Yi Hung Chan, DPM
Yi Hung Chan, DPM, podiatrist in private practice, West Orange, New Jersey, and lead acupuncturist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Hospital, New York City.
Gynecological complaints like pelvic pain, infertility, menstrual cramps and the mood swings and hot flashes of menopause are often highly responsive to acupuncture. Case in point—a 12-week study of breast cancer patients that compared acupuncture treatment to use of an antidepressant, venlafaxine, for relief of severe hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Both treatments were effective, but with some important differences. The women in the acupuncture group reported no side effects, while the drug group suffered many unpleasant ones. The acupuncture group also reported improved energy, clarity of thinking, sexual desire and overall sense of well-being. Finally, improvement among the acupuncture patients lasted much longer — from three to four months after finishing treatment, compared with the venlafaxine group, in which symptoms resumed within two weeks after they stopped the drug.
To learn more, we spoke with acupuncturist Yi Chan, DPM, LAc, who is on staff at The Bendheim Integrative Medicine Center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and in private practice in West Orange, New Jersey. Dr. Chan says the basic philosophy of Chinese medicine is to maintain proper balance of energy flow (chi) in the body and that when the flow is disrupted, it creates disorders and discomfort. He likens this to the New York City subway where a breakdown of even a single train will cause widespread disruptions in the system. Acupuncture, he says, is a way to locate and correct the disruption of the chi.
Dr. Chan reports that acupuncture helps 80% of his patients — bringing “great improvement” to 60%. With acupuncture, most patients can tell by about the sixth treatment if it is helping their problem — if nothing has changed by then (as is true for about 20%), the challenge may be too great for acupuncture alone to resolve.
Menstrual cycle problems (flow, regularity, pain). Sometimes stress, diet or excessive exercise can disrupt normal functioning of the menstrual cycle, by sending energy to the wrong places, explains Dr. Chan. Acupuncture can help repair and “smooth out the bumpy ride,” whether the flow is too heavy or too little, or the cycle is shortened, delayed or irregular. Typically, the practitioner treats the patient through several cycles, with about eight to 12 weeks of treatments.
Fertility issues. Acupuncture can be helpful for women having trouble conceiving, and new research shows that it improves the success rate of in-vitro fertilization. Dr. Chan suggests not waiting many months to seek acupuncture to help fertility, urging women who don’t get pregnant to use acupuncture sooner rather than later, as it can “free up” their energy flow. But such women should always first have a complete physical exam by a gynecologist to be sure that everything is anatomically functional.
Endometriosis and uterine fibroids. These particular problems can be stubborn and complex. While acupuncture can help ease pain and excessive bleeding, women with endometriosis and/or fibroids often require conventional treatment as well, sometimes including surgery. In those cases, acupuncture can help soothe post-surgery discomfort, supporting healing and re-establishment of the cycle. Again, it is crucial to have a gynecological examination to determine the nature and extent of the problem — if symptoms are mild to moderate, Dr. Chan says acupuncture can help right away, but for severe symptoms, he says women should first see a medical doctor and then seek out an acupuncturist.
Hot flashes. As mentioned above, acupuncture can ease the frequency and severity of hot flashes as well. Dr. Chan advises his patients to keep a notebook, writing down frequency and intensity of the flashes as they occur. With acupuncture, “the frequency may abate, but the intensity remains the same — or vice-versa,” he says. “By observing this carefully you will know if acupuncture is working for you.” Dr. Chan also has a list of “cooling” foods advised in Chinese medicine for such patients — watermelon, mung bean, mustard greens, bitter melon and grass jelly.
To find an acupuncturist near you, go to the Web site of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at www.nccaom.org, which lists board certified practitioners. Word of mouth is also good, says Dr. Chan. Insurance covers treatment in many cases, though not always. Perhaps this too will change as Western medicine begins to fully embrace the benefits of acupuncture.
