1 Bartlett Court Newport, RI 02840 401-619-1912
We have tried here to address some frequently asked questions about Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Acupuncture is amazingly safe. After over 3000 hours of professional training, nationally certified practitioners of Oriental Medicine have a full understanding of human anatomy and physiology, as well as an intimacy with each acupuncture point. The sterile needles used are much smaller than those seen at your western doctor’s office.
Insertion should be painless, though some points may be stimulated to illicit certain sensations of tingling, warmth or ache. If you have any discomfort during your session, speak to the practitioner, and s/he will reposition what is necessary for your comfort. Every effort will be made to make certain you are relaxed, to better enjoy the effects of your treatment.
Yes, seratonin levels rise with acupuncture treatments. Alpha waves (the brain pattern which accompanies meditation) are also induced. This means that you relax, and feel better. Worth a try?
The most common reason people first seek out acupuncture is back pain. Studies have found acupuncture more effective than western medicine at relieving this condition.
Though Western science cannot yet tell us how, there is much evidence that acupuncture DOES work. Thousands of years and numerous studies have proven that. Even the American Medical Association supports the use of acupuncture.
The World Health Organization attests that the therapeutic effect of acupuncture has been shown for the following conditions (Bold writing indicates Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proved - through controlled trials - to be an effective treatment):
Respiratory
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Colds & flu
- Bronchitis
- Sinus infection
- Sore throat
- Whooping cough
Digestive
- Acute abdominal pain
- Biliary colic
- Constipation
- Colitis
- Diarrhea
- Dysentery
- Gallbladder inflammation
- Gallstones
- Gastritis
- Gastric spasm
- Hemorrhoids
- Indigestion
- Nausea and vomiting
- Obesity
- Ulcers
- Ulcerative colitis, chronic
Vascular
- Excess blood lipids
- Epidemic fever
- Hepatitis B virus carrier status
- Nosebleed
- Raynaud syndrome, primary
- Shingles
- Skull injury
- Vascular dementia
Metabolic
- Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin-dependent)
- High blood pressure (essential)
- Hypoglycemia
- Leukopenia
- Low blood pressure (primary)
- Chemo side-effects
- Postoperative convalescence
- Radiation side-effects
- Sjögren syndrome
Dermatologic
- Acne
- Eczema
- Herpes
- Itch
- Neurodermatitis
Musculo-skeletal
- Arthritis
- Back pain: low back pain, acute spine pain
- Bursitis
- Dental pain
- Facial spasm
- Fasciitis
- Fibromyalgia
- Gout
- Knee pain
- Neck pain
- Nerve-root pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Pain due to endoscopic examination
- Pain in thromboangiitis obliterans
- Post-herpetic neuralgia
- Postoperative pain
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sciatica
- Shoulder Periarthritis
- Sore throat (including tonsillitis)
- Sprain
- Stiff neck
- TMJ
- Tendonitis
- Tennis elbow
Neurologic
- Bell’s Palsy
- Cancer-related pain
- Cerebral Palsy
- Headache
- Neuralgia
- Facial pain
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Polio
- Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
- Stroke
- Tietze syndrome
- Tourette’s syndrome
Reproductive
- Hypo-ovarianism
- Impotence
- Infertility, male and female
- Irregular or painful menstruation
- Inducing labor
- Labour pain
- Insufficient Lactation
- Male sexual dysfunction, non-organic
- Morning sickness
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (Stein-Leventhal syndrome)
- Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Pelvic inflammatory Disease (PID)
- Turning malpositioned fetus
- Vaginitis
Mental-Emotional
- Alcohol dependence and detoxification
- Anxiety
- Cardiac neurosis
- Competition stress syndrome
- Depression
- Emotional disorders following stroke
- Insomnia
- Tobacco dependence
- Opium, cocaine and heroin dependence
- Schizophrenia
- Stress
- Stress-related itching
Sensory
- Deafness
- Dizziness
- Earaches
- Eye pain due to subconjunctival injection
- Meniere’s Disease
- Tinnitus
- Vision problems
Genito-Urinary
- Chronic Prostatitis
- Infections: Recurrent lower UTIs
- Female urethral syndrome
- Hepatitis
- Renal colic
- Traumatic urinary retention
- Kidney stones
BIOGRAPHY:
Lynn MacKesson was a professional sailor for 17 years, captaining the 1907 wooden Herreshoff yacht Neith for ten years, sailing as mate on a number of sail-training schooners and research vessels. It became obvious that she needed a new career when she could no longer become exited about the job offers coming in, and so she began to think in terms of “doing good,” looking for a mission after years of perfecting her techniques at sailing and maintaining unique antique vessels.
It was after a series unrelated health problems cropped up that Lynn wondered why Western medicine was unable to either connect these symptoms or reverse them. Her doctors sent her to a different specialist for each of the ailments, and each one prescribed 2 to 4 drugs that she should take for the rest of her life. So, after being healthy for years, she suddenly found herself on $800 per month worth of drugs for minor complaints that couldn’t be cured. Surely this was all reversible?
Having been through acupuncture therapy with Kathleen Poole years earlier, Lynn knew that Chinese medicine could connect her diverse symptoms, and likely cure them as well. She read up on Oriental Medicine, and it all made sense. Thus she began to realign her life to study this work, and make it her own.
Dr. MacKesson researched numerous schools, and settled on the Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin (Texas), for their exceptionally strong Chinese herbal program. She underwent an intensive four year master’s program, amassing more than 3080 Hours, including a three-year internship.
After graduation, Lynn moved back into the Northeast, immediately taking up practice in both Newport and Groton, where Kathleen Poole had recently expanded her practice.
Lynn MacKesson continually studies Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and Homeopathic applications, as well as keeping abreast of scientific findings in nutrition and herbal supplementation. She has completed extensive education in Master Tung's Points, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Acupuncture for the Cancer Patient.
Dr. MacKesson is additionally certified in Zen Shiatsu, Reconnection, Reconnective Healing, Tong Ren Therapy, Facial Rejuvenation, and Laughter Yoga.
"I believe my greatest strength is in combining customized, highly effective Chinese herbal formulas with acupuncture, and tailoring each individual’s treatment, incorporating dietary, homeopathic and energetic therapies when beneficial. I utilize all of my diverse training to find the most effective treatment for my patients."
"People come to my care for any number of ailments. Simple relaxation brings some. Migraines, sleep disorders, dizziness, palpitations or panic attacks, allergies and asthma, sequela of stroke, fertility, gynecological complaints, digestive and urinary difficulties, neuropathy, spinal problems, injured joints, muscular aches and pains. Sufferers of chronic pain, Lyme disease, and auto-immune ailments find deep relief with Chinese Medicine."
