About Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a complete system of healing that has proven effective in East Asia for over 2500 years. Although still relatively new as a healthcare option in this country, TCM is one of the fastest growing health care professions in the United States today. As the benefits of TCM become better understood and accepted, it is being integrated into mainstream Western healthcare, including the California Workers Compensation system. Chances are your health insurance will cover TCM treatment. Many hospitals and medical clinics now employ licensed acupuncturists on staff. As a patient you will immediately notice the depth and breadth of a TCM consultation, which goes far beyond your basic medical history. TCM practitioners focus on the whole person, not just symptoms. During your initial two-hour visit, your practitioner will closely observe your physical and psychological state and design a specific treatment plan to your individual profile. By directing treatment toward enhancing the body's immune system, strengthening organ functions, and encouraging the proper flow of energy, TCM helps the body to heal itself. Practitioners teach patients to prevent the recurrence of illness through continued awareness, renewal of physical well-being, and spiritual harmony.
TCM Treatments

Acupuncture
Traditional Chinese Medicine views the body as an intricate system of organs connected by pathways known as meridians. Good health depends upon the smooth flow of energy, or Qi, through these meridians. When the flow of Qi is blocked or disrupted, pain and illness result. Acupuncture restores the smooth flow of Qi by inserting fine, hair-like needles at specific points along the meridians. As the flow of Qi returns to normal, health and well-being are gradually restored. Acupuncture needles are thin and flexible, thereby permitting virtually painless insertion. Treatments last from 20-30 minutes. Patients describe the sessions as pleasant and relaxing. (Yo San's clinic uses only sterile disposable needles that are properly discarded after each treatment, eliminating the possibility of contamination and disease transmission.)

Herbology
For thousands of years, TCM practitioners have studied and employed a vast array of medicinal herbs for their healing properties. Western pharmacology is beginning to acknowledge these natural counterparts that lack the side effects of processed pharmaceuticals. Yo San's herbal laboratory has over 300 therapeutic herbs, all of which have been proven safe and effective through centuries of use. TCM practitioners almost always prescribe herbs in conjunction with acupuncture and other treatments. Herbs are extremely effective in unblocking the flow of Qi and fortifying internal organs. Practitioners design herbal formulas specifically for the individual needs of the patient. Even with the same diagnosis, it is unlikely that two patients will receive the same herbal prescription.

Tuina, Cupping and Moxibustion
Tuina is a form of Chinese bodywork commonly used in conjunction with acupuncture and herbology. Your practitioner may use tuina in your treatment to further enhance Qi flow and increase your session's therapeutic value. Cupping involves the use of glass globes to apply vacuum suction to the skin. It increases blood circulation and heightens the flow of Qi. Cupping is useful for muscle injuries, joint pain, headaches, and acute bronchial congestion. Moxibustion applies focused heat from a slow-burning herb over acupuncture points to stimulate the flow of Qi. It may be used to relieve traumatic pain or alleviate debilitating conditions such as weakness and fatigue. Moxibustion is also effective for some gynecological problems.

Conditions Treated:
Some of the diseases, symptoms, and conditions recognized by World Health Organization (WHO) for which acupuncture has been proven to be an effective treatment or for which therapeutic effects of acupuncture have been demonstrated include: Acne, Adverse Reactions to Radiotherapy and/or Chemotherapy, Alcohol & Tobacco Dependence & Detoxification, Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever), Back, Neck, Elbow and Knee Pain, Bronchial Asthma, Cancer Pain, Common Cold, Diabetes, Mellitus, Depression, Facial Rejuvenation, Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Gastrointestinal Disorders (including Diarrhea, Constipation, and Gastritis) Headaches (including Migraines), Hypertension, Infertility--Male and Female, Insomnia, Menstrual Pain & Premenstrual Syndrome, Menopause, Obesity, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sciatica, Sports Injuries, Stroke, Tendinitis, Whiplash, Injuries

FAQ

How widely is acupuncture used in the United States?
During the past two decades, acupuncture has grown in popularity in the United States. The report from a Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture held at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1997 stated that acupuncture is being "widely" practiced--by thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners--for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions. According to the 2002 National Health Interview Survey, an estimated 8.2 million U.S. adults had used acupuncture at one time or other, and an estimated 2.1 million U.S. adults had used acupuncture in the previous year. They are using acupuncture to treat everything from migraine to nausea, menstrual cramps to tennis elbow, asthma to addiction.

What does acupuncture feel like?
Acupuncture needles are hair-thin, metallic, and solid. People experience acupuncture differently, but most feel no or minimal pain as the needles are inserted. Some people are energized by treatment, while others feel relaxed. Improper needle placement, movement of the patient, or a defect in the needle can cause soreness and pain during treatment. This is why it is important to seek treatment from a qualified acupuncture practitioner.

What are the needles like?
Can I get infected?
In 1996 US FDA approved acupuncture needles for licensed practitioners. FDA requires that the needles be sterile, nontoxic, and disposed of after a single use.
We only use FDA approved sterile, disposable needles. They are only used once. These needles are carefully manufactured under the guidance of FDA. There is no risk of infection.
Acupuncture needles are small and hair-thin. They are solid. (not hollow like the needles used by doctors in surgery.) The end of an acupuncture needle is smooth and rounded. Acupuncture needles are not designed to cut the skin. Instead, when an acupuncture needle is inserted, the round edge pushes the tissue aside without cutting it. Acupuncture needles are so thin it's as if they can glide through the spaces between the individual cells of the body.

Does it (needling or acupuncture process) hurt?
People experience needling differently. Most feel no pain. Some experience minimal pain as the needles are inserted. The needles can be quickly adjusted in the unlikely event of you feeling uncomfortable during the needling process. (Please do not hesitate to tell us if you feel uncomfortable.
Some people experience a sensation like that of a mosquito bite that disappears very quickly. Often people describe their sensations as warming, heavy, numb or tingling. Be comfortable and relax while the needles are in place. The more you can relax during an acupuncture treatment, the better the results. Some people even fall asleep during the treatment.
Some people are energized by treatment, while others feel relaxed. Following the treatment it is very common for you to feel a tremendous sense of relaxation and calm.

Is acupuncture safe?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners in 1996. The FDA requires that sterile, nontoxic needles be used and that they be labeled for single use by qualified practitioners only.
Relatively few complications from the use of acupuncture have been reported to the FDA in light of the millions of people treated each year and the number of acupuncture needles used. Occasional complications have resulted from inadequate sterilization of needles and from improper delivery of treatments. Dr. Mathew's clinic only uses FDA approved set of disposable needles taken from a sealed package for each patient.
People with cardiac pacemakers, infusion pumps, or other electrical devices should avoid electroacupuncture. Please tell us if you use one of of these devices. Acupuncture can result in complications if administered to pregnant women. Please advice us if you are pregnant or trying become pregnant.
When not delivered properly, acupuncture can cause serious adverse effects, including infections and punctured organs. So, acupuncture is not a therapy that can be done at home by yourselves or by amateurs. Acupuncture should only be performed by a fully qualified therapist.

Does acupuncture work?
According to the NIH Consensus Statement on Acupuncture, there have been many studies on acupuncture's potential usefulness, but results have been mixed because of complexities with study design and size, as well as difficulties with choosing and using placebos or sham acupuncture. However, promising results have emerged, showing efficacy of acupuncture, for example, in adult postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and in postoperative dental pain. There are other situations--such as addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma--in which acupuncture may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be included in a comprehensive management program. A recent study showed that acupuncture provides pain relief, improves function for people with osteoarthritis of the knee, and serves as an effective complement to standard care. Further research is likely to uncover additional areas where acupuncture interventions will be useful. WHO reports over 20 conditions that are benefited by acupuncture treatment.

After the acupuncture treatment, how quickly can I expect to feel better?
This depends on your condition. The time it takes to feel better after the acupuncture treatment varies from person to person. In general, you will start feeling the benefits from acupuncture in 2-3 treatments. If the problem is acute, sometimes improvement is felt after 1 treatment, and may only need 3-5 treatments to resolve. If the problem is chronic and long term, it may take many treatments.

How many treatments do I need?
This also depends on your condition. The duration depends on
• general health of the patient
• chronicity and condition of the nerves and muscles.
• any previous surgery the patient has had.
• scar tissue
• structural defects.
• extent of area in the body involved e.g fibromyalgia
• age
• steriod use which can cause:
 increased risk of infection
 impaired healing.
 weakened tissues.
 joint destruction by avascular necrosis.
 osteopenia.
 localized bleeding.

How often should I come for the acupuncture treatment?
It depends on your condition. Some conditions require that you come for weekly treatments. In some cases, such as if the condition is acute and painful, you may require treatments 2-3 times per week for the first couple of weeks.

How might acupuncture work?
Acupuncture is one of the key components of the system of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In the TCM system of medicine, the body is seen as a delicate balance of two opposing and inseparable forces: yin and yang. The body's vital energy (qi) is carried by yin and yang. Yin represents the cold, slow, or passive principle, while yang represents the hot, excited, or active principle. Among the major assumptions in TCM are that health is achieved by maintaining the body in a "balanced state" and that disease is due to an internal imbalance of yin and yang. This imbalance leads to blockage in the flow of qi (vital energy) along pathways known as meridians. It is believed that acupuncture needles, when placed at the appropriate site, alleviate symptoms by restoring normal flow within the meridians.
Preclinical studies have documented acupuncture's effects, but they have not been able to fully explain how acupuncture works. It is proposed that acupuncture produces its effects through regulating the nervous system, thus aiding the activity of pain-killing biochemicals such as endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites in the body. In addition, studies have shown that acupuncture may alter brain chemistry by changing the release of neurotransmitters and neurohormones and, thus, affecting the parts of the central nervous system related to sensation and involuntary body functions, such as immune reactions and processes that regulate a person's blood pressure, blood flow, and body temperature.
One widely accepted medical explanation of acupuncture's claimed efficacy is that when needles prick the skin, they cause the brain to release a variety of pain-killing neutral chemicals, such as endorphins, encephalin and other opioids. Modern imaging techniques have shown that acupuncture does stimulate certain areas within the brain and suppress others.
Other theories are also proposed on how acupuncture works especially related to its effects on pain. Two commonly cited theories are called Gate Theory of Pain, and Double Gate Control Theory. These are described elsewhere.

What should I wear when I come for the treatment?
During your first office visit, we will ask you at length about your health condition, lifestyle, and behavior. We want to obtain a complete picture of your treatment needs and behaviors that may contribute to your condition. Please come prepared to discuss with us about all treatments or medications you are taking and all medical conditions you have.
Things to consider before arriving for treatment
• Make sure to eat something light an hour or two before arriving
• Try to avoid the intake of caffeine or pain medications
• Wear loose fitting clothes that can be easily rolled up above your elbows and knees.
• Bring a list of medications you are taking

Does insurance cover acupuncture?
Acupuncture is one of the CAM therapies that are more commonly covered by insurance. However, you should check with your insurer before you start treatment to see whether acupuncture will be covered for your condition and, if so, to what extent. Some insurance plans may require preauthorization for acupuncture.

Wells Chiropractic Clinic
1784 N. Waterman Ave.,
San Bernardino, CA 92404

Call for an appointment 909.886.4020