Chinese medicine is an ancient form of healthcare that has been practiced throughout Asia for 5,000 years. Historically and up until this very day, Chinese medicine is perhaps the most widely used form of medicine throughout the world, as billions of people have used it as their primary form of care. There are a few main aspects of Chinese medicine including:
- Acupuncture
- Chinese herbal medicine
- Nutrition
- Qi gong
Skilled practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine are very effective at treating a variety of medical conditions and symptoms. One of the primary principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine is that every patient is treated from a holistic point of view, uncovering the root causes of why the physical imbalance is occurring to begin with.
Many times, traditional Western Medicine treatments are not successful or they create unwanted side effects from medications. There are plenty of cases when people turn to Acupuncture and Integrative health care when western medicine has failed to help them finally feel better and become symptom free.
In essence, the significant benefits of Acupuncture include the following:
- Increases circulation by enhancing the flow of fresh blood and thus oxygen and nutrients to an area of injury to speed healing and to flush out waste products, toxins and stagnant blood.
- Reduces stress by reducing stress hormones like cortisol. Stress hormones, while necessary in small amounts, are released much too frequently in most people and are responsible for damage at all cellular levels in your body. They age you, and can cause sleep disruption, weight gain, appetite disturbance, and emotional imbalances; so reducing this systemic response is hugely important in relieving poor health concerns.
- Regulates the immune system, fortifying you against colds and flu, allergies, autoimmune conditions, and inflammation. Acupuncture can stimulate both red and white blood cell production.
- Reduces inflammation (through a combination of the mechanisms mentioned above)– but I feel this benefit warrants special emphasis because inflammation is the root of all disease. Inflammation is a healthy response to tissue damage and it can stimulate our bodies’ self-healing mechanisms, but for many of us, poor diets and unrelieved stressors cause our inflammatory response to over-activate. By increasing circulation, reducing stress hormones, producing endorphins, and activating our parasympathetic (rest and digest) system, acupuncture regulates the inflammatory response. Less inflammation=longer healthier life.
- Produces endorphins (the body’s natural opiate-like chemicals) that reduce pain, relieve stress and give some people a euphoric “acupuncture high” feeling.
An initial session will include an in depth review of your medical history and lifestyle.
I will discuss your health goals and you will be advised as to what the best treatment plan will be for your particular case. A physical assessment will happen if applicable. Every patient is treated in a holistic manner. This primarily means that treatments and recommendations are specifically tailored to you for your unique situation. If you have recent diagnostic lab work (i.e blood tests, ultrasound/MRI), bring a copy of them with you if possible to your appointment.
I have extensive training and experience with using a variety of healing modalities to successfully treat many of the common physical and emotional imbalances that people experience. One or more of the following modalities may be applied to your treatment protocol: The use of herbs, acupuncture, cupping, high quality nutritional supplements, spiritual and energetic healing, acupressure, lifestyle coaching, and specialized functional medicine testing.
It is important to understand that acupuncture and integrative medicine is not a band-aid solution, like antihistamines and ibuprofen that manage your symptoms. I treat the root cause of your symptoms, and ultimately provide long-term relief from your health issues.