My Story: I unexpectedly began my exploration of Chinese medicine as a patient, in 1996. After suffering for 18 months with a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, a friend suggested that I work with an acupuncturist. Following months of pain, exhaustion and insomnia- I figured, “What could I lose?” 14 weeks later, I was skiing in Colorado. Chinese medicine gave me back my life. Without this help, I could have never moved to Washington, D.C. and returned to living my dream- helping protect the natural resources that sustain our lives.
Classical Chinese Medicine is a complete medical system incorporating acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary therapy, Qi Gong (therapeutic exercise) and life-style counselling into its holistic perspective. As the oldest practicing medical tradition in the world, it remains the primary form of health care for one-third of the world’s population and has treated more people in history than perhaps any other system of medicine.
Health, from the perspective of Chinese medicine, is not simply the absence of disease, it is a dynamic balance within oneself and between one’s inner world and the ever–changing outer world in which we live. While undergoing treatment for a specific condition, it is very common for patients to have other aspects of their health improve concurrently.
Acupuncture is a powerful and effective form of medical treatment which originated thousands of years ago. Acupuncturists see people not only as they present themselves in illness but, more importantly, as they would be in perfect health.
Acupuncture is one of the oldest continuously practiced healing systems in the world. This system of medicine is very effective in restoring and maintaining health. Acupuncture describes the flow of life energy as it manifests in natural phenomena (such as seasonal changes) and within human beings.
The Chinese call this energy qi (pronounced “chee”) and have mapped out its flow through our bodies. When our qi is full and flowing, we experience health. When our qi is obstructed or imbalanced, illness and pain can occur. The symptoms we experience signal when we are out of balance and tell us that we need to do things differently in order to restore balance. Acupuncture treatments help us return to balance and, when appropriate, can be combined with medical treatments, psychotherapy and lifestyle adjustments for optimum benefits.
“I have asked Peter to help me twice with sports related injuries. In both situations, I was very concerned with pain and a slow recovery. The areas around the injuries were severely swollen and, until the swelling resolved itself, I was out of action. Peter was able to help me reduce the swelling much faster than if I had just let the healing process follow its natural course. After a number of visits to Peter, the swelling abated, and I was able to return to my regular activities. I highly recommend Peter’s services to anyone who has an athletic or other type of injury that results in pain or other problems related to excessive swelling.”
— “Aging Athlete,” Pittsburgh
“I came to Peter for assistance with chronic neck pain and migraines. These issues had been bothering me for over 7 years, and I would have a migraine every two weeks on average. Today, I rarely have migraines, and my neck pain is minimal. I found that, over time, our treatments became more wholistic, focusing on internal and external sources of stress. By bringing the treatment to a deeper level, we were able to relieve the more superficial symptoms by addressing the underlying cause. I found that the treatments resulted in significantly less frequent migraines and reduced neck pain as well as an improved sense of well-being.”
