Of special interest to me is the use of TCM for the treatment of chronic and resistant conditions that do not respond well to conventional Western medicine treatments. Many complex syndromes, e.g., arthritis, migraines/headaches, fatigue, anxiety/depression, have several differential diagnoses and treatment strategies in TCM.
My clinical practice involves using TuiNa (acupressure, Chinese medical/orthopedic massage and stretching) with acupuncture techniques for external and musculoskeletal conditions. This combination is particularly effective for most chronic muscle tension patterns and benefits are usually experienced within 6-10 treatments.
In addition, I use Internal Medicine‒ i.e., diet/nutrition therapies, Chinese herbs‒ for the treatment of chronic and resistant conditions and to modify constitutional patterns. These conditions usually require more extended treatment and usually require some lifestyle changes also. Many formulas in Chinese medicine are hundreds, if not thousands, of years old and their actions and effects on the body are reasonably well understood. All herbal preparations used in the clinic are made under current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) guidelines, similar to Western pharmaceuticals.
The development of a TCM treatment plan involves a personalized constitutional analysis or differential diagnosis, and includes identifying the role of lifestyle issues and of external/environmental influences on current health. The more details you can provide about the unique aspects about your life, the better. We are really interested in seemingly trivial issues like the tastes you like or crave (e.g., sweet, sour, salty, fatty foods), eating patterns, the primary emotions that make up your daily life, feelings of heat and cold sensations, about sleep and activity patterns, and about discharges from the body like sweat, dribbling of urine or incontinence, and involuntary ejaculation or leucorrhea.
At the outset, the first visit involves providing us with a fairly detailed medical history and systems review that will allow us to tailor a treatment plan that recognizes not only the current chief complaint but the underlying constitutional pattern also. We believe that healing and wellness require the participation of the patient and recommend a broad range of adjunct therapies to facilitate the transition to well being. For this reason we support patient education and empowerment and will discuss what you can do to speed up healing and the recovery process, at home, after a few visits to the clinic.
We want to help you get well, as soon as possible. And the healer within us, who is always aware of what is going on within us, is the key to implementing any long-term transition in constitution and health status. As soon as you say, “…its’ time for a change in my life…”, things will begin to happen.
TCM treatment strategies may focus on balancing yin and yang, removing stagnation and regulating the movement of Qi and Blood, dispersing externally contracted pathogenic factors, and/or supplementing the body as needed to overcome functional deficits due to acute conditions such as trauma, or chronic conditions such as overwork, developmental conditions such as menopause, aging, etc.
A variety of treatment modalities (e.g., acupunctutre, cupping, gua sha, herbs, moxibustion, qigong, TuiNa) may be used. In addition, we strongly encourage clients to participate in their own recovery by making a daily commitment to their health by investing time in light exercises, breath work, and diet/nutrition awareness.
Some of the conditions that respond well to acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are listed below.
★ Arthritic Syndromes
★ Idiopathic pain syndromes and paresthesias
★ Migraines and Tension Headaches
★ Immune System hyperactivity and other syndromes. e.g., Allergies, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia.
★ Psycho-emotional syndromes. e.g., Post Trauma Stress Disorders (PTSD), Depression/Anxiety.
★ G.I. syndromes. e.g., GERD, Irritable Bowel Disease, Chronic Diarrhea, Constipation.
★ Womens Health e.g., Dysmenorrhea, Uterine Fibroids, PMS, Menopause.
The clinic requires payment at the time of services.
Insurance Coverage
Please be aware that most insurance companies do not cover TuiNa or internal medicines (i.e., Chinese herbs). The patient has to pay for these services as an out-of-pocket expense. Since the combination of TuiNa and Chinese herbs with acupuncture speeds up recovery in most cases, this omission by insurers is often to the patients' disadvantage, from a financial perspective.
At this time, we will accept Workers Compensation and Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) cases with appropriate documentation and paperwork.
We will bill Regence Blue Cross of Oregon insurance plans for you. Please provide the details in your insurance membership card when you call to set up an appointment.
Other than the situations listed above, we provide limited services at this time with regard to insurance billing due to added costs to the customer and the limited variety of insurance coverage provided by various 3rd party payors. However, we are happy to provide you with a bill for our services that you can submit to your insurance provider. This works well for many of our clients.
Please contact the clinic for additional information, if needed.
