Written by THE leading lights in the field of integrating acupuncture into a Western medical system, this book bridges the gap between the theoretical foundations of acupuncture and its application in a modern Western clinical context. Each case history focuses on the complexities and dilemmas of treatment that are tackled, providing valuable insights by experienced practitioners into the management of a course of acupuncture treatment.

A practical manual describing the principles and practice of modern medical acupuncture. This book frees the practitioner from dependence on rule of thumb and builds on existing clinical knowledge. Demystifying the needling process, this book demonstrates quick but effective treatment of those disorders for which acupuncture is suitable.

Although acupuncture is currently experiencing a great increase in acceptance and growth, many acupuncturists are failing to earn a living. Recent statistics suggest that nearly 9 out of 10 acupuncturists end-up in private practice but most of those are struggling to earn solid incomes. This book offers candid and comprehensive advice about what it really takes to manage a successful acupuncture practice in the West today. Readers will learn the unique combination of skills needed to make acupuncture services effective and affordable while still allowing practitioners to earn a comfortable living. Distilled from 25 years of full-time private practice this is real-world advice offered by one of the acupuncture profession's most experienced practitioners and authors. "Not strictly a clinical guide, or a business book, or a political treatise, but rather an original fusion of the most important aspects of all three, Making Acupuncture Pay should be required reading for every student of acupuncture, for any acupuncturist who's struggling to make a practice work, and well, for any acupuncturist...PERIOD " -Brent Ottley, L.Ac. "This book should be required reading before one enrolls in acupuncture school, as each chapter addresses the fundamental concepts and realistic prospects of the graduate earning a living as an acupuncturist." -Pamela Howard, acupuncture student Matthew Bauer began his practice in 1986 immediately after obtaining his State acupuncture license and as the sole source of support for his family of four. Learning how to manage his practice by trial and error, Matthew currently sees between 75-100 patients a week. In addition to his busy practice, Matthew also became involved with acupuncture organizations and as a consultant for the insurance industry helping to pioneer acupuncture HMO plans. He is the author of The Healing Power of Acupressure and Acupuncture, which explores the Taoist roots of Chinese medicine as a means of educating the public about acupuncture's benefits. With Making Acupuncture Pay, Matthew begins his efforts to help fellow acupuncturists achieve the level of practice success he has been blessed to enjoy.

An invaluable guide for anyone beginning a career in acupuncture, this book offers a unique and supportive insight into the challenges and the pitfalls that the novice acupuncturist is likely to encounter, and provides encouragement and down-to-earth ideas for tackling them. Written in an easy-to-read conversational style with useful case studies throughout, this book will help newly-qualified acupuncturists to reflect on what kind of practitioner they want to be. It addresses styles of working, common mistakes, confidence with patients, becoming a better practitioner, and how to think about success and failure in the treatment room. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the practitioner ends the day refreshed and enlivened by the work and has confidence in the treatments given.

Combining the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with Western medical acupuncture, this eagerly awaited book and CD-ROM brings the entire field of acupuncture to a new professional standard. The authors, leading experts from diverse disciplines, systematically guide you though the channels, point locations and trigger points in the body, from head to toe. Each acupuncture point is shown in vivo and then explained in detail, using illustrations that show its exact anatomical location and characteristics. In addition, you will benefit from state-of-the-art information never published before, including: a universal point localization system based on anatomic principles; a comprehensive discussion of potential contraindications and side effects of acupuncture; and a focus on outcome-based models and scientific studies throughout. Ideal for those who practice Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as anyone studying for certification, this book covers all acupuncture point locations, as well as the fundamental concepts and methods of this ancient art. It is indispensable for practitioners who need the most complete, scientifically based, and reliable information available anywhere.

Acupuncture Patterns & Practice is a practical, clinically oriented exposition of traditional Chinese diagnosis and acupuncture therapy. The book consists of nine series of cases, each devoted to a type of disorder that is commonly seen in the acupuncture clinic: common cold, cough, dizziness, headache, lower back pain, painful obstruction (bi), wind-stroke, insomnia and palpitations.

This book allows readers to extend their practice by increasing their understanding of acupuncture and indicating where and how it will benefit their patients. Unlike many obscure acupuncture texts, this book makes the assimilation of knowledge of Chinese language and medical philosophies easy.

Acupuncture therapy has been practiced in China and other Asian countries for more than two thousand years. Modern clinical research has confirmed the impressive therapeutic effect of acupuncture on numerous human ailments, such as controlling pain, nausea, and vomiting. However, the biological mechanisms of acupuncture are still under debate. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the mechanism of acupuncture therapy is explained by a meridian model. According to this model, acupuncture is believed to treat the diseased organs by modulating two conditions known as Yin and Yang, which represent all the opposite principles that people find in the universe, both inside and outside the human body. Yin and Yang complement each other, and are subjected to changes between each other. The balance of Yin and Yang is thought to be maintained by Qi, an energy substance flowing constantly through the meridian, a network connecting all the organs of the body. The illness, according to this theory, is the temporary dominance of one principle over the other, owing to the blockade of the Qi from flowing through the meridian under certain circumstance. The axiom of “No stagnation, No pain” in TCM summarizes this concept. Thus, the goal of acupuncture treatment is to restore the balance of Yin and Yang conditions in the diseased organ(s). This theory has been considered to be useful to guide this ancient therapy, such as carrying out diagnosis, deciding on the principle, and selecting the acupoints.

This is the first book to set out a full range of research strategies for evaluating the clinical practice of acupuncture. Leading acupuncturists and researchers with international reputations share their expertise. They illustrate their descriptions with practical examples of what has worked and what has not. It outlines many of the key challenges in the field. These challenges relate to the nature of acupuncture and the gap between current research evidence and the actual experiences of acupuncturists in the field. By focusing the chapters on key research questions, rather than methods, the book has a user-friendly feel. Each chapter is easily accessible with brief explanations of research designs as well as vignettes of relevant past research. The book is based on a deep understanding of acupuncture, with its inherent complexity in practice, whether based on traditional principles or more modern concepts. By incorporating a more sophisticated understanding of the field, this book details a range of strategies aiming to develop the evidence base with the utmost rigour. It is the first book on acupuncture research to take this unique view, integrating the very best of evidence-based medicine with a genuine sensitivity to the discipline of acupuncture, from its traditional and holistic roots to its more modern interpretations.