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Health & Fitness

Conversation with Acupuncturist Eric St. Laurent

Eric St. Laurent has joined Kate Ruma & Associates Acupuncture. Recently, Kate asked Eric a few questions about acupuncture and how he came to it. We thought you might be interested in reading some of his responses.

What is the difference between Chinese and Japanese acupuncture?

Japanese acupuncture uses the abdomen as a main diagnostic tool to assess what is wrong with the body and as a feedback mechanism during the treatment. The patient's body systems are checked and the weakest one is treated first to help bring the body back to a state of homeostasis, which allows the body to combat a diseased state better. Japanese styles also utilize a variety of moxibustion techniques that Chinese styles do not use.  

 What type of cases do you like to treat?

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I like working with pain management cases, both internal and external. Whether it is from a temporary situation such as an injury or a long term condition such as chronic migraines or cluster headaches, the only recourse people often have to alleviate their pain is to take medication to mask it. Allowing people to function on smaller dosages or even without any medication at all creates a profound improvement in their lives.

 How did you get into acupuncture?

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When I was younger I spent a lot of time reading about Taoist philosophy, and it isn't possible to read about the philosophy without references to Chinese medicine. The idea of a medical treatment that used tiny needles to somehow readjust the body fascinated me. Medicine has always been an interesting topic for me, I love the complexity of the living body and all the systems required for it to work properly.

 What is your favorite success story?

A friend of mine, after a good bit of encouragement from his wife, gave me a call to ask if I could help with his migraines. He suffered from cluster headaches that would be present for a few months then go away for long periods of time. He was just going to suffer through this headache period but his wife had told him that he should try acupuncture to help manage his headaches. After the first treatment he was only taking half a pain pill, and after the second treatment his headaches stopped.

 What did you do before becoming an acupuncturist?

I did quite a few things before I became an acupuncturist. I was a cook, a bike messenger, and an assistant kung fu instructor. I am also ex-military.

 Why should people try acupuncture or use acupuncture instead of or in addition to western medicine?

People often find themselves in a position where standard medicine has already done everything it can for them. Acupuncture can help with more medical conditions than it would be helpful to list, a lot of them problems that aren't even resolved with medication. By adding acupuncture to their treatment people often see improvements they didn't think possible otherwise. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a great example here. Acupuncture works great for such a condition.  It greatly improves the quality of life for people suffering from it.

 


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