By Laura L. Eckland

Acupuncture is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world, with its origins dating back to China more than 2,000 years ago. When properly administered, it can have an amazing ability to naturally relieve arthritic conditions: pain and inflammation of the joints.

By Jeff Denny

According to TCM, Hypertension occurs when the body, especially the heart, must work harder to perform daily functions. This is often times subtle and without any viable symptoms, which is why Hypertension is sometimes referred to as a "Silent Killer." Of the 50 million Americans who have it, 35 percent are unaware. The simplest and easiest way to see if you are at risk or have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked regularly by a doctor or TCM physician. Acupuncture is becoming more widely known as an alternative therapy for curbing high blood pressure.

Lianne Audette, L.Ac. and Registered NADA trainer, has been integrating acupuncture into drug and alcohol treatment settings for 14 years. In 2006, Audette brings her two-day acupuncture seminar to Pacific College Continuing Education programming both in San Diego and New York.

This weekend course, with some additional independent study, satisfies the didactic requirements for NADA certification and has been offered previously at both Emperor's and Yo San in L.A. Clinical hours are also required for NADA certification and can be completed at sites like Lincoln Hospital and other clinics in New York. One benefit of Audette's training program is that after the student completes the 30-hour segment of the didactic training, he or she will be eligible to complete the 40-hour clinical internship at a later date at an approved site.

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, and Chinese medicine has many treatments for this common eye disorder. Gradual blockage of the outflow of aqueous humor (a frontal compartment eye fluid) is the main glaucoma cause. If enough pressure builds, blood vessels and nerve fibers can become compressed and cause irreparable damage. Any glaucoma symptom, such as loss of small areas of peripheral vision (blind spots) may result. Herbal remedies, herb-derived eye drop formulas, a combination of both, and acupuncture have shown promising results in relieving fluid pressure in the eyes.

Because fluids, which are yin in nature, tend to be downward draining, other disorders are usually present in order to cause fluid accumulation in the upper areas of the body. Yang-influenced disorders flow upward like the flames of fire in nature. In the case of glaucoma, a fire syndrome is created internally and carries fluids upward and into the eyes. This explains the glaucoma symptom of pressure build-up in the eyes. In the case of glaucoma, the cause is first thought to be internal in nature rather than environmental. Internal disorders are generally influenced by age and genetics.

by Angela Johnson, MPH (PCOM - Chicago)

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the number one cause of death among women and men in the United States?1-2 Estimates suggest that every 29 seconds someone in the United States suffers from a coronary event, and every 60 seconds someone loses their life as a result. According to the American Heart Association, in 2003 one in every five deaths was associated with CHD, causing an estimated 479,305 fatalities.3

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, and Chinese medicine has many treatments for this common eye disorder. Gradual blockage of the outflow of aqueous humor (a frontal compartment eye fluid) is the main glaucoma cause. If enough pressure builds, blood vessels and nerve fibers can become compressed and cause irreparable damage. Any glaucoma symptom, such as loss of small areas of peripheral vision (blind spots) may result. Herbal remedies, herb-derived eye drop formulas, a combination of both, and acupuncture have shown promising results in relieving fluid pressure in the eyes.

Because fluids, which are yin in nature, tend to be downward draining, other disorders are usually present in order to cause fluid accumulation in the upper areas of the body. Yang-influenced disorders flow upward like the flames of fire in nature. In the case of glaucoma, a fire syndrome is created internally and carries fluids upward and into the eyes. This explains the glaucoma symptom of pressure build-up in the eyes. In the case of glaucoma, the cause is first thought to be internal in nature rather than environmental. Internal disorders are generally influenced by age and genetics.

By: Marc Sklar, LAc

Who better to reap the benefits of preventative medicine then those most pure; children? Children seem to gain large benefits from preventative medicine and when it comes to their reaction to Oriental Medicine it's no different. Oriental Medicine has been treating children for centuries, and as it turns out Pediatrics is one of the medicines best specialties (since the Song Dynasty - 960-1279). Our children are so precious to us and watching them be sick is difficult as parents and through the treatments of Oriental Medicine we can strengthen the child and decrease illness. Oriental medicine views the treatment of children to be extremely important, and when treating children the most important system to treat is usually the digestive system. A classic Chinese saying that expressed this is xiao er pi bu zu, "Children's Spleen is often insufficient". The focus of the digestive system in Oriental medicine consists of the Spleen and Stomach systems.

The most commonly stated fear of patients prior to elective surgery is not death or a surgical mishap. It's post-operative nausea and vomiting ( PONV ), and 25 to 40 percent of surgical patients are at risk. Defined as any episode of nausea, retching or vomiting in the 24 hours immediately following an operation, PONV negatively affects quality of life for patients already experiencing physical malady.

In several recent studies, acupuncture has been proven to lessen PONV symptoms. An Australian study found that the insertion of just one needle in the P6 ( Neiguan ) point significantly reduces the likeliness of PONV after surgery. Another study conducted by Duke University Medical Center on breast surgery patients found positive results in the use of acupuncture to prevent occurrences of post-operative nausea and vomiting . It also stated that acupuncture increased general patient satisfaction post-op.

An estimated 1 in 5 adults suffer from a mental health disorder in a given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Anxiety and depressive disorders are the most common of all mental illnesses. Both are severe, chronic, and can significantly impair the individuals affected by them. Anxiety disorders can produce feelings that range from uneasiness to immobilizing moments of terror. An anxiety symptom may include excessive worrying, a feeling of being out of control, panic attacks, frequent nightmares, and lack of sleep. Any anxiety symptom can be frightening, even debilitating. Each year, 19 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders, and another 19 million experience a depressive illness.

Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. Up to one-half of all visits to primary care physicians are due to conditions that are caused or exacerbated by mental or emotional problems. With so many Americans suffering from mental health disorders, the FDA estimates that sales of depression/anxiety medication , such as Prozac and Zoloft, increased from 14 million prescriptions in 1992 to 157 million in 2002. However, in a study of 2,318 patients conducted by the University of Colorado , only 20 percent of the patients taking depression/anxiety medication were found to improve as a result. Furthermore, studies show that depression/anxiety medication may even increase the risk of suicide rather than decrease it.

For many people, acupuncture remains a misunderstood medical therapy, often cloaked in myth and mystery. In the eyes of some, it has no real standing in Western medicine.

In reality, acupuncture has been a serious force in the West since the Republic of China reopened its doors in 1970. While in 1997 there were 385.9 million visits to mainstream primary care physicians, there were 628.8 million visits to complementary alternative medicine practitioners. Reflecting this public demand, an estimated 70 to 80 percent of the nation's insurers covered acupuncture treatments in 1996. Furthermore, the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine estimates that nearly one out of every 10 adults in the United States has tried acupuncture.