Acupuncture & Massage BLOG

The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) received official approval from the Department of Veterans Affairs declaring that U.S. veterans can receive reimbursement for the costs of the NCCAOM certification examinations. The examinations that qualify for reimbursement are the Acupuncture and Point Location Module, the Foundations of Oriental Medicine Module, the Biomedicine Module and the Chinese Herbology Module.

Candidates must meet eligibility requirements in order to be approved to take the NCCAOM exam(s). Education must be obtained from an education program that is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) or a program that has reached candidacy status with ACAOM.

“NCCAOM submitted an application to the Department of Veteran Affairs for veteran reimbursement for the NCCAOM examination costs in order that veterans who have courageously and selflessly served our country will be able to benefit from beginning a new career as an acupuncturist by becoming NCCAOM certified”, said Kory Ward-Cook, Ph.D., CAE, NCCAOM Chief Executive Officer. “NCCAOM is proud of the men and women who have sacrificed so much in service to our country and this is one way that we can give back to them.”

NCCAOM certification is a requirement for licensure in most states. A voluntary certification organization, the NCCAOM does not award licenses to practice acupuncture or other forms of Oriental medicine. In the United States, licensure laws vary among the states and the District of Columbia.

Veterans who qualify for examination reimbursement must submit their official NCCAOM examination results and receipt for the cost of the examinations to the appropriate processing center of the Department of Veteran Affairs for reimbursement.
For more information visit the Department of Veterans Affairs web site at www.gibill.va.gov and the NCCAOM web site at www.nccaom.org.

For information about Acupuncture & Massage College’s Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs call Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500.

March comes in like a lion at the Acupuncture & Massage College with an aggressive, “dual-action” study to find a treatment for painful breasts. The new three-month study at AMC will test the effectiveness of both a special prescription of Chinese Herbal Medicine and a Homeopathic formula to treat fibrocystic breasts.

According to MedicineNet.com, having fibrocystic breasts is a common condition in women aged 30 to 50, where there are benign lumps in the breasts. These lumps, although harmless, may cause extreme tenderness and discomfort, especially around the sufferer’s menstrual cycle.

The college is calling for women aged 30 to 50 to participate. They will be given a painless, no X-ray, no-contact Thermogram test at the beginning and at the end of the study. The Thermogram is a test that uses the heat radiating from the body to create infra-red images to detect any abnormalities. Inflammations such as fibrocystic breasts give off heat, so the Thermogram is useful in determining the treatment’s efficacy.

Testing begins on March 15 at 8 a.m. at the Acupuncture & Massage College located at 10506 N. Kendall Drive, Miami, FL, 33176. There will be a nominal fee for the Thermogram, of $75, which is less than ½ of a standard Thermogram cost. For more information call 305.867.7716, or 954.431.4352. For information about the Acupuncture & Massage College, please visit www.amcollege.edu.

Miamians get ready to experience the mind-body connection from one its masters.

An amazing opportunity to study with George Xu, who is known throughout the martial arts world for his expertise in Tai Chi, will be available from February 29 to March 2, 2008.

George Xu came to the U.S. in 1981, and has been teaching the ancient art of Tai Chi, and bringing with him more experts from China.

Master Xu will explain the principles that govern the internal Chinese martial arts. Then he will demonstrate these principles through Tai Chi. Finally, he will have the students perform them to get the benefit of these principles. The benefits include centering the mind, increasing awareness and improving focus, which then helps the mind connect with the body. This mind/body connection increases spiritual energy, thereby helping the individual achieve wellness.

The class will be held at Body Motion Institute, 12302 SW 128 Court Unit #103, Miami, FL. The cost for this class is $100, $80 for students of Acupuncture & Massage College. For more information please call Steven Tarrago at 786-402-4547.

CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR WITH US AND START IT OFF RIGHT

If you missed the opportunity to get a healthy start to 2008 last January, don’t fret! The Acupuncture & Massage College in Miami is giving you another chance at health and wellness.

Starting at 10 a.m., on February 9, in celebration of Chinese New Year, Dr. Richard Browne, one of the first licensed Acupuncturists in the State of Florida since 1982 and co-founder of the Acupuncture & Massage College, the oldest college of Acupuncture and Massage Therapy in Florida, and his team of experts will stretch, press, and rub you to a healthier, happier you.

Come explore and take part in new ways to improve your health through massage and acupuncture, Qigong, yoga, and other demonstrations that will leave you breathing easier, pain-free, rejuvenated, and de-stressed.

Learn the basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Herbs, and learn why this ancient healing art is so popular today!

And for those who need to know what the coming year holds for you, we offer you an astrology reading.

Who: Acupuncture & Massage College’s Chinese New Year’s celebration.

When: Saturday, February 9th

Time: 10:00AM - 3:00PM

Where: Acupuncture & Massage College, 10506 N. Kendall Drive, Miami, FL 33176.

Richard Browne is one of the first licensed Acupuncturists in the State of Florida in 1982.

He is the co-founder of the Acupuncture & Massage College, the oldest college of Acupuncture and Massage Therapy in Florida. He has served as President of the Florida State Oriental Medical Association and is currently President of the Acupuncture Physician Association. Dr. Browne holds a license in Massage Therapy in Florida since 1978. He has practiced and taught the Chinese art of Tai Chi and Qi Gong for more than 30 years.

Accessibility is a unique and important aspect of Dr. Browne’s services. His expertise in acupuncture is available at any time. Your initial consultation is free.

For information please call : 305-595-9500or visit www.acupuncturistmiami.com or www.amcollege.edu

CDC LAUNCHES CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

The CDC launched the first national campaign on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), designed to increase awareness among the public of the disease affecting an estimated 1 million Americans. Previously not considered a legitimate physiological disorder, the cause of CFS remains unknown and is possibly a common endpoint of disease resulting from multiple causes. “We are committed to improving awareness that this is a real disease,” says Julie Gerberding, M.D., director of the CDC.

Up to 80 percent of people with chronic fatigue do not know they have it. Women are four times as likely to be affected as men, commonly within the age group between 40 and 59 years of age, according to the CDC. Symptoms include unexplained prolonged fatigue lasting six months or longer combined with muscle and joint pain, headaches, cognitive impairment, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, post-exertional fatigue, and unrefreshing sleep.

There is no diagnostic test or biomarker to identify the disease, making diagnosis difficult. CFS shares symptoms with many other diseases, and diagnosis must be made on an exclusionary basis, first ruling out diseases with similar symptoms, including fibromyalgia, chronic Lyme disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, primary sleep disorders, and chronic mononucleosis. No two CFS patients have the exactly the same symptom set, which previously contributed to the belief that the disease could be due to a psychological disorder. “While the evidence is not definitive, it goes against long-held notions that chronic fatigue syndrome is a figment of patients’ imaginations,” says Anthony Komaroff, M.D., a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Because there is no known cure, there is no defined therapy. Treatment is aimed at symptom relief and improved function through prevention of overexertion, reduced stress, dietary restrictions, stretching, and nutritional supplementation. Alternative therapies recommended for CFS include acupuncture for pain management, massage therapy, and stretching and movement therapies (tai chi, yoga). For more information, visit the new CFS website, www.cdc.gov/cfs, which provides educational tools for patients and health care professionals. For more information contact Dr. Browne at 305.595.9500.

.

WORLD TAI CHI AND QIGONG DAY

On Saturday, April 28th, at 10 a.m. local time (worldwide) a massive global health and healing event will be held in hundreds of cities in sixty nations. World Tai Chi and Qigong Day (WTCQD) is an annual event held the last Saturday of April each year to promote the related disciplines of tai chi and qigong. Local events welcome anyone interested in personal and global health and healing.

Local tai chi and qigong schools, groups and associations independently organize events. Event format varies by locality, although most involve free classes and mass exhibitions. Events range from small tai chi and qigong group events to massive public events, involving many groups, teachers and schools working together. This global event is held to educate the public of medical research indicating that 70 to 85 percent of illnesses are caused by stress, and of the emerging medical research showing that tai chi and qigong can benefit personal, physical, emotional, and mental health.

The event also provides a vision of health and healing that connects tens of thousands of participants traversing ethnic, religious and geo-political boundaries, while educating about the increasing use of these ancient Chinese medicine modalities in businesses, schools and hospitals everywhere. All styles of tai chi can offer powerful health benefits.

The annual April event is free and open to the general public, and begins in the earliest time zones of New Zealand at 10 a.m., and then participants across Oceania, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and South America take part, with celebrations in sixty nations and several hundred cities, ending with the final events in the last time zones of Hawaii almost an entire day later. To find local events, visit www.worldtaichiday.org. The event’s site also provides information on tai chi and qigong, including health research, how tai chi and qigong relate to traditional Chinese medicine and samples of tai chi and qigong exercises and forms.

For information about tai chi individual and group classes contact Dr. Richard Browne, tai chi instructor, at (305) 595-9500.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

INTEGRATED THERAPY REFERRAL SITE EXCLUSIVETHERAPIST.COM LAUNCHED

Two Harvard-trained psychiatrists, Drs. Robert Irvin and Srini Pillay, have created www.exclusivetherapist.com, a multi-disciplinary referral website that connects healthcare providers and clients in an integrated therapy context. Modalities included on the website include: Acupuncture, massage therapy, energy healing, yoga, psychotherapy, medication management, physical training, and nutrition.

Registering practitioners must have a current and valid license or certificate to practice in their state (launch of the website includes free healthcare provider sign-up). Acupuncture physicians and massage therapists, among other practitioners, can form a therapy team online and track its progress as well as provide an online schedule that allows clients to make appointments in available time spots. The site also offers ongoing client referral, peer consultation, client-practitioner consultation and informational resources.

Clients have free access to therapists in a variety of health-related disciplines with contact information for local providers in their area. Irvin and Pillay, the site’s creators, were motivated by the need to integrate the different forms of therapies using a combination of research and intuitive care. “Clients and providers will have access to cutting edge technology including online scheduling in an effort to cut down on phone-tag,” says Irvin.

The site, described as “timely, research-based and well-integrated” by Shervert Frazier, M.D., Professor Emeritus at Harvard Medical School, provides the opportunity for clients to interact with practitioners in the various healthcare modalities. The 20 questions client-practitioner consultation section allows patients to have focal health questions answered by experts on a daily basis for a small consultation fee rather than the usual office visit cost.

“It is a very creative site with a lot of hard work to help people integrate the wealth of information out there,” says Dr. Christopher Palmer, Director of Continuing Medical Education at McLean Hospital, Harvard’s largest private psychiatric hospital.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

REPORT SAYS VA’S MENTAL HEALTH FUNDS SPENDING SLOW

The Department of Veterans Affairs did not spend all of the extra $300 million it budgeted for veterans’ mental health care and did not keep track of how some funds have been used, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Monday. The report stated spending of the budgeted funds was too slow to effectively treat the mental health needs of veterans, including those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The VA launched a plan in 2004 to improve mental health services for veterans, with the $300 million budgeted to fill gaps in early assistance services for veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who have combat stress, mental health treatment programs for female veterans and programs for veterans with serious mental illnesses. Funds were to be distributed to the VA’s regional networks of hospitals, clinics and medical centers for new services.

“Without the commitment to fully fund the mental health care proposals…improvements in VA’s mental health services will not be achieved,” Rep. Mike Michaud, ranking Democrat for a Veterans Health subcommittee, wrote in a letter last week to VA Secretary Jim Nicholson. Michaud cited statistics showing that the VA saw almost 18,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during fiscal 2006.

VA reported in September that over a third of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who sought medical services from the VA in the 18 months prior reported symptoms of stress or other mental disorders. Roadside bombings, daily attacks, and longer and multiple deployments are cited as reasons for the increased reports. Democrats have stated they want to increase veterans’ health care funding, in particular its mental health services for returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans when they take over Congress next year.

The VA provides health care to over 5 million patients. It treats homeless veterans, veterans with serious mental illnesses and combat veterans for conditions such as PTSD. Acupuncture & Massage College is offering acupuncture to veterans as part of a PTSD study. For more information contact Dr. Richard Browne at (305) 595-9500.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

CDC LAUNCHES CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

The CDC Friday launched the first national campaign on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), designed to increase awareness among the public of the disease affecting an estimated 1 million Americans. Previously not considered a legitimate physiological disorder, the cause of CFS remains unknown and is possibly a common endpoint of disease resulting from multiple causes. “We are committed to improving awareness that this is a real disease,” says Julie Gerberding, M.D., director of the CDC.

Up to 80 percent of people with chronic fatigue do not know they have it. Women are four times as likely to be affected as men, commonly within the age group between 40 and 59 years of age, according to the CDC. Symptoms include unexplained prolonged fatigue lasting six months or longer combined with muscle and joint pain, headaches, cognitive impairment, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, post-exertional fatigue, and unrefreshing sleep.

There is no diagnostic test or biomarker to identify the disease, making diagnosis difficult. CFS shares symptoms with many other diseases, and diagnosis must be made on an exclusionary basis, first ruling out diseases with similar symptoms, including fibromyalgia, chronic Lyme disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, primary sleep disorders, and chronic mononucleosis. No two CFS patients have the exactly the same symptom set, which previously contributed to the belief that the disease could be due to a psychological disorder. “While the evidence is not definitive, it goes against long-held notions that chronic fatigue syndrome is a figment of patients’ imaginations,” says Anthony Komaroff, M.D., a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Because there is no known cure, there is no defined therapy. Treatment is aimed at symptom relief and improved function through prevention of overexertion, reduced stress, dietary restrictions, stretching, and nutritional supplementation. Alternative therapies recommended for CFS include acupuncture for pain management, massage therapy, and stretching and movement therapies (tai chi, yoga). For more information, visit the new CFS website, www.cdc.gov/cfs, which provides educational tools for patients and health care professionals.

.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”