It’s Time to Find Your Path to Optimal Health!

It’s always been about freedom and empowerment for me. My father sought out an acupuncturist in the mid 70’s, not for cultural exchange, simply for freedom of pain from his persistent and debilitating Rheumatoid Arthritis. It’s amazing when the pain that has kept you a prisoner or stolen your hope and imagination, is able to drop at least into the background of your thoughts, how a person will blossom. I saw it with my father, and I’ve had the privilege of being part of many moments of freedom over my more than 25 years of practice.

One of the acupuncture techniques I use in the clinic is a quick-pain release method that often is able to lessen or remove very sharp and limiting pain in a matter of minutes. Most patients are astonished at the relief that this acupuncture method can provide. More than that is what they say after they are out of pain. It’s not uncommon for people to have walled off their lives and possibilities, especially with chronic pain. This also occurs with many chronic conditions such as anxiety, depression, severe menstrual irregularities, migraines or menopausal symptoms.

Patients who are improving start to make plans, think of job possibilities or business opportunities that they have not allowed themselves to consider. Freedom from a debilitating condition is also usually accompanied by a willingness to consider improving other areas of your health and well being. You experience empowerment, which leads to feelings of confidence. This kind of thinking can be lead to a patient asking for advice or referrals for personal development in many aspects of their life. It is an amazing experience to be part of healing when it leads to a patient’s freedom and continued empowerment. We celebrate discharging healthy and happy patients by saying “You stay well, send your friends. They may not know how wonderful life can be.”

Integrative Medicine Is at Crossroads

I’ve always believed one of the cornerstones of effective Integrative Medicine was developing understanding through relationship building. I’ve never wanted to practice Integrative Medicine in the style of instant coffee or movies on demand. All of those ideas are great for convenience items, but do nothing for me when discussing important options for a couple’s infertility issues, debilitating arthritis or searching for choices in cancer care. These are all too common discussions in our clinic, which require time and attention when combining education with informed treatment plans. Integrative therapies, such as acupuncture, have shown such a promising future as an effective and safe medical procedure in our country as well as around the world.

Outcome studies are showing acupuncture to be a powerful catalyst for increasing naturally occurring chemicals in our body, producing strong-lasting effects of anti-inflammatory, analgesic for pain reduction, anti-spasmodic and circulatory properties. Adding to the list of potential effects is balancing moods and hormones making acupuncture a utility player in the field of medicine. You can use acupuncture alone for the proper condition or combine it, like basic black, as an adjunct therapy that goes with most other medical procedures. Harmless interaction and increased patient outcomes never go out of style.

Considerations will have to be given very soon about how this powerful therapy, that has one of the longest medical traditions in the history of the world, will become integrated into our conventional medical model. Our medical system is in turmoil and we are in the midst of significant changes and reform. We will all be able to observe the increased use of acupuncture in various medical settings in the near future and see for ourselves whether outcomes or patient education levels remain consistent with what has inspired the use of this ancient medical art throughout centuries.

Our Partnership in Health

Compile a team for your healthcare success. Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto and so must we surround ourselves with talented and motivated teams when seeking to achieve our long-term goals such as optimal health. I was fortunate in my early years of practice to witness the benefits of working with such a talented medical collaboration in Brookline, Massachusetts. I was fresh out of an extensive Chinatown apprenticeship, graduated from The New England School of Acupuncture (NESA) and was establishing a practice on Beacon Street with some of my professors from NESA, along with two physicians who I had met as patients and wanted to learn more about Integrative Medicine by setting aside time each week to practice in our clinic. It was a unique time in the evolution of Integrative Medicine and in my own personal development.

We had one common purpose. The team looked at a patient’s overall healthcare needs and searched through our own medical specialties to discover what we would offer to move the individual closer to their optimal health. We had case conferences, where we all learned from each other and began to welcome the various perspectives from around the circle of practitioners. By this time we were joined by physicians, mental health professionals, physical therapists as well as chiropractic, herbal medicine, homeopathy, massage therapists and a cadre of budding acupuncturists.

Our team was practicing patient centered care well before the buzz word was so popular. We enjoyed fantastic patient outcomes, a high level of confidence and relationship building between our staff and patients, while most of us were in the early stages of our medical careers. The experience taught me the value of team work in approaching patient care. We operated the practice for nine years and during that time we all witnessed the benefits for both patient and practitioner of keeping care first. Today, these lessons are ingrained in the way I practice Integrative Medicine and contribute to the standards of collaboration I believe are fundamental to patient-centered care.