After several years working in sales and other business-related areas, Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician, decided to pursue his true passion to work in the fields of Oriental medicine, homeopathy and other natural health care modalities. He completed a three-year graduate program and additional postgraduate studies, training in the traditional Chinese style of acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbal medicine, homeopathy, and massage therapy. Dr. Browne’s approach to treatment includes a strong emphasis on patient education. … Read More

Acupuncture Has Scientific Basis Although acupuncture is often defined within the paradigm of traditional Chinese medicine, it has a scientific foundation and firm basis in modern science, according to acupuncture physician Dr. Adrian White, Editor-in-Chief of the journal Acupuncture in Medicine. … Read More

When participants performed a mentally fatiguing task prior to a difficult exercise test, they reached exhaustion more quickly than when they did the same exercise when mentally rested, a new study finds. … Read More

Asthma, a condition often diagnosed as incurable and chronic, can be managed effectively with acupuncture. Acupuncture is a non-toxic therapy that enhances the body’s natural healing mechanisms. Acupuncture therapy is an alternative for treatment of complex physical disorders like asthma for individuals who experience medication side effects or drug allergy. Individuals often find that asthmatic symptoms can be improved after a series of acupuncture treatments, with medication gradually being reduced. … Read More

Acupuncture provides effective relief from hot flashes in women who are being treated with the medication tamoxifen following surgery for breast cancer, according to recent research presented at the Breast Cancer Conference in Berlin. Jill Hervik, an acupuncturist at Vestfold Central Hospital in Norway, stated that breast cancer patients who received traditional Chinese acupuncture had a 50 percent reduction in hot flashes, both during the day and night, and that this effect continued after the acupuncture ceased. "Acupuncture is increasingly used in western countries to treat the problem of hot flashes in healthy postmenopausal women, so we wanted to see whether it was effective in women with breast cancer suffering from hot flashes as a result of their medication," Hervik said. Tamoxifen can cause many of the symptoms that occur during menopause, including hot flashes. For healthy women, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has traditionally been used to alleviate symptoms, but HRT is associated with an increased risk of specific types of cancers. In a prospective, single-blind, controlled trial, Hervik randomized 59 breast cancer patients to receive either ten weeks of traditional Chinese acupuncture or sham acupuncture. All were taking tamoxifen following surgery and were postmenopausal. She delivered both the real and the sham acupuncture to the patients and maintained a neutral treatment atmosphere in order to reduce the placebo effect of the treatments. The patients recorded the number of hot flashes they experienced for four weeks before the treatment, during the treatment and during a 12-week follow-up period. Other menopausal symptoms were also measured over the same periods using a quality of life index that incorporates symptoms such as sweating, sleep problems, depression, dizziness, palpitations, joint pain, and headache. Both the acupuncture and the sham acupuncture were given twice a week for the first five weeks and then once a week for the next five weeks. The real acupuncture was given using needles inserted at several well-known acupuncture points. For the sham acupuncture, the needles were not inserted as deep (a maximum of 3mm), and in places distant from acupuncture points. "During the treatment, hot flashes were reduced by 50 percent, both day and night, in the acupuncture group,” said Hervik. Three months after the last treatment a further reduction was seen. No significant changes were seen in the sham group during the day. At night there was a slight reduction during the treatment period but, once treatment had ceased, the number of hot flashes increased again. "Acupuncture seems to provide effective relief from hot flashes, both day and night, for women taking tamoxifen after surgery for breast cancer. This treatment effect seems to coincide with a general improvement in well being,” said Hervik. Acupuncture has an advantage over other treatments for hot flashes: it does not cause adverse side effects. Study findings suggest that acupuncture could be used more widely for treating breast cancer patients suffering from symptoms related to their medication. For more information about acupuncture for the treatment of hot flashes call Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician, at (305) 595-9500. … Read More

Using acupuncture before and during surgery reduces the pain and the amount of medications needed by patients after the surgery is over, according to Duke University Medical Center anesthesiologists who combined data from 15 small randomized acupuncture clinical trials. "While the amount of opioids needed for patients who received acupuncture was much lower than those who did not have acupuncture, the most important outcome for the patient is the reduction of the side effects associated with opioids," said Tong Joo Gan, M.D., a Duke anesthesiologist who presented the results of the analysis at the annual scientific conference of the American Society for Anesthesiology in San Francisco. "These side effects can negatively impact a patient's recovery from surgery and lengthen the time spent in the hospital." Based on the results of this analysis, Gan recommends that acupuncture should be considered a viable option for pain control in surgery patients. Patients who received acupuncture had significantly lower risk of developing the most common side effects associated with opioid drugs compared with the control group: 1.5 times lower rates of nausea, 1.3 times fewer incidences of severe itching, 1.6 times fewer reports of dizziness, and 3.5 times fewer cases of urinary retention. While opioids, a class of medications that act on the body similar to morphine, are effective in controlling pain, the side effects of opioid drugs often slow a patient's recovery from their surgery. “The results of this study add to the growing body of evidence that acupuncture can play an effective role in improving the quality of the surgical experience,” said Gan. Numerous studies have demonstrated that acupuncture can be more effective than conventional medications in lessening the occurrence of post operative nausea and vomiting, the most common side effect experienced by patients after surgery. "Acupuncture is slowly becoming more accepted by American physicians, but it is still underutilized," Gan said. "Studies like this, which show that there is a benefit to using it, should give physicians sitting on the fence the data they need to integrate acupuncture into their routine care of surgery patients." While it is not completely known how acupuncture works, recent research points to its ability to stimulate the production of hormones known as endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers. In addition to effective pain management, acupuncture can increase energy, strength and vitality as well as enhance well being in recovering patients. For information about Acupuncture & Massage College’s Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs call Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500. For information about acupuncture for health and wellness ask for Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician. . … Read More

One of the most common addiction-related uses for acupuncture is to help people quit smoking. Although acupuncture has been an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, the idea of using acupuncture to help people overcome certain addictions is relatively new, originating in the early 1970’s. … Read More

Acupuncture benefits include the effective treatment of headache, back pain, tennis elbow, osteoarthritis, circulatory problems, sciatica, skin conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma. Acupuncture benefits can also aid in smoking cessation, reduce postoperative nausea, decrease postoperative dental pain, and may be used as a stand-alone therapy for the treatment of many health conditions. Acupuncture benefits include effective treatment of anxiety, digestive problems, insomnia, and weight loss. In cases of diverse pain conditions, acupuncture benefits can effectively reduce cases of acute and chronic generalized pain conditions as well as pain due to joint degenerative conditions. Acupuncture benefits can result in a general increase of energy, strength and vitality. Acupuncture benefits are considered a holistic approach to curing disorders and general discomfort in the body’s system. Acupuncture benefits can clear the natural flow of qi energy in the body when energy flow is weakened or blocked by health conditions. … Read More

About 26 million individuals have chronic seasonal allergies and the number of people with milder symptoms might be as high as 40 million, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Many options are available to treat seasonal allergies. Medications can aid in reducing chemical, inflammatory or immune allergic reactions. Environmental controls, such as air filters and air purifiers, can also aid in allergy symptom management. … Read More

It is the morning of your big presentation and you have an ugly cold sore on your upper lip. Why do cold sores always seem to appear when you have something important to do? Is it just bad luck? … Read More

Acupuncture is a holistic practice with roots in traditional Chinese medicine that started becoming popular in Russia after doctors from that country visited China in the 1950s, according to an international academic journal. Acupuncturists must be trained by practitioners schooled in West, according to Russian officials. … Read More

In a revealing report on new techniques to reduce the adverse side effects from taking post-operative morphine after surgery, researchers found that using acupuncture before and during an operation cuts a patient's need for the painkillers. … Read More

Good news for couples trying to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization! A recent Fox News report said that in vitro fertilization, or IVF, is maximized by complementing it with acupuncture treatment. … Read More

Individuals who receive acupuncture for joint pain syndromes experience a significant reduction in the number of tender joints and measurable decrease in joint pain, stiffness and swelling. Acupuncture for joint pain syndromes, when used in conjunction with disease modifying agents, can provide beneficial pain relief for those with otherwise intractable joint pain. Study findings indicate that acupuncture for joint pain syndromes can be an effective adjunct therapy. Acupuncture for joint pain syndromes can be an important element of a multidisciplinary approach to treating joint pain syndromes. Individuals who are treated with acupuncture for joint pain syndromes in addition to routine care often show significant improvements in symptoms and quality of life compared with individuals who receive routine care alone. Within a three month initial acupuncture for joint pain syndromes treatment plan, individuals receiving acupuncture experience less pain and joint stiffness. A balanced, varied diet can also help ease the pain of joint pain syndromes by providing vitamins and minerals that keep joints healthy. Treating joint pain syndromes with acupuncture for joint pain syndromes should be seen as a long-term process, especially if the condition is chronic. Acupuncture for joint pain syndromes offers a safe non-drug alternative for individuals who cannot tolerate the currently available non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed to relieve inflammation in joints. Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies, including acupuncture for joint pain syndromes and Chinese herbal medicine, are most important when conventional therapies are far from ideal. Most people over 50 show some signs of joint pain syndromes. Joints naturally deteriorate over time, resulting in loss of normal movement. Acupuncture for joint pain syndromes treats the specific symptoms that are unique to each individual. Acupuncture for joint pain syndromes has been found to be effective at alleviating the pain and inflammation associated with all types of joint pain syndromes. Acupuncture for joint pain syndromes often results in reducing dependence on pharmacotherapy and improves functional ability. For more information about acupuncture for joint pain syndromes call Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician and Homeopath, at (305) 595-9500. For Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy program information ask for Joe Calareso. … Read More

When headaches occur more than a few times a month, acupuncture for headaches and migraines treatment is recommended. Chinese herbal formulas prescribed in conjunction with acupuncture for headaches and migraines are effective in maintaining health and preventing headache reoccurrence. Acupuncture improves cerebral circulation, allowing the afflicted area to obtain sufficient blood flow, oxygen and nutrition. … Read More