Dementia is a cognitive impairment that can occur with certain diseases. It affects memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behavior. Most types of Dementia are degenerative, meaning they are nonreversible. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of Dementia, but there are many forms this impairment can take. Some of the most common conditions that can lead to Dementia include Lewy Body Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, brain tumors, chronic alcohol abuse, brain injury, and strokes (which lead to vascular dementia).

In addition to memory loss, there are several common symptoms that accompany Dementia. Change in sleep patterns, often waking up at night, forgetting details about current events, depression, agitation, or withdrawing from social contact are common side effects of this condition. Traditional Chinese medicine can help to treat a variety of the discomforts associated with Dementia. From acupuncture to herbal remedies, Chinese medicine practitioners have provided treatments for many of these situations for over two thousand years.

2011 was an excellent year for complementary and alternative medicine. As the recent American Hospital Association survey points out, alternative and holistic therapies are on the rise across the United States, increasingly being offered in hospitals and growing in recognition from insurance companies. This increase in CAM services at hospitals is a response to patient demand. There is a rising interest in holistic approaches to healthcare, as the latest studies indicate that 65 to 80 percent of the world’s population, and approximately 38 percent of all Americans use CAM. Hospitals are integrating acupuncture, massage therapy, and other alternative services into their conventional medical care. Forty-two percent of hospitals in the survey said they offer one or more alternative therapies, including meditation, relaxation training, homeopathy and chiropractic care. This is a sizeable increase from 2007, when only 37% of hospitals reported that they offer one or more alternative therapies.

June of 2011 saw the first U.S. National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy announced, which included references to integrative care. In addition, President Obama's appointees to the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, Integrative and Public Health include an integrative practice contingent that includes The Huffington Post contributor Dean Ornish, M.D., and Janet Kahn, Ph.D., a PCOM advisory board member.

Enjoy a Healthy Start to the New Year with Festivities at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine

NEW YORK, CHICAGO, and SAN DIEGO, CA (JANUARY 5 2012) -- Pacific College of Oriental Medicine is ringing in the Chinese New Year this January with special celebrations offering workshops on acupuncture, massage or qi gong; demonstrations and complimentary treatments; sampling of edible Chinese herbs; lectures on topics including nutrition and Chinese astrology, and much more. The longest and most important holiday in the Chinese calendar, Chinese New Year begins on January 23rd and runs through mid-February. Ushering in the Year of the Dragon, it is a time to say goodbye to past resentments and bad luck, and to manifest good fortune and wellbeing for the year to come.

Depression is a condition that involves both the mind and the body and affects how a person feels, thinks, and behaves, and can often make a person feel anxious and apathetic. People who suffer from depression or anxiety can experience muscle pain, headaches, upset digestion, fatigue, and loss of interest, among other symptoms. Anxiety, in particular, can be triggered by stress. With travel, big family reunions or party plans, and gift-buying frenzies, the holidays are a particularly stressful time and many people feel the effects of anxiety or depression in December and January.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) evaluates the entire body system, including physical conditions and emotional symptoms, and treatments are uniquely tailored to each patient with the goal of healing the body and mind, as well as revitalizing the spirit. While this is fundamental in any TCM treatment, this treatment of the mind, body, and spirit together is especially fitting for depression and anxiety. Each traditional Chinese medicine treatment, including acupuncture, is an individual treatment plan devised for the patient’s specific issues and health history. An integral part of acupuncture practice is the total evaluation of a person’s “qi”, pronounced “chi”, the body’s vital life energy, and how to accelerate the circulation of qi and blood through a system of specific channels running throughout the body, called meridians. Each meridian relates to major body organs and functions, as well as emotions.

A business card alone is no longer enough. And no one uses the Yellow pages anymore! While business cards have their place, they are not enough to communicate all the benefits you offer and what sets you apart from other acupuncturists.

Would you ever consider practicing acupuncture without needles? Probably not, unless of course you are a Qi Gong master. In this day and age, a business without a website is like an acupuncturist without needles.

Endometriosis is a female health disorder that occurs when cells from the lining of the womb (uterus) grow in other areas of the body. Endometriosis can be associated with backache, painful defecation and/or rectal bleeding, premenstrual spotting, sciatica, urinary frequency and pain, vomiting, abdominal pain and swelling. Any single endometriosis symptom is troubling, but in combination can be excruciating. Untreated, endometriosis can become the cause of female infertility. Although traditional Chinese medicine has no disease category for endometriosis, it does recognize, categorize, and treat effectively each endometriosis symptom and sign.

At her optimal health, a woman’s menstruation should be painless and accompanied by minimal pre and postmenstrual signs and symptoms. The menstruate should be of sufficient volume, a rich, fresh color, and free from clots. The absence of these factors is an endometriosis symptom. If there is free flow, there is no pain: if there is pain, there is no free flow.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is an example of how a change in seasons can affect our emotional and physical wellbeing. Seasonal Affective Disorder is nationally recognized during the month of December.

Between 4 and 6 percent of the U.S. population suffer from SAD. It is more commonly observed in those who live at high latitudes (areas farther away from the equator to the north and south). Seasonal changes are generally more extreme in these regions, supporting the idea that SAD is caused by changes in sunlight availability.