Insights & More

How to Find a Good Acupuncturist

By Jingduan Yang, M.D.

Many people wonder how to find a good acupuncturist. To answer this simple question, it is important to understand what acupuncture is and how it works.

Acupuncture is a treatment modality of ancient Chinese medicine. Along with the modern version of traditional Chinese medicine, ancient Chinese medicine is a complete medical system passed down to us from an unknown prehistoric civilization. Traditionally, Chinese people believed that the art of Chinese medicine was a gift from the divine.

This medical system recognizes the anatomy and physiology of the human body as modern medicine does; yet it also maps out and explains the energetic network of human beings. Although this level of human existence is still invisible to us, we are always experiencing it throughout our lives.

The energy that traditional Chinese medicine has mapped out is called qi, a vital life force that keeps the body functioning well physically and mentally. The system of qi circulation is referred to as meridians—a network of energy pathways centered in the major internal organs. Today’s imaging technology has not yet been able to see these meridians.

A sufficient, smooth, and directional flow of qi keeps the body functioning normally. Any physical, chemical, or emotional stress will compromise the qi and block the meridians.

Consequently, this stress causes dysfunctions and symptoms affecting the areas of our body, mood, and mind associated with these meridians. The compromised qi can manifest as chemical, physical, and even structural abnormalities that modern medicine can detect and attempt to treat.

There are specific points or tiny areas on the surface of the body that are connected with specific meridians and organ systems. If we stimulate these points with the insertion and manipulation of fine needles, we will be able to open the blocked meridians, redirecting and facilitating an adequate flow of qi. Thus, we can reduce the dysfunction and symptoms the patient is feeling.

The treatment will prevent the symptoms from developing into serious illness and disease. However, the most important work is done before needles are inserted. It is the diagnosis and evaluation of what meridians are involved and how the qi is imbalanced.

The diagnosis and the qi evaluation determine the selection of the points and techniques of needling. This diagnostic process requires clinical skills, including tongue and pulse readings that are unique and powerful diagnostic tools in Chinese medicine. The doctor needs a solid and comprehensive knowledge of the energetic systems and their functions to diagnose the patient well.

Although the symptoms and dysfunction may respond to the acupuncture treatment immediately after the first session, any chronic condition will require a course of daily treatment to achieve significant improvement. (However, in the United States, patients usually can only afford and commit to two or three sessions per week.)

Thirty sessions of treatment are needed to significantly improve most chronic cases. Furthermore, the acupuncturist should be able to recognize and address the causes of the qi imbalance, provide tools for self-care, and help patients make lifestyle modifications.

Just as in choosing any professional for a service, referrals are important. The best types of referrals are ones from your friends and people you trust who have had a positive experience and outcome with the practitioner.

If you do not know anyone who can refer you to a practitioner nearby, you may want to find a few different acupuncturists in your local area and set up some time to interview them.

Some good questions to ask them would be how they diagnose their patients and what their treatment plan would entail. You may also want to ask what their experience has been in treating conditions like yours.

The bottom line is you want to see if they care about their work and their patients and if they are confident about what they know. A good acupuncturist will use acupuncture as a tool of a complete medical system, rather than use it as a simple needle for simulating your skin, muscle, or nerves based solely on the modern understanding of anatomy.

A good acupuncturist is no different from any other health care professional in terms of having a caring heart, sound knowledge, clinical skills, and the ability to communicate effectively. The acupuncturist needs to be able to develop a therapeutic alliance with patient.

In addition, a good acupuncturist must be able to appreciate the energetic system of the human being as ancient Chinese medicine describes. Because there are no external tools to be able to see this system, the practitioner has to be able to “see” it with a pair of “quantum glasses.”

Understanding the energetic nature of a human being is critical for the treatment process. The human body is an open system that constantly exchanges its energy with that of the natural environment and people around it. An acupuncturist can advise patients to be mindful of their surrounding climate changes, behaviors, and interpersonal relationships.

Since energy circulates in the meridian systems in an orderly and timely fashion, the acupuncturist should advise patients to maximally live a life congruent with the energetic flow of nature. This includes clear instruction on a good time to rise, rest, exercise, eat, and cleanse.

An acupuncturist’s own energy is also important when interacting and intervening with the energy of the patient. A good acupuncturist must cultivate his or her energy to a healthy level and remain very focused during the treatment.

Dr. Jingduan Yang is a board-certified psychiatrist and a fourth-generation teacher and practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine. He practices integrative medicine in New York City, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. His website is taoinstitute.com.

via How to Find a Good Acupuncturist | Traditional Chinese Medicine | Health | Epoch Times

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Modern Civilization, Modern People, and Modern Diseases

By Zhang Dong

Modern science strongly influences people. Today, people enjoy modern civilization while suffering from new diseases. The basis of modern science is direct observation. Founded on tangible objects that we can see, modern science applies qualitative and quantitative methods of examination.

As advanced as we are today, if we calmly look at the history of human civilization, objectively analyze archaeological discoveries, and carefully reconsider the unknown phenomena, we will conclude that the present-day scientific research is only one of many possible paths of exploration.

It is a fallacy to believe that ours is the only human civilization that ever existed. Many discoveries have demonstrated that other prehistoric civilizations existed. To more thoroughly explore and understand our surroundings and the universe in which we live, we must acknowledge that other scientific methods exist, probably completely different from our own.

If we stubbornly reject other possible methods, we are allowing our emotions to restrict us rather than having a truly scientific mindset. If we break through our postnatally acquired notions, concepts, and conditioning, we will surely find a more evolved science.

Modern science furthers the destruction and pollution of our living environment and helps poison our bodies. In return, it gives people short-term pleasure. The inventions of modern science teach people to struggle for material goods, which they pursue for indulging themselves.

Some people say that our lives are so much better than those of ancient people. It seems that we cannot fathom that people were happy in ancient times.

Actually, ancient people were happy. Ancient people were attuned to nature—the green mountains, the blue water, flying birds, and white clouds. They were carefree. They experienced a kind of liberation, existing in a realm in which one is attuned with heaven’s plan.

That was real happiness—deep, continuous, peaceful, and comfortable. Such happiness solidly nurtures one’s heart and body.

But modern people struggle painfully, stay busy, and never enjoy the happiness of reaching the other side of the mountain. Many modern people have lost human virtue, including prudence, diligence, tolerance, peacefulness, and courtesy.

In modern civilization, human beings have been weighed down with increasing numbers of modern diseases. How do we approach this issue? Only by letting go of attachments to modern science and modern civilization will we be able to understand and solve the problem.

Imbalances in Yin and Yang

Ancient Chinese culture believed that the interaction between yin and yang created the universe and all matter.

The movement of the universe, including all matter, follows the rule of mutual-generation and the balance of yin and yang. The human body is a small universe. While it has its own pattern of movement, it is also related to the entire universe.

The ancients had many sayings that were meant to instruct people about the relationship between fostering life and the changes of the seasons. Here are a few of the sayings:

• Man follows heaven and earth and harmonizes with the sun and moon.
• Follow nature, prevent evil qi from entering from the outside, nurture yang in the spring and summer, and nurture yin in the autumn and winter.
• It harms the liver if one opposes the qi of spring, harms the heart if one opposes the qi of summer, harms the lungs if one opposes the qi of autumn, and harms the kidney if one opposes the qi of winter.

Life must be orderly and in harmony with the changes of yin and yang every single moment.

The ancients also said that a person who gathers the qi of yang should spend his time outdoors during the day. As the sun rises in the morning, qi appears. Qi is at its height at noon and fades out in the afternoon.

The qi gate is closed after dark, so one should not be active and disturb the tendons and bones after sunset. If one reverses this time schedule, one’s body will suffer.

It is clear that if one’s activities are against the laws of the seasons and the yin and yang of the day, the human body will be in turmoil. The result is an imbalance of qi and blood and may result in illness. Aren’t today’s nightlife and other pleasures all out of harmony with the changes of yin and yang in the universe?

The ancients said that most illnesses are caused by being alert in the early morning, drowsy during the day, stimulated in the late afternoon, and active at night.

This means that one’s symptoms have a certain relationship with the changes of yin and yang. Many people have experienced this, which is also confirmed by modern medicine .

The ancients knew the Dao, followed yin and yang, and abided by metaphysical rules. They were restrained in their eating habits, awoke and slept regularly, and never strained themselves in their work. They lived their lives to the predestined time, frequently living more than 100 years.

Many of today’s people are different. They drink alcohol and indulge themselves in abnormal activities. When they are drunk, they exhaust their vital energy.

People do not know how to preserve their vital energy and do not organize their time sufficiently to conserve energy. Many people only care about indulging in pleasure. They have ups and downs, and their behavior is erratic. This is why many people begin to weaken in their 50s.

This is Part I of two-part series. You can go here for Part II.

—Pure Insight

via Modern Civilization, Modern People, and Modern Diseases | Traditional Chinese Medicine | Health | Epoch Times

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