The Countess Gets Acupuncture

On last week’s episode, Real Housewife of New York, Countess Lu Ann De Lessups was treated with acupuncture for her fertility problems. If you follow the show, and I do, you remember that after a painful divorce from her former husband, the Count, Lu Ann found love again in the arms of the raven-haired Jacques, a younger Frenchman. Throw out your old romance novels! Lately, Lu Ann has displayed

More Businesses Are Offering On Site Acupuncture

Big companies are catching on, keeping employees healthy means everyone benefits. That's why along with physical therapy, dental, vision exams and counseling some companies are also offering acupuncture at on site health clinics. To find out more, read this article from The Washington Post.

Acupuncture Improves Pregnancy & Live Birth Rates In IVF

The website HealthCMI recently wrote about new research from China which concludes that treatment with electroacupuncture improves pregnancy outcome and pregnancy rates for couples using IVF.

Researchers discovered that electroacupuncture increases blood levels of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA-G). These results, taken together with a Canadian study that found the presence of HLA-G was

A Well Known Therapist Recounts Her Experience With Acupuncture

Well known psychologist Laura S. Brown, wrote about her healing experience with acupuncture in the Psychology of Women Quarterly.

In the fall of 1987, Laura Brown lost her voice.  As a singer and a speaker, she had had voice troubles before but this laryngitis, which came on shortly after her return from the American Psychological Association Convention did not seem to improve despite much

Help For Women With Uterine Fibroids

In my Chicago acupuncture practice I treat many women for various gynecological problems. A common one is uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are noncancerous tumors of the uterus that often occur during child bearing years. For many women the fibroids are not problematic but for some they can be painful and cause bleeding. I recently came across this article, by Jill Blakeway, M.S., L.A.c.,

And The Award Goes To.... Robert Downey Jr. For His Support of Chinese Medicine

Robert Downey Jr. jokingly described himself as, "I confess, that I am as close to being a Chinese-American as any Caucasian ever could be in his life. "  He made this observation recently upon being honored for his support of Chinese Medicine. He credits his good health to TCM and said that "It's contributed to making me a more tolerable father, and son, husband, co-worker, and according to

Acupuncture Provides Relief for COPD Sufferers

New acupuncture research offers promising results for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In a small (68 subjects) study, patients who suffered with COPD, were treated with acupuncture along with their meds. At the end of 3 months, the group that received acupuncture were able to walk further, reported improvements in the quality of their lives, and were able to

More Praise For Acupuncture From Shape Magazine

Shape magazine recently published the article "Why Every Busy Woman Should Try Acupuncture". It was written by a woman who tried acupuncture for the first time
because she was 'curious' (and probably because she wanted something to
write about). What did she gain? She found acupuncture provided her
relief from anxiety, TMJ, various aches and she insists that acupuncture
kept her healthy all

Acupuncture Before Or After Abdominal Surgery Reduces Pain

Several studies appearing in different, reputable journals conclude that acupuncture, either pre-op or post-op reduces pain following gynecologic and abdominal surgeries. This is particularly good news when we consider how rapidly patients are discharged from hospitals. To read more about this research check out HealthCMI's article here.

Sinus Infections -> Antibiotics 0, Acupuncture 1

Walking out of a doctor's office with a prescription for antibiotics used to be as expectable as walking out of 31 Flavors with a double scoop of ice cream. No longer true. Antibiotics are being used more carefully these days, especially for sinus infections, 98% of which are viral not bacterial. A study in The Archives of Otolaryngology has found that acupuncture, acupressure and dietary changes

Acupuncturist Is Novel’s Hero

Have you read NY Times best selling author (and doctor) Michael Palmer’s book, “The Second Opinion?” I haven't but now that I know an acupuncturist plays a pivotal role I might ;).

In an intriguing novel about health care deceit, a dedicated young doctor brings in an acupuncturist to provide a second opinion (get it?) for a hospitalized patient who is being treated by a world famous surgeon

Is Your Computer a Pain in the Neck? Acupuncture Can Help

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about how acupuncture can help computer users who suffer from the common problem of carpal tunnel syndrome. Well, unfortunately carpal tunnel is not the only complaint that results from sitting in front of a computer all day so, today I’m going to focus on a pain that is common to many but especially afflicts those who spend countless hours hunched over a

New Study Finds Acupuncture Can Help Stroke Recovery

Here is a brand new finding for acupuncture and the brain!  A Chinese study has reported that acupuncture has been effective in regenerating nerves in the brain following a stroke due to cerebral ischemia (restricted blood flow to the brain). Acupuncture was able to promote more neural stem cells in the brain and aid differentiation of neural stem cells. Learn more here.

Acupuncture Enhances the Effectiveness of Standard Therapies

Many people think about coming into my Chicago acupuncture practice just to get an acupuncture treatment.  Very often, that is the answer. Sometimes, it is half the answer.  Acupuncture has been found to be very useful when used in conjunction with other treatments, such as women undergoing fertility treatments or individuals trying to manage pain.  Acupuncture makes those treatments more

New Study Looks at How Acupuncture Helps Menstruation and PCOS

For many women who suffer with menstrual problems and/or PCOS, you may have already discovered the benefits of acupuncture. But, why does acupuncture work? Now, a new study has found that acupuncture normalizes estrogen activity, decreases androgens, and influences changes in the hypothalamus region of the brain.  To read more about this study click here.

For Geeks (and others) with Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

Last month, I posted (with affection) information that I thought would be especially helpful to Computer geeks with carpal tunnel.  Today, I have a study about acupuncture that you will like even better. This published study used randomized controls - an experimental design that you math and science types appreciate.  The acupuncture treatment group  received 8 acupuncture treatments and night 

PGA Golfers Use Acupuncture Too

In real estate, it is "location, location, location."  In professional services, including acupuncture, it is "recommendation, recommendation, recommendation." Here is a short article that explains how U.S. and European PGA golfers became aware of and experienced the benefits of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture through their Asian colleagues. Read the story here.

The Military Is a Fan of Acupuncture

I've written other posts about the military turning to acupuncture for treatment of our servicemen and women. Now NPR has come out with an important story praising acupuncture and quoting some very pleased doctors and patients.  This type of story pleases me terrifically, not only because I love hearing applause for acupuncture, but because I like to know that our injured soldiers are being

What is Qi ?

Qi (pronounced 'chee') is one of the most basic concepts in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) but also one of the hardest to define. Other names for it are ‘ki’ in Japan and in India, yogis call it ‘prana’. It was known in ancient Egypt as ‘ka’, and in ancient Greece as ‘pneuma.’

What we can say for certain is that qi is a nonmaterial and essential substance that is at the core of our universe

Acupuncture Pre & Post Surgery Instead of Painkillers

Here is an interesting example of a patients medical need producing innovative results!  In Florida, at Jupiter Medical Center, acupuncture physician Dr. Ken Grey, A.P., D.O.M. performed acupuncture on the patient who wanted the alternative treatment because she was allergic to most pain medications. Grey performed acupuncture prior to surgery, at the beginning of the procedure, and