How Acupuncture Grew in the US

October 24 is National Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Day. We all know that acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that has been utilized to treat pain and illness in the far east for thousands of years. Acupuncture is now popular all over the world, including here in the US, and it is continuing to gain a foothold as a safe, effective way to treat myriad forms of pain.

But how did acupuncture make its way to the US?

Some believe that acupuncture’s rise in popularity can be traced to the 1970s, when President Richard Nixon’s Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was in China on a diplomatic trip. Kissinger fell ill and was treated at a Chinese hospital where he received acupuncture as part of his treatment. A journalist for the New York Times was covering Kissinger’s trip and reported on the Secretary’s hospital stay. This was the first exposure in the popular press for acupuncture for many people, and soon after the practice started gaining traction. In 1972, shortly after the publication of the story, the first legal acupuncture center in the country was established.

But acupuncture had been around long before the 1970s. Back in the beginning of the 20th century, acupuncture-like tapping treatments were being used. In the 1950s, some treatments were occurring where needles were being kept in place for up to a week! But soon, practitioners were using correct techniques, and acupuncture started becoming more and more accepted. After the Times article, things really took off.

Fast forward to today, and acupuncture is popular all across the US. There are over 18,000 licensed acupuncturists operating in the country. So while acupuncture can and will still grow even more, now you know that it has a long and interesting history here at home!

Controversial Research Sparks Heated Acu Debate in China

Acupuncture is an ancient practice that originated in China millennia ago. It is an incredibly popular form of medical treatment in China, not only because of its effectiveness for treating a number of ailments, but because it is an important part of Chinese culture.

Perhaps there’s no better sign of how important acupuncture is to Chinese history and society than the reaction to a recent study in one of China’s most respected medical journals.

Last year, the journal Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion published an article written by three respected doctors from Dongzhimen Hospital in Beijing. The article claimed that a new study conducted by the doctors that acupuncture that is administered to a parent could benefit that parent’s child. That is, if I a child is feeling ill, the parent undergoing acupuncture—not the child—could help treat the child’s illness or pain.

The doctors claim that the concept of “quantum entanglement” is responsible for this phenomenon. Quantum entanglement says that “two particles, no matter how distant from each other in space and time, can be inextricably linked, in a way that defies the rules of classical physics.” 

The authors backed up their theory with an experiment of 15 patients with pain symptoms and their direct relatives. Fourteen of the patients were in the room alongside their relative who was receiving acupuncture, while one patient was in a separate room. The study claims that all 15 subjects reported a decrease in pain, while four subjects said their pain disappeared altogether.

The article has caused a wave of backlash, with many doctors coming out and disavowing its conclusion. One doctor said he was “speechless” after reading the article…and not in the good way. On Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, one popular comment read “The only thing that the researchers of this paper prove, is that they themselves need to be treated,” and one hashtag around the controversy received over 4 million views.

While we know acupuncture is an effective treatment for numerous ailments and pain management—for adults and children alike—we’re holding off on the whole “quantum entanglement” idea…for now!

A Bite of Acupuncture Helps Soothe Tooth Pain

It’s a terrible feeling – you take a sip of a nice cold beverage, and all of a sudden a sharp pain bears down on your tooth. It may mark the beginning of a long tough road dealing with a persistent toothache. While a trip to the dentist is certainly in order, you don’t want to reach for the over-the-counter pain medications in the meantime. Instead, there’s a natural way to effectively and safely treat that nagging tooth pain and restore a happy life of carefree eating and drinking.

Pain is a result of the body’s energy being all out of whack. The meridians that course throughout our body, that tell our brain whether or not we should be feeling pain, are blocked. Acupuncture opens up these channels, allowing the body’s energy to balance out, which relieves pain. Treating a toothache is no different than any other pain. When our tooth hurts, the meridians that lead to the mouth are acting up and need to be cleared.

"Treatment is directed toward soothing the circulation and detoxifying the meridians near the affected area,” say acupuncturists from Advanced Acupuncture in Santa Monica, CA.

There are a number of specific points that acupuncturists target when a patient is dealing with a toothache, depending on where in the mouth the pain is being experienced. “Ear gate” is targeted to alleviate upper-jaw tooth pain, while the “jawbone” point, located in the stomach, is more specific to mouth and jaw pain. Another stomach point, “below the joint” treats lower jaw tooth pain.

Of course, if you are experiencing any tooth or jaw pain, it is recommended that you see a dentist, who can assess problems with the teeth, gums or jaw. But the great thing about acupuncture for tooth pain is that it is effective whether the patient is experiencing pain before or after a visit to the dentist. So if you’re feeling some discomfort in those pearly whites, or just got them treated and are recovering, don’t hesitate to see us!

Acupuncture Found to be Safest Option for Treating Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthitis is the most common form of arthritis, and it can occur and create damage at any joint in our bodies. What happens is the cartilage in our joints that separates bones from one another gradually deteriorates. In the early stages, the cartilage becomes rough, which causes pain and stiffness in joints. But if untreated, eventually the cartilage can be removed completely, causing bones to run right up against each other.

This condition occurs most commonly in our major joints, like our hands and knees, and especially our hips. Hip Osteoarthritis affects anywhere from 3 to 11% of the population in Western countries, which means millions of people suffer from this nasty degeneration. Since there is no cure for osteoarthritis, there are a number of ways doctors generally treat the condition. Physical therapy is popular, and surgery could be performed in the worst cases, but in the meantime the use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs is often prescribed to deal with the pain.

Thankfully, studies are beginning to be performed to show what acupuncturists have known for decades—that among all the treatments available for those suffering from a condition like hip osteoarthritis, acupuncture isn’t just on par or superior, but it’s by far the safest, with the fewest potential negative side effects.

Researchers in the US and China went back and looked at studies done historically on how to treat osteoarthritis and judged the combined findings. In all the studies, none of the subjects reported any adverse side effects.

As for acupuncture’s ability to heal those who are suffering, the strongest of the studies that were reviewed found  “that acupuncture plus routine physician care was more effective than routine care alone at decreasing pain, improving bodily function and increasing physical quality of life.”

We know that acupuncture is effective for treating disorders such as osteoarthritis because its goal is not to simply mask pain, but treat the root causes of pain brought about by unbalance in the body. If you think you suffer from any form of osteoarthritis or are beginning to feel pain and stiffness in your joints, we’re here to help.

Gwyneth Paltrow is a Fan of Facial Acupuncture

Ever wonder how celebrities achieve their glowing and age defying complexions? Us, too. 

Unfortunately, not too many celebs are eager to spill their secrets to the fountain of youth. But thankfully, Gwyneth Paltrow just did!

This past Wednesday, Paltrow posted a zoomed in selfie of her flawless face on Instagram with acu-needles perfectly placed. The caption read, “Is anyone else into acupuncture? Check out link for a video with master @iloveacupuncture." 

(PS - We're totally into acupuncture too, Gwyneth!)

Her acupuncturist of three years, who US Weekly reports is Paul Kempisty LAc, is quoted by the publication as saying, “facial acupuncture, also known as facial rejuvenation acupuncture, is performed much like regular acupuncture but with a particular focus on supporting connective tissue, circulation and detoxification of the face.”

He further explained, “The local face points also specifically promote wound healing, collagen production, circulation and relaxed and supple muscles on the face and often produces a feeling of deep relaxation and rejuvenation during and after the procedure.”

Here at NJ Acupuncture Center, we take pride in our facial acupuncture services, which are gaining in popularity.

Our acupuncturists are trained to help clients achieve their skincare goals, whether it be anti-aging, improved complexion, acne treatment and more.  We utilize a variety of techniques to help restore your complexion, fight signs of aging, lift and tone the skin, and improve circulation for an overall fresher look.

If you're interested in incorporating acupuncture into your skincare and beauty routine, please call the office at (201) 668-0343 to schedule an appointment! 

Acupuncture and Sports

Athletes have to be in tip-top shape, and a lot goes into maintaining their body’s optimum strength. The daily grind of working out, practicing, and performing takes a toll. And when athletes get hurt, as those in the pro ranks almost inevitably do, the road to to recovery can be long and arduous. Whether an athlete is looking to stay free from injury or recovering from one, acupuncture is one way to keep a leg up on the opposition.

Peter D’Aquino calls himself a “sports acupuncturist”, and while he admits that that title is a bit made up—as “sports acupuncture” doesn’t truly exist—he has studied the ancient method of acupuncture and has developed a practice to specifically treat athletes.

“Sports acupuncture looks at things like anatomy, movement patterns, gait, posture, and trigger points, so it goes way beyond the old-fashioned ideas,” D’Aquino says. While there’s nothing “old-fashioned” about traditional and effective acupuncture methods, D’Aquino says he tries to look deeper on those ideas so he can better treat issues specific to athletes and the types of activities they partake in.

“I look into traditional TCM patterns that are previously established, but take it a step further and look into muscle testing, posture, and how someone is using their body,” D’Aquino says. “This helps me determine trigger points and where to place acupuncture needles.”

As acupuncture becomes a more popular pain and wellness treatment more broadly, there’s no doubt that more athletes will—and should—seek it out as a consistent part of their training and treatment regimen. The visibility of professional athletes who use acupuncture is growing. A few years ago, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers publicly thanked his acupuncturist for helping him recover quickly from an injury.

Rodgers isn’t alone. Other professional athletes who have publicly praised acupuncture are former NFL players Michael Strahan, James Harrison, James Farrior and Marcus Stroud; baseball players A.J. Burnett and Randy Johnson; NBA players Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Grant Hill, Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley; and professional golfers Fred Couples and Gary Player.

And there are surely many more to come.

Can Acupuncture Be an Antidote to Addiction?

Life can be stressful. And when things are a little hectic, it’s understandable to want to unwind a bit with a drink or other substance. But for many among us, the ability to control those impulses is much more difficult. Alcohol and many drugs are designed with addictive properties in mind. For many, a brief dalliance can soon turn into full-fledged addiction. One in seven people in the U.S. will experience a problem with alcohol or drug use in their lifetimes, and approximately 20 million people currently have substance abuse issues. Sadly, 78 people die of overdose every day.

What compounds the problem is that the far majority of people suffering from addiction don’t receive any help towards recovery. Many rehabilitations and recovery centers can be expensive and difficult to access. What if there were a relatively inexpensive, safe, and effective way to treat substance addiction? Recent research from Daegy Haany University and Qiqihar Medical University in China suggests that acupuncture may be just that solution.

They studied acupuncture as a means of suppressing addiction related to self-administration of intravenous methamphetamines. The controlled experiment tested two specific acupuncture points, HT7 and LI5. “Acupuncture at the specific acupoint HT7, but not at the control acupoint LI5, markedly suppressed the methamphetamine self-administration behavior,” the study determined.

The researchers chose these points for a reason. HT7, specifically is a yuan source point for the heart channel and is a target for treatment of many neurological disorders, including addiction. Thankfully, research suggests that treatment of this point has wide-ranging benefits when it comes to misuse of substances:

“The researchers cite eight independent investigations finding HT7 effective for ameliorating the effects of drug addiction. The investigations found acupuncture effective for ameliorating the addictive effects of nicotine, methamphetamines, morphine, alcohol, and cocaine.”

Nobody should suffer from alcohol and substance addiction. Thankfully, it appears as though there’s a safe, effective and accessible step to take in the road to recovery.

Acupuncture for Fibromyalgia Pain

Pain, fatigue, feeling like you’re just in a fog. For some of us, these symptoms come and go and are easily manageable. But for those who suffer from fibromyalgia, these symptoms persist and greatly affect quality of life. For many sufferers, symptoms can begin after a physical trauma, infection or event that causes major psychological stress, but for others there may be no single cause.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Repeated nerve stimulation causes the brains of people with fibromyalgia to change. This change involves an abnormal increase in levels of certain chemicals in the brain that signal pain (neurotransmitters).”

There are many ways people try to treat fibromyalgia pain, including medication. However, one treatment in particular is proving to be most effective in potentially restoring fibromyalgia patients to a fruitful and pain-free life.

A recent study performed at the Oregon Health and Science University showed that Individualized acupuncture in a group setting significantly decreases fatigue and pain in fibromyalgia patients, compared with standard group therapy—a treatment that has previously been shown to be helpful for fibromyalgia patients. Thirty patients who reported moderate to severe pain were treated, half of which underwent standard educational group therapy and half of which received individualized acupuncture treatments within a group setting. The half who received acupuncture treatment did so in 40-minute sessions, twice a week for a 10-week period.

The results were clear.

“Those who underwent group acupuncture showed significant improvements, which were sustained and even improved four weeks after treatment,” the results of the study said. “Fatigue scores in this group improved by 25%, and pain decreased by 2.8 points.”

With nearly 10 million people across the US suffering from fibromyalgia, chances are you may know someone who is in need of treatment from the pain, fatigue and “fibro fog” associated with the disease. If so, acupuncture may be just what they need.

Write here…

How Acupuncture Saved One Woman's "Mom Bod"

There’s nothing more beautiful and precious than bringing a new life into the world. But pregnancy can of course also be a physical burden on mothers, the incredible changes that the body goes through causing all sorts of aches and pains all over.

Caitlyn Doenges always suffered from back pain, and it only got worse when she was carrying her first child. Once her daughter was born, Caitlyn expected her pain to get better. Now that she wasn’t pregnant, wouldn’t her back have less strain on it? However Caitlyn soon realized that her baby brought many more physical challenges—holding the growing child, pushing her in a stroller, taking her in and out of car seats, etc. The day-to-day rigors of child care include lots of stretching, reaching, and straining—for someone who has a history of back pain, raising a child can often make it even worse. Eventually, Caitlyn’s pain took an even worse turn.

“All of this combined with my already bad back led to the herniation of a disc in my lower back,” she wrote. “The pain from this herniation radiated all the way down my leg and caused such severe nerve damage that three years later, a large part of my leg is still numb. I had to do something to get better.”

That something, for Caitlyn, wasn’t surgery or medications, both options she could have taken. Instead, she went down a holistic path that she had previously known nothing about: acupuncture.

Caitlyn initially was treated three times a week for the first few months, then eventually went down to at least once a week continuously for the past three years. Now that Caitlyn has two children, she certainly is doing plenty of lifting and stretching and pulling – but she’s living a much more comfortable and pain-free life. 

“Those tiny little needles have saved my mom body by allowing me to put away the pain meds and focus on being present with my kids.”