Turning Point Acupuncture
Email Newsletter:  Acupuncture Frequently Asked Questions
Volume 4 Number 4

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Labor Day: The end of summer, back to school, back to work!
Yes, back to work for me, too. My recovery from hip replacement surgery is going very well and I will be back at Turning Point Acupuncture in September, albeit in a very limited capacity.

Having major surgery has been a life altering experience for me. To heal, I had to slow down dramatically. As a practitioner of Chinese Medicine I have always sought balance in my Life: the harmony between Yin and Yang forces.  However, unable to escape from my cultural conditioning, I actually lived a very Yang life style: hard driving and goal-oriented. Since my surgery I have come to have more appreciation for what we call the “Yin” aspects of Life, i.e., contemplation and reflection. The result is that I am experiencing an unprecedented level of personal wellness. Consequently, I am more than ever convinced that, in order to enjoy optimal health, we must consciously take steps to counteract the hectic urban pace at which most of us live.

When I first opened my practice, Turning Point Acupuncture, I set as its mandate: Acupuncture For Urbanites. In this issue of the newsletter I will focus on how the ancient art of Chinese Medicine can be utilized toward achieving wellness in our 21st century city.

Contents:
1. Acupuncture: Why, When and for What?
2. Other Frequently Asked Questions
3. More FAQs…
4. Fall Schedule

1. Acupuncture: Why, When and for What?
The most frequent question I am asked is about acupuncture is, does it hurt? (More on that later!)
After that people want to know when, for what and how often to get acupuncture. This is a good time of year to ask these questions.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is about wellness. The idea is to treat the body regularly to promote optimal health and to prevent the symptoms of disease. Classically the Chinese would get acupuncture and take Chinese herbs with each change of season, to balance and strengthen the body for environmental changes ahead. This is a wise practice to follow even in our era of climate-controlled living. The subtle seasonal changes, such as altering length of the day, register in the body (the pineal gland, in this instance). Thus, a “tune-up” four times a year is a minimum amount of (TCM) preventive medicine.

Extrapolating from this concept suggests that we use the tools of Chinese Medicine  to weather the changes that face us on a daily basis. For those of us under a lot of stress, getting regular acupuncture and taking herbal formulas is a wise way to stay balanced and strong. In this way the stresses of everyday life are more easily handled, and minor health issues can be resolved before they become deeply rooted problems. 

Chinese medicine also teaches us that self-care is vital. Although acupuncture and herbal medicine are the most commonly known therapies of TCM, diet and exercise, such as Tai Qi and Qi Gong, are equally important. So having a physical exercise program, be it Tai Qi, walking, biking, swimming, yoga, etc., can be very beneficial if it suits your temperament and balances your life style.  For example, people for whom the tasks of daily living and work are energetically very demanding, get more benefit from a quieter physical practice. Calm, sedentary people would need something more vigorous. With regard to dietary measures, your TCM practitioner can help you eat according to the seasons and in harmony with your body energy. For example, people who tend to be Damp (complain of phlegm and boggy legs) benefit from eating warm, cooked food that does not tax the digestive processes.

2. Other Frequently Asked Questions
Regular Turning Point clients may know most of these, but your friends might not…
DOES IT HURT?
Acupuncture is done with extremely thin, flexible needles made of silver alloy or stainless steel.  You may experience brief discomfort as the needle pierces the skin, sometimes followed by minor soreness or a drawing sensation.  As the energy changes, there may be numbness, heat, dull aching or tingling.  More often than not, the experience is relatively painless.

IS IT SAFE?
Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years in China.  It is still the treatment of choice for a quarter of the world's population despite the availability of Western medicine.  Here at Turning Point Acupuncture we use pre-sterilized, disposable needles and clean the area of the skin with alcohol before the needles are inserted.  Side effects are rare and minor.

HOW LONG DOES TREATMENT TAKE? 
The average treatment lasts about 20-30 minutes, but can go up to as long as 45 minutes, depending upon the problem being treated.  Office visits can take up to an hour and a half for the initial visit, and an hour for follow-up visits.  We encourage patients not to schedule so tightly that they become stressed out about how long the treatment is taking during their appointment.  Some conditions are improved with one visit; other treatments will involve multiple visits.  On average, with weekly treatment a condition should show some improvement within 8-12 visits.  If you do not see any improvement during that time, it may be appropriate to re-evaluate with the doctor whether or not to continue in treatment. 

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT AFTER THE FIRST TREATMENT?
Depending on the problem being treated and your prior condition, you may experience a wide range of sensations.  Since the treatment goal is the restoration and balance of the body's Qi, some patients will experience a burst of energy while others may feel relaxed or even tired.  Many people experience a sense of calm and well-being.  Occasionally a patient may feel euphoric or lightheaded, especially after the first treatment.  Small, localized bruises from minor bleeding under the skin are infrequent, but do happen.  These are no cause for alarm, and despite the cosmetic inconvenience, they actually provide a kind of bonus treatment.  The reabsorption of the blood continues the stimulation of the acupuncture point even without the presence of the needle.

WHAT CONDITIONS CAN BE TREATED BY ACUPUNCTURE? 
Many conditions can be treated.  Among the most responsive are: musculo/skeletal problems such as sciatica, low back pain and arthritis; circulatory problems like high or low blood pressure, cold hands and feet; nervous system imbalances, especially anxiety, nervousness, sleeplessness or depression; asthma, allergies and sinus problems; and digestive disorders including Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, diarrhea and constipation.  In addition, we often treat headaches, vertigo, sports and stress injuries, skin problems, immune system disorders, fatigue, chronic pain and side effects from chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.  Acupuncture has been found to be especially useful for detoxification from addictive substances such as drugs, alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes.  It can be a useful adjunct to any weight control program. For more see:
http://www.nycacupuncture.com/weight.html

Women’s issues respond especially well to TCM: menstrual disorders such as PMS, irregular or heavy periods, cysts and fibroids, endometriosis, as well as the symptoms that accompany menopause.
For more about menopause
http://www.nycacupuncture.com/menopause.html

An area of special interest to the practitioners at Turning Point is the treatment of infertility.
See our Acupuncture and Fertility page:
http://www.nycacupuncture.com/fertile.html

CAN WESTERN AND CHINESE MEDICINE BE COMBINED?  
Yes. Modern medical wisdom seems to suggest that we combine what is useful from each source. Indeed, this is the case in China today. In medical schools in China the students learn 60% Chinese and 40% Western medicine and can apply both after training. Because Chinese medicine addresses the underlying cause of a condition rather than just the symptoms, it is often helpful to treat conditions generally unresponsive to western drug-oriented treatment.  Examples include PMS, headache, vertigo, irritable bowel syndrome, allergies, etc. Conversely, some conditions, most notably bacterial infections and conditions with structural changes, e.g., fractures or tumors, respond more rapidly to Western techniques.  Very frequently the two methodologies can be combined to the patient's greater benefit. Here are some examples: In the treatment of high blood pressure, acupuncture and herbs, along with dietary salt-restriction, can decrease the amount of anti-hypertensive medication required for blood pressure control. This approach also works for respiratory conditions like asthma in which the Chinese medicine allows the patient to decrease dependence on steroidal inhalers. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are used successfully  to offset some of the side-effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea, fatigue and a weakened immune system, during the treatment of cancer or AIDS. An exciting area of treatment for us at Turning Point is infertility. In this instance we can use Chinese medicine alone, or in combination with fertility promoting medications and procedures, as indicated by the patient’s age, medical history, etc
 
In summary, a pragmatic, broad-based approach that acknowledges the strength of each kind of medicine, such as we practice at Turning Point, allows for the choice of the best treatment options for each individual patient.
 
3. Yet more FAQs…
How does acupuncture work?
How does Chinese Medicine differ from Western Medicine?  
Will my acupuncture treatments be covered by my medical insurance?
See the Turning Point Acupuncture FAQs web page:
http://www.nycacupuncture.com/faq.html


4. The Fall Schedule
The Fall schedule now has appointments available Monday through Saturday including extended early morning and late evening hours with our excellent staff practitioners. During my recovery I received almost daily treatment from all my staff. Each one is uniquely gifted and I can highly recommend the superb care of any of them.
For more biographical information and photos of the staff:
http://www.nycacupuncture.com/docbios.htm

Here is a brief review of the Fall line up:
Monday: Thea McCallion and Dorene Hyman
Tuesday: Shane Hoffman (early mornings with Shane, late evenings with Amanda Silver)
Wednesday: Shane Hoffman (early mornings with Thea)
Thursday: Shane Hoffman (early mornings with Thea)
Friday:  Amanda Silver and Thea McCallion
Saturday: Naomi Rabinowitz
Reiki with Reiki Master Lourdes Guzman will be available by appointment Saturday mornings and some evenings.
For more information about the Fall schedule:
http://www.nycacupuncture.com/patientinfo.html

Yours in Peace,

Naomi Rabinowitz, MD
1 September 2003

Turning Point Acupuncture
1841 Broadway #509
New York, NY 10023
(212) 489-5038
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copyright 2003 Naomi Rabinowitz.  All Rights Reserved.   This newsletter may be reproduced or transmitted in its entirety only, including this copyright line.
 
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