Q. What should I expect from Oriental medicine?
A. When you first begin a course of treatments in the Oriental Healing Arts, you may barely be aware of the door you have opened to a new world. A new world in the West, but a very old one in the East. A world where holistic health is inherent in the purpose of healing.

Q. What do Oriental healing arts treat?
A. This is a matter of approach. The Oriental Healing Arts treat disease from the opposite side of the coin, so to speak. Western medicine treats disease by "intervening" directly with the person's body chemistry. The results- bad "side effects".

The Oriental treatment is energetic. This corrects the body's energetic flow to enhance the body's natural function. In Western medicine for example, an antacid is given. In Chinese medicine, the body's antacid is changed through redirecting energy. In Western medicine, the body's pain signal is dampened with drugs. In Chinese medicine, the natural flow is restored resulting in painlessness.

Another way of viewing this is when infection takes root in the body, Western medicine aims at killing the invading organism with antibiotics. This, unfortunately, weakens the body's immune system. The Oriental approach uses acupuncture, which has been proven to increase the immune system's functioning. Herbs are added which not only increase the immunity but also have a broad-spectrum antibiotic effect. Simply speaking, the Oriental approach is a positive regeneration therapy sometimes referred to as holistic.

Q. What should I expect during a treatment?
A. After the doctor has analyzed your energy you will be instructed to lie comfortably on a treatment table. The approach taken will be explained and the client's comfort will always be a priority. A treatment lasts about 15-20 minutes in most cases. Sometimes, it is necessary, though, to shorten or lengthen treatments for a given imbalance. A treatment course may take 6-25 sessions and may be adjusted depending on the given problems and the healer-patient relationship.

Q. What is homeopathy and how does it work?
A. Homeopathy is the use of minute dilutions of natural substances which, when ingested, help promote the natural healing process. It was "discovered" about 200 years ago in Germany. It became very popular in the US and by the turn of the century, 25% of American doctors were homeopaths. Today, this science is used extensively in England, France, Germany, India, Russia and other major countries. The US is experiencing a resurgence of homeopathy and it will prove to be the "medicine of the 21st century".

Q. How do I know who is qualified to act as an acupuncturist and practitioner of Oriental medicine?
A. The National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is a professional organization that sets the minimum standards for qualified practitioners, which encompasses about 4,000 hours of study. MD's and DC's do not, unfortunately, have to qualify in some states under the NCCAOM, they simply have to take 100 to 300 hours of acupuncture courses (NC is one). This severely limits the understanding of Chinese medical practice and, in turn, limits the public's benefit that Chinese medicine can give.

Q. Is there accreditation for herbal medicine?
A. Yes, the same NCCOAM has a separate level of certification for practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine. This entails at least 1500 hours of class work.

Q. Does acupuncture hurt?
A. The only sensation that you feel is a slight prick or sting. The needles are very thin and very sharp therefore relatively pain free.

Q. Are the needles reused?
A. No. All needle are sterile and disposable.

Q. Is there blood drawn?
A. No. The needles are inserted into the muscles' valleys, not the vasculature.

Q. Is anything injected?
A. No. The acupuncture needles are solid, surgical steel and are simply set into the location for the desired effect.

Q. How many sessions will be needed?
A. Generally speaking, the more acute the malady the more frequent the initial therapy but ends quickly. A chronic untreated malady like arthritis is best dealt with on a weekly basis for longer periods of time. Monthly maintenance treatments are best for well being and prevention.

Q. What does acupuncture and Chinese medicine treat?
A. Chinese medicine has been around for over 5,000 years and has changed and adapted over those years to accommodate diseases that have arose. Therefore it has practical and successful approaches to most all of your common, daily ailments. It works best at pain, stress, immune depression, digestive disorders, gynecological problems, asthma, allergies, nausea, muscle spasm, fatigue to name a few items.

Q. Does insurance cover it?
A. In some cases it does. It depends on the policy.

Q. Can children be treated?
A. Yes, children over 8 years old can be needled. Children under 8 are treated with types of massage that promote healing.

Q. What is included in Chinese medicine?
A. Chinese medicine includes acupuncture, herbology, massage, manipulation, suction cupping, heat and physical exercise as well as a therapeutic evaluation of lifestyle and emotion status.

Q. How does acupuncture work?
A. This could well be your first question. What makes it so different? Oriental medicine and philosophical teaching is based on the belief that in a healthy body there is a free, uninterrupted flow of "chi" or vital energy. The energy flows throughout the body along the energy pathways known as "meridians".

Blockages or disruptions at any point along these pathways rob important energy from organs or systems along the route, creating what we in the West call dis-ease. Problems in the organ conversely cause meridian blockages. Treating these disruptions is a highly refined science, which is still evolving today in various schools of Oriental medicine studied, which bring together Western philosophy, psychology, and other disciplines with the original Chinese therapies.

Q. How quickly can I expect relief?
A. Some clients experience recovery in only two to three visits. Others whose cases might be more complex, will require an extended course of treatments, lasting several weeks. The doctor is also careful to refer you to other practitioners since Oriental therapy is not a panacea. Oriental therapists are a compliment to Western medicine.