FAQ on Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Learn more about Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in our FAQ. If you still have questions on whether these approaches will help you, please contact our office at 630-653-4358.
What is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)?
What are Some of the Medical Conditions that TCM Treats?
What are the TCM Methods for Treatment?
Does Acupuncture Hurt?
What are the Side Effects of Acupuncture and TCM?
How Many Treatments are Needed?
Are Acupuncture and TCM Effective Treatments for Infertility?
Why Choose Eastern Healing for Acupuncture and Infertility Treatment?
What is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)?
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a system of diagnosis and health care that can be traced back to China as far as 2,500 years. TCM sees the individual as an integral mind body organism. It is based on a holistic concept designed to cure illness and maintain health and well-being. TCM ventures to stimulate the body’s natural healing potential by treating the root cause. If balance is restored, the person heals.
What are Some of the Medical Conditions that TCM Treats?
- • Infertility
- • Arthritis
- • Asthma
- • General Pain including Neck and Back Pain
- • Respiratory Conditions (Asthma, Allergies)
- • Gynecological Conditions
- • Gastro-intestinal Disorders
- • Sports and Work Injury
- • High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
- • Headaches and Migraines
- • Common Colds and Flu
- • Chronic Fatigue
- • Quit Smoking
- • Depression and Anxiety
- • Insomnia
- • Stress
- • Stroke
- • Fibromyalgia
Acupuncture is endorsed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
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What are the TCM Methods for Treatment?
TCM utilizes numerous healing modalities to achieve balance including:
Acupuncture – Insertion of very fine needles into specific points on the body to enhance the flow of qi (pronounced chi), the vital energy circulating throughout the body.
Moxabustion – Application of heat to specific points or broad areas of the body.
Cupping/Guasha – Glass suction cups used to relieve stagnation in the body.
Chinese Herbal Therapy – Oldest form of medicine using raw herbs, pills, powders, tinctures and plasters.
Tui Na Massage/Acupressure – Used to release tightness to specific points or broad areas of the body.
Food Therapy – Using whole foods to restore balance to the body.
Qigong Exercises – Chinese yoga encompassing breathing, standing, stretching and moving exercises.
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Does Acupuncture Hurt?
People experience acupuncture differently. Most feel only minimal discomfort as needles are placed, others feel none. After needles are placed you may feel tingling, warmth, dull ache, numbness or heaviness, either locally or in a part of the body distant from the needle.
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What are the Side Effects of Acupuncture and TCM?
There are usually no negative side effects. As energy is redirected in the body, internal chemicals and hormones are stimulated and healing begins to take place. Occasionally the original symptoms worsen for a few days, or other general changes in appetite, sleep, bowel or urination patterns or emotional state may be triggered. These should not cause concern, as they are simply indications that the acupuncture is starting to work. It is quite common with the first one or two treatments to have a sensation of deep relaxation or even mild disorientation immediately following the treatment. These pass within a short time and never require anything more than a bit of rest to overcome.
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How Many Treatments are Needed?
This varies from person to person. Complex or long standing problems may require one or two treatments per week for several weeks. Treatments will be spaced farther apart as the patient’s condition improves. Acute problems usually require fewer treatments. Some people like to return four times per year as the season changes for health maintenance.
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Are Acupuncture and TCM Effective Treatments for Infertility?
Acupuncture, TCM, and other natural treatments enhance fertility to improve reproductive health. For more information, please
visit our website's Infertility Research section for articles and studies supporting these infertility treatments.
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Why Choose Eastern Healing for Acupuncture and Infertility Treatment?
- • Peter Harvey has 15 years of clinical experience in acupuncture and reproductive enhancement
- • Board certified Licensed Acupuncturist (NCCAOM)
- • American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (ABORM)
- • Peter Harvey has an advanced degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine (MSOM)
- • Associate of Clinical Excellence in Fertility Program (CEFP) from The Fertile Soul*
- • Our patient load is over 75% fertility related
- • We see dozens of new fertility patients each month upon referrals of Reproductive Endocrinologists and OB Gyns
- • We augment Western medical procedures like IUI and IVF with TCM to increase the likelihood of reproductive success
- • Member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
- • Professional Associate of RESOLVE
- • Member of the American Pregnancy Association
- • Trained in the USA and China
- • Member of the Illinois Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ILAAOM)
- • We consider ourselves to be foremost regional experts in Reproductive Acupuncture
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Our hundreds of “little testimonials” that are living proof of the effectiveness of our methods!
Our Services
Traditional Chinese Acupuncture
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a set of ancient practices that help the body heal itself.
At Eastern Healing, we treat patients in our Wheaton and Joliet offices using a variety of TCM techniques
for various medical conditions, pain, and infertility.
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Acupuncture
At Eastern Healing, our acupuncturists are trained in the Chinese art of Acupuncture. Acupuncture
is used to treat many different diseases and medical conditions. It is also used as a natural treatment
for infertility.
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Infertility Treatment
At Eastern Healing we take our role as part of your healthcare team very seriously. There is no
more intimate relationship between the practitioner and the patient as when we are called upon to
help with infertility questions.
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Women’s Health
Women’s health issues arise throughout life. Many times the symptoms are cyclical or occur at
specific stages such as during pregnancy, perimenopause, or menopause.
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Chinese Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine dates back almost 5000 years. The Chinese systematically categorized close to
5800 substances that may be used when treating individuals.
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Tui Na Massage
Tui Na is one of the four main branches of Chinese Medicine; along with herbal medicine,
acupuncture and Qi Gong. Tui Na differs from other forms of massage in that it is used to treat
specific illnesses of an internal nature.
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Dietary Therapy
We have all heard the phrase, “you are what you eat” but realistically, we are the result of
what we eat. Through dietary patterns learned before we could make accurate judgments we all have
both good and bad dietary preferences.
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Conditions Treated
Infertility and IVF
Our P.A.R.E.N.T.S. Program™ addresses fertility in a holistic manner, incorporating various
aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in a comprehensive approach to rectify any imbalance
that leads to infertility.
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Hot Flashes
We use proven Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture techniques to treat hot flashes
caused by perimenopause and menopause in women.
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Menopause
More and more women are turning to alternative medicine for the treatment of menopause symptoms
and women’s health issues, particularly after recent concerns regarding the safety of hormone
replacement therapy (HRT).
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Women’s Health
Women’s health issues arise throughout life. Many times the symptoms are cyclical or occur at
specific stages such as during pregnancy, perimenopause, or menopause.
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Headaches and Migraines
We treat migraines and headaches with Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. These safe,
alternative treatments treat the acute symptoms as well as the underlying imbalances that cause
migraines and headaches.
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Neck and Back Pain
We treat neck and back pain with Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. These safe,
alternative treatments treat both acute and chronic forms of spinal and muscular pain.
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Allergies and Asthma
We treat allergies and asthma with Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Acupuncture focuses its treatment on correcting the root imbalance that is upsetting the body,
thus helping the body to heal itself.
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Other Medical Conditions
Find out how acupuncture can help you improve your overall well-being, while reducing side
effects and minimizing the need for medications.
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New Patient Forms
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Medical History Record Form
Consent For Treatment Form