Cincinnati Acupuncturists Cincinnati, OH

After eight years of training from two traditional Chinese medicine colleges in China, Guanhu Yang says he's built his Blue Ash- and Mason-based acupuncture clinics on quality, personal interest and a genuine desire to help customers. He's also certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and the Ohio State Medical Board and has 19 years of experience.

"Whatever type of medicine you choose — traditional or non-traditional — your practitioner should be well-qualified and able to demonstrate his credentials. Sometimes it's not the medicine that isn't effective, but the practitioner," Yang says.

What is acupuncture and how does the process work?

"Acupuncture's a healing act of inserting a needle into an acupuncture point in a meridian to correct an imbalance of the energetic pathways relating to the organs, muscles and nerves of the human body's surface. It usually takes five to eight acupuncture sessions for the process to be effective, but sometimes results are noticed after the first session. Typically, the longer the person has had the issue, the longer it takes to get relief. I typically use 18 to 25 needles per session — all properly sterilized and discarded. Acupuncture works in part by stimulating the body's own natural resources to aid the body to heal."

Should people consider acupuncture instead of visiting a traditional doctor?

"It's never suggested that someone seeking acupuncture should forgo the traditional doctor. The world would be a better place if all health care professionals could just work together to do what's best for the patient. After all, no one profession has all the answers."

When is acupuncture a good choice of treatment?

"Results vary from patient to patient, but I have success with migraine headaches. Acupuncture's also good for knee pain and other chronic pain conditions, allergies and sinuses, asthma, depression and anxiety, menstruation discomfort and fertility issues. Patients with acute conditions and those who need immediate surgical treatment shouldn't select acupuncture treatment."

Is there anything new in the field that people should know about?

"Modern research shows that acupuncture's good not only for pain control but also improving the body's immunity. Research proved that acupuncture can promote and regulate both cellular immunity and humoral immunity. If you're healthy, regular acupuncture treatment regulates your body's immunity to keep you in the best condition. If you're not well, acupuncture improves your immune function to help you regain wellness."