Actually the title of this section is incorrect as it is not really Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (AOM), but rather Acupuncture is part of Oriental Medicine.  Oriental Medicine, also known as Asian Medicine, is an umbrella term which includes acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet and nutrition and exercise such as qi gong and tai qi.  Not all acupuncturists are trained in all areas of Oriental Medicine.

Oriental Medicine is a complete form of medicine just as Allopathic medicine is.  Allopathic medicine, although the term is used a little bit incorrectly here, is the type of medicine commonly practiced in the West. Being a complete form of medicine, AOM has the ability to treat a wide range of health issues.  Because AOM evaluates disease differently than Allopathy, treatments for conditions that may be considered untreatable by conventional means may be treatable with AOM.  Additionally, AOM typically offers treatments that are far less invasive and with far less side effects than pharmaceuticals.  Pharmaceuticals have their place, but often times other, safer approaches exist.

It is important to understand AOM is truly a holistic form of medicine that has developed over thousands of years into an effective form of health care.

What can be treated by AOM?

The World Health Organization has a list they produced many years ago and you can find this online.  I believe this list falls short of the true potential of AOM.  AOM is by no means a magic bullet for what ails us as it offers superior results for some health issues and is less effective for others.  This is true with any form of medicine.  AOM can treat acute problems as well as chronic problems and is well suited for treating chronic health issues.  AOM can be used independent of conventional medicine or in conjunction with conventional medicine.  A partial list of more commonly treated problems includes but is not limited to the following:

It is important to understand the goal of AOM is to treat the root cause, not simply symptom management.  This may not always be possible, but this is always the goal.

Although AOM treats a wide variety of health issues and can be used as a preventative form of medicine, AOM excels at treating musculoskeletal problems (muscle and joint pain / injuries) and gynecologic problems.  These are the areas I focus on in my clinic and as a result have a considerable amount of experience in these areas.

AOM is traditionally based on the concept of qi.  Qi is a concept that is far too complex to discuss here, but to reduce it to a very simple idea consider the following.  Our bodies are energetic just as they are biochemical.  In fact, biochemical activity is dependent upon proper qi regulation.  In order for us to be healthy or regain our health, and heal from injuries, qi must exist in the right quantity (neither be excess nor deficient) and must flow in the right direction at the right time in pathways called channels or meridians.  Alter the flow of qi, something that can occur due to variety of influences such are diet, stress, trauma, genetics, surgeries, medications, environmental influences and more, and the end result will be health related problems, be it a headache, constipation or cancer.  Beautiful in its simplicity, and profound in its impact if qi is not in balance.  AOM medical theory is far more complex, but in its most reduced form, this is what it boils down to.  In addition to AOM medical theory, many practitioners utilize the western scientific model of how acupuncture works and may decide to plan a treatment based on the scientific understanding rather than the qi concept.  Both methods can be very effective and sometimes the best approach is obtained by combining both theories.  In my clinic I make use of both medical models.

There is a considerable amount of information on AOM on the internet.  Research is abundant and can be found in peer reviewed medical journals, Research coming out of Mayo Clinic and other major clinics, and from the National Institutes of Health, Office of Alternative Medicine.

So how do you find a good acupuncturist?

First you may want to decide if you will benefit form herbal medicine and if so, find a practitioner trained in herbal medicine.   Most practitioners will provide you with a free consultation and you can address this issue then.  In the treatment of musculoskeletal problems I have found and believe the research supports the use of electro acupuncture.  I believe it to be far more effective than straight acupuncture.  This is a comfortable procedure that often times results in a profoundly relaxed state.  Non electro acupuncture can provide this relaxed state as well, but there is more endorphin release with electro acupuncture for most people and the effects on promoting healing are more significant.  I also believe you are best served by a practitioner who is knowledgeable about nutritional medicine.  Nutritional deficiencies can result in a multitude of health problems and may prevent healing from occurring.

As far as choosing an acupuncturist, find a practitioner who has been board certified by the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.  In order to be board certified the practitioner must have graduated from an accredited college of acupuncture or acupuncture and oriental medicine.  For most people in practice today,  graduates hold either a masters degree or a doctorate.   Generally the more experience a practitioner has the better and certainly the more experience they have treating your particular problem the better.  Don’t hesitate to ask.  AOM practitioners are a friendly group, more than willing to answer any questions you might have.  We are here to serve you and consider it a privilege to do so.

If you have any questions give us a call, send an email, drop by the office or schedule a free consultation and schedule a full appointment.  We look forward to meeting you and helping in any way we can.