Acupuncture is a medical procedure involving the insertion of thin, stainless steel needles into the skin and muscle. The needles are used to manipulate muscles, nerves, and blood vessels to treat various conditions. There are many different methods in manipulating the acupuncture needles to obtain therapeutic effect. Dr. Andrew Vu will discuss what method may work best for your specific case.
Dr. Vu specializes in electroacupuncture and motion style acupuncture for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders (eg. arthritis, muscle sprain/strain, adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder), herniated/bulging discs, degenerative discs, sciatica).
Dr. Vu specializes in electroacupuncture and motion style acupuncture for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders (eg. arthritis, muscle sprain/strain, adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder), herniated/bulging discs, degenerative discs, sciatica).
How acupuncturists are trained
Acupuncturists can hold a Masters or a Doctorate degree in the profession. Dr. Vu earned his Master's and Doctorate of Acupuncture Medicine at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM). At OCOM, the Master's program is a 4 year program consisting of 2,096 hours of in classroom training and 1,131 hours of clinical training.
The postgraduate doctoral program (DAOM) is a 2 year, modular based, 1,221 hour postgraduate program specializing in geriatrics, women's health, and research.
*Some acupuncture colleges offer 2 different doctorate programs. For example, OCOM has a first professional doctorate integrated with its master's program adding an extra 441 hours to the master's curriculum. The curriculum of the first professional doctorate differs from the more rigorous postgraduate doctorate program.
The postgraduate doctoral program (DAOM) is a 2 year, modular based, 1,221 hour postgraduate program specializing in geriatrics, women's health, and research.
*Some acupuncture colleges offer 2 different doctorate programs. For example, OCOM has a first professional doctorate integrated with its master's program adding an extra 441 hours to the master's curriculum. The curriculum of the first professional doctorate differs from the more rigorous postgraduate doctorate program.
How Acupuncture Works
Acupuncture causes various physiological changes in the body. It can:
- stimulate vasodilation in local tissue, therefore increasing blood circulation in the area
- promote angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels
- stimulate the repair of local tissue through needle manipulation
- activate different regions of the brain to modulate the nervous system (This is how acupuncture can affect sleep, digestion, various pain conditions, etc.)
Acupuncture misconceptions
Acupuncture is not based on vital energy or life-force called "Qi." It was mistranslated by George Soulie de Morant in the 1900's and stuck around since. "Qi" has many different meanings and in reference to acupuncture medicine, it is used to explain physiological functions.
Another common misconception of acupuncture is that it has been practiced for thousands of years. It may be true that acupuncture medicine has been practiced for thousands of years, but it has changed and evolved over time similar to other medical procedures. Thanks to modern research, effective protocols are utilized for the treatment of specific conditions.
Another common misconception of acupuncture is that it has been practiced for thousands of years. It may be true that acupuncture medicine has been practiced for thousands of years, but it has changed and evolved over time similar to other medical procedures. Thanks to modern research, effective protocols are utilized for the treatment of specific conditions.
Dry Needling vs Acupuncture
Dry needling and acupuncture are essentially the same thing. Dry needling is a small subset of acupuncture focusing on trigger points (eg. painful knots in muscle) to relieve muscle pain. The training for dry needling is minuscule compared to a 3 year acupuncture medicine Masters or 5 year doctorate in acupuncture medicine. There are many different styles of acupuncture but there is not style that is best. The best style is the one that works most effectively for the individual.
Conditions acupuncture can treat
Acupuncture can be an effective treatment option for many pain conditions. Some examples include: injuries from a car accident, headaches, neck pain, low back pain, sciatica, knee pain, and shoulder pain. It may also be effective in treating symptoms of neurological conditions such as symptoms associated after a stroke and Bell's Palsy. Many people receive acupuncture for the treatment of back pain. Due to research in the procedure, the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society recommends acupuncture for low-back pain when self-care isn’t enough.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends acupuncture as an effective treatment for many conditions including:
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends acupuncture as an effective treatment for many conditions including:
- Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
- Dysmenorrhea
- Epigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, and gastrospasm)
- Facial pain
- Headaches
- Knee pain
- Low Back pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Neck Pain
- Periarthritis of shoulder
- Postoperative pain
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Sciatica
- Sprains
- Tennis elbow
What to expect from your acupuncture treatments
Acupuncture treatments will vary depending on condition, severity, and response to previous treatments. Typically a gentle acupuncture procedure will be utilized during the initial visit to achieve therapeutic effect. Dr. Vu will provide a treatment plan during the initial consult/exam for optimal results. A treatment plan typically ranges from 1-3 treatments a week for a couple weeks and tapering off as the condition improves. The duration of an acupuncture treatment ranges from 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the acupuncture procedure and any adjunct therapies utilized.
For musculoskeletal disorders, Dr. Vu tends to expect reduction of pain and/or increased range of motion within 12 hours after treatment if not right after treatment. If there is no noticeable change after a treatment or an occurrence of an adverse effect , a different acupuncture procedure may be performed during the following appointment.
For musculoskeletal disorders, Dr. Vu tends to expect reduction of pain and/or increased range of motion within 12 hours after treatment if not right after treatment. If there is no noticeable change after a treatment or an occurrence of an adverse effect , a different acupuncture procedure may be performed during the following appointment.
Acupuncture side effects
Common and rare side effects include but not limited to:
Depending on the side effect, Dr. Vu may alter following appointments to reduce the probability of experiencing the same side effect repeatedly.
- bleeding
- bruising
- nausea
- dizziness
- soreness
- fainting
Depending on the side effect, Dr. Vu may alter following appointments to reduce the probability of experiencing the same side effect repeatedly.
Acupuncture House Calls
Dr. Vu offers house calls for acupuncture treatments if patients are not able to drive or ride to the clinic due to their medical condition. There is an additional charge for house calls based upon travel and treatment. Prices start at $160