Founded in 2000 with a goal of bringing Eastern Medicine to the states, Jade Clinic Of Fertility Acupuncture incorporates a scientific understanding of Western Gynecological Medicine. Specializing in the general and reproductive health needs of women, the services we provide cater to a woman’s entire body, mind, and energy, as healing treatments alleviate the effects of illness, prevent disease, and help to encourage healthy menstruation, ovulation, conception, pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding. From pre-conception to toddlerhood, your baby will rely on you to provide, with a strong healthy body and positive energy. You may not even realize that acupuncture can aid in healing your particular ailment.
Browse the pages under “Our Specialties” for our full range of treatments, or feel free to call 214-893-4321 or email jadeclinicdallas@gmail.com with any comments, questions, or feedback.
Specific Female Reproductive Issues
Fertility Issues
Infertility and Miscarriage
Aging Eggs
Low Ovarian Reserve
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Endometriosis
IVF/IUI Support and Miscarriage Prevention
Fallopian Tubes Blockage
Male Factor Infertility
Stress and Infertility
Reproduction Endocrinology Dysfunction
PCOS
Menstrual Cramps
Uterine Fibroids
Adenomyoma
Maternity Support
Minimize Morning Sickness
Post Labor Recuperation
Correcting Breech and Inducing Labor
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Alternatives
Sleeplessness
Hot Flashes and Night Sweating
Mood Swings
Chronic Fatigue
Weight Gain
Urinary Tract Disorders
Interstitial Cystitis
Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Urinary Incontinence
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Recurrent Stomachaches and Recurrent Stomachaches
General Health Issues
Stress and Pain Management
Allergy Elimination
Smoking Cessation
Specific Female Reproductive Issues
Fertility Issues
Infertility and Miscarriage: The uterus is the home of an embryo. Its environment determines the fetus’s health and development. The lining of the uterus, known as the endometrium, is shed every month. Uterus dysfunction or structural abnormalities will cause different reproductive problems. For example, a lining that is too thin or lacking receptors might create a poor environment which affects how successfully the embryo implants in the uterus, which in turn may lead to miscarriage and excessive bleeding.
According to Chinese medicine, these patients’ symptoms suggest that their problems might be caused by blood and Qi stagnation, phlegm and blood accumulation, Qi and blood deficient and kidney deficiency, etc. Depending on the symptoms and the individual patient, the treatments we provide vary from using acupuncture or herbs or both to rebalance the body.
As many people know, acupuncture not only increases blood circulation but also help decrease the stress and anxiety (sometimes even panic attacks), which balances the nervous-endocrine system. This in turn helps create a healthier uterus. How so? Chinese herbal medicine may help rebuild damaged estrogen and progesterone receptors in the uterine lining to thicken the lining. Herbs may also heal the uterus and its surrounding environment to prevent fibroids from growing and absorbing nutrients.
We have successfully treated many patients with multiple fibroids or large fibroids who eventually became pregnant naturally. We have also treated many patients with very thin lining (4 to 5 mm) who failed to conceive with western medicine but who conceived either naturally or with IUI and IVF after lining quality had changed with the help of Chinese medicine. I firmly believed that Chinese medicine uses different ways to understand the nuances of the human body that modern science does not explore. These alternative methods often benefit patients who were not helped by modern medicine.
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Aging Eggs: Eggs begin developing in a woman’s ovaries even when she’s in her own mother’s womb. As women age, eggs become less healthy and of poorer quality–as a result, women have a diminished ability to conceive as they grow older. A 37 year old woman will have eggs that age quickly: they will either grow very slowly or have abnormal genes, which make conceiving much more difficult. From my experience, I have learned that acupuncture and Chinese medicine can change the quality of aging eggs by changing the environment of the pelvis and the rest of the body. We have had over 50 patients who were diagnosed with aging eggs in the IVF cycle. However, after three to eight months of our treatment, they produced perfect embryos and some of them became pregnant. Some of them were also able to save these eggs to freeze. We also have had hundreds of patients with aging eggs who eventually conceived naturally or through IUI. I will discuss some of them in my blog later.
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Low Ovarian Reserve: Low ovarian reserve can happen in any age group of woman, whether they are in their twenties or in their forties. Prenatal nutrition and environment of womb can greatly affect the quality of the ovaries or the quantity of eggs. For example, drinking and smoking are both very bad habits during pregnancy. Postnatal lifestyles also impact egg apoptosis speed. Malnourishment, substance abuse, or other characteristics of bad lifestyles can accelerate apoptosis of a person’s eggs, leading to faster aging of one’s eggs. We have seen numerous cases of patients with low ovarian reserve, most of whom had had high stress levels and unhealthy lifestyles or some autoimmune disorder.
However, in some cases, low ovarian reserve can be reversed with Chinese medicine, especially for women who are under 35 years of age. Many of these women suffer from “yin deficiency” with heat or phlegm. This is a pattern that affects the entire body, not just reproductive organs. Thus, acupuncture and Chinese medicine may target the ovaries, the pelvis or the body as a whole to slow down egg apoptosis speed or to balance the immune system to make the ovaries healthy again. The ovaries will then be able to create and/or increase antral follicle numbers. The most challenging case in our clinic was a 42 year old patient who had over 80 UI/L FSH, who did not have a period for over six months–and yet got pregnant naturally after acupuncture and herbal treatment.
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Recurrent Pregnancy Loss:
Researchers have discovered that acupuncture can boost blood flow to women’s reproductive organs, providing them with better nourishment.
Acupuncture appears to improve the quality of the lining of the uterus, the place where the embryo is embedded after conception, which suggests that acupuncture can improve implantation and prevent some of the risks of miscarriage.
Reproductive endocrinologists have recognized that immunologic factors play a key role in habitual miscarriages. One study has shown that the process of conception and pregnancy involves a suppression of the T-helper immune response so that the woman can carry the fetus to term. A 2001 study at Fudan University in Shanghai found that herbal medicine could inhibit specific immune injury, reprogram the immune system to not react to self-issue, allow the normal suppression involved in implantation to occur, and therefore to protect women who carry children to term. Our clinic has had numerous women with recurrent miscarriages who, after three to six months treatment, conceived naturally and carried a healthy baby to full term.
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Endometriosis:
In this condition, endometrial cells from the lining of the uterus migrate to locations where they are not normally found – outside the uterus on the ovaries, bladder, and gastrointestinal tract. It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of all women in the United States have endometriosis. The probability of contracting the condition increases until age forty-four and then declines.
Studies on the immune systems of women with symptomatic endometriosis show that they often have antibodies against their own tissue, called autoantibodies. This means that at some level, the mind of their pelvis is rejecting aspects of itself. “Endometriosis has been clearly associated with decreased egg fertilization, decreased egg fertilization, decreased success rates for in vitro fertilization (IVF),” says Jane Liu.
Acupuncture for Women treats endometriosis with a range of herbs. Liu explains, “Our goal is to increase circulation in the pelvic area and regulate the immune system, thereby promoting drainage, discouraging adhesions, and facilitating removal of inflammatory substances. In addition, hormonal balance is reestablished, decreasing .” The herbs chosen for treatment are designed to balance the immune system and hormone; control and absorb the lesions.
“For prevention, I recommend that a woman reduce her activities as much as possible for the full days of her period each month, though this might be an unpopular suggestion to most busy women today,” explains Jane Liu. ” but it is worth it to do it “.
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Low Ovarian Reserve:
In a study of 160 women getting IVF, researchers from the Christian Lauritzen Institute in Germany used acupuncture before and after the embryo transfers in half the patients and found it increased the number of successful implantations. In the IVF-only group, 21 of the 80 patients (26.3 percent) became pregnant; in the IVF-plus-acupuncture group, 34 of 80 (42.5 percent) became pregnant. The researchers said acupuncture might reduce the uterine contractions that typically occur with embryo transfer and may inhibit implantation. We have help hundreds patient got pregnant along with acupuncture treatment. A topical case was a 42 years old woman who failed two cycles IVF, came to do acupuncture along with third cycle of IVF, successfully conceived with a twin.
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Fallopian Tubes Obstruction:
Fallopian tubes obstruction is caused by different kinds of disease : prior pelvic infections (chlamydia or gonorrhea), pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), pelvic adhesions (scar tissue), prior pelvic surgery and endometriosis, or any kind of abdominal and pelvic surgery. Blockage can occur in several locations. Often, the ends of the tubes are obstructed, while the openings into the uterus are still open. IVF treatment is the best choice for these patient.
In many cases of fallopian tube obstruction, the tube is filled with fluid which is called a hydrosalpinx. The liquid in the tube with dead cells and toxic product can drain back to the uterus cavity. This may damage the embryo and risk the success of implantation, which decreases the IVF success rates. Because of this, once a woman is diagnosed with hydrosalpinx, it is strongly recommended that she remove the tubes as studies show that the removal of tubes significantly increases IVF pregnancy rates. But this method often difficult to be accepted by the patient. In addition, it is not helpful to those who cannot use hormones, like cancer patients or for patients who for religious, health, or other reasons is not allowed to remove reproductive organs. For these patients, 3 to six months of treatment will absorb the liquid in the tubes, which will allow for a successful pregnancy.
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Male Factor Infertility:
Men suffer from infertility just as frequently as women. According to statistics from the National Infertility Association, 35% to 40% of infertility problems among couples are actually caused by the male. Many studies on male infertility have been conducted and the evidence suggests that acupuncture can have an effect on sperm production and quality, without causing any changes in behavior and sexual desire. A recent trial of 28 men who were diagnosed with idiopathic infertility received acupuncture twice a week over a period of five weeks was published in Fertility and Sterility. It has shown acupuncture can significantly increase the number of normal sperm and reduce structural defects.
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Stress and Infertility:
Stress and the brain play an important role in fertility; stress can prevent a woman from ovulating entirely and prevent men from creating sperm, while a lack of stress often promotes fertility. This trend explains why women under extreme stress often stop menstruating, why men under stress produce abnormal sperm, and why couples often conceive while on a cruise or other relaxing holidays. Acupuncture is proven to reduce stress and relax the body. Different study findings suggest that simply using acupuncture can be just as effective for relieving depression symptoms as psychotherapy and drugs typically used in conventional therapies. Perhaps this is why acupuncture can help ART patients go through their procedure smoothly.
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Reproduction Endocrinology Dysfunction
Abnormal male and female hormone levels affect up to 90 percent of women with irregular menstrual cycles and infertility. Clinical observations in Shanghai, China of patients whose ovaries were not producing eggs showed that, at a highly effective rate, after receiving a series of acupuncture treatments their ovaries began producing eggs. These experimental results suggest that acupuncture may regulate the functions of our hormonal systems, which means that acupuncture could influence some gene expression in the brain, normalizing secretion of some hormones, such as GnRH, LH and E2.
Many Chinese herbs formula affect many different parts of the reproductive cycle by stimulating the bodies’ own natural processes to work better. For instance, they trigger the hypothalamus, the pituitary glands and ovaries to release hormones that stimulate the timely production of FSH and LH, two necessary hormones in preparing for ovulation.
Experience has shown that if the hormone system is in perfect working order and a woman has clockwork menstrual cycles, a healthy egg can be released on time. It then has a good chance of becoming fertilized, implanting, and making it through embryologic development to become a child.
PCOS: Polycystic ovarian symptoms and Amenorrhea are multiple causes of hormone disorder. Even in western medicine, it is still a challenge. Because Chinese medicine targets multiple parts of the body, including the ovaries, it is an effective treatment. After near 30 years of practice, I have successfully treated numerous of PCOS patients, and I have recognized that there are some pattern within this disorder. There are some symptoms that can be used to guide us to prescribe the right treatment. According to these patterns, we give out Chinese medicine and acupuncture in order to get unexpected results. We also found out that younger patients are more easy to treat in these conditions and that diet originally plays an important role in these cases. We strongly recommend these groups of patients seek help earlier and eat healthy foods everyday.
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Menstrual Cramps: As many as 30 to 50 percent of all women suffer from pain during their menstrual period. Primary dysmenorrhea, or menstrual pain, is caused by a constriction and tightening of the uterine muscle. Blood circulation and oxygenation of the uterine muscle is diminished, and waste products of metabolism, such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid, build up and cause discomfort.
According to Chinese medicine, menstrual cramps are usually due to Qi stagnation in the lower abdomen or blood stasis or a combination of both. Treatment can involve the use of both acupuncture and herbs according to the individual patient’s needs.
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Uterine Fibroids: A fibroid is a non-cancerous tumor that arises from uterine muscle and connective tissue. Almost all cases are benign. Since fibroids develop following the onset of menstruation, enlarge during pregnancy, and decrease after menopause, fibroids are thought to be estrogen dependent. One in five women in the United States has at least some evidence of fibroids, according to a National Institutes of Health report.
Fibroids are usually firm, spherical lumps of varying sizes that often occur in groups. They can grow near the outer surface of the uterus, where they are easily detected during a pelvic examination. But they can also be found near the inner lining of the uterus, which might only be detected by an ultrasound. Birth control pills, with high levels of estrogen, and estrogen-replacement medication for menopause symptoms can also accelerate tumor growth. Fibroids normally shrink in size after menopause.
From a “whole-body” view, fibroids are an indication that something is not flowing or is stagnate, but fibroids can also have an element of dampness and phlegm involvement.
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Adenomyoma: Adenomyoma is similar to endometriosis. But in this case, the endometrial cell from the lining of uterus migrates to the uterine myometrium. Enlarged uterus, painful menstruation and long term – excessive bleeding are characteristics and symptoms of Adenomyoma. Its mechanism and treatments are similar to fibroids and endometriosis according to Chinese medicine.
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Maternity Support
Minimizing Morning Sickness:During the first three months of pregnancy, most women experience nausea, possible vomiting, a bloated feeling in the pelvic area and breast. These are normal effects.
“It doesn’t have to be that way,” Jane Liu says. “Besides avoiding extremely salty foods, getting plenty of rest, and eating small meals several times a day instead of three large meals, expecting women should try acupuncture to help alleviate the symptoms especially if they cannot eat a normal meal without feeling nauseous.”
To back up her claim, Jane offers the neiguan point – also know as PC-6 – which lies about three fingers’ width above the crease on the inside of the wrist, between two tendons. For reasons that defy scientific analysis, a firm pricking of that point seems to settle the stomach.
Several studies during the past ten years have shown that pregnant women who receive needle stimulation of the neiguan point are far less likely than their unstuck counterparts to suffer from nausea or vomiting in the first three months of pregnancy. Equally good results have been obtained with cancer patients using the lifesaving but usually nauseating chemotherapy drug cisplatin. In at least two studies of more than 100 patients each, better than 90 percent of them had significantly less nausea when treated with acupuncture just before taking the drug.
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Post Labor Recuperation: Too often, when we think of labor support, we think of C-sections, epidurals, and sepsis for newborns. But in China, mothers pay more attention to recuperation after delivery. Post-labor nourishment is centuries old in Asia, and it is intuitively obvious that those women who feel most supported in labor are apt to do the best.
The technical aspects of various delivery procedures are very simple and don’t usually cause women any physical problems. “But we notice that there are some labor traumas due to hormonal and physiological imbalances,” Says Jane. “If we can help mothers to recuperate after delivery, it will make the difference in the later years. The mothers who had post-labor care seem to suffer less from depression, arthritis, irregular periods, heavy flows, and low back pains. It is the best time to nourish the mother.”
How does a mother nourish herself after giving birth? “Mothers need to make informed choices about special diet, exercise, and stress management while taking care of their babies,” says Jane Liu. “This adjustment alone can produce great results. I’ve been very impressed in my own practice by how much women can really modify their health problems, just by modifying their lifestyle.”
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Correcting Breech and Inducing Labor:A breeched baby and post term labor are two childbirth emergency situations. Acupuncture therapy can help to prevent the disorders without drugs or C-section.
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Hormone Replacement Therapy Alternatives
Sandy is a 48-year-old woman who enjoyed a healthy sexual relationship with her husband. However, since her total hysterectomy five years ago, she has noted a sharp decline in her sex drive. It has also become uncomfortable to have sex and it’s causing problems in her marriage. Her husband is very loving and tried to be understanding, but she worries that he will lose patience with her. She wonders if she is just too old to still enjoy sex as she once did. In addition to libido and discomfort with sex, she also has problems with insomnia, depression, fatigue and irritability. Since her hysterectomy, she has gained 30 pounds and feels trouble with memory and concentration. She feels like she is in fog all the time and worries about getting premature Alzheimer’s.
This is a typical case of a woman who is in her 40s with deficient hormone levels. Sexual function is a product of multiple, complex interactions among endocrine, metabolic, psychological and nutritional factors. It is important to recognize that symptoms of sexual dysfunction in women can represent an underlying medical problem. Chronic low levels of sex hormones in women are often associated with long-term complications including osteoporosis, premature heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. If properly diagnosed and treated, it can slow the progress of aging and restore hormonal balance.
A graceful symmetry between the opposing forces of yin and yang provides the foundation for many medical treatments developed in China. Maintaining the symmetry – balance — is the key to health. “There must be a balance between the mind and body,” explains Liu. “The body follows the orders of mind. We ask our body to do hundreds of things at once, and the body tries. But if the body is overwhelmed it can’t comply, that’s when the problems come. Hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, disturbed sleep, weight gain, dysmenorrhea, infertility, endometriosis, depression, stress, hypertension. We live in a high-stress society and need to know our limitations.”
Medical practitioners in China have been honing techniques to achieve that balance by harnessing and manipulating internal and external energy forces for centuries. Acupuncture, Jane’s specialty, is one such technique. The premise is that imbalances in energy flow cause disease, and acupuncture is a way to create and maintain proper symmetry.
When you seek acupuncture and oriental herbal treatment for your hormonal imbalance disorder, you may receive one of numerous diagnoses, including deficient Qi (energy), deficient blood of the heart, spleen, or liver, stagnant Qi, etc. Depending upon your history or physical symptoms, as well as your physical examination, specific acupuncture points and herbs will be selected that are appropriate for your condition.
Needles are inserted in various patterns into the series of energy pathways throughout the body and then manipulated. Manipulation of needles – usually by twirling or gentle pumping – in specific locations affect specific body organs and functions include the hormones system. Energy flow is increased, decreased, or redirected as need.
Chinese herbs are used to regulate the female endocrine system. Jane Liu treats PMS with a range of herbs. She explains, “balance the estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, and regulate the hormone system, thereby hormonal balance is reestablished, decreasing premenstrual syndrome.” The herbs she chooses for treatment are intended to act as hormonal precursors and balancers, and also to improve liver function and digestion, all components of the disease. Jane Liu states, “ The result is usually symptom relief as a result of treating the underlying cause. Patients consistently report a marked decrease in hot flashes, pain with intercourse, digestive symptoms, along with an improvement in mental outlook and decrease of lassitude.”
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Urinary Tract Disorders
Interstitial Cystitis:Interstitial cystitis is another disorder, which is most commonly found in women. It is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder wall. Unlike common cystitis, interstitial cystitis is believed not to be caused by bacteria and does not respond to conventional antibiotic therapy. It is important to note that interstitial cystitis is not a psychosomatic disorder.
Patients may present some or all these symptoms: frequency of urination at day or night, the sensation of having to urinate immediately, and pain in the lower abdominal, urethral or vaginal area. Pain is also frequently associated with sexual intercourse. Jane says, “Some patients also report muscle and joint pain, migraines, allergic reactions and gastrointestinal problems. It appears that interstitial cystitis has an as yet unexplained association with certain other chronic diseases such as vulvar visibilities, fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome.”
“Though the cause of interstitial cystitis is unknown, I feel that it is, in part, an autoimmune disorder.” Jane says. Making antibodies against the body’s own tissue is the characteristic of autoimmune diseases that stymie conventional medical science and that cannot be “cure” in the conventional sense. The immune system is highly sensitive, and our survival depends on its ability to recognize and distinguish self from non-self. What can possibly be going on when the immune system carries out self-destruct orders? “ To help ourselves heal, we can use the evidence that the immune system carries out the messages from our neuro-endocrine-immune network. And acupuncture and oriental herbal medicine may heal the interstitial cystitis by regulating this self-adjust network.” Jane explains. “That is why acupuncture and herbal medicine works.”
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Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections (UTI): Most of us experienced a few urinary tract infections over our lifetime. The “honeymoon cystitis” is one of the primary causes of UTI, which under the right conditions causes bacteria from the vaginal area to get into the bladder. The symptoms include burning on urination, blood in the urine, and fever. Married women, however, experience recurrent bladder infections, which are treated with repeated courses of antibiotics. This is a different story, and requires a different approach. Chronic use of antibiotics to treat recurrent UTI doesn’t address the underlying imbalance in the body that is leading to the infections, and antibiotics can also kill off helpful vaginal flora, resulting in yeast infections, diarrhea, and – unfortunately – recurrent urinary tract infections.
“Chinese medicine treats recurrent urinary tract infections in different ways,” says Jane. “Acupuncturist focus on the body’s healing system and not just the area of the urinary tract infection.” As we know, the immune system is the body’s natural stronghold against viruses, bacteria, and yeast. The problem is that it weakens over time, and for decades, conventional medicine has insisted that there is no way to block this inevitable decline. New research is suggesting that there may be some ways we can keep our immune system humming along with little interference. Chinese medicine is one of these effective ways that does appear to have immune-boosting powers.
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Urinary Incontinence:
Urinary incontinence is one of the most common problems for women who have a history of natural delivery. It also occurs in women who have had a sequelae by accident or surgery. Normally, all of them can be controlled by strong pelvic floor exercise. But certain cases might need some more help. If nerves have been damaged, it will take a long period to heal. The patient may even have anxiety or depression or another psychologic issue because of incontinence. Acupuncture and herbs may help to stable and nourish the nerves system, so the feedback between bladder and brain (nerves release signals or chemicals to stimulate the brain) become strong and back to normal. Acupuncture also decreases anxiety and depression to help a patient manage the body better.
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Gastrointestinal Disorders
Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Recurrent Stomachaches: Irritable Bowel Syndrome is one of the common digestive disorders, which usually happens in female more often than in male. It is related to stress, eating habit, life style, medical history and women’s own constitution. Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been reported to relieve the disorders effectively.
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General Women’s Health Issues
Stress and pain management without drugs: Stress and pain management without drugs: Current estimates show that between 70 and 80 percent of all visits to physicians are for stress-related disorders.
Chronic stress directly affects the immune system, and if not effectively dealt with, can seriously compromise health. According to Chinese medicine, stress may be a factor in the development of many diseases. Treatment of stress includes acupuncture and herbs to help balance the body’s energies and relieve the tension that constricts the functioning of a particular part of the body.
Studies suggest that acupuncture is good for just about anything that hurts: menstrual cramps, headache, migraine, endometriosis, tennis elbow, and muscle strain. In a small pilot study at University of Maryland, researchers showed that in adults with osteoarthritis of the knee – a painful degeneration of the joint lining – a twice-weekly acupuncture treatment reduced pain and increased mobility in eight out of 12 patients over a period of two months.
Acupuncture for Women has treated patients with menstrual cramps, headaches, migraine, endometriosis, degenerative arthritis, neuropathy, trigeminal neuralgia, sciatica, sports injuries, such as tennis elbow, muscle spasm and strain, hypertension and stroke.
One of Jane Liu’s patients, a fifty-five year-old store owner who worked eighty hours a week, came to her complaining of headaches, neck pain, low back pain, insomnia, high blood pressure, and lost interest in sex for a six months duration. Jane Liu treated the patient with acupuncture and herbs. After weekly treatment for one and a half months, her pain became minimal, her blood pressure returned to normal, she regained her sexual desire, and only occasionally suffered from insomnia. As long as a stress-filled lifestyle is maintained, a monthly “maintenance” treatment is recommended to maintain the effects.
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Allergy Elimination: Control allergies with alternative methods: From the view of Chinese medicine, an allergic reaction is not only related to antigen and antibody interaction but is also linked to body constitution and life style. Acupuncture and herbal medicine can help improve the body’s immune system and eliminate allergy symptoms.
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Smoking Cessation: Break addictions to cigarettes or other drugs: Acupuncture’s habit-breaking benefits have been well documented in people hooked on heroin and crack cocaine through a problem called Drug Count, in which felony drug offenders are given the chance to enter an intensive program of counseling and daily acupuncture treatments as an alternative to prison. Acupuncture stimulation on the ears and wrists has a powerful calming effect, counselors and addicts say. It not only reduces the craving for a fix – perhaps by substituting the brain’s own endorphins – but it also helps addicts relax enough to think clearly about their predicament and to resolve to change their lives.
The needle has had success against other addictions, as well. In a two-month study, more than half the alcoholics who got acupuncture stayed sober, compared to 3 percent of those who received “sham” acupuncture treatments, in which needles were inserted in phony acupuncture points.
And for a testimonial on acupuncture as an aid to quitting cigarettes, just ask the judge who administers the drug count program in Miami’s Dade County. He smoked several packs a day for 35 years until ten years ago, when he served the same sentence on himself that he had just serving on convicted felons. After two weeks, he kicked the habit for good.
Liu proposes a simple acupuncture treatment — a few pins in the ears and wrists, every week, for half an hour.
