Treating the Whole Patient

By Mitchel Chalek

In 1978, when Doris was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in her neck, alternative medicine was an option few people were aware of. High doses of aspirin and naproxen gave her little relief as the disease traveled from her neck, to her hands, and then her elbows, thus making simple tasks like holding a pen or opening a jar excruciatingly painful. By 1990, Doris, along with the rest of the nation, had heard the stories of “miracle cures” with acupuncture, so she decided to try it. It seemed to help over time, but she remained skeptical and tended to go for treatment only when her pain was most severe.

In 1999, when her rheumatologist decided to prescribe methotrexate (an antimetabolite) and physical therapy, he looked at her and added, “You should also try acupuncture.” She said that she had tried it but was not sure how effective it was for her in the long run. He urged her to try again. This time she started the acupuncture treatments in earnest and stuck with it even—when she was having less pain. She found that acupuncture did more than just relieve the pain—it actually improved her overall state of health. Her good weeks began to get better and be longer lasting, and her bad weeks got shorter and less severe. She became more comfortable performing simple tasks that had been difficult and painful for years such as writing, buttoning her shirt, cutting food with a knife, and holding a book. She even started swimming, a favorite pastime she hadn’t been able to enjoy since she first became symptomatic. She also felt more energetic, less sensitive to the cold, she slept better, her digestion improved, and she gained a greater sense of well being. During the last few months of 1999, she even significantly reduced her doses of Western medications, which can be quite toxic, without experiencing an increase in pain or stiffness.

Interest in acupuncture has grown tremendously in the U.S. during the last decade. The $2 million budget dedicated by the NIH to research in alternative medicine back in the early 90s has grown to $68 million. Western medical practitioners are eager to understand the positive benefits of acupuncture. Research has demonstrated that acupuncture affects the endocrine, immune and central nervous systems, but has not been able to account for the curative effects people obtain from acupuncture treatments.

To explain the healing effects of acupuncture, ancient Chinese practitioners developed the concept of qi (pronounced “chee”), the Chinese name for the vital energy that gives us life. When qi is flowing smoothly through the body we feel healthy and strong. When it stagnates we feel pain. Acupuncture breaks up qi stagnation, enabling qi to move freely, thereby improving bodily function. One modern theory is that the needle creates a short-circuit that bypasses the stagnation and reopens the pathway of qi in an area where it has become congested.

Qi stagnation that is relatively recent may change immediately, with the patient experiencing great relief after only one treatment. Conditions that have existed for a long time often lead to a complicated pattern of imbalances that can take longer to unravel.

Western and Eastern medicine may not have similar views about the body and health, but they don’t have to be in opposition to each other. As acceptance for acupuncture grows, Eastern and Western style practitioners are increasingly working together to find ways in which contrasting disciplines can complement each other and ultimately improve the health of their patients.