FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHY TURN TO TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE, ACUPUNCTURE AND CHINESE HERBS?
When we have a highly developed medical system in place, with a strong regulatory agency (Food and Drug Administration), numerous facilities (hospitals, clinics, and private offices), and insurance coverage available privately, through employment, or by public assistance that covers the major part of expenses? Why turn to Chinese medicine, Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, as an alternative, when we already have nutritional supplements, Western herbs, massage, chiropractic, homeopathy, and a dozen other health care options that were primarily developed in the U.S. and Europe?

It is because all the health care aids mentioned above do not fully cope with the complexity of health issues that arise. Despite the progress made in modern and alternative medicine, there are substantial deficiencies in the treatment of cancer, heart disease, AIDS, arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, and diabetes and other metabolic diseases. There exists a deficiency, compared to what is believed to be ultimately possible, namely to cure most people with the disease, or at least reduce the manifestation of the disease to a relatively mild problem. Modern medicine and the alternatives that were developed here make a contribution to this goal, but additional assistance is sometimes needed.

WHAT IS TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE?
The term “Chinese medicine” makes reference to a number of practices, especially acupuncture and Chinese herb formulas and their theoretical basis that has developed in China during a period of about 3,000 years. A theory of nature and of health and disease was set forth in the concepts of two essential forces-yin and yang, three essences, five elements, six climatic influences, seven emotional factors, eight principles of therapy, fourteen-meridians, and other notions numbered as an aid to memorizing the information. These concepts continued to evolve over the centuries until the collision of Chinese and Western culture ensued in the nineteenth century. Today, Chinese medicine represents a combination of ideas and methods from earlier times coupled with the findings from modern research methods, chemical analysis, pharmacological testing in the laboratory, and clinical trials. Chinese medicine-Acupuncture, Chinese herbs- is a major health care method in the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and other Asian Countries. Its apparent success there has led it to be adopted, in much smaller measure thus far, in South America, South Africa,  the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

WHAT CAN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE DO FOR ME?
At the very least, Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can make you feel more energetic, yet more relaxed, and they can alleviate some disease symptoms; at their best, Acupuncture, Chinese herbs can potentially cure or help to cure conditions that have been called incurable; in some cases they may have as good an effect as Western medicines without the side effects. The benefits of Acupuncture, Chinese herbs  will depend on several factors, including the nature of the problems being addressed, the competence of the practitioner, and the willingness of the individual to follow through with various aspects of the proposed treatment.

DOES IT REALLY WORK?
With regard to herbal medicine, there are three strong pieces of evidence suggesting that it is a viable means of treatment:

a) modern pharmaceutical drugs have been produced, tested, and put into use during this past century following long use as crude herbs in China. The best known examples are the modern drugs ephedrine and pseudoephedrine from the herb ma-huang. These drugs have been used to treat asthma and sinus congestion, and modern studies show that they enhance metabolic rate and thus might be useful in a weight loss program. An active component of licorice has been made into a drug in Europe used for treating gastric ulcers. Polysaccharides from the Chinese herbs astragalus and ganoderma have been made into drugs to enhance immune functions. An active component of the Chinese herb schizandra has been pharmaceutically altered in China to yield a highly effective treatment for hepatitis. The yew tree, which is now used as the source of a drug in the U.S. to treat ovarian cancer, has been-used in China for several decades as an anti-cancer plant. A species of Artemisia widely used in Chinese medicine has yielded a drug that cures malaria and is now used in Southeast Asia.
b) Pharmacological testing-giving herb extracts to laboratory animals or applying them to cell cultures – has been carried out on hundreds of Chinese herbs during the last forty years. It has been demonstrated that most of the herbs have significant physiological activity and very often this activity correlates well with the traditional use of the herb.
c) Clinical studies, utilizing single herbs or, more often, complex formulas, have been carried out, by large-scale hospital trials involving hundreds of patients. The results of the studies – which need to be confirmed by follow-up studies in order to validate the findings-clearly indicate that recalcitrant diseases that fail to respond satisfactorily to modern pharmaceutical treatments often do respond markedly to herbal therapy. Acupuncture and other methods of Chinese medicine which are not conducive to the other two methods of demonstrating efficacy have been tested clinically and shown effective for certain conditions.

FOR WHICH CONDITIONS DOES ACUPUNCTURE WORK BEST?
Acupuncture therapy has wide applications. It may achieve better results by treating conditions of discomfort. These would include: pain and muscle spasm, digestive problems, difficult breathing, GYN related disorders, and emotional stress. It is not uncommon for a high degree of relief to be achieved immediately upon acupuncture treatment. The persistence of the relief is variable. In some cases one or a few’ acupuncture treatments can alleviate a problem that has been nagging for many months in other cases, the relief may last only a day, though the results may persist after repeated acupuncture treatments. It is difficult to know the response until acupuncture has been tried.

FOR WHICH CONDITIONS DOES HERB THERAPY WORK BEST?
In general, herb therapies are best for functional disorders, hormonal imbalances, and “organic problems (changes in tissue structure). For example, herb therapy can be applied to weak digestive power, estrogen deficiency conditions, arid cysts and tumors, etc. The effects of herbs are usually (but not always) seen after several days of regular use, rather than immediately, but once the herb effects are established, they often persist for a long time. The use of herbs plus acupuncture usually provides the most dramatic results.

WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL DANGERS?
Chinese medicine,Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, are well known for their lack of side effects. Minor problems may arise: acupuncture point stimulation can cause minor and temporary bruising and if a acupuncture needle is used, bleeding can occur at the site of needle insertion; Chinese herbs may cause gastro-intestinal reactions (nausea or diarrhea), or allergic reactions (skin rash).
The only potentially dangerous result of acupuncture would be if a needle inserted in the area of the chest penetrates the lung and causes loss of pressure in the lungs. This condition is easily treated and resolved, but must be attended to promptly. The event is so rare among well-trained professionals that it does not enter into general consideration

The only potentially dangerous result of Chinese herb therapy would be anaphylaxis (a severe type of allergic reaction). This has never been reported in the U.S., but has occurred in China, where Chinese herbs are provided by injection and more reactive substances are sometimes used.

CAN MODERN AND CHINESE MEDICINE BE COMBINED?
Not only can the two systems of medicine be combined, they can enhance each other’s effects. Acupuncture, Chinese herbs may make it possible to take a lower dosage of modern medicines, to reduce their side effects, and obtain a better overall effect. Modern drugs may provide emergency relief for serious conditions that will enable long-term application of Chinese herbs, acupuncture the rest of the time. It is advised that modern drugs be taken at a different time from herb combinations in order to avoid any chance of interaction within the digestive system, and that the effects of drugs continued to be monitored, while an herb therapy is being used. Acupuncture is compatible with virtually all-modern medical techniques.

WHAT IF I GET HAS NO APPARENT EFFECT?
No medical system, technique, or material is 100% effective. When considering all improvements of a patient under the care of a Chinese medical practitioner in China, about 70-95% such patients report a positive outcome of varying degrees. Certainly, a portion of this may be due to coincidental improvement, the “placebo effect,” and other aspects of the therapeutic encounter. However, it is still expected that when these are compensated for that at least 50% of individuals will demonstrate a favorable response. If the modern medical approach or another alternative approach does not have a clearly identified high rate of success, then Acupuncture, Chinese herbs may offer the best chance of producing a good result. Even if the absence of obvious benefits, the lack of side effects and the potential protective and preventative effects of Acupuncture, Chinese herbs treatment method are important.

HOW DO I GO ABOUT FINDING A PRACTITIONER?
Since Traditional Chinese Health Care methods-Acupuncture, Chinese herbs- were introduced to America in late 1972, almost thirty years ago, over 6,000 practitioners participate in various aspects of these methods as an important part of their practice. By far the largest group are the acupuncturists(practicing Acupuncture), who are licensed or certified by the state in which they are working (about half are also certified by a national testing organization called National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists-NCCA). Chinese Herbologists(practicing Chinese herbs) are also a substantial presence and although this group, often trained in China, is not often licensed by a state, they also can obtain specialized certification sponsored by same national testing organization as the acupuncturists. There are also some other health professionals who have adopted one or more portions of the Chinese medical techniques such as Acupuncture in addition to their primary healthcare training – medical doctors, naturopathic physicians, etc. It is patients, their own responsibility to thoroughly research and exam the qualified practitioners.

WHAT KIND OF TRAINING DO THEY HAVE?
Each health profession has different types and levels of training. For example, a medical doctor necessarily has extensive training in modern western medicine, but can practice acupuncture therapy with little or no training in that particular field. An acupuncturist might have received little or no training in modern medicine, but instead spent two to three years(in this country) studying acupuncture. Consultations for Chinese herbs has been emphasized in training programs in California and Florida.  In China, Originally Traditional Chinese Medicine College had only programs for Doctor and Pharmacist. The Doctor program  have some varying training during their six years of school. All are trained as medical doctors,  but their training in Western medicine may be less comprehensive than that of a person who trained in the U.S.; on the other hand, they have received extensive training in Chinese herbology and Acupuncture (these are major parts of TCM)  by highly experienced practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine. This training is in a favorable clinical setting, and yields a better understanding of using one type of health care approach or the other or both, than is usually obtained by students attending colleges of traditional medicine in the U.S.

HOW MUCH DOES CHINESE MEDICAL TREATMENT COST?
Clearly, the exact acupuncture, Chinese herbs cost would depend on the nature of the condition being treated, how extensively the method would be pursued, and what the particular practitioner charges. Recently a rough cost/benefit analysis was conducted. It revealed that a typical three-month treatment program for a chronic ailment that employed acupuncture and Chinese herbs as the main mode of therapy could have a cost comparable to a one-night stay in a metropolitan hospital. Many insurance policies will cover a portion of these costs (that related to office visits and acupuncture, but not herbal  prescriptions).

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      East-West Health Care Consultants,Inc.

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