What Is The Scope Of Medical Acupuncture?

Medical acupuncture is a system which can influence three areas of health care:

• promotion of health and well-being,
• prevention of illness,
• treatment of various medical conditions.

While acupuncture is often associated with pain control, in the hands of a well-trained practitioner it has much broader applications. Acupuncture can be effective as the only treatment used, or as the support or adjunct to other medical treatment forms in many medical and surgical disorders. Acupuncture can be used in the treatment of a wide range of medical problems, including:

• Digestive disorders: gastritis and hyperacidity, spastic colon, constipation, diarrhea.
• Respiratory disorders: sinusitis, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, recurrent chest infections.
• Neurological and muscular disorders: headaches, facial tics, neck pain, rib neuritis, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, various forms of tendinitis, low back pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis.
• Urinary, menstrual, and reproductive problems.
• Acupuncture is particularly useful in resolving physical problems related to tension and stress

Our Perspective On Health

In order to gain understanding and insight into the complexities of the human mind and body, the Western World separated out many of its component parts for study and analysis. This yielded a great deal of valuable knowledge about the component parts but not as much about how they work together. For this reason a patient is often farmed out to three or four different doctors who each focus on a specific piece of the puzzle with little chance to put the whole puzzle together.

In our office, we don’t see arthritis as a disease of the joints, as a disease of the immune system or as a problem with the digestive system. We see it as a problem the body is having maintaining appropriate communication between all the various parts and systems. Poor communication and coordination leads to dysfunction. In a sense we are communication experts. It is our job to restore communication which has been compromised by stress, trauma, neglect and the disease process. It is a simple procedure which can yield dramatic results.

We believe that the vital energy of the body (the chi) circulates through every system clearing, adjusting and coordinating all the separate parts. It is not unusual for a small adjustment in this vital force to bring dramatic changes to the body.

What To Expect On Your First Visit

In your initial visit Dr Bieler will work to discover the various factors which have allowed, caused or maintained the problem you are concerned about. This will help him to clarify his approach and begin the healing process. It is not unusual for a patient to notice some improvement almost immediately.

The Benefits of Acupuncture

The most important historical effects that acupuncture has been noted for is in the regulation of the functions and of normalization. It increases the resistance of the body by enhancing the capabilities of the body. Acupuncture has such a powerful pain killing effect that it is now used in surgical operations as the only anesthetic.

Acupuncture normalizes the functions of the body. This effect of acupuncture indicates that it is a natural way of healing the illness by working with the body rather than on the body. With acupuncture, the patient will not have to learn to live with an ailment. Many patients have been told to see a psychiatrist because no physiological disorder can be found or treated by known methods, even though the patient fervently attests that he/she is in tremendous pain or discomfort. Sometimes they are simply told to learn to live with it.

Something can be done and has been done, because acupuncture has helped in cases where other methods of treatment have failed. Acupuncture treats the causes as well as the symptoms of an illness. You don't have to just live with it anymore!

• Acupuncture works to restore harmony and energetic balance to the body, which stimulates natural healing and promotes health.


• Patients with various disorders come in as a last resort and Dr. Bieler has helped them tremendously.


• Studies show that acupuncture treatments release the body’s own natural and effective “painkillers,” found in the central nervous system, which carry results comparable to that of morphine.

Acupuncture for Pain Management

Acupuncture is a proven modality for pain management, inflammatory control and increased mobility. Studies show that acupuncture treatments release the body’s own natural and effective “painkillers” found in the central nervous system, which carry results comparable to that of morphine. Needles stimulate specific acupuncture points which in turn call on the body’s natural immune response, thereby reducing inflammation and speeding the healing process.

Acupuncture can be used for acute or chronic conditions for individuals with low tolerance for pharmaceutical therapy or in cases where more conservative approaches are most appropriate. Since acupuncture is a form of natural healing, the body experiences minimal side effects.

Acupuncture is a non-invasive approach with few side effects. The World Health Organization cites acupuncture’s effectiveness in treating a very wide range of health problems.

Acupuncture is a useful alternative or adjunct treatment to be included as part of a comprehensive medical management program.