Our Philosophy

We at Flying Crane Acupuncture believe that the holistic approach which is inherent in Chinese Medicine is beneficial for all patients, but particularly those whose immune systems have been compromised. Our practitioners are experienced in caring for patients with a history of cancer, either recently or in the past. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs have been shown to be very effective in strengthening the immune system and thereby improving one's sense of well-being and quality of life. Oriental Medicine is an integral adjunctive method for treatment of patients with cancer, and has been in use in China for over 2000 years.

How We Treat Cancer Patients

When you first come in for a treatment at Flying Crane Acupuncture, the first half of the session will involve really getting to know you and hearing your story. The techniques of looking, listening, questioning, and palpating the body are not unlike what you might experience with your western medical doctor. However, the information which we gather is more comprehensive, and the view of you as a person connects mind, body and spirit in a holistic way such that disharmonies can be recognized on a much subtler level. We develop a treatment plan by taking your medical history, present symptoms, emotional health, community, spiritual life, habits, and overall lifestyle into account. Through our differential diagnosis we create a treatment plan that may consist of acupuncture, Chinese herbs, shiatsu, qigong, changes in lifestyle and habits, prayer or meditation. Some of the treatments we offer include:

1. Controlling chemotherapy-related nausea
2. Controlling pain
3. Controlling radiation-induced injuries
4. Extending survival with cancer
5. Use of herbal formulas for immune enhancement, stress reduction, and promoting a sense of well-being
6. Increasing appetite and improving digestion
7. Controlling anxiety, fear, and depression
8. Treating insomnia
9. Treating constipation or diarrhea

The main focus of the acupuncture treatment is to aid in relaxation, improve the workings of all the internal organs, improve sleep, decrease pain (if any exists), and to enhance the harmony and strength of the immune system.

Chinese herbs are usually added as an adjunctive therapy on the second or thirst visit to our clinic. At this point, we have a good idea of your particular body constitution, and the effects of our acupuncture, moxa, and/or cupping therapy in terms of moving Qi and tonifying your energetic body. Most patients find that Chinese herbs, which may initially seem very foreign, are an important treatment modality. Once one recognizes that most Chinese herbs are roots, stems, bark, flowers, and fruits, then it is easier to understand why an herbal formula can be viewed as a highly sophisticated change in one's diet. The Chinese say that the first step towards healing is to adjust one's diet. If the disease cannot be healed with diet alone, then one resorts to Chinese herbs. Our herbal formulas are nothing more than dietary manipulations shown from 2000 years of experience in China to help those who are ill.

Additional therapies which are important for cancer survivors are qigong and shiatsu. Qigong is a movement form which promotes healthy energy circulation in the body and thereby promotes healing and a healthier immune system. Shiatsu is a type of body work which is similar in many ways to acupressure. However, shiatsu massage is more structured and has specific healing intention directed towards areas of the body which are either deficient or suffering from stagnation. Shiatsu is useful as a diagnostic tool since palpation of acupuncture points which occurs during the massage gives information to the shiatsu practitioner about energy movement along the meridians, about the state of Qi in the body and about deficiencies in various organ systems. We at Flying Crane Acupuncture consider your life journey as sacred. We hold your health and emotional well-being as paramount to attaining healing. It is our belief, that Chinese Medicine has many valuable lessons for us to learn in terms of moving away from the mechanistic view of human life, and towards a more holistic view of how we can exist in a healthy way in harmony with the world of nature which surrounds us. We hope you find our services worthwhile, and we extend to you our pledge of the highest quality of medical care in an alternative field of medicine.