No! Asian medicine is very compatible with other forms of healthcare.  It greatly enhances the effectiveness of other therapies, and reduces unwanted side effects from various drugs, including chemotherapy.  Often, the best results come from incorporating more than one type of therapy.

Please inform your practitioner of any other health care systems and/or medications you are currently using so that you can receive the maximum benefits from all of them.

Licensed practitioners of Asian medicine use a complex system of differential diagnosis to identify the root cause(s) of illness and “dis-ease”.  This includes questions about your health history, current subjective experience, and objective observations of your body (e.g., tongue, pulse, complexion, and hands-on palpation).  Biomedical test results can also be used with integrative medical practitioners.

The gathered information will indicate one or more patterns of disruption which can then be corrected through treatment.

As with every other aspect of Asian medicine, it depends on the person and their unique situation.

Generally, for rapid onset and acute conditions, you can expect results fairly quickly.  For example, herbal medicines can work very quickly for colds and flus, taking effect within hours.

For chronic conditions or conditions that are larger in scope, like cholesterol, elevated glucose levels, weight management, or hair growth, it can take months to see significant results, and you will likely need a longer course of treatment before you achieve lasting results.

It is important to keep your practitioner informed of any changes in your condition so they can modify your treatment and prescriptions accordingly.

No. Acupuncture is a physical treatment modality that has direct physiological effects on the body.  Your belief is no more relevant to the efficacy of acupuncture treatments than it is for physical therapy, surgery, or Western pharmaceuticals.