Acupuncture plus herbal and dietary therapy offer safe and effective treatment for a wide range of conditions. Specifically, digestive issues like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disorder) respond well to acupuncture and herbs. Seasonal allergies, frequent colds or flus and autoimmune disorders, plus dermatologic, respiratory and cardiovascular issues are also regularly addressed. When appropriate, we rely on ALCAT and MRT food sensitivity testing to uncover latent problems that can aid in your recovery.
Digestive Health
A healthy and robust digestive system is essential for overall health. One of the hallmarks of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM is its ability to discover latent imbalances that may not have progressed to more serious illness). Towards that end, we assess digestive function in all of our patients, and address those imbalances when appropriate. For those that have developed more serious issues, we’ve found acupuncture, herbal and dietary therapies to be effective for:
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Leaky gut syndrome, and malabsorption issues
- Gastritis
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Allergies and Immune System Health
Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been shown to be safe and effective for the treatment of several immune-related conditions. As described in the section on cancer support, acupuncture increases T-lymphocytes and has other regulating effects on the immune system. Immune system issues emerge either because of an overactive immune system (as seen in allergies) or an underactive immune system (such as in chronic flus or frequent upper respiratory infections). Acupuncture’s ability to support homeostasis helps to bring immune function back into balance. We’ve had great results working with patients suffering from:
- Asthma
- Seasonal allergies
- Chronic Rhinitis
- Sinus Infections
- Weak immune systems, resulting in frequent colds or flus
- Chronic fatigue immune deficiency syndrome (CFIDS)
Dermatologic Issues
There’s a rich tradition in TCM for treating dermatologic issues, especially with herbal therapy. TCM has a very specific diagnostic frame for addressing health and pathology. Constitutional patterns and imbalances that may drive dermatologic issues include blood dryness, damp-heat and wind-cold invasion (TCM terms italicized). These terms may seem a bit esoteric (or, paradoxically, quite vague!), but our examination of patients presenting with skin conditions using this diagnostic tradition allows us to develop herbal therapies geared to the specific systemic imbalances underlying dermatologic issues. In our clinic we’ve found that we’ve treated most successfully patients suffering with:
- Eczema
- Psoriasis
- Hives
- Shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia
Additionally, we’ve found that many dermatologic conditions are triggered by food allergies and sensitivities. In addition to food journaling we recommend MRT and ALCAT food sensitivity and allergy testing to our patients. We’ve found this testing to be invaluable in uncovering some of the triggers driving those issues.
