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by Kory Ward-Cook, Ph.D., MT (ASCP), CAE;
Bryn Clark, L.Ac., Dipl.O.M. (NCCAOM);
and Ruth Dalphin, MM, CA, Dipl.A.B.T., Dipl.Ac. (NCCAOM), Certified Instructor (AOBTA)
ACUPUNCTURE and ORIENTAL MEDICINE
Ancient Answers to Today's Health Questions
For over 3,000 years, Chinese healers have been preoccupied with health and longevity. Imperial Court Chinese practitioners were only employed as long as everyone was healthy; thus they began to look at preventive medicine in a very earnest way. Today, Oriental medicine focuses on early detection and prevention of disease and helps to alleviate chronic ailments that might otherwise affect a person’s quality and quantity of life.
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) acts in much the same way as the ancient Imperial Court, setting a high standard for training, eligibility and recertification of practitioners throughout the United States. NCCAOM is the only nationally recognized certification agency for acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in the U.S. with an established testing procedure to ensure that certified practitioners have met recognized standards of competence and safety.
Oriental medicine is a dynamic, complex and comprehensive health care system that encompasses a variety of traditional Eastern health care therapies. NCCAOM provides standards of eligibility and assesses practitioners for certification in Oriental medicine (O.M.), Acupuncture (Ac), Chinese herbology (C.H.) and Asian bodywork therapies (A.B.T.) such as acupressure, shiatsu and Thai medical bodywork therapy. Certified practitioners, or Diplomates, in each of these designations utilize slightly different modalities to achieve the same results: the balance of Qi (pronounced “chee”) in the body.
You can hardly explain Oriental medicine without some understanding of Qi. The English language does not have a word for it; however, Qi is very similar to our Western concept of light in that it has properties of both energy and matter and is measurable. Although it is unable to be seen directly, its effects can be felt; it is what makes hearts beat and turns food into nourishment for the body. In addition, Qi is palpable, manifesting itself as warmth or movement or almost an electrical feeling. Certified practitioners are trained to feel some 18 different pulses (nine in each wrist) in order to determine where the flow of Qi in the body is blocked, stagnant or deficient.
According to Oriental medicine, the human organism is designed to function with ease. When everything is in balance, the body’s natural energy or Qi will flow easily and without restriction. However, if something goes out of balance—for example, if you become mentally or physically stressed or if an external pathogen acts upon your body—then the body may experience ill health or disease. Certified practitioners do not chase symptoms of disease; instead, they look for the root cause of the imbalance within the body and attempt to bring the patient back into a harmonious state through the use of various non-invasive therapies.
For example, instead of treating a skin disorder such as eczema with topical creams, a certified practitioner would look for the root cause—excess heat in the liver, for instance—and then might treat the patient with herbs and acupuncture to “drain the heat.” The root cause of a cough or cold might be different; it might be the result of a deficiency of lung Qi or Qi stagnation, which allows too much cold in the lungs. In that case, the certified practitioner might administer Asian bodywork therapy such as shiatsu to stimulate Qi in the body and also recommend the patient avoid cold drinks and eat hot soups with fresh ginger to warm the stomach and lungs and induce sweating. Regardless of which modality is used, the goal is the same: to balance the whole body on an elemental level, thus enabling it to heal itself.
This is a completely different system of healing from that of traditional Western medicine, which focuses on treating acute conditions by identifying and then curing pathogenic symptoms with surgery or drugs. Traditional Chinese medicine treats the root of an acute or chronic condition and can be utilized as preventative medicine to support good health over an entire lifetime. In traditional Chinese or Oriental medicine, treating patients is part of a process that takes place over their entire lifetime. In addition to the idea of Qi, it involves the idea of yin and yang, which are often pictorially identified by a circle with two, equal, wave-like halves—one white and one black—swirling around one another in infinity.
If you were to use a 24-hour-day to represent yin and yang, yin would be midnight and yang would be high noon. In Oriental medicine, the phases of the day from midnight to noon and then to midnight again are broken down into what are called the five elements of transformation. The five elements are used to categorize almost everything—the times of the day, the seasons of the year, the foods we eat, our own internal organs and emotions, and even the energetics of our bodies. Certified practitioners use the concept of the five elements to help diagnose and treat patients’ illnesses, sometimes even before they show clinical symptoms of disease.
A typical exam might take anywhere from one and a half hours for an initial visit to 45 minutes for a follow-up treatment. In the initial visit, the certified practitioner talks with the patient about his or her medical history, diet, food preferences, likes and dislikes, times of the day they feel best or worst, seasons of the year they feel best or worst, relationships, occupation, etc. The practitioner may then examine the patient’s skin, eyes and tongue, listen to their breathing and voice, palpate areas of concern, and finally take their pulses.
A patient’s pulse, in this case, is not related to the heartbeat, but rather to the palpable flow of Qi or energy in the body. A weak or thready pulse representing one of the meridians or energy channels in the body may indicate a predisposition toward painful cramping during menstruation. An excessively strong pulse representing a different meridian may indicate a predisposition toward strong mood swings. Taken together, they may help explain why someone is having difficulty with PMS. It is the quality of the pulse that can help explain to a practitioner why someone is having difficulty with PMS.
Once a diagnosis has been made, a certified practitioner may prescribe Chinese herbs to help the body regain its balance. Raw herbs, which may consist of roots, vines, leaves, seeds, bark, thorns, shells, stones and even insects, are mixed together with water and brewed like a tea. Patent herbs, which usually come in a pill or liquid form, are much easier to take but cannot be tailored to each patient. In addition to Chinese herbs, a certified practitioner may recommend a series of Asian bodywork therapy treatments or acupuncture treatments; the main difference between the two being that acupuncture treatments usually involve the insertion of needles at various points in the body while Asian bodywork therapy involves more of a massage-like laying on of the hands. Both acupuncture and acupressure use the same meridians and points. It is an Eastern medical modality, which involves the same basic principles as acupuncture. However, for infants and patients who have an aversion to needles, it is an ideal option for treatment.
Although many patients experience immediate relief, most treatment plans involve a series of weekly or biweekly visits to balance the body. Many patients opt to come back for “tune-up” visits once each season in order to strengthen their state of health and well-being. Some also take tonic herbs, which are designed to be taken by healthy people in order to maintain their existing state of good health.
Diet and exercise are also factors in achieving and maintaining a healthy, balanced body. Oriental medicine advocates using “food as medicine” to both nourish and heal the body. For example, Ginseng chicken is not only nourishing to the body but also provides a gentle boost to the system. Hot and sour soup contains mild medicinal herbs such as lily, lotus seed, and lotus root and can be excellent for colds. Longan, a dried fruit similar to raisins, has a very mild sedative effect; and many people mix it in with other dried fruit to eat in a compote.
In addition to the foods consumed, exercise can also affect well-being. Tai Chi and Qi Gong are two of the better known forms of Eastern traditional exercise which focus on balancing and energizing the body with a series of slow movement and breathing techniques.
Oriental medicine has become increasingly popular in the United States since President Nixon’s visit to China in the early 1970s. Currently, the National Institute of Health’s National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine estimates that 36 percent of U.S. adults use some form of complementary or alternative therapy and 25 percent have tried acupuncture. According to recent research, 64 percent of physicians have referred patients to certified practitioners of complementary or alternative therapies, including acupuncture and Oriental medicine. The World Health Organization has recognized acupuncture and Oriental medicine as effective for over 43 common ailments including allergies, arthritis, asthma, depression, hypertension, indigestion, infertility, menopause, migraine headaches, pain, PMS, and post-operative pain and nausea, to name a handful.
Each year, studies are being done to evaluate the effectiveness of Oriental medicine in preventing disease and treating chronic conditions. Two such studies, conducted by the Tai Sophia Institute and the Maryland Acupuncture Society, recently found that people who received regular acupuncture treatments missed fewer workdays, had fewer doctor’s visits and lower medical bills, and in many cases were able to go off their medications over time.
Many doctors in China are trained in both Western and Eastern medicine and then specialize in one or the other, and hospitals routinely offer both types of medicine to their patients. In the United States, more doctors are becoming aware of the ways in which Eastern medicine may be used in conjunction with Western medicine to benefit patients. Two notable examples are in the treatment of infertility and in the alleviation of side effects from radiation and chemotherapy.
One study showed that those patients who received acupuncture treatment 25 minutes before and after the IVF procedure improved their odds of a healthy pregnancy by as much as 40 percent. Similarly, several studies have shown that patients who use Oriental medicine therapies experience fewer negative side effects such as nausea and vomiting from radiation and chemotherapy and experience a greater sense of overall well-being.
As with any profession, the degree of success is largely dependent upon the experience of the practitioner. Some doctors/lawyers/architects/etc. are simply better than others are. This is especially true in professions, which rely on an initial diagnosis for treatment; obviously, if the diagnosis is correct, then the chances for a successful outcome are much better.
One of the goals of the NCCAOM is to provide the highest standard for all certified practitioners in this country in order to protect the well-being of patients. Currently, there is a directory of over 17,000 certified practitioners or Diplomates throughout the United States on the NCCAOM Web site http://www.NCCAOM.org.
Another NCCAOM goal is to educate both Western medical practitioners and the public in order to promote an understanding of acupuncture and other Oriental medicine therapies available to help patients. Last but certainly not least, the NCCAOM is working to promote the variety of organizations such as the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) in order to facilitate research and better measure the effectiveness of this ancient form of medicine.
Regardless of the type of medicine they chose to use, people want to experience a life-long sense of health and well-being. Oriental medicine can provide a wonderful complement to Western medical modalities in helping patients achieve their goals and experience the maximum amount of health and longevity possible.
ACUPUNCURE myths:
• Does it hurt?
Most people think that having an acupuncture treatment feels like getting a shot not true. Acupuncture needles are not the same as the needles used to give shots or take blood; they are very thin. In most cases, the patient doesn’t feel a thing. Sometimes, there might be a slight pricking or tingling sensation. In areas of the body that have blockages, this pricking or tingling sensation may be stronger, much like electrical stimulation used in physical therapy.
• How do I know the needles are clean?
Only disposable needles are used in the United States. In addition, NCCAOM requires all of its certified acupuncturists to study a certain number of hours in “clean needle techniques,” which include such areas as the proper insertion and disposal of needles as well as disease transmission and proper hand washing and gloving requirements.
• How do I know this is not just another medical “fad”?
Oriental medicine, which includes acupuncture, Chinese herbology and Asian bodywork therapy, has been in existence for over 3,000 years. Although relatively new to the United States—NCCAOM has been in existence since the early 80s—the art and science of Oriental medicine is a proven technique for preventing many illnesses and alleviating several chronic conditions. The World Health Organization has recognized Oriental medicine as effective for over 43 common ailments.
• I have heard that Oriental medicine is effective in treating pain. What else is it good for?
Oriental medicine works extremely well as part of a preventive maintenance plan for health. It has also been shown to be effective for chronic conditions such as pain and addictions. For acute health issues, Western medicine is quite effective; however, many doctors and their patients are opting to combine both Eastern and Western treatments for their patients’ short- and long-term health care.
• If it is such an effective tool, then why don’t more medical professionals recommend Oriental medicine for their patients?
According to recent research, 64 percent of physicians have referred patients to certified practitioners of complementary and alternative therapies, including acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Currently, several academic medical centers at the following universities Northwestern, Georgetown, Duke, and Harvard have opened up Integrated Medical Centers in which Western medical doctors work together with certified practitioners of complementary and alternative therapies to treat patients.
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