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Introduction to East Asian Medicine

For many kinds of pain, expensive surgeries and toxic drugs may be avoided by choosing less invasive treatment options first.

Acupuncture is the most well known modality in the ancient tradition of East Asian medicine. East Asian medicine also includes other modalities such as Chinese herbal medicine, dietary and exercise recommendations, to mention just a few. Having been used all over Asia in one form or another for thousands of years, East Asian medicine has been the primary form of health care for roughly a fifth of the world's population for much of human history. Many patients in North America are now seeking to broaden their treatment options including acupuncture and other modalities of East Asian medicine for safe and effective care of a wide range of ailments.

Traditionally, acupuncture is based on the principle that there are energy and information pathways throughout the body called meridians by which the body orchestrates its many functions. "Qi" (the Chinese word for energy, pronounced "chee") flows through these pathways and is responsible for the body's healthy function. Through a wide range of modalities, most notably acupuncture, practitioners direct "Qi" energy through these meridians to improve overall health and encourage the body to rebalance itself. The focus is not so much on specific illness but on correcting underlying imbalance and thus returning normal function. Gradually, this process has lead to the development of a comprehensive system of medicine, that is now licensed in over 40 states in the United States.

What to Expect During a Treatment

During a typical treatment, up to twenty needles are inserted into specific points on the body that have been found to help the presenting symptoms. These points are along 14 primary meridians that span the entire length of the body. The choice of points typically involves a combination of direct treatment in the area of dysfunction and treatment of points distal to where the problem is that have been found to reflexively enhance a desired function. Dietary advice and/or time-tested herbal formulas may also be incorporated into the treatment plan.

An Ancient System, as Relevant Today as Ever

Acupuncture and East Asian medicine has roots back into the Stone Age. Practitioners and patients alike span the full spectrum of scientific, philosophical, spiritual and religious perspectives. The basis of East Asian medicine is the encouragement of the body's innate healing tendencies, the life force that is described by various names in nearly every world religion and form of science.

While modern physiology has clearly mapped out the nervous system and identified some aspects of how acupuncture works, the full effectiveness of acupuncture therapy cannot be adequately explained through the modern medical model or explained away by the placebo effect. This ancient system continues to offer a unique, relatively non-invasive and surprisingly effective system for explaining, identifying and correcting imbalance. The treatment of pain is the most well-known and documented use of acupuncture, though patients with virtually all forms of illness report benefits from its use since its focus is on correcting underlying imbalance and not just on fighting a specific illness. Because of this, East Asian medicine theory and practice is just as relevant to the ills of today as it has been throughout history. Furthermore, it has proven to be flexible enough for application to new illness, never before encountered, and to people everywhere regardless of ethnic or religious background.

Within the past thirty years, acupuncture has been receiving a great deal of recognition within the United States. As acceptance is increasing within the main stream medical system, a new model of medicine is emerging where practitioners from across disciplines are beginning to collaborate in combining therapies through cross referrals and even fully integrated care clinics. This new model of medicine helps to ensure that patients have a chance to consider all their options, using less invasive procedures when appropriate.

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