Cooling Hot Flashes

From webmd, nonetheless!Acupuncture May Cool Night Hot FlashesAlternative Medicine Treatment May Ease Menopausal SymptomsBy Jennifer WarnerWebMD Medical NewsSept. 22, 2006 -- Acupuncture may nix nighttime hot flashes caused by menopause, according to a new study.Researchers found seven weeks of acupuncture treatment reduced the severity of nighttime hot flashes by 28% among menopausal women compared with a 6% decrease among women who had a sham acupuncture treatment.Hot flashes are a common symptom of menopause and often occur at night, which can significantly disrupt sleep and affect a woman's quality of life.Until recently, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was the most popular treatment for hot flashes. But in the wake of studies that suggested HRT use could increase a woman's risk of heart...

Celebrity Alert

Not that I am proponent of following Hollywood trends, but everything a celebrity gets press for receiving acupuncture, it raises popular awareness. While I do not think we should look to Hollywood as a guide for healthy living, I am not picky on the manner in which people come to my door.September 19, 2006Marcia's Christmas SurpriseMarcia Cross has an extra special Christmas present for her new husband, Tom Mahoney: the sex of their baby. According to the National Enquirer, the "Desperate Housewives" star has asked her doctor to write her baby’s gender on a piece of paper. She plans to keep the paper in an envelope until Tom opens it during the holidays. The envelope is said to read, “Do Not Open Until Christmas.”Cross’s pregnancy is truly a gift. At 44, she was nervous about her ability...

Relief that Lasts

While the majority of research in acupuncture focuses on effects in general, this one takes the long view and examines efficacy after 24 months.Research Shows Long-Term Benefits Of Acupuncture In Relieving Back PainSeptember 15, 2006 4:56 p.m. ESTShaveta Bansal - All Headline News Staff WriterLondon, England (AHN) - Research by scientists at University of York in England, has shown that acupuncture can be effective therapy in treating patients suffering from lower back pain and that the benefits seem to improve with time.Short-term benefits of acupuncture have been long known but to investigate the long-term effects of the therapy, Dr. Hugh MacPherson and his team studied a group of 241 back pain sufferers who underwent a short course of acupuncture.Patients were divided into two groups: one...

Doubting the Atom

Every once in a while I feel it is good to read what the skeptics have to say. There is something delightfully quaint about people who demand scientific proof that the reflection in the mirror is that of their own face, rather then trusting their own senses. They talk about scientific proof, but many cannot define basic concepts like statistical significance, independent variables, and random sampling. And the assumptions - wow - I am amazed at the lack of investigation and logic. Normally, I pay little attention to those who dismiss complementary medicine outright - I prefer to spend my time helping people, not converting them. I know of very few practitioners who shun Western Medicine as of us have a yearly check-up with a regular doctor, and many take prescription medicine. Yes, there...

Making a Difference

It is wonderful to see how giving so many fellow professional acupuncturists can be not only in the midst of tragedy, but in its aftermath.Healing hands help Katrina victimsBy Jillian Fennimore/ Staff WriterFriday, September 8, 2006 - Updated: 09:55 AM ESTKnown for their calm nature and healing hands, acupuncturists from across the country brought peace to an area still in chaos and repair one year later. Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast last August with record strength, leaving the people of New Orleans and coastal Mississippi in devastation, some homeless, and most stressed in the wake of its destruction.Licensed acupuncturist Bella Rosner, whose practice is in Watertown at the Japanese Acupuncture Center, was one of the many who joined the worthy cause of Acupuncturists Without...

Blanket Marketing

One of the woes of living in the Midwest is selling people on the success of Acupuncture and Oriental medicine treatment. Unlike the coasts, where acupuncture is an established complementary therapy, many here regard the modality with suspicion and doubt. I have had people say to me flatly, "I don't believe in any of that." I have found that explaining acupuncture is not a belief system but a medical one makes little difference. The blank stare can be most frustrating. On the up side, the majority of people who seek out treatment here have done their internet research and understand the potential and the limitations of treatment as well as the need to give ample time to allow the medicine to work. Some know very little and come because someone they know recommended it, but are eager to learn...