There are some amazing statistics coming out about Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine lately.  It seems that the use of Acupuncture in the United States has almost tripled from 1997 to 2007, according to a study conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).

Why are so many people seeking out this medicine? Perhaps it is because Oriental Medicine is one of the most patient friendly healing systems in the world.  Here are a few reasons why:

Treat the Person, Not the Disease–Oriental Medicine contends that symptoms are not the outcomes of a disease, but of an imbalance of the entire body system, which also includes lifestyle, emotions and environmental factors as well as the physical body.  An Acupuncturist would never give you herbs or an acupuncture treatment without taking into account all factors of your life.  This means that that you may go in to see your Acupuncturist complaining of a head cold, but will end up having other areas of your life improve such as your sleep or your stress levels.

Treat the Root and the Branch–Often in the U.S. the common course of action is to take medication to mask the symptoms of disease.  In Oriental Medicine the symptoms are treated and alleviated (the branch) as well as the underlying imbalance (the root) so that is doesn’t come back.  Enough said!

Holism–Have you ever had multiple symptoms and wondered if they could be related?  Oriental Medicine teaches that there is likely a correlation between your headaches, your heartburn and your hives.  This is because Oriental Medicine looks at the whole picture.  The first snapshot it looks at is the patient in their environment, which may be their lifestyle, their stress level at home or work, or what season it is outdoors.  The other way that Oriental Medicine treats patients as a whole is within the body.  Traditional Chinese Medical theory states that the entire body is connected by channels where blood, body fluids carrying nourishment, and energy (called Qi) can flow through.  If these meridians become blocked or stagnant disease will occur in the areas where those meridians flow. Since all of the body is connected, unblocking or tonifying one area can help to improve another.

Respecting Nature–Oriental Medicine works so well because it views man as a creature of nature and the body as a microcosm of the natural world.  Climate, pollution, and the seasons all have a profound affect on human health.  Chinese Medicine teaches that man and nature are mutually supported and that one must respect nature in order to stay well.  As the Environmentalist John Muir famously said, “Tug at one single thing in nature and find the rest of the world attached,” so it is the same in our bodies.

Individualized–Last but certainly not least is that Oriental Medicine is tailored to each specific patient.  Many Americans are fed up with a medical system where you are only allowed 15 minutes with your doctor (if that) a year.  An Acupuncturist will often spend well over an hour on your first intake appointment in order to get a full view of your life and state of health.  Oriental Medicine realizes that people are unique and will therefore need different treatments, diets, exercise, etc. in order to stay healthy.  When you use Oriental Medicine, everything is taken into account!

So, will you be another new person to try Oriental Medicine?  Do you already get Acupuncture or take Chinese herbs?  Why or why not?