The Basics of Acupuncture Part 4 (Berkeley Acupuncture)

What conditions or imbalances can we treat with Acupuncture/Chinese medicine?

Chinese Medicine has been used for thousands of years to keep people physically and mentally healthy. We have had a lot of success with many different symptoms and syndromes. Patients are astounded to learn of the many ailments that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treat. We must keep in mind that this has been the only medical system in use for those in Asia for thousands of years and patients have been treated according to the principles of this traditional medicine with great success.

Here in the United States, it is usually after other treatments have failed that many patients begin to seek this type of treatment, but early intervention is always better.

Listed below are conditions that we have successfully treated:

• Fertility Challenges (see Fertility page on our website.)
• Gynecological Problems
• Migraines and Headaches
• Digestive Issues
• Immune System Issues
• Viral Issues
• Pain Management
• Emotional Wellness (Stress, Anxiety, Sadness, Depression)
• Allergies
• Dizziness
• High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Detoxification Treatment

The World Health Organization states the following:

What is it used for?

Acupuncture is particularly effective for pain relief and for nausea and vomiting after surgery or chemotherapy. In addition, both the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health recognize that acupuncture can be a helpful part of a treatment plan for many illnesses. A partial list includes: addiction (such as alcoholism), asthma, bronchitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, facial tics, fibromyalgia, headaches, irregular menstrual cycles, polycystic ovarian syndrome, low back pain, menopausal symptoms, menstrual cramps, osteoarthritis, sinusitis, spastic colon (often called irritable bowel syndrome), stroke rehabilitation, tendinitis, tennis elbow, and urinary problems such as incontinence. You can safely combine acupuncture with prescription drugs and other conventional treatments, but it is important for your primary care physician to be aware of and monitor how your acupuncture treatment may be affecting your conventional therapies.

The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture also lists a wide range of conditions for which acupuncture is appropriate. In addition to those listed above, they recommend acupuncture for sports injuries, sprains, strains, whiplash, neck pain, sciatica, nerve pain due to compression, overuse syndromes similar to carpal tunnel syndrome, pain resulting from spinal cord injuries, allergies, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), sore throat (called pharyngitis), high blood pressure, gastroesophageal reflux (felt as heartburn or indigestion), ulcers, chronic and recurrent bladder and kidney infections, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), infertility, endometriosis, anorexia, memory problems, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, sensory disturbances, drug detoxification, depression, anxiety, and other psychological disorders.

Much love,

Christina “Mei Wen” Martin, L.Ac., Dipl.AC, MTOM, FABORM.

christina@berkeley-acupuncture.comcreate new email

Christina Martin is the founder of Tao to Wellness. She is an Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist and Teacher and has been in practice for fifteen years.  She holds a Master’s Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is a fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine.  Christina entered Acupuncture school without ever having an Acupuncture treatment. She simply felt it was her calling.