Three cheers for the Cleveland Clinic, a non-profit, multi-specialty academic medical center, that offers clinical and hospital care and leads the country in research, education, and health information. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it is currently regarded as one of the top four hospitals in the United States according to U.S. News & World Report. The Cleveland Clinic recently opened a Chinese Herbal Therapy Ward in the hospital, with a practitioner of Chinese medicine who offers acupuncture and herbal therapy. What a testament to the power of integrated medicine and a positive and exciting step for the US!
This medical center is one of a growing number of hospitals that now have acupuncturists on staff, but Cleveland Clinic has taken the next innovative step: It is one of the first in the United States to also include a Chinese Herbal Therapy Ward.
Access to acupuncture and herbal therapy in a hospital setting can greatly reduce the need for common medications used for pain management; nausea affiliated with chemo and as a side effect of other prescribed medications; insomnia and sleep issues; and digestive issues that can be caused by the patient’s specific condition or as a side effect from prescription medications.
The well-informed public is increasingly reluctant to take prescription medication at the drop of a hat because of the many side effects, including the risk of building up a tolerance to these drugs. Pharmaceuticals are not necessarily bad, but they should be used sparingly, carefully, and only when absolutely necessary and appropriate. In many cases, other options for treatment exist.
Although many doctors are still quick to write prescriptions for medications, more and more of them are now recommending alternative therapies such as acupuncture, dietary modifications, and exercise before automatically turning to medications. As Traditional Chinese Medicine makes its way into hospital settings, we have reason to hope that our society’s view of health and wellness will expand and that holistic specialists, such as acupuncturists and herbalists, will be accepted into hospitals to achieve the ultimate goal of getting patients well and keeping them well.
The desire for alternative and complementary forms of healthcare are on the rise. According to a 2007 survey performed by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), 38 percent of American adults used some form of complementary and alternative medicine in a 12-month period. This percentage has certainly risen in the last few years.
So congratulations to Cleveland Clinic for acknowledging and embracing a powerful and important modality and specialist. Patients are lucky to have such options and doctors with well-rounded, inclusive views of health care.
Christina Morris is the founder of Element Natural Healing Arts, acupuncturist, herbalist, Maya abdominal practitioner, and reflexologist. “The articles that I write are to educate and provide a further understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine can aid in the treatment of a variety of health conditions and work well in complimenting other medical approaches.”