Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): First Choice or Last Resort

"You're my last chance, doc. I've tried everything."

As an acupuncturist for 25 years, I've heard this many times. I can't blame people, Oriental medicine may be very old, but in America, it's new. People just don't know about it, and what they do know may sound very strange. And let's face it, the idea of someone sticking needles in you is a little scary.

Though acupuncture and Chinese medicine are now available almost everywhere in the United States, people certainly don't think of trying it first. In some states they can't because acupuncturists have to practice under the authority of an M.D. In these states the few insurance policies that cover acupuncture require that it be prescribed by a doctor. In California and several other states where acupuncturists are licensed as primary care physicians, patients can simply make an appointment when they have a physical problem. If the problem can't be addressed by acupuncture, the practitioner will refer the patient to an M.D.

Nevertheless, acupuncture has been shown to be beneficial for many conditions, including infertility, addiction, and pain.

A study at the University of Heidelberg in 1982 showed acupuncture to be more effective for infertility than hormone therapy while having no side effects. A placebo-controlled study at the University of Michigan provided strong evidence that acupuncture can greatly enhance the success of alcohol and drug-abuse support programs. And a study at the Hunan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine completed in 1992 showed that acupuncture can relieve angina pain. Forty patients with angina were assessed during and after acupuncture treatments. After 7 treatments 63 percent of the patients experienced alleviation of pain in extent, area, and duration of attack.

This doesn't mean you should call your acupuncturist if you suddenly experience chest pain. Your first response should be to call your doctor or 911. However, there are a number of conditions where it makes good sense to give Chinese medicine the first try, including common colds, both food and airborne allergies, infertility, nausea, simple digestive problems, insomnia, hair loss, mild to moderate depression, back pain, arthritis, eczema, acne, psoriasis, substance abuse, and fatigue.

For these conditions, I believe that Oriental medicine is more effective, safer, and cheaper than Western treatments, and needles are not always required. Few people know that Chinese medicine has solved some problems that modern medicine is still puzzling over. Probably the best example is the common cold.

The Common Cold

The common cold accounts for more doctor visits than any other ailment. But just what can your doctor do for a cold? Nothing, at best, though some doctors still prescribe antibiotics that can have unwanted effects.

While Chinese medicine has not cured the common cold, it has come a lot closer than Western medicine.

In 1798 Dr. Wu Ju Tong published the herbal formula for Yin Chiao. Since then, daily use by millions of people over two hundred years is proof enough for me that this herbal masterpiece has probably relieved, shortened, or even stopped more colds than all Western drugs combined. Yin Chiao and its younger sister Gan Mao Ling, and other Chinese cold remedies have done this reliably and with absolute safety for both children and adults.

Why haven't we heard about it until now? Maybe good new travels slowly; maybe no one was paying attention; maybe drug companies can't make a profit on an herbal remedy.

Remedies like Yin Chiao and Gan Mao Ling, have found their way to most local natural food stores. When you start to get your next cold, try them first, before running to your doctor. And don't wait too long; the sooner you take these herbal remedies, the better they work. To learn more about this little known wonder visit www.yinchiao.com.

Reducing Stress

Acupuncture is a remarkable stress reliever. A 2005 study conducted on 55 patients suffering from stress-related emotional disorders showed a reduction of symptoms in 95 percent of the subjects. If simple stress is causing you sleeplessness or anxiety, acupuncture can make tranquilizers and sleeping pills unnecessary. Why go down the road of addicting or dangerous drugs? A 2007 pilot study cited in The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease suggests that acupuncture may also help people with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Infertility

Addressing the problem of infertility, which has grown increasingly common as more women in their thirties and forties try to get pregnant, Western medicine offers highly technical and very expensive procedures like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). A study at the University of Texas found that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can increase the chances of success with IVF by as much as 50 percent. In China today, most women will try a Chinese remedy for gynecological problems before seeking expensive Western medical help. For those in the U.S. who can afford high-tech interventions, I would certainly recommend at least trying TCM.

All this is not to say that you should try TCM first for every disease or suspected condition. Despite some claims, TCM cannot diagnose or cure cancer. TCM cannot look inside you or analyze your blood. High blood pressure, for example, is a serious killer, yet ancient Chinese doctors were not aware of it and had no way to measure it.

If you have or suspect you may have a serious medical condition, see your doctor. Modern medicine is the best kind of health care for diagnosing these conditions. Western medicine deserves respect. At the same time TCM has refined itself and survived for thousands of years, and it is not going away. If you want the best in health care, learn about both of these medical alternatives and use them wisely.