Oriental Medicine And Acupuncture Specialist

What is Oriental medicine?

Oriental medicine restores health and balance by treating illness and disease through the five major branches:

• Acupuncture
• Chinese herbal medicine
• Oriental nutrition and dietary therapy
• Tuina or Oriental bodywork
• Tai chi and qi gong

Oriental medicine encompasses many different practices and is rooted in the ancient philosophy of Taoism, which even predates Oriental medicine by another 3,000 years.

How is acupuncture used in Oriental medicine?

A traditional technique utilized in many forms of Chinese medicine, acupuncture helps with overall body healing, pain relief, and other conditions. A traditional Chinese technique used for unblocking a patient’s “qi” or “chi” energy is done by inserting needles at specific points on the body. Acupuncture seeks to balance the opposing forces of the inner yin and yang, thereby easing various forms of pain and stiffness.

What does Oriental medicine treat?

While both Oriental and Western medicine provide a map of the human body, patients might choose Oriental medicine if they are looking to garner a more holistic understanding of the body and how its parts interact with one another. Oriental medicine is also less invasive and can have fewer negative side effects. Many people choose Oriental medicine to help with issues such as:

• Respiratory disorders
• Eye disorders
• Mental and emotional disorders
• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Reproductive system issues
• Disorders of the mouth and ears
• Neurological disorders

Two of the most common reasons people use Oriental medicine, though, is for autoimmune disorders and Lyme disease. Oriental medicine can lessen their symptoms as many herbs have been shown to have properties that boost the immune system and reduce inflammation. Furthermore, many herbs are anti-pathogenic and nourishing to the body.

Integrative Family Medicine offers alternative methods for the treatment of other illnesses as well.

Can children be treated with Oriental medicine?

Yes. Pediatrics is one of the oldest specialities within the realm of Chinese medicine. The various modalities within Oriental medicine, such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage therapy, and dietary therapy, have all been proven to provide relief for children with serious health issues.

Treating children who have various medical conditions with Oriental medicine has also been shown to reduce complications and treatment time. Oriental medicine can keep children functioning at their highest physical, mental, and emotional level and maintain their natural balance and inner harmony.

What is the philosophy behind Oriental medicine?

Oriental medicine relies on a comprehensive and individualized diagnosis of the patient's “qi” — pronounced “chi” — energy. The imbalance of qi, or its weakness, can affect key organ systems. Oriental medicine sees this as the underlying cause of disease and disharmony in the body. Dr. Seyedan uses oriental medicine to restore balance to the qi, thereby helping patients gain back their health.

Because Oriental medicine is centered around the connections of the body, mind, and natural environment, it utilizes herbal treatment to help people become their healthiest selves. When you visit Dr. Seyedan, she will conduct an herbal consultation to see if all of your body’s needs are being met and provide suggestions as to which herbs will help you feel your best.

What is an herbal consultation?

To ensure your body’s general wellness, the doctors of Oriental Medicine at IFM  will complete a thorough herbal consultation during your visit. Similar to a physical exam that your primary care physician would administer, it will include a detailed overview of your health history, dietary and lifestyle practices, and your overall constitution. Conditions they often look for are:

• Fatigue
• Thyroid disease
• Hormone imbalances in women
• A need to lose weight
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Food allergies
• Lyme disease

Depending on the results, the doctors of Oriental Medicine may recommend a variety of herbs. She utilizes herbs for their medicinal and therapeutic value, as herbs can include mineral substances that are key to your well-being.

They also offer a Chinese medicinal bath to treat issues such as skin conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia.

If you are interested in learning more about how Oriental medicine can help you reach your health goals, click or call to schedule an appointment with Integrative Family Medicine today.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a traditional medical technique in Oriental medicine used for healing, pain relief, and a wide range of medical conditions. During acupuncture sessions, IFM's doctors of Oriental medicine place fine, sterile needles into your skin to stimulate specific points that improve the way your body functions.

What are the benefits of acupuncture?

Insurance companies commonly cover acupuncture treatments, as studies show numerous health and wellness benefits of using this ancient technique. Examples of benefits associated with acupuncture include:

• Pain management, including low back and dental pain
• Stress relief
• Immune system support
• Enhanced healing
• Reduced vomiting and nausea from chemotherapy or surgery
• Headache and migraine relief
• Respiratory disorder relief
• Reduced labor pains and menstrual cramps
• Improvements in osteoarthritis symptoms
• Emotional healing

The exact way acupuncture works to relieve pain and enhance healing isn’t entirely clear to modern science, but it’s effective for many patients with chronic health conditions. If you suffer from any form of pain, ask one of our doctors of Oriental medicine how acupuncture can improve your quality of life.

What should I expect during an acupuncture session?

When you arrive at Integrative Family Medicine for your acupuncture appointment, our practitioners:

• Ask you about your health history
• Talk about what you can expect from treatment
• Provide a comfortable treatment table for you to lay on, and a soothing environment for the healing process to begin
• Insert fine needles into specific areas of your body
• May gently manipulate the needles or use heat or electric pulses to stimulate the body's healing

Acupuncture needles stay in your skin for about 10-30 minutes. You experience minimal (if any) discomfort during needle insertion and removal, but you might feel mild aching sensations, similar to working out a muscle at various times in the procedure.

After the procedure, you should feel relaxed or energized. You might notice improvements in pain soon after treatment, but our doctors of Oriental medicine may recommend multiple sessions to maximize your results.

How many acupuncture sessions do I need?

Your Oriental medicine doctor lets you know how many acupuncture treatment sessions you need to achieve your desired health and wellness benefits. He or she may recommend one to two treatments weekly for several months. Everyone responds differently to acupuncture, which is why there’s no "one-size-fits-all" recommendation.

If you’re tired of pain or stress making you feel miserable, call Integrative Family Medicine to book your next acupuncture appointment or schedule online with Dr. Seyedan, Dr. Hunter, or Dr. Dougherty today.

Acupuncture Testimonials

“Here is one for comparison to the acupuncture session. This is the one that I used to go to sleep last night, same music track. Major differences and anomaly with my heart rate going up once I fell asleep (stillness flat). Must’ve been a good dream. Mind was very active throughout and only 28% calm compared to 62% during acupuncture. Same 30-minute session.”