I have been talking a lot with people about acupuncture lately (mostly in response to people sharing about chronic pain) and the first question that I am asked is, does it hurt? (hence the photo). Some of the points do hurt a bit for just a second, but mostly the experience is painless and quite relaxing. Just to be clear, I am not an acupuncturist, but I have received acupuncture treatments on and off for the past several years. I personally have found acupuncture to be very helpful in a variety of ways and have recently returned to work with an acupuncturist whom I respect and admire a great deal, Anne Kinchen.
Anne is the owner of Cleveland Acupuncture and I first met her about 3 years ago. The Health Coach I was working with at the time highly recommended Anne and shared some of the benefits she noticed in relation to her allergies. I have also talked with several doctors in the area who speak very highly of Anne’s dedication to her work and skill at providing effective treatment. My impression of Anne is that she is thorough and really knows her stuff! My experience with her has been positive, and she has not only provided me with great treatment but also with comprehensive education and resources. Anne has also been very committed and supportive in her work with me and does not hesitate to confront me when I need a little reminding about the path I want to follow. Because I think so highly of Anne, I was thrilled when she agreed to be featured in my September newsletter.
Enjoy the Q & A below – a little window into the awesomeness of Anne. Also, please visit her website at http://clevelandacupuncture.com/ to get more detailed information about the history of acupuncture, the benefits, and to explore if it might be a great match for your needs.
Q: What led me to work in the field of acupuncture?
A: For many years my mother suffered from a chronic autoimmune disease called Myesthenia Gravis. The treatment she received was basically high doses of steroids. The medications she took were very detrimental to her overall health and well-being, leading to all kinds of inconvenient side effects like diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, easy bruising, muscle fatigue, etc.
I happened to meet an acupuncturist who told me these things could be treated, including the original disease, in ways that were less harmful to general health. I found this very intriguing, even though my mother discounted the possibility of anything beyond what her doctors recommended. I soon learned that there were all sorts of possibilities with Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture which were not being fully utilized due to our lack of knowledge and exposure to this very different healing system. Over the past few years acupuncture and herbal medicine have gained tremendous popularity, including within the confines of major hospitals. It is routinely offered to many patients for pain management, and often for those suffering from critical diseases and medication side effects.
Q: What do I most enjoy about doing acupuncture?
A: At the time of my graduation from acupuncture school (PCOM, San Diego, class of 1999), a new study was released with much aplomb. It showed that IVF (invitro-fertilization) outcomes were almost twice as successful when the person who was trying to get pregnant had a before and after IVF transfer acupuncture treatment.
This was a peer reviewed study, and as such, doctors in the reproductive endocrinology departments everywhere had to take notice.
I began doing more research on the link between pregnancy and acupuncture and found there was already a lot of research on the subject and that there was a long and successful history of treating patients with fertility issues.
It became a subspecialty that piqued my interest, and I began taking post graduate courses anywhere I could travel to get them.
A: What I enjoy most is the analytical part of the medicine, figuring out how to optimally balance the system so pregnancy can take place. By keeping charts and careful data, I can judge whether things are moving in the right direction, and change course if they are not. I also enjoy getting the phone calls of women who have just gotten their positive pregnancy tests, and the resultant birth notices that come a few months later. Often, patients return for second or even third babies, which makes me feel like I am really part of the family.
Q: What benefits do you see?
A: Since there is much more to treatment than sticking needles, the biggest benefit I see is how people move from a place of unawareness to awareness. Good health requires that we be cognizant of many factors including diet, exercise, mental health, and stress coping strategies, just to name a few. The biggest benefit I can see is that people realize how much of their health destiny IS powered by the decisions they make.
I always say, 70 % is what YOU are doing for you, 30% is what I am doing for you. There is a beautiful saying: A seed only sprouts in fertile ground”…we could say this about chronic disease as well. So the big message is “cultivate health”.
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