MWC Staff

I am sure my husband and I were probably the only people up this morning listening to Radio Health Journal on WEEI at 6am but when he mentioned they were doing a sound bit on acupuncture, I had to log in and listen. Mr. R. Barker Bausell was the feature speaker on “snake oil science” and how complementary alternative medicine (CAM)/acupuncture is exactly that. He stated that acupuncture is only a placebo effect and that no argument or research has disproven that sufficiently in the eyes of the Western Medical community. Up next on the show were three other gentlemen who were quick to explain the many reasons why CAM/acupuncture is not all about placebo. The NIH has designated many millions of dollars to universities and NESA to research this exact issue. What has been found from the current research has been interesting. Dr. Langevin at UNH is demonstrating the connective tissue responses to acupuncture, the Harvard Osher Institute and NESA are researching sham acupuncture and it’s validity, and the use of the PET scan is demonstrating target response areas of the brain after acupuncture has been done in the foot. Slowly but surely, acupuncture is honestly trying to fit into the double-blind study frame of research but it is difficult to do this flawlessly due to the true energetic nature of the medicine itself. The bottom line is this: If you feel acupuncture is working for you and your pain situation, then continue to do so. You are not alone. Many of us out there are finding acupuncture beneficial as it releases the body’s natural endorphins to decrease our pain so we don’t have to turn to opiates and other possibly harmful solutions. If for no other reason, licensed acupuncturists are holistic in thinking and enjoy looking at the body as a whole to solve the main complaint at hand. Give acupuncture a try and I think you will find the same thing millions of others have found: it works.

How fabulous is this that this article was in the Sunday Globe?! Please take a moment and check it out!
Boston Globe Article about Dr. Langevin

I was reading an article written by Mr. Gregg St. Clair, BA, MSTOM, LAc regarding toxins in our bodies and how people wonder where cancer comes from when they live healthy lives that got me thinking. We’ve heard this before as practitioners…”But I exercise and eat all the right foods, how can this happen to me?” If one takes a moment to think of all the toxins that are in our water, our soil, our food (perfect example is the e coli outbreak in the water irrigation system and spinach), our homes, our air/environment, and our modern medical system pharmaceuticals…it is no wonder we find ourselves growing abnormal cellular structures. Healthy, organic food choices and honest lifestyle changes are the best route to clean health. An old adage in Chinese medicine is “A superior physician treats disease before it arises” to which we truly believe. Acupuncture and alternative medicine is a great addition to establishing a healthier life. Preventative medicine will always be the smarter route and insurances are starting to see them being the cheaper route also. It is important to note that although acupuncturists can not treat cancer, we can focus on the nausea, the weakened immune system, depression and other issues that may plague the system.

As the chill settles in the air and the inevitable approach of winter is occurring, flus and colds are running rampant through our workplaces and homes. This means sick calls and loss of valuable work time and income for many of us. Some of you may simply bear with the symptoms and work through them with over-the-counter antihistimines and cold medications. I know when some take the cold/flu medications, they are either dead asleep in the middle of their day, excessively drier than a bone in their sinus passages, or wide awake in the wee hours of the morning! All of us respond differently to the basic over-the-counter medicines but patent Chinese herbal medicines work wonders and taking the proactive approach before the cold/flu season starts is always the best!
Contact your friendly Traditional Chinese medical practitioner (acupuncturist/herbalist) in the beginning of September to schedule your well-visits before the cold/flu season starts. There are so many great acupuncture treatments to boost the immune system and assist the Lungs in maintaining their strength to fight. Patent herbal medicines are usually side effect- free and work well for boosting immunity and treating common symptoms associated with cold/flus.
But what about the pre-cold/flu feelings? The slightly scratchy throat, the kind of runny nose, and the minor general achiness you are currently experiencing can be boosted out of your body with 1-2 acupuncture treatments. Don’t try to work through it thinking, “oh, it will go away…It’s not really a cold/flu.” Call your acupuncturist and make an appointment as soon as you start to feel the initial symptoms and you will not regret it. You’ll be back to work faster than if you “just rode it out”. And although for some, returning to work is not a great as it sounds, staying at home miserable definitely is not anyone’s idea of fun. Be proactive and call your acupuncturist/herbalist today for further information.

Anxiety is one of the most common complaints I see in my practice. The Chinese believed it is due to an unrested Spirit or Shen disturbance due to a possible variety of conditions in the body. Do you find yourself losing sleep because you wake up with a racing mind? Are you unable to initially fall asleep because your anxious thoughts keep you from relaxing? Perhaps you actually do fall asleep but wake feeling tired and unrested and your anxiety seems to have doubled two-fold overnight? Is the anxiety interrupting your work capabilities? Difficulty feeling like you are “on top of your game”? Feel like your shoulders are permanently attached to your earlobes from the stress the anxiety is causing? You are not alone!

Acupuncture and Herbs can help! Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners focus on calming the spirit and treating the true root of the problem. It is believed that if we treat the root, the branches will fall into their correct place in the tree. The symptoms that are experienced will fall away and the anxiety will become controlled once more. This process does take time and can be complicated by life and hormonal shifts so be ready for possible ups-and-downs during your treatment duration. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment on this blog or ask your Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner. And of course, if you feel you need immediate Western medical attention for your anxiety, please contact your primary care physician.

Being an Occupational Therapist that works at a top orthopedic hospital in Boston, I have found that many patients have had acupuncture prior to surgery and found great relief. I have also found many patients have had acupuncture after surgery and found their pain decreased and their physical healing to be expediated. Many research studies are demonstrating again and again that acupuncture on osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee have yielded positive results. The use of electroacupuncture as well as TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) have been found to greatly reduce OA-induced knee pain (Ng, MM; J A;tern Complement Med, 2003 Oct; 9(5): 641-9) and was found to have no loss of benefit after one month (Tukmachi, E; Acupunct Med. 2004 Mar; 22(1): 14-22).
So in Layman’s terms, what does this mean? This means that if you are suffering from any characteristic arthritis pain in the knee (as well as the hip and other joints too) that may be interrupting your daily activities, acupuncture with adjunctive therapies (electroacupuncture, etc.) may be the answer before heading straight to the surgical unit. Many hospitals have acupuncturists on staff so don’t be afraid to ask your doctor/surgeon. Please consult your medical doctor first as to how far your arthritis has progressed and if surgery is medically pressing. Or you can send me a comment and I will answer any questions you may have!

ok, so here we go…Welcome to my Blog! I am new at this blog thing as I am an acupuncturist but am willing to learn new things all the time! I am an Occupational Therapist and a licensed acupuncturist/herbalist in the MetroWest area, specifically on Route 20 in Marlborough at the Marlborough Wellness Center. I have focused my practice on pediatric sensory integration treatments and non-insertive acupuncture techniques, women’s health issues, and men’s musculoskeletal injuries. I am an active member of the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce and the Marlborough BNI chapter as well. Please feel free to visit my website at www.MetroWestFamily.com.

Ok, so what do I want to accomplish by blogging, you may ask? I am going to hopefully educate and enlighten those who are interested in the art and science of acupuncture and herbs. Many people claim fear of needles or the cost of the uncovered treatments by their health insurance as major retardants to experiencing acupuncture/herbs. I hope to clarify that the fear is unneccesary and the cost is well worth it in the end. As my good friend and business confidant, Dr. Ovid Fraser of Environmental Health Associates, often says, “”It is better to be well than to get well”.

So to start the discussion: The science of acupuncture.
As I reading an article in Acupuncture Today (vol. 6, #9, pg.10) by Kabba Anand DAc, LAc, Dipl. Ac., Dipl. CH, he used the Webster’s dictionary to define science as “knowledge attained through study or practice”. His point was that “OM/Oriental Medicine (or oftentimes referred to as TCM/Traditional Chinese Medicine or CAM/Complementary Alternative Medicine) is a practice based upon centuries of empirical data, observation and experience. But does it stand up to the Scientific Method or the “gold standard” randomized controlled trials?” As of right now, we as practitioners and researchers are attempting to do just that. But what gets left out is the art of treating the whole person. I find so many times, I spend more than 30 minutes waiting for a 5 minute appointment in the current Western medical system. I take pride in the fact that my clients are guaranteed 45-60 minutes of my time every time they come to see me and that I know their bodies/health as thoroughly as any health practitioner can. I believe TCM is a science based on the part of people that can’t be measured by Western standards and thus, discredited at times as being “bunk medicine”.