management of irritable bowel syndrome, allergic rhinitis, hepatitis C and many other disorders.

There are thousands of herbs in the Chinese pharmacopia, consisting of plants, minerals and animal products. Chinese herbs are usually combined into formulas containing anywhere from 3 to 20 herbs. These combinations are designed to augment the actions or to ameliorate adverse effects of certain herbs in the formula.

The herbs may be in granules, powder, pills, capsules, tinctures, or bags to be boiled as tea. Most herb formulas consist of a mix of herbs and treat a wide variety of symptoms, while stimulating the body’s natural healing process.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

You should consider at least three things: degree earned, training, and practice experience. First, An acupuncture expert/master is someone with a doctoral degree in Oriental medicine or acupuncture from China.
Second, you will check doctors’ education background. An acupuncture expert/master should have 9-11 years of training in Oriental medicine or acupuncture in China.
Last, medical experience is very important for a qualified doctor. You will look someone with more than 15 years of hospital and clinical experience in China and US.

And, doctor’s researching background and teaching background will rich his or her knowledge and add more value on him or her.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is one of the key components of the system of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Acupuncture utilizes hair thin, extremely fine, sterile, disposable needles to treat widely ranged illnesses. Acupuncture also uses to prevent disease, or promotes general health. In TCM theory, it is essential for qi, as well as blood to circulate in a continuous and unobstructed manner for good health of the mind and body. Acupuncture meridians are the pathways through which the energy flows throughout the body. Acupuncture treats or prevents diseases by balancing body’s Qi and making Qi flow smoothly. In western scientific theory, we do not fully understand acupuncture treatment yet. However, there are research evidences show that acupuncture spurs both of local tissues and brain to release some chemicals that related with illnesses. For more information, please check my website: www.bestacuherb.com.

Can Acupuncture help cancer patients?

Yes!
My first cancer patient was one of my professors from medical school. He had lung cancer and cancer cells already transfered to bone when the time he came for acupuncture treatment. The time was 1999. Most cases coming for acupuncture treatment under my care 5 years ago were at a late stage in their disease, and usually in despair. Most of them were in very bad shape. All I could do for them were only a symptomatic relief, not a cure.

Fortunately, recent years, more and more cancer patients have been appearing in the acupuncture clinic. Some of them are in the early stage of their disease. Most of them came right after chemo-or radiation-therapy. Some of them even came right after their diagnosis. Most of them are in the good shape. As acupuncturist, I have a better chance to make a treatment plan for those patients. I started treatment with balancing their body’s Yin and Yang, boosting Qi and making free-flow of Qi and Blood; and helping them going through surgery, and during chemo- and/or radiolation therapy taking care the pain, nausea, vomiting, faguite, stress, anxiety and so on. So, they have chances of recovery are significantly higher than those of the average cancer patient. With acupuncture treatment they suffered less symptoms from cancer itself and from drug side effect. They enjoyed a quality of life.

What do you expect for first visit as cancer patients?

The typical office visit starts with medical evaluation. I like patients to bring all the information they have from their doctor office: films, lab test, a list of drugs, treatment plan..... After fully understanding patient’s medical canditions, I will spent enought time to talk with patient to understand what their mental and physical suffers. Finally, evaluate patient through Chinese medicine view. The most important thing to do in the first visit is that making diaganosis according to Chinese medicie therory and deciding TCM theatment plan.

The services we provide to cancer patients’ treatment:

• Body Acupuncture treatment

  Body Acupuncture, among the oldest healing practices in the world, is part of traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture is generally considered safe when performed correctly and properly. Acupuncture regulates the flow of Qi along pathway known as meridians.

• Moxabustion treatment

  Moxibustion is a form of fire heat treatment that stimulates specific acupuncture points of the body. Moxa warm regions and acupuncture points with the intention of stimulating circulation through the points and inducing a smoother flow of Blood and Qi.

• Guasha treatment

  Guasha is another healing technique used in acupuncture treatment over thousands of years. It involves palpation and cutaneous stimulation where the skin is pressured, in strokes, by a round-edged instrument; that result in the appearance of small red petechia called “sha”, that will fade in 2 or 3 days. Gua sha removes blood stagnation considered pathogenic, promoting normal circulation and metabolic processes.

• Cupping treatment

  Cupping therapy relies upon creating a local suction to mobilise blood flow in order to promote healing. Cupping is a method of applying acupressure by creating a vaccum on the patients’ skin to dispel stagnation-stagnant blood and lymph, thereby improving Qi flow. Cupping is used to treat a broad range of medical conditions, including anemia and pain.

• Auricular Acupuncture treatment

  Auricular Acupuncture, chinese auriculotherapy, bases on the idea that the ear is a microsystem with the entire body represented on the auricle. Ailments of the entire body are assumed to be treatable by stimulation of the surface of the ear exclusively. Auriculotherapy method originally started in China, and developed by the French neurologist Paul Nogier in 1957.

• Acupressure treatment

  Acupressure balances the body’s energy by applying pressure to specific points along energy channels known as meridians. Acupressure uses the same theory as acupuncture does.

How does Acupuncture help cancer patients?

Overall evidences, Acupuncture treatment may ingage the body’s immune function; manage the symptoms from cancer itself; release chemo- and radiation –induced toxicities; improve quality of life with cancer.

• Acupuncture enhances the body immune function

Acupuncture already use to treat most of immune diseases for years, include inappropriate immune responses-allergies, asthma; immunodeficiency diseases- B cells low; autoimmune diseases-rheumotoid arthritis, and so on.

There are number of clinic research papers show that Acupuncture boosts the body’s immune function by increasing in leukocyte, regulating T-lymphocytes.

• Acupuncture relieves pain

Acupuncture can treat the pain resulting from the cancer itself, and the pain from nerves damage due to chemo or radiation theory. An effort of acupuncture to relieve pain is wide known. Clinic trials shows that acupuncture can treat a wider range of pain conditions, such as postoperative pain, sports’ related pains, back pain, headache, tooth itching, menstrual cramps, joints pain, kidney stone, ......

Scientific evidence from Laboratory research shows several hypothesis for how acupuncture relieves pain. 1. The needles stimulates pain-sensing nerves, which trigger the brain to release opiumlike compounds calls endorphoins that circulate in the body. 2. Inserting needles spur local tissue releasing a compound called adenosine that acts as a local pain reliever. 3. Acupuncture treatment lowers the activity in a pain-sensing area of the brain known as the anterior cingulate cortex.

• Acupuncture treats Nausea/Vomiting

Acupuncture works great for postoperative nausea and vomiting. Acupuncture points stimulation also woks for pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting. It is same as acupuncture treating pain that acupuncture can treat nausea/ vomiting resulting from cancer itself or surgery or drugs’ side effects.

A possible mechanism of action is that acupuncture facilitates 5-HT release in the brain, which then activates the descending inhibitory fibers which interferes with 5-HT release in the spinal cord. Another hypothesis is that after acupuncture, the nerve system is activated and signals the brain to release certain chemicals known as neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine or endorphins. these block the other chemicals that cause the sickness, nausea and vomiting.

• Acupuncture treats fatigue, enhance the quality of life

Blockages or weakness of energy flows in the body have been recognized as the cause of fatigue. Restoring the natural flow of Qi returns the body to harmony and positive results occur. Acupuncture can help to return the flow. So this condition can be successfully treated with acupuncture. At meantime acupuncture effectively treats the various symptoms associated with fatigue and can strengthen a weakened immune system, enhance vital energy, nourish blood, and increase lymph circulation.

• Acupuncture manages stress, anxiety and depression

Acupuncture can provide a safe and effective tool for stress. Patients usually begin to feel more energetic after his or her first acupuncture treatment. Stress cause body to releases chemicals into the blood. Those chemicals fast heart beat and breath rate, rise blood pressure and increase muscle tension. Acupuncture encourages relaxation by loosening tight muscles. Acupuncture also has a relaxation response with decreased heart rate, lowered BP, stress reduction and increased energy and tissue regeneration. Acupuncture is so useful in the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression.

• Insomnia

Insomnia is a common condition which acupuncture can have a profound effect on treating. Acupuncture has a calming effect on the nervous system. It clears obstructions in the muscle and nerve, easy the flow of energy and relaxes the system. Common noted benefits of acupuncture include deeper breathing, improved digestive abilities, better sleeping patterns, decrease in various pains and a general sense of well being, which are all excellent treatments for insomnia.

• Acupuncture treat vasomotor symptoms

Studies have reported that acupuncture is effective in reducing vasomotor symptoms among postmenopausal woman with breast cancer and prostate cancer patients on androgendeprivation therapy.

Are there side effects of acupuncture?

Usually not. Acupuncture is a safe method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing and improve function. Done properly, acupuncture rarely causes serious side effects.

Is there anything I can do at home for my kid to easy his or her symptoms during or after camo- or radiation- treatment?

Yes, Acupressure for nausea, vomiting, headache.

Chinese Medicine includes acupuncture, Chinese herbs, moxibustion, Tuina and etc. Chinese Medicine treats illnesses by balancing the system of the entire human body, and by activating and boosting body’s immune system to fight against the exopathogenic factors. It can effectively treat varieties of acute, chronic, functional or physical disorders. And it has been used as a health care modality for over 3,000 years in China, and more recently in the western world including USA.

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is a safe, effective and drug free therapy that can help address a wide variety of common ailments and problems.

Massage Therapy is recognized as one of the oldest methods of healing, with references in medical texts, Huangdineijing, nearly 4,000 years old. TuiNa, one of the oldest massage therapy, with acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine forming the three pillars of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are very much a part of TCM practitioner’s education and scope of practice. The goal of Chinese massage is to balance and enhance the flow of Qi to promote health, treat illness and heal injuries. Chinese Massage Therapy created a unique way to promote balance in your body, mind, and spirit.

What are the techniques of Chinese Massage?

Chinese Massage techniques based on traditional Chinese medicine using the Meridian system, pressure points, applying stretching techniques and releasing muscular tension Holistic approach to concern with the flow and Five Essential Substances: Qi (Energy), Jing (Essence), Shen (Spirit), Xue (Blood), and Jin-ye (Body Fluids) to primarily affect and balance the energetic system for the purpose of treating the human body, emotions, mind, energy field, and spirit for the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health.

• Press and rub - for rejuvenation and good health.
• Push and grasp - for injuries, joint and muscle problems and internal disorders.
• Infant - specifically for babies and young children.
• Point press - similar to acupressure.

Benefits of Chinese Massage Therapy

• release muscular tension and pain
• help for joint problems
• improve circulation
• reduce fatigue and stress
• clearing of mental and emotional blockages
• balance energetic system and reestablish homeostasis
• maintenance and restoration of health

First, According Chinese Medicine theory, the Doctors always look for the causes of illnesses and treat the roots of causes, not only the symptoms.

Second, Chinese Medicine Doctors look patients as whole. They treat the underlying causes of an illness while controlling or alleviating its symptoms, to increase the ability to function, and to attempt to bring the entire body back into balance. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine heal the whole body, it is “holistic.”

Third, Acupuncture and Chinese herbal Medicine are natural and safe treatments. Acupuncture is preventative medicine.

Forth, Doctors of Chinese Medicine evaluate and treat patient individually. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal Medicine are Personalized and Tailored Treatments.

And, Acupuncture and Chinese herbal Medicine can treat many conditions other medical therapies may not be able to help. They are effective not only in treatment of disease, but also in maintaining good health and preventing illness.

For most chronic cases, patients need treat once a week. However, if patients feel severe pain, they should treat twice a week. In most acute cases, patients need treatment twice a week. However, for some severe pain and illnesses, the patients need treat every other day. . In general, acute conditions require fewer treatments than chronic conditions.

The number of treatments depends on the severity and nature of the complaint and on the individual patient. It also depends on the individual acupuncturist’s experience. The more experience the acupuncturist has, the fewer the acupuncture sessions that are needed. Please feel free to call us to discuss your concerns and a possible plan of treatment.

Fainting upon insertion of the needles is the most common of acupuncture’s few side effects. If you have had such difficulty with shots or blood drawing, tell your practitioner to do a light treatment the first time.

Hepatitis B and other contagious diseases can be transmitted from needles that aren't sterilized properly. We use DISPOSABLE NEEDLES ONLY, which we discard after each treatment.

Stimulating certain acupuncture points, particularly those on the lower abdomen and low back, can trigger uterine contractions and could induce premature labor and possibly miscarriage. It is important to tell the acupuncturist if you are pregnant or think you may be. Using acupuncture to treat morning sickness or other illnesses during pregnancy should be undertaken with consultation between your obstetrician and your acupuncture practitioner.

People on anticoagulant drugs may bleed easily even when thin acupuncture needles are inserted. Tell your acupuncture practitioner what you are using.

Electrical stimulation of acupuncture needles could cause problems for people with pacemakers, as could magnets, which are sometimes used to stimulate acupoints. Make sure your practitioner knows that you are using pacemaker.

Chinese herbs treatment is a process of natural healing. Only natural materials, such as plant leaves, roots, seeds, and flowers, are used. They have fewer side effects than the most comical when properly formulated.

However, Chinese herbal medicine still is medicine. It has to be using properly. Some of them, if using improperly, they will damage the liver, kidney, or other part of your body. It is very important to find one high-qualified Oriental medicine doctor to prescribe the herbs you need.

To people who prescribe or sell the herbs for their patients or clients, it is of the utmost importance to provide them with the safest and most effective natural therapies available, and use the herbs from most trustable companies.

Cosmetic Acupuncture is using acupuncture needles on specific points on the face to enhance beauty and preserve a youthful appearance.

In order to keep and enhance beauty people should maintain general health with acupuncture treatment. Skin is a biggest organ in human body. In Chinese Medicine, skin condition is a sign for general health. Remain body in the balance and good health, skin will appear nice and shining look.

Acupuncture also treat specific conditions related to beauty. Creating collagen under the skin to help fill in wrinkles. Relaxing the fascia between the skin and muscle to even and smooth the surface of the skin. Relaxing the muscle to avoid facial dropping. Balancing hormone is critical to keep acne away for all age of people.

Facial needles can minimize wrinkles, frown lines, smile lines. Acupuncture procedure clears up occasional acne, evens skin tone, improves texture of skin. Muscles and skin on face and neck will more relax and lift in the natural way. Puffy eyes and dark cycle around eyes will get help with the treatment.

After the acupuncture procedure patients look younger and fresher.