Tonic roots, healing needles

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There are also a number of national acupuncture and Oriental medicine organizations that provide referrals. The American Association of Oriental Medicine (www.aaom.org) will advise a prospective patient where to find qualified local practitioners. Another good website to visit is www.acupuncture.com. The site has a listing of practitioners in the United States and throughout the world, and it’s also a source of interesting information about TCM.

Which is better, acupuncture or herbs?

For most conditions, a combination of acupuncture and herbs is optimal. For example, a person with a facial twitch around the eyes might get immediate relief from an acupuncture treatment directed at that area. Following up with an herbal formula that nourishes the liver and calms rising energy may help prevent a recurrence of the condition. The most effective use of either herbal medicine or acupuncture occurs when a qualified practitioner accurately diagnoses the problem. As the person goes through the healing process, the nature of their imbalance will change, so the herbal formula and/or acupuncture treatment can also change along with them. Some herbs or acupuncture points will be deleted when they are no longer needed, and others will be added to more closely follow the changing pattern.

Most practitioners in the United States use a combination of acupuncture and herbs. However, in some conditions, such as an acute bacterial infection, an herbal treatment alone is more likely to be effective. In other conditions, such as drug or smoking withdrawal, acupuncture is more likely to have a positive result. There are many practitioners who use only herbs or only acupuncture. The ultimate choice of which type of practitioner to consult is up to the patient, who may have a fear of needles or a dislike of herbs. What’s most important is that the patient finds a qualified practitioner with whom the patient feels comfortable and who practices the preferred modalities.

What to expect when seeing a practitioner

At first, a visit to a practitioner of acupuncture and/or herbal medicine seems familiar. The patient typically fills out a medical history form and participates in an intake interview. At this point, the experience takes a different course. The acupuncturist will ask to look at the patient’s tongue and will feel the pulses on the patient’s wrist. These are very important diagnostic methods that give the practitioner information needed to make an accurate diagnosis. After a diagnostic pattern is deduced, the patient lies down on a treatment table. Acupuncture needles are then inserted at specific points known to treat that condition. After an occasional slight sting, there is no discomfort caused by the hair-thin needles. In fact, most people find the treatments very relaxing, and many people even fall asleep!

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