ORIENTAL MEDICINE:
Although exciting and new to the Western world, Chinese medicine has been practiced for more than five thousand years. Now, as its miraculous health benefits are documented, it has gained increasing acceptance in the West.

The philosphy of Oriental medicince is preventive. To effectively combat any invading disease, it ensures the body has abundant power to protect itself by maintaining the energy of the organs and all cells at a constant level.

The theory of Chinese Medicine is that all internal organs and tissues in the body are interconnected through pathways called meridians. The function of the meridians is to propel Qi (vital energy) and blood in order to nourish the mind and body. A harmonious, smooth and free flow of vital energy (Qi) indicates balance and health while an imbalanced, stagnant flow indicates illness. Traditional Chinese Medicine may include but is not limited to acupuncture.

The concept of Oriental medicine is treatment before the signs of disease manifest because once symptoms show the disease is well progressed. Therefore, it is wise to be diagnosed even if you think you are in "good health" because the subtleties of the Oriental Medical Doctor's diagnosis will pin point problem areas before allopathic tests reveal pathology. One reason for this could be that often patients do not go for tests until they are aware of symptoms. Many people have a regular check and tune up on their cars instead of waiting for major engine problems to arise. Surely, you are as important as your automobile.

Unlike Western medicine, Oriental Medicine never labels disease as incurable or terminal. When the Western physician uses these labels, what even is the point of treatment other than to allay pain? The physician is ready to give up and unfortunately this attitude can be transmtited to the patient. Oriental medicine does not place emphasis on the name of a disease which calls forth all its negative psychological implications, but rather the Oriental Medical Doctor focuses on elimination of the source or cause. By correcting the underlying energy imbalance, the patient's health will gradually improve and the symptoms will automaticaly be eliminated. 

The Eastern medicine objective is to discover imbalances and treat them well before they reach the state of disease. For this reason, it is beneficial to have consultation to determine where strengths and weaknesses exist and need to be restored to balance before illness is apparent. When the correct balance is attained, there will be no disease.

Oriental Medicine is a “head-on” approach. It goes right to the crux of the problem. In today’s busy American lifestyle, pills are good at masking our health problems. We are conditioned to get up and move on. Eventually we break down, as the pills are not able to hide the symptoms forever. Traditional Chinese Medicine deals with the health problem, not the symptom. It can avert disease before the symptom even appears.

The Oriental Medical doctor will consider many things, including your lifestyle and habits, when making his diagnosis. The strength of Oriental medicine is in knowing that everything about you is integrated and is responsible for your present condition. It differs from Western medicine in that it takes the whole person, (body, mind and spirit) into account in diagnosis and treatment.

Diagnosis includes your complaints, history, listening to your voice, questioning you, observing you, tongue and pulse diagnosis. An Oriental Medical Doctor should spend a lot of time on your diagnosis to recommend the most beneficial and efficient treatment. Pulse diagnosis is highly specialized and comes only by experience. It enables the doctor to determine the most minute energy imbalances in your body at the time of diagnosis and also provides knowledge of past disease. Pulse reading is the most sensitive diagnostic tool in the world today. Unlike lab tests which are expensive and often inconclusive, pulse testing is very sensitive and can pinpoint imbalances up to years before there are overt symptoms of disease.

ACUPUNCTURE:
The best idea is to be diagnosed before symptoms appear, but acupuncture has good results for the following even in later stages: EMOTIONAL and PHYSICAL: ADHD, OCD, depression, stress, anxiety, paranoia, insomnia, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, addictions, bi-polar, weight loss, digestive disorders, candida, diarrhea, constipation, urinary difficulties, sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, cancer support (pre and post surgical support, alleviation of pain and nausea, immune system function enhancement) painful menstruation, PMS, endometriosis, menopausal symptoms, post stroke paresia, lupus, diabetes, allergies. PAIN: Acupuncture is extremely effective in alleviating pain of all types including: migraine, headache, back pain, osteo and rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis, leg, ankle and foot pain, tennis/golfer’s elbow, frozen shoulder, stiff neck, injury, facial pain and spasm, sciatica, neuropathy, fibromyalgia.

Acupuncture originated in China and is one of the oldest, most commonly used systems of healing in the world. In the past two decades, acupuncture has grown in popularity in the United States. According to a 1998 Harvard University study, Americans made more than five million visits per year to acupuncture practitioners. During an acupuncture session, very thin needles are inserted into points discovered empirically by the ancient Chinese. Needles are usually left in points for twenty to thirty minutes. The treatment of specific points on the meridians acts to regulate or restore the energy circulation, which in turn relieves pain or restores function by stimulating the body's own ability to heal itself. There are more than a thousand acupuncture points on the human body located along the meridians. Acupuncture leads Qi to areas where it is insufficient and drains it from areas where it is stuck and overabundant.

A more scientific explanation of acupuncture is the stimulation of certain points on the body by acupuncture needles which causes the body to release certain hormones and chemicals, including natural pain blocking chemicals called endorphins, that can reduce pain, regulate the endocrine system, and balance the nervous system.

Studies in China prove acupuncture can also increase white blood cells and antibodies, which increase the body’s resistance to infections. More and more research in the United States is confirming this evidence. Research shows acupuncture is beneficial in treating a variety of health conditions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes acupuncture's effectiveness in the treatment of over 40 common disorders: digestive disorders, irritable bowel, gastric reflux, indigestion, constipation, chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, gynecological, menstrual cramps, PMS, menopausal symptoms, infertility, complication of pregnancy and birthing, neurological, pain, headache, facial pain, neuralgia, effects of stroke, post-surgical pain, fibromyalgia, trigeminal, neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy, psychological, stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression, musculoskeletal pain and weakness, in neck, shoulder, arms, hands, fingers, knees, legs and feet back pain, sciatica, joint pain, including knee pain, tennis elbow sports injuries, including localized traumatic injuries, sprains and strains muscle cramping, overuse and repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, respiratory, asthma, allergies, sinusitis infection.

IS ACUPUNCTURE SAFE?
Acupuncture is extremely safe when performed by a qualified practitioner. We use only sterile, single-use, disposable needles and medical skin sterilization techniques. The needles, which are approximately the diameter of a human hair, are inserted superficially. Very little or almost nothing is felt. As the needles are energized, a sensation of numbness, soreness or heaviness may occur. These feelings disappear when the needles are removed. These sensations are desirable as they are a good indication that the Qi is moving and adjusting to balance the body, and the therapy is working as it should.

MOXABUSTION is the application of heat to the acupuncture points by burning the herb moxa. The herb burns at a low uniform temperature and when the diagnosis indicates its use, moxa will increase the effectiveness of acupuncture.

CHINESE MASSAGE (TUINA) comprised of various manipulations, is an additional part of the healing process. This includes specified passive movement of the limbs to prevent and cure diseases. Direct pressure can promote local blood circulation, restoring and treating injured soft tissues. Dynamic movement of nerve signals during manipulation can effectively influence the physiological function and pathological state of Qi and blood. This results in a medical recuperation everywhere in the body.

CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE:
There are thousands of natural herbs with medical properties lodged in their flowers, roots, leaves and stems. The different properties of herbs are used to treat diseases and help the body restore its normal physiological function. Herbs are ingested or applied topically.
 
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