Acupuncture Blog Chicago: Top 10 Ways Acupuncture Can Help You

I've also been cured of the flu by acupuncture, and it is good for cramps and menopause symptoms.

I'm so glad you've had good results with TCM.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are also great for colds,flu, and menopausal symptoms.

Thank you for inviting me to your " acupunture group".
I am going to email you here in gather and ask some questions. Hope you will be kind enough and answer me.
Not wanting to bother you I got into your website, but couldn't find the answers to what I would like to know.
I think you do a great job by spreading the good word of and about acupunture.
joy and love all the way from Greece
May you have a happy Christmas in love and light

Here I am again as gather says only 128 characters for an email.

I am Greek and in my country there are very few acupuncturists.
Not wanting to make a long story I am going to explain you in short what I would like to know.

There are almost 10 years since I suffer from chronic dizziness. Orthodox medicine couldn't find anything wrong with me.
It is only the spine and brain MRI which shows I have problems with 3 of the cervical discs + 2 more discs at the end of the spine.

Since I have started to have this problem, my intuition told me that something is wrong with the spine as it has all started by feeling electrical impulses along the spine going to the brain.
Through the years it went worse and slowly I have started to have pain and numbness along the legs and arms.
The sciatic nerve is playing havoc and my belief is that I must have pinched nerves which are also blocking the blood supply to the brain.

The dizziness is non stop in the sitting and standing position.

My questions:
Can acupunture help me?
Have you ever had a patient with similar symptoms?

I have found a guy who calls himself a medical doctor and had a session with him. He made me a strong massage on my back and inserted 3 needles in my head. Without any evaluation of the body and not being interested to see the spine MRI, he told me that he thinks my problem is that I am not exercising my body .
He advised to give up smoking, lose weight and go to the gym.
I think he is selling me general advice.
Yes, I do smoke but I am not fat and swim almost 6 months of the year on a daily base.
I walk every day and am willing myself a lot to work and be very active in spite of the difficulty to keep my balance.

Any advice will be much appreciated.
Thank you

Hi Marinela - I am sorry to hear you are having pain and dizziness. I do think acupuncture/Chinese Medicine (Cupping and herbs might also be helpful)
could be good for you. I do think the lifestyle suggestions are good ones, it does not sound like a traditional acupuncture session (but there are many styles out there), you might want to see if you can find a practioner with a Master's degree in Oriental Medicine.

I do not know the laws or rules for education in your country, but I know in the U.S. an MD can do acupuncture without much training or understanding of Chinese Medicine. In the U.S. there is a National Board which offers a diplomate in Acupuncture, it is the National Certification Commision on Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. They have a website (it may be under their intials NCCAOM) perhaps they have information on National Organizations in other countries. This would help you find a practioner who you know has met certain educational requirements. For example I sat for the exam after completing a long Master's program. Other web sites to check for information would be acupuncture.com and acupuncturetoday.com.

I hope this information is helpful and that you feel better soon

Best

Jennifer