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The AAAOM Intern Clinic is an inexpensive way to invest in your health. Supervised by our faculty, patients receive high-quality treatment from 3rd- and 4th-year interns. In return, patients assist interns in gaining valuable first-hand clinical experience. Treatments may include acupuncture, herbal medicine, Tuina massage, dietary recommendations, and even Qi Gong. Faculty members carefully advise and review all patient diagnoses, prescriptions, and follow-up visits to ensure the most effective treatments.
Treatments from interns are generally $32 per session, but a coupon is available here that may simply be referenced or printed out and presented at the clinic reception desk for a $16 introductory treatment.
Herbal prescriptions, if applicable, are additional and range from $12 to $40 weekly, whether they are pills/capsules or raw ingredients, respectively.
Call the AAAOM Intern Clinic at 651-631-0204 Ext. 1 to schedule an appointment. Interns are available Monday-Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Thursday-Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
CONDITIONS EFFECTIVELY TREATED WITH CHINESE MEDICINE
Among the health problems listed below are conditions for which the World Health Organization (WHO) has specifically recommended acupuncture treatment. The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture as an effective therapeutic approach, and has named over forty conditions which respond favorably to acupuncture.
Pain syndromes: migraines, headaches, sciatica, low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and stiffness, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, fibromyalgia, automobile and sports injuries, joint pain, strains and sprains.
Emotional/psychological disorders: anxiety, depression, stress, hypertension, insomnia, fatigue, poor memory, eating disorders.
Gastrointestinal conditions: chronic indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, colitis, celiac disease, diabetes, hepatitis.
Respiratory problems: seasonal allergies, asthma, chronic cough, the common cold and flu, sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema.
Neurological problems: multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke recovery, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, Bell's palsy, trigeminal neuralgia, tinnitus, muscle weakness/paralysis, peripheral neuropathy, general neuralgia.
Women's health issues: premenstrual syndrome, endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, breast problems, cervical dysplasia, uterine prolapse, postpartum disorders, menopausal symptoms.
Women's infertility: amenorrhea, irregular periods, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, pelvic inflammatory disease, poor egg quality, luteal phase defect, elevated FSH, premature ovarian failure, immunologic infertility, unexplained infertility.
Men's infertility: low sperm count, sperm motility and morphology, impotence, immunologic infertility.
Urogenital disorders: urogenital infections, cystitis, prostatitis, nephritis, sexual dysfunction, incontinence.
Skin conditions: acne, eczema, psoriasis, facial rejuvenation, shingles/herpes.
Supportive therapy: post-operative pain and rehab, adverse reactions to cancer treatments, stroke rehabilitation, infertility treatment, induction of labor, malposition of fetus.
Addictions: tobacco, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, recreational drugs, medications.
TREATMENT SERVICES
Treatment sessions last about one hour, and patients should plan on eating within four hours beforehand and on wearing comfortable clothing that can be adjusted to expose the arms and legs to above the elbows and knees.
Acupuncture: A technique in which very fine, sterile, single-use needles are inserted into acupoints on the patient's body. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the acupoints are functional spots along energetic pathways in the body called channels (or meridians), which cover the surface of the body and connect to the internal organs. The intended effect of acupuncture is to restore balance to the body by removing obstructions from the channels and by activating the body's own defense and repair mechanisms. Usually between ten and twenty acupoints are needled in one session, with needles remaining in the body for between twenty and thirty minutes.
Electrostimulation: A gentle electrical current using electrodes attached to acupuncture needles may be passed between acupoints in order to increase the effectiveness of removing obstructions from the channels.
Medical Tuina Massage: A form of bodywork based on TCM diagnosis which uses the acupoints and channels and employs joint and soft tissue techniques such as pressing, kneading, rubbing, pulling, stretching, rotating, and traction. It is sometimes compared to shiatsu or deep-tissue massage.
Cupping: A type of bodywork by which open glass spheres are affixed to the body by heating the air within the cup and then placing the cup against the skin. After placing the cup on the skin, the air inside cools and creates lower pressure and suction to the skin. If combined with massage oil, cups can be slid around the back and other areas of the body to remove obstructions from the channels.
Gua Sha: A type of bodywork using a hand-held plastic blade to gently scrape the back and other areas of the body in order to remove obstructions from the surface of the body.
Moxibustion: Also referred to as "moxa", it consists of burning dried Chinese mugwort herb on acupoints in order to increase circulation in local areas. Moxa comes in dense, cigar-shaped cylinders, which burns like incense while held over acupoints, or rolled more loosely into shorter cylinders that can be stuck onto the handles of inserted needles. There is also direct moxa, which involves pinching clumps of the herb into cones, placing them on acupoints, and burning it until the areas are warm.
Herbal Medicine: Herbs may be administered per patient in a tailored fashion, combining individual raw or granule ingredients that are decocted and taken daily as a tea, or most common formulas are also available as standardized "patent" pills or capsules. Herbal formulas, as well as dietary therapy, are based on the flavors and thermal effects of the overall combination of ingredients and on the patient's constitution and imbalances.
Dietary Therapy: Like herbal medicine, recommendations are based on the flavors and thermal effects of the overall combination of ingredients and on the patient's constitution and imbalances. In general, a balanced diet in terms of flavors and thermal effects will lead to health.
Tai Chi and Qi Gong: Activities that include physical routines and postures to achieve and maintain flexibility, strength, and balance, in addition to breathing and meditation exercises. The overall effect is to optimize the flow of energy throughout the body.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS CLINIC
The Multiple Sclerosis Clinic at the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine began in 2005 as part of a dissertation study on the treatment of MS with acupuncture. Dr. Imaim Neng Thao, an AAAOM graduate, pursued his Ph.D. degree in Oriental medicine in China for two years, returning to Minnesota to set up his MS research project in AAAOM's clinic. After Dr. Thao completed his research project, AAAOM continued the specialty clinic with faculty member advisors and intern practitioners. AAAOM's MS clinic has become an important resource for many MS patients in the community, as well as providing invaluable research and treatment experience for AAAOM students.
There is no cure for MS in Western or Chinese medicine. Our goal as acupuncturists is to support the body's self-healing potential, curb acute attacks, and slow the progression of symptoms. Common MS symptoms that acupuncture treats effectively are: muscle weakness and spasm, pain, vision problems, tremor, balance/coordination, dizziness, bladder infections, fatigue, and mental/emotional problems. Symptoms that have a mixed response to acupuncture include bladder and bowel problems, numbness/tingling, tinnitus, and memory/concentration problems. Chinese medicine is also successful at treating secondary symptoms such as poor or excess appetite, lowered immunity, anger/frustration, and side effects from medication.
A typical course of treatment for new MS clinic patients is two treatments per week for the first four to five weeks. As with any condition, the earlier in the course of the disease patients are treated the better the results. Chronic diseases such as MS generally demand long-term treatment as well. In successful cases, symptomatic relief lasts for sequentially longer periods between treatments, eventually declining in intensity or disappearing altogether. When the condition stabilizes to the point where treatments are needed less often, we recommend that MS patients return to the clinic once every two to three weeks to prevent recurrence of symptoms.
Make an appointment in the MS clinic by calling 651-631-0204 Ext. 1. MS patients are treated for $15 per visit.
Visit www.MSclinicMN.com for more information on locations, hours, contact info, and practitioners.
TCM HEALTH CENTERS
The American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and its faculty doctors also serve the public through its network of affiliated TCM Health Center clinics. In addition to the Roseville and Uptown location, clinics are located in Dinkytown near the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, Edina, and on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. Treatments are $56 with a faculty doctor at Roseville, where student observers may be present, and $66 at the other locations.
Visit www.AcupunctureMN.com for more information on locations, hours, contact info, and practitioners.
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