Acupuncture: Questions and Answers with an Expert

Written by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc


Continued from page 1

My job as I see it is to be a communicator. I have written hundreds of articles on my site (The Pulse of Oriental Medicine, www.pulsemed.org) and in other magazines that have reached more than 100,000 English-speaking patients. I have books and radio appearances inrepparttar works. There's too much for any one of us to know everything, so I keep in touch with a broad range of experts - translators, scholars, MD's, authors, so that I'm speaking authentically and accurately.

AS: Do you think acupuncture offers a better treatment thanrepparttar 114729 allopathic medicine? If yes, then why isn't it as popular asrepparttar 114730 latter?

BBC: Even in its country of origin, Chinese medicine has lost some popularity. Whenrepparttar 114731 communists took over inrepparttar 114732 1950's, they almost destroyedrepparttar 114733 traditional medicine. They wanted to catch up withrepparttar 114734 west and get our approval. But when Mao Tse-Tung got facial paralysis, it was acupuncture that fixed him. So he orderedrepparttar 114735 systemization of TCM. Now there are 3 branches of medicine in China: Chinese, Western, andrepparttar 114736 combination ofrepparttar 114737 two. The latter isrepparttar 114738 most interesting, and probablyrepparttar 114739 future of all medicine. For example, you can have an elevated Alk Phos level (a liver function test), with no western gallbladder pathology, but have symptoms of pain or discomfort alongrepparttar 114740 Chinese acupuncture Gallbladder channel.

I don't think we should say either acupuncture and western medicine is better. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. And to be accurate, we have to say that most of Chinese herbal medicine is allopathic, because allopathic means treating with opposites. We reduce excesses, and strengthen deficiencies, for example. What we do need to do is cooperate; practitioners of various kinds of medicine should work together forrepparttar 114741 benefit of each patient. To only use one kind of medicine is more of a religion than a medical practice. Chinese medicine practitioners need to learn what western medicine is good and bad at, and vice versa. Same goes for chiropractors, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, massage, etc.

The popularity or acupuncture inrepparttar 114742 west is a function of time, politics, and finance. Acupuncture has only been in America for 30 years. Now many insurances and workers compensations cover it, MD's are learning it, it's always inrepparttar 114743 news, sports teams are using it. There are about 800,000 MD's, and 15,000 acupuncturists inrepparttar 114744 U.S. So it'll be awhile before it's an unquestioned part ofrepparttar 114745 healthcare system. Even then, we'll still have to deal with some people's egos.

AS: How can one become an acupuncturist? What arerepparttar 114746 qualifications required for becoming one? Is there a similar degree as an MBBS?

BBC: The average inrepparttar 114747 U.S. is 3-4 years of school, graduating with a Master's of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine. Regulations vary by state. California hasrepparttar 114748 highest standards; we are tested onrepparttar 114749 medicine, acupuncture, herbs, law, etc. Actually, acupuncture is only 17% ofrepparttar 114750 test! Again, acupuncture is only one of Chinese medicine's therapies. The standard is slowly being raised torepparttar 114751 PhD level. There are now 3 nationally approved PhD programs for Chinese medicine. All 3 are onrepparttar 114752 west coast. I think eventually that will berepparttar 114753 entry level. We have to do that to get on par withrepparttar 114754 chiropractors, MD's, and DO's.

AS: What do you think isrepparttar 114755 future of Acupuncture? I mean rest ofrepparttar 114756 world.

BBC: Chinese medicine has been in Australia for more than 100 years. It's all over Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. I haven't heard much about it in South America. They have it in Canada, but I think it's not well regulated or accepted. In France, you have to be an MD to practice it. So it's different everywhere. But here in America, we are doing more and more research, andrepparttar 114757 results are affirming and interesting. So I think thatrepparttar 114758 MD's, who hold most ofrepparttar 114759 political and financial cards in international medicine, will be less and less able to resistrepparttar 114760 importance of acupuncture. Herbal medicine has a longer battle; because, in a way, it competes with pharmaceutical medicine. It shouldn't have to, though, because some studies we have read show that herbs ameliorate drug side effects and increase their effectiveness. This has to be done in accordance with both western and eastern medical principles, though.

I think they will merge to some degree, and work together. Western medicine has great standards and tools. Chinese medicine has valuable insights and perspectives that could even help design studies and interpret study results more effectively.

AS: Why did you become an acupuncturist? What influenced you in becoming one.

BBC: Number one, I wanted to help people. I wanted to make use of my talents. Number two, I was fascinated byrepparttar 114761 fact that Chinese medicine had never separated mind, body, and emotion. I wanted to find out more about this. I've always wanted to grow and be more effective. I thought perhaps Chinese medicine could help me do that, and then I could help patients do that too.

AS: What according to you isrepparttar 114762 best thing about acupuncture, meaning how and why is it better than other systems of medicine?

BBC: Acupuncture, and Chinese medicine, both look atrepparttar 114763 whole person. We know how every part of your body links up with every other part. We know howrepparttar 114764 lungs manifest emotionally. We know what green or blue skin means. We know what foods are best for which types of people. Western medicine is compartmentalized. They study e.g.,repparttar 114765 immune system,repparttar 114766 digestive system, orrepparttar 114767 psychology ofrepparttar 114768 individual. We know how those are related. We can take symptoms from each, diagnose a pattern, and treat all three at once. Those inter-systemic insights are one ofrepparttar 114769 most important contributions of Chinese medicine. Acupuncture has a normalizing, regulating effect. Chinese herbs can strengthen you, while western drugs generally just attack or reduce excesses (like viruses, bacteria, inflammation). We can strengthen and reduce atrepparttar 114770 same time. We're a bit more flexible. We can almost always diagnose and treat everyone. Western medicine's approach often leaves them baffled about causes and searching for silver bullet treatments. In many situations, western surgery or drugs are superior. But there are just as many situations where they need us.

AS: Is acupuncture effective in all diseases, I meanrepparttar 114771 complex ones like cancer, etc?

BBC: Acupuncture can regulate and boostrepparttar 114772 immune system. This is important in cancer. However, forrepparttar 114773 serious and complex illnesses, Chinese herbal medicine is better. I've written about how we can treat AIDS, cancer, lupus, etc. Acupuncture is essential right after a stroke. The sooner you do that,repparttar 114774 more function you can recover.

Acupuncturist, herbalist, and medical professor Brian B. Carter founded the alternative health megasite The Pulse of Oriental Medicine (http://www.PulseMed.org/). He is the author of the book "Powerful Body, Peaceful Mind: How to Heal Yourself with Foods, Herbs, and Acupressure" (November, 2004). Brian speaks on radio across the country, and has been quoted and interviewed by Real Simple, Glamour, and ESPN magazines.


Cold Flu Treatment, Antibiotics, and Herbs

Written by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc


Continued from page 1

Oriental Medicine Concepts of Immunity

Wei (pronounced 'way') qi ('chee') isrepparttar protective qi. This qi is thought to circulate inrepparttar 114728 more superficial levels (skin and muscles). In biomedical terms, it is probably notrepparttar 114729 entire immune system, butrepparttar 114730 part of it that deals with external invasions. Protective qi is controlled by Lung organ-system, and can be compromised by overwork, grief, smoking, not eating, and talking too much.

Vulnerability occurs particularly when you are tired, or from excessive environmental influences like cold, heat, dryness, and dampness- each of these is associated with a season when that pathogen is more prevalent

Entrance ofrepparttar 114731 pathogen

The Lung (a system of correspondences includingrepparttar 114732 lung, throat, nose, and skin) isrepparttar 114733 most exterior and most vulnerable organ. Sweating opensrepparttar 114734 pores, and 'wind' enters through pores. Wind can be thought of asrepparttar 114735 pathogen itself, since another quality (cold, damp, or heat, for example) is usually attached to describerepparttar 114736 pathogen. Wind-heat, then, isrepparttar 114737 invasion ofrepparttar 114738 body by a heat pathogen.

Types of Colds and Flu in Oriental Medicine Wind-Cold * Symptoms: Feeling of cold, chills more than fever, cough, congestion, fatigue * Herb Formulas: if no sweating - Ephedra Formula; if more body aches - Kudzu Tincture * Kitchen Medicine: Fresh ginger or garlic tea (warming)

Wind-Heat * Symptoms: Feeling of heat, fever more than chills, sore throat or cough, body aches, red eyes, irritability * Herb Formulas: More sore throat - Honeysuckle & Forsythia Formula; More cough - Mulberry & Chrysanthemum Formula * Kitchen Medicine: Mint or chysanthemum tea (cooling)

Sweating (or 'exterior-releasing') is a major therapy in OM. The type of invasion may be identified by whether or notrepparttar 114739 patient is sweating, and whether or not that sweating is leading to improvement in your health

Fever is thought to berepparttar 114740 'heat of battle' between pathogenic and righteous qi. In OM, you have a fever if you feel hot, even if your thermometer shows a normal body temperature. Chills are a sign thatrepparttar 114741 pathogen is winning, while fever is a sign that your body is winning.

Tiredness, Qi deficiency, & Weakness The fight may take so much of your energy that you can do nothing but lay in bed. You may also lose your appetite, which is a sign of qi deficiency in OM. Some people are more constitutionally weaker from birth, especially those with childhood asthma and allergies. These are often metal or water type people. They need to be especially vigilant in prevention.

These OM disease theories are not without controversy; some biomedical research has concluded that cold temperatures, for example, do not contribute to getting sick. However, since biomedicine only became aware ofrepparttar 114742 immune system inrepparttar 114743 1960's, and OM has been treating colds and flu's for thousands of years, I would slightly favorrepparttar 114744 application of OM. It is true that OM's theories may be inexact atrepparttar 114745 same time thatrepparttar 114746 treatments is applies according to those theories are effective. In another thousand years, once biomedical researchers and OM practitioners have tested and sifted through OM theories and treatments, we will have a stronger, more accurate, and integrated medical system.

Acupuncturist, herbalist, and medical professor Brian B. Carter founded the alternative health megasite The Pulse of Oriental Medicine (http://www.PulseMed.org/). He is the author of the book "Powerful Body, Peaceful Mind: How to Heal Yourself with Foods, Herbs, and Acupressure" (November, 2004). Brian speaks on radio across the country, and has been quoted and interviewed by Real Simple, Glamour, and ESPN magazines.


    <Back to Page 1
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use