What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture comes from Chinese medicine, and has been practiced for more than 3000 years. Practitioners use small needles to stimulate acupuncture points and restore balance to the body. Acupuncture is used to treat a wide variety of conditions, from musculoskeletal pain, headaches, and migraines to depression, drug withdrawal, and anxiety. When this technique is used in conjunction with a biomedical evaluation, it’s called Medical Acupuncture. Korean Hand Therapy (KHT) is a form of acupuncture in our practice where small pellets are used instead of needles, I am a member and diplomat of the American Association of Medical Acupuncture and I have been practicing acupuncture since 1993.
What about Herbs?
Botanical medicinals have been used for centuries in most parts of the world to help the body heal itself. Herbs are milder than pharmaceuticals and thus may require a longer time to have their therapeutic effects. My area of expertise is in Chinese herbology, but I am also trained in Western herbology, and I prescribe Western herbs when necessary.
What is your philosophy about Nutrition?
I believe that diet is one of the most important components of a healthy lifestyle. While no one diet is right for everyone, my research and experience has taught me that certain foods, minerals, and vitamins are powerful contributors to good health, as they can bring balance to the body and reduce certain symptoms. I regularly educate patients about the benefits of the Chinese, raw food, Ayurvedic, macrobiotic, vegan, and blood type diets, among others.
What’s Internal Medicine?
Internal medicine is a specialty dealing with cardiovascular disease such as coronary artery disease and hypertension, pulmonary problems such as asthma and emphysema, endocrinological issues such as diabetes, and allergies, arthritis, and kidney problems.
Please explain functional medicine.
Functional medicine is a dynamic approach to preventing, assessing, and treating complex diseases, also known as chronic illnesses. Chronic illness is usually the result of declining function associated with a lifelong interaction between genetic predisposition, environment, and lifestyle. When practicing functional medicine, most physicians try to utilize the least invasive and most natural approaches for the specific problem. Moreover, each treatment will be specific to the individual.
A practitioner of functional medicine makes treatment decisions based on saliva testing of hormones, evaluation of stool for yeast, urinary measurements of heavy metals, and food allergy testing.
What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is based on the teachings of the 19th century physician Dr. Andrew Taylor Still. He developed the concept of an integrated system where manual medicine was an important part of evaluation and treatment. Osteopathic techniques are gentle adjustments that bring balance to the system. They are used to treat a variety of conditions such as musculoskeletal injuries and to prevent illness and promote health.
What is Prolotherapy & PRP?
Prolotherapy is short for proliferative therapy. It is a natural healing method used to treat musculoskeletal pain. It has been used since 1960 as a natural nonsurgical method to treat ligament, tendon, and joint injuries. A solution of highly concentrated dextrose (sugar water) is mixed with Lidocaine and injected into ligament, tendon insertion sites, or joints to promote healing.
PRP is a similar process, but the solution injected includes platelet rich plasma (PRP) from the patient’s own blood. PRP is used when a person’s condition would benefit from a more intense inflammatory response. For more information about these techniques, please visit our page on Prolotherapy & PRP.
How Does Prolotherapy work?
When dextrose (or PRP, see below) is injected into the damaged area, a mild inflammatory response develops. This healing response causes the recruitment of stem cells. Ligaments and tendons are repaired by the formation of new collagen which tightens and strengthens the damaged area. After an evaluation of the damaged area, a fine needle is used and a natural proliferative solution is injected into damaged ligaments, tendons, and joints. Your own body’s natural tissue growth factors are released and fibroblasts (the body’s repair cells) move to the injured site to form new collagen. This process increases lost flexibility (due to injury) and can heal chronic pain.
What is PRP?
PRP (platelet rich plasma therapy) is a form of Prolotherapy where the substance used is the patient’s own blood. The blood is removed and through a concentration method using a centrifuge, a high numbers of platelets are obtained. The concentrated platelets include growth factors that are vital to initiate and accelerate tissue repair and regeneration by increasing stem cell production. This increases the healing potential for ligaments and tendons. Even the potential for regeneration and repair of cartilage tissue is increased.
Who is a good candidate for Prolotherapy?
Anyone suffering from pain (more than 6 to 8 weeks) who may have the following conditions:
- Arthritis: hand, wrist, shoulder, hip, and knee
- Tennis elbow, golfers elbow, Epicondylitis
- Shoulder injury: rotator cuff, frozen shoulder, impingement syndrome
- Knee pain: osteoarthritis, lax or partially torn ligaments, meniscus tear, knee cap pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Hip pain
- Neck pain from whiplash
- Headaches from musculoskeletal origin
- Low back pain: disk disease, herniation, chronic pain
- Sacroiliac joint pain and sciatica, TMJ, jaw pain
- Leg, foot, and ankle pain: toe arthritis, ankle sprains, metatarsal pain
What is detoxification?
Methods of detoxification have been used for centuries. Today, we prescribe a combination of diet, fasting, and supplements to help the body get rid of chemicals stored in various tissues. Other therapies are often used in conjunction with diet such as colonic irrigation, saunas, or clay packs. Detoxification can be very effective in helping the body reach a state of balance after chronic illness.
Please explain Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques (NAET)?
Developed by Dr. Devi Nambrudipad, NAET is used for the elimination of food and environmental allergies. NAET practitioners use kinesiology (muscle testing), acupuncture, or acupressure during evaluation and treatment. It is an effective alternative to immunotherapy injections, which are more costly and potentially dangerous.
What is Nutrition Response Testing (NRT)?
A simple, non-invasive technique, NRT involves kinesiology testing for potential organ imbalance and its causes, and treatment with natural supplements to restore balance. NRT is a term coined by Dr. Freddie Ulan.