January
2010
Someone recently asked me
which style of acupuncture—Chinese, Korean,
or Japanese—yields the best results. Good
question.
Styles do not make results, acupuncturists
do.
In general, there are a few very
broad-stroke differences between Japanese, Korean
and Chinese needling styles. Japanese style acupuncture
tends to be non-invasive with only very mild stimulation;
very outwardly gentle. Korean styles tend to be
more vigorous in stimulation. They also have a
unique system of hand acupuncture that I understand
to be very effective. Though needling the hand
can be a bit uncomfortable for patients. And Chinese
styles seem to be everything in between.
What we learn in school is called
“Traditional Chinese Medicine” and
is an amalgam, a distilled version of the 4000
years of medical history that can vary with every
geographic area in China. The Chinese government
in the 1950s realized they could not care for
their population using only Western physicians,
so they re-introduced Chinese medicine in a pared
down, well-defined and teachable program that
is now taught in schools around the world. We
all start with this basic foundation in the medicine,
but once we graduate, many of us begin to explore
the innumerable traditions in search of styles
that we most resonate with and that we find most
effective for our patients. Once I, as the acupuncturist,
find a system that makes sense to me, then I stand
a better chance of having it work for my patients.
From the patient’s perspective,
the most obvious way that they may feel a difference
in style is in how vigorously their acupuncturist
seeks to elicit the “Qi” (pronounced
chee, which means energy) sensation—that
dull, heavy achy feeling at the site of the needle.
That sensation means that the point has been well-stimulated.
Clarifying for the patient what they are experiencing
or should expect to feel is of the utmost importance.
They need to understand that the qi sensation
is an okay feeling to have. But a sharp, shooting,
burning sensation is not. When that occurs, it
simply means that we have gotten too close to
a blood vessel or nerve and we need to relocate
the needle. Some patients love that qi sensation
and others simply do not. I never want a patient
lying on my table in a state of anxiety—it
is counter-productive. I always work within my
patients’ comfort level. Always. The only
time I am aggressive with needling is when someone
is in acute pain and I need to strongly off-set
that pain. And when you find the right point,
acupuncture works 100% of the time. To see the
look on a patient’s face when needling a
point in their foot gets rid of their migraine
within seconds is priceless!!!
The bottom line is always about
getting results. Liking the acupuncturist is wonderful,
but if they do not get results, then you are paying
them for stimulating conversation! As much as
my patients may like me, if I am not addressing
their chief complaints effectively enough in a
timely manner, then my rapport with them can only
go so far.
There are of course other reasons
why one might choose one style over another, but
that is where we get a bit technical. Some styles
are better suited for acute issues, some are better
for constitutional balancing, while others are
best for more psycho-emotional issues. Chinese
Medicine is an enormous world and it is as varied
as the acupuncturists are who practice it.
In the end, be assured that none
of us do what we do in the style we do it if it
did not work most of the time. My role is to continue
to be insatiable in my quest for better skills
and deeper knowledge to get more reliable and
consistent results. Your role is to decide whether
or not you connect with me, the style I practice,
and get the results you are looking for.
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