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| Dr. Xiping Zhou on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) The science of acupuncture |
| By Heidi M. Pascual |
| Any alternative form of medical treatment is sure to raise some eyebrows, especially from Western medical practitioners. But the battle of the east and west on the issue seems to have died down. In fact, many alternative forms of treatment have been very popular, especially because of patients' testimonies that the treatments work for them. In addition, numerous western practitioners have outwardly supported "integrative medical treatment programs" particularly for patients willing to try them. In Madison, one of the more popular and sought-after practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), or acupuncture, is Dr. Xiping Zhou, founder and president of the East-West Healing Arts Institute. Asian Wisconzine had the opportunity to see first hand how Dr. Zhou's "healing hands" made wonders. The premise for TCM, which works at all times, according to Dr. Zhou, is that the patient is treated in his or her entirety. "I check their medical histories, their lifestyles, their environment or their work conditions," Dr. Zhou explained. "It's a holistic approach, a natural approach, rather than just treating symptoms." This look at the individual in a more in-depth way not only helps him diagnose a patient correctly and treat an illness, but also to prevent a disease and more importantly, to improve one's well-being. "Traditional Chinese Medicine incorporates a variety of interrelated and highly effective modalities including acupuncture, herbal medicine, Chinese massage, and cup treatment," Dr. Zhou continued while showing this writer how he treated one of his patients suffering from lower back pain. Heated transparent cups trapped parts of the patient's lower back showing concentrated blood on the trapped muscles. "The vacuum increases the blood flow," Dr. Zhou explained, "and it cures the pain by helping loosen the muscles through increased pressure thus bringing the inflammation to the surface." Before the cup treatment, acupuncture was done first with very fine needles numbered accordingly, Dr. Zhou said. "Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into the body's skin at specific points located on the meridians or energy pathways," he continued. "These meridians are connected to specific organs, body structures, and systems; and the energy or life force (Qi) circulates throughout the body along these energy pathways." Showing exactly where needles were inserted to another patient in another room, Dr. Zhou continued, "Qi consists of oppositiesyin and yang, so when the flow of Qi is normal (meaning, yin and yang are in harmony or balanced), the person is physically and emotionally healthy. Acupuncture helps by removing the obstructions in these meridians. "He said that there are many studies in animals and humans that proved acupuncture can cause multiple biological responses, and "acupuncture regulates the bioelectrical field of the human body, restoring and balancing a person's internal energy and speeding natural healing." One of Dr. Zhou's patients, 95 year-old Anne Fisher, had an impinged sciatic nerve who underwent a new form of surgery called X-stop. "Her pain was so severe that she was on narcotic equal to (that being given to) a very severe cancer patient in final stages," daughter Susan Ihler said. "She went from narcotics to acupuncture and she had no narcotics for about three or four years. But we started putting narcotics back last September or October." Dr. Zhou explained that she had to have the surgery because of the severity of her condition, but the acupuncture treatment is working for her. "She travels all the way from Merrimac to see me once a month," he said. Another patient, Bill Reis, has microscopic colitis, a condition that made him go to the restroom six to seven times. Dr. Zhou treated him with Chinese massage of his colon. "This is fabulous; it really worked well," Reis said while undergoing treatment."It's my choice to take this treatment rather than my health insurance which would treat me with just steroids." Dr. Zhou said, "What he eats makes a great difference.? Reis admitted he learned a lot about what his body is doing and not doing, and why it becomes toxic due to the bad food he eats./ A migraine sufferer in another room likewise had good words for Dr. Zhou. "He stopped my headaches a lot," the lady said with a smile. In the last five years, I dealt with two suicides in the family, loss of jobs, stroke, all that." Dr. Zhou said, "She gets stressed very easily. I want to make her to be more focused and calm." He gave her acupuncture, lots of soothing conversations, and later, Chinese herbs. There was a teen-ager who had a shoulder blade problem, and underwent the TCM process, including exposure to ultra-red rays. Every day, Dr. Zhou sees between 20 to 40 patients with various problems both physical and emotional: neuromuscular pain, depression, allergy, asthma, lupus, infertility, and even cancer. They believe that TCM can help cure their ails, by itself or in combination with Western medicine. We should have a balance medicine where the East meets the West, Dr. Zhou said. "We use modern technology to see what's going on inside the body, through CAT Scan, for example, but we should also use acupuncture, massage, and herbals as healing modalities. These are the hidden tools to treat people completely." How affordable is Dr. Zhou's medical services? "I charge from $65 to $85 per session," Dr. Zhou said. "If people don't have the money, however, I give discounts because a lot of these services are not covered by health insurance. People need help and they're paying for my services out of their own pockets. So I consider that, too." About Dr. Xiping Zhou/ In July 1993, while serving as chief physician and full professor at the HeiLongJiangMedicalCollege in China, Dr. Zhou was invited to speak at the National Conference of Acupuncture in the United States about his success treating stroke patients with paralysis. Later, he was hired to teach acupuncture and TCM at the MidwestCollege of Oriental Medicine in Racine, Wisconsin. Dr. Zhou established his private practice in Madison and Milwaukee in 1996, and in 1999 joined the staff of Columbia's St. Marys Hospital in Milwaukee, becoming one of the very first acupuncturists on staff at any Wisconsin hospital. He now teaches his science and art of Traditional Chinese Medicine at his own school, the East-West Healings Center located at 6425 Normandy Lane in Madison, and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison mini classes program. |
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