[faqtitle]How long does an acupuncture visit take?[/faqtitle]

[faqcontent]The first treatment is approximately 1.5 hours and involves a detailed intake and initial consultation in which a diagnosis is made and the course of treatment determined.  After the initial consultation, we move right into the first treatment if appropriate during the same visit.  Follow- up visits consist of a much shorter intake / diagnosis period before treatment, and generally last an hour.[/faqcontent]

[faqtitle]How do you diagnose my problem or concern with Chinese Medicine?
[/faqtitle]

[faqcontent]I will ask a number of questions after reviewing the intake regarding your specific complaint and general health.  I will then use Traditional Chinese diagnostic methods including radial pulse reading and tongue diagnosis as well as general observation and palpation.  The initial consultation includes a standard health history, and in depth conversation regarding your overall condition and health and lifestyle.
[/faqcontent]

[faqtitle]Do the acupuncture needles hurt?[/faqtitle]

[faqcontent]Patients are generally surprised and relieved to find out that acupuncture really doesn’t hurt. Needles used are very fine and thin and always sterile and disposable, which means they are only used once each visit.  Using years of training, these tiny needles are barely perceptible when inserted and patients generally do not feel the painful piercing or pricking sensation typically associated with a hypodermic needle or medical needle.[/faqcontent]

[faqtitle]What does Acupuncture or Chinese Medicine treatment involve?[/faqtitle]

[faqcontent]I will always check in with you each treatment to determine your progress and then we will move to gentle insertion of needles.[/faqcontent]

Generally, the TCM practitioner treats the body’s root imbalances and the body’s symptoms are thereby alleviated. This theory applies to fertility as much as to any other condition.  A woman’s natural balanced state, from the time she begins menstruating to the time she begins menopause, is in a state of “potentially conceiving.”  A deviation from this state—an imbalance in TCM theory—does  not necessarily imply “infertility;” it simply means a shift from one’s optimum reproductive health.

In Yin and Yang theory, any extreme contains a kernel of its opposite.  For example, even the shortest day of the year contains the moment the days start getting longer.  While your reproductive health may be at its weakest at the time of your first treatment, your initial visit may be your first step toward a state of rejuvenated fertility.

Your Individualized Treatment
You are an individual. No person’s imbalances are identical to those of anyone else.  Using TCM diagnosis, I will determine your body’s current imbalance at your first visit.  This will include looking for certain physiological changes on your tongue, taking your pulse, learning your complete health history, and asking many questions about your body and habits.  Once your imbalance is determined, I will proceed with a treatment of acupuncture and Chinese herbs tailor-made for your body.  If it appears your diet, exercise habits, and lifestyle are contributing to your imbalance also, I will make relevant suggestions there as well.

Ready to Conceive
Your acupuncture and herbal medicine treatments, will start working right away to get your body back to its optimum balance and ready for conception.  Typical changes you may sense quickly include: reduction in the stresses that interfere with ovulation, regulation of menses, and a general feeling of good health.  More subtle changes may eventually include a normalization of the hormones that regulate ovulation and allow an egg to be released, an increase in uterine blood flow improving chances of a fertilized egg implanting, or an improvement in ovulation cycles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, to name a few.  All together, TCM will work to get your body in a healthier and more balanced state which will better lend itself to conception.

Male Factor Infertility. It takes two . . .
Chinese medicine theory applies equally for male factor infertility. A man’s low sperm count, poor motility, morphology, or sexual dysfunction can all be linked to the body’s imbalances and treated with great success.

IVF and other Assisted Reproductive Therapies

Many couples today are employing the assisted reproductive therapies of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or Intra Uterine Injections (IUI).  A common and effective practice of TCM today is to have an acupuncture treatment immediately before and immediately after IVF. Studies have shown this practice to increase the number  of resulting pregnancies by as much as 50% as compared to IVF treatments that did not employ TCM concurrently.

IVF and other assisted reproductive therapies are very expensive and emotionally draining.  By contrast, TCM alone is a fraction of the cost and generally promotes good emotional health.  Given that stress alone can be a significant roadblock to getting you pregnant, I recommend that couples try TCM for several months before even trying assisted reproductive therapies.

If you have already begun IVF treatments, you should begin your course of TCM therapies right away. This will ensure the significant emotional and financial investment you’ve made in your IVF therapy is given the best possible landscape for success.

Is it ok to do IVF at the same time?
Yes it is. If you haven’t started IVF yet, however, it is recommended you begin your TCM treatment first.

Modern Western Diagnoses Treated with TCM:
Advanced Maternal Age
Amenorrhea
Anovulation
Elevated FSH Levels
Endometriosis
Hormonal Imbalances
Immunologic Infertility
Luteal Phase Defect
Male Factor Infertility
Ovarian cysts, Polycystic Ovaries
Recurrent Miscarriage
Tubal Blockage
Unexplained Infertility
Uterine Fibroids

Advantages to Fertility treatment by TCM:
Safe
Cost-effective
Non-surgical / Non-invasive
Chemical free

An explosion of acupuncture research beginning in the 1980s has produced sufficient basic studies such that synthetic models of acupuncture’s therapeutic mechanisms are now available. A comprehensive synthesis that describes the neural, vascular, immunological, and endocrine responses to acupuncture may be found in Dr. Donald E. Kendall’s recent peer-reviewed publication The Dao of Chinese Medicine: Understanding an Ancient Healing Art (Kendall 2002).

The following excerpt is from Dr. Kendall’s summary of acupuncture mechanisms (emphasis added):

“Inserting a needle provokes an acute local defensive inflammatory response [that] provokes afferent nociceptive (pain) neurons that distribute to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord (1). These pain neuron signals then trigger gamma loop efferents in the ventral horn (4), and also activate neurons that cross over to the other side of the spinal cord to be transmitted up to the brain (3). Some of this information (3) travels to the sensory cortex, when the individual may consciously experience needling sensations. Most of the data travels to the brain stem regions.

Activation of the afferent muscle spindle static load proprioceptive neurons (2), either by the gamma loop (via 4 and 5), or possibly by bradykinin (B2) released during needling, transmits signals to the spinal cord dorsal horn. Both nociceptive and proprioceptive signals stimulate additional neurons that transmit signals to the ventral horn of the spinal cord (4), which activate somatic motor nerves (5) to muscles, and autonomic motor nerves to peripheral blood vessels (6) and to the internal organs (7).

Afferent proprioceptive information is also transmitted up and down the spinal cord producing muscle, nociceptive, and visceral reflexes along the cord remote from the spinal segmental level at which the stimulation is provided. The neurons associated with the muscle system comprise a pathway known as the gamma loop (2, 4, and 5), which is necessary for muscle function even though voluntary motor signals are provided by descending response pathways (8) from the brain. Afferent muscle information is also transmitted to the brain via ascending pathways (3) in spinal tracts different from those carrying the pain signals. Certain regions or nuclei within the brain stem, involving the periaqueductal gray and several raphe nuclei, including the nucleus raphe magnus, eventually activate supraspinal descending pathways in the spinal cord (9), which provide inhibition and control. These signals can inhibit pain, relieve muscle contractions, normalize vascular tone, and restore blood flow. Inhibition of autonomic motor fibers also normalizes organ activity. Descending control is only directed back down to spinal segmental levels that are stimulated by needling (Foreman, Hammond, and Willis: 1981; Foreman: 1986). “Internal organs, including blood vessels, also have afferent nociceptive neurons (10) that indicate pain and inflammation.

These signals also transmit to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord…. If the pain signals from the viscera (10) exceed a certain threshold, then the neurons in the somatic nociceptive pathway (1) can be activated antidromically to produce referred pain in the related somatic receptive field…Afferent nociceptive visceral neurons (10) can also stimulate muscle reflexes (involving 4, 5, and 10) ” (Kendall, 2002)”

Other peer-reviewed models of acupuncture mechanisms include Dr. Charles Shang’s “Electrophysiology of Growth Control” model, and Dr. Helene Langevin’s connective tissue winding model. Shang describes the nodal and vessel system as sharing significant electro-physiological characteristics with the morphogenetic fields and growth control system that guide cell and tissue development, architecture, and specialization from the embryo through adulthood. The acupuncture nodes and vessels represent points and pathways of maximal bioelectric signal transmission and transduction, and are both reflective of pathogenesis, and sensitive to non-specific stimuli. Stimulation of acupuncture nodes and vessles may have wide-ranging and profound effects through the regulation of all body systems via the electrophysiological growth control system.

Studies conducted by Dr. Langevin et. al. suggests that mechanical coupling between the needle shaft and elastin and collagen fibers in subcutaneous connective tissue occurs as the practitioner rotates the needle in classically-prescribed manipulations. Rapid increase in needle-tissue torque facilitates the generation and propagation of electro-chemical signals through connective tissue planes. Studies of tissue samples following needle manipulation suggest that changes in tissue architecture persist after needle withdrawal. The downstream effects of connective tissue winding may include altered gene expression, protein synthesis, and secretion of autocrine and paracrine factors.

While emphasizing different dimensions of acupuncture therapeutic mechanisms, these models are not inconsistent with the neurovascular models developed by researchers such as Dr. Kendall. The time may be near when various models of acupuncture mechanisms may be synthesized into a comprehensive theory that unites well-known physiological mechanisms with scientific explanations of the subtler aspects of acupuncture effects that have often been described as “energetic”.

Copyright Essential Health Care Network 2003Do not reproduce without written permission.

What is Chinese Medicine and how does Acupuncture work?

Acupuncture is the ancient technique in which a skilled practitioner inserts hair- thin needles in to specific points on the body to prevent and treat illness.  While Acupuncture can provide immediate symptomatic relief, the goal of the medicine is to treat the root of the problem.  Chinese Medicine works with the body to strengthen and balance energy, hence improving circulation and allowing the body to heal itself more quickly and more completely.  Acupuncture is highly effective not only as a preventative medicine, but as a drug free treatment of signs and symptoms.  Studies indicate that acupuncture influences the central and peripheral nervous system and evidence shows that it releases endorphins from the brain, making it effective in pain control. Stimulating the body’s internal regulatory system will nurture a natural healing response.

Acupuncture uses the applications of needles after a diagnosis, to regulate the flow of “qi” or energy flow, through the body.  This accesses the source of life itself by using groups of points along certain lines of energy, or channels.

How does and Acupuncturist treat and what does it feel like?

Chinese medical practitioners are well trained and use a highly developed system of medicine to diagnose, treat and test the immediate success of the treatment.

On the first visit, there is an extensive interview which will provide the basic pattern of health or disease.  The practitioner will feel the subtle variations in the pulses in the wrist and examine the patient’s tongue to determine how the body is functioning.  There will also be observation and palpation of the body where necessary.

Modalities of Chinese Medicine:

• Acupuncture: Tiny, sterilized, disposable needles inserted at various points on the body and along the channels
• Chinese Herbs: Raw herbs or patent formulas in pill form to treat problems internally
• Electrical Stimulation: electrodes attached to ends of needles to further open the energy conducting pathways in the body
• Acupressure/Tui Na: Chinese style pressure point massage used therapeutically for musculoskeletal disorders or pediatric disorders
• Moxibustion: An herb (mugwort) burned over points on the body to promote circulation and relax muscles as well warming the area and breaking up stagnation and pain
• Nutrition/Exercise: Using diet therapy to complement treatment as well as utilizing regular exercise or yoga, qi gong, tai qi to strengthen vital energy.

What if I am Healthy? Can Acupuncture Prevent Problems of Enhance Health?

Yes. Acupuncture is traditionally used as a preventive medicine and it also stimulates immune function to increase your resistance to bacterial and viral infections.  Chinese Medicine is very effective in treating diagnoses of HIV, all forms of Hepatitis, as well as any auto-immune disorders by alleviating symptoms and working with Western medicine.  By treating under-lying causes of disease, it is a deeper kind of healing and affects profound changes in people on physical, mental and emotional levels.

Is Acupuncture safe and can it be effective while on medication or when other treatments fail?

Yes. Since acupuncture is drug free and Chinese Medicine uses all natural herbs. There are no harmful side effects when used under the care of an herbalist.  Actually herbs are often used in conjunction with some harsh pharmaceuticals to alleviate certain drug side effects. It is very safe for patient of all ages, or immuno-compromised or pregnant patients.

Inform your practitioner of all preexisting conditions, known problems and medications you may be taking.

Acupuncturists usually work closely with Mds and patients find that the combination of treatments usually works best for them.  Each medicine has its own area of effectiveness, although acupuncture’s advantage is its diagnostic and treatment system.  It has a broad a deep understanding of our energetic nature and the impact of energy in healing.

What can I expect with Acupuncture?

Most people are surprised at the depth of relaxation, the intensity of energy and the sense of well-being and healing which occurs from the balancing of energy.

Often, relief from symptoms is felt immediately, or may occur in a few days or weeks, depending on the severity of the symptoms.  Patients look forward to treatment not only for its healing benefits, but also for the sense of serenity experienced during and after treatment.

Many who have lived with their conditions for many years do not know that they can recover or may think that someday it will go away.  Chinese Medicine has succeeded in many cases where other treatments have not. It is just a matter of trying it and committing to the length of treatment to see a difference, even when none was thought possible!