Acupuncture Useful for Postoperative Pain

A review of acupuncture studies indicates that acupuncture can be useful for postoperative pain relief. This is great news! Treating post operative pain is a major problem for hospitals. Acupuncture offers a safe, nontoxic, adjunct that will not compromise patients.

This systematic review suggests that the perioperative administration of acupuncture may be a useful adjunct for postoperative analgesia. Further large, well-designed studies are required to confirm those findings and to answer questions regarding the most efficacious type of acupuncture and optimal timing of administration.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/581266

Acupuncture for Weight Loss

Patients often ask if acupuncture can help with weight loss. It can. It reduces the cravings for food and calms the spirit. Combined a controlled calorie intake and regular exercise with acupuncture and it can be an effective boost. Here is a quote from an article on DrWeil.com that talks about using acupuncture successfully for weight loss.

"There have been a number of small studies that support ear acupuncture as a treatment for obesity. The most recent was published in 2003 in Medical Acupuncture. It found that ear acupuncture can help when combined with a 2,000 calorie a day diet and 15 minutes a day of walking. This was a very small study of only 20 obese women, ranging in age from 22 to 42. Half of them received weekly 15-minute sessions of acupuncture at relevant points in the ear. By the time the eight-week study ended, the women receiving ear acupuncture had lost a mean of 10.3 pounds while the women who didn't get acupuncture lost a mean of 3 pounds. All of the 10 women who received the acupuncture treatments reported a decrease in appetite compared with only one woman in the control group."

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400015

Join me for the Acupuncture Spa Hour each month to experience the effectiveness of ear acupuncture for just $20!

Acupuncture Makes Mom's Less Anxious and Reduces Stress

Acupunture has been relieving stress and anxiety for over 3000 years. Here ia a great article from WebMD that presents one study that did research on the effectiveness of ear acupuncture to releive stress and anxiety. I think you'll find it interesting.


"Acupuncture Calms Mom's Stress, Anxiety
Acupuncture Makes Moms Less Anxious, Resulting in Less Anxiety in Children
By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Health News

Oct. 15, 2003 -- A parent's anxiety leaps when their child is going into surgery. But a new study shows acupuncture needles -- carefully placed around the mother's ear -- can decrease her anxiety. When moms are less anxious, there's less anxiety in children, experts say.

Auricular or ear acupuncture has long been known to relieve stress and anxiety. Until now, however, it was not known that needles placed around the ear were so effective in relieving parental anxiety associated with a childs' surgery, a constant and very real concern for doctors.

http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/news/20031015/acupuncture-calms-moms-stress-anxiety"

HR646 - Acupuncture for Medicare

I am writing today to ask for your support for HR 646, The Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act. This bill will give health care consumers more choice by creating a qualified acupuncture option under Medicare part B, and will provide for coverage of services under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. 

Acupuncture is safe, effective and economical. It is one of the fastest growing health care choices in the country, with a strong focus on prevention. The passage of HR 646 will benefit thousands of people in our community who rely on acupuncture treatment. 

If you are interested in supporting this bills go to http://www.rallycongress.com/aaaom.  This is a simple site that will link you to the people who represent you in Washington and allow you to write in support of this bill.

Auricular (Ear) Acupuncture

Auricular (Ear) Acupuncture

Auricular (Ear) Acupuncture

Auricular acupuncture or ear acupuncture originated over 2000 years ago. All of the 12 major meridians or vessels enter the ears directly or indirectly allowing acupuncturist to use points on the ear to treat the organs of the body as well as the meridians.

Over the last 50 years research has been done to refine the acupuncture prescriptions used to treat major complaints using just the ears. A few conclusions of these studies are listed below:

Auricular acupuncture is clearly beneficial for cancer patients for treating pain. Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 21, Issue 22 (November), 2003: 4120-4126 2003 American Society for Clinical Oncology

Auricular therapy is effective in treating anxiety in otherwise healthy adults. Using ear acupuncture treatment is especially effective for postoperative anxiety. Acupuncture Today, Vol 02, Issue 05, (May), 2001.

Auricular acupuncture is more effective than herbs for treating painful periods resulting from endometriosis. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, December 2992L22(4); 282-285.

Auricular acupuncture is effective in reducing pain post operatively after a hip replacement. Pain, Volume 114, Issue 3, Pages 320-327

Auricular acupuncture reduces acute pain by 23% in emergency room patients as compared to the control group, which experienced no change. Military Medicine, Oct 2006
Auricular acupuncture resulted in 81% of patients having no further headaches. Medical Acupuncture September 2007, 19(3): 137-140.

Auricular acupuncture can be an effective treatment for weight loss. Medical Acupuncture, January 2003, Vol 14(2)
Auricular acupuncture is a great way to experience how effective acupuncture treatments can be. I have chosen to use this method for my Acupuncture Spa Hour. Many people are suffering from stress today. You can feel more relaxed in just thirty minutes using auricular acupuncture. I am offering you an opportunity to experience the stress reducing effects of auricular acupuncture on a monthly basis at my office. Please visit my website for the next times and dates. This is a half hour treatment, in a group setting, designed to help calm the spirit and increase a sense of relaxation. Feel your own healing power when you come to our spa hour.

You might be wondering what happens when you go in for your first appointment with an acupuncturist.  Patients have usually downloaded the forms from the website and bring them to their first appointment.

The first appointment is usually an hour to and hour and half.  We spend time understanding what the problem is and what the underlying causes might be.  There are lots of questions.  Then we'll look at your tongue and take your pulse.  In Chinese medicine the tongue and the  pulse are used to help confirm a diagnosis.  We look at the color and shape of the tongue.  We also look at the coat or fur on the tongue.  These an are indicators of the body's overall health.  Their are nine pulses on each wrist.  We can confirm the overall health of the major organs in the body by taking your pulse.  We look at the color of your skin, your eyes, and your overall demeanor.  It's all part of developing a diagnosis.  

Then the patient lays on a massage table and I use acupuncture needles for a treatment.  Most needles are place on the arms or legs below the elbow or knees.   Loose clothing in these areas is helpful.

People ask if the needles are painful.  It varies from person to person but if a patient feels a needle, the sensation disappears very quickly.  Many times the needles are not felt.  They are as thin as a hair so it's easy to understand that they might not be felt.

While patient are on the tables with the needles in they may listen to a guided imagery or music or prefer silence.

I spend a lot of time explaining what I will do and why I will do it.  It's important to me that a patient understand how Chinese medicine will help them.    I answer any questions and set up a return appointment if it will be necessary.

I offer free consultations for anyone who would like to just ask questions about Chinese medicine and how it might help their medical problems.  Just call.

Chinese medicine can eliminate headaches for people.  There are many types of headaches: migraines, tension headaches, cluster headaches, sinus headaches, post surgical headaches, rebound headaches, fuzzy headed headaches.  Chinese medicine offers natural solutions that are effective.

Acupuncture works by directing the flow of qi and blood to the areas of pain and to the organs that are out of balance.  This helps your body to naturally treat the symptoms as well as the underlying causes of the pain.    Herbs can support your body as it works to heal.  

Chinese medicine also looks at life style issues: stress, work, diet, sleep, eating habits, exercise, medications, and worry.  These all can affect your headaches.

I work with you to clearly understand the symptoms and underlying problems that cause your headaches and offer a supportive practice to help you eliminate them from your life.