Inner Gate Acupuncture's Chinese Herbal Medicine Blog

The moment you get on a plane to China the search for H1N1, the swine flu, is on. You are peppered with questions before landing, you walk through a metal detector that has been jerry rigged to measure your temperature, and health officials coral you into a room marked “quarantine” if you look tired.  This happened to one of our students who was tired because she had been traveling for over 24 hours.

The hysteria amped up when I brought a student to the hospital with nausea and a fever  a day later  After testing her blood and taking her temperature they told us that she had to stay in the hospital that night until a throat swab could be done and an H1N1 test came back negative.  I protested because I had 12 other students back at the hotel waiting for me and I could not leave this one in the hospital without a translator. However, we had set a chain of events into motion that was now being monitored by provincial officials.

Over the next 24 hours the student was quarantined, or “jailed” as she put it, in one of the most sparsely furnished rooms.  She slept on a bed with many-day old sheets in a room that was painted white but had the stains of years of dirt and disease on the walls. The windows were barred, keeping her in but not keeping the mosquitoes out.  The walls of every room were covered with charts screaming “H1N1”, reminding you to wash your hands, showings images of Caucasian women coughing clouds of disease, and telling doctors and patients alike the chain of care and command as the disease progresses.

24 hours later, 3 IV drips later, 15 phone calls later and 4 doctor changes later, the H1N1 diagnosis came back negative and we were allowed to go home.

A recent article in Lancet, a leading medical journal out of England, cites a spike in cesarean sections (c-section) over the last decade.  The greatest rise was seen in China, where this surgery was performed in 46% of all deliveries. In Chinese culture, this spike is tied to an increase in wealth, a perception of modernity, and even a desire to have your child born on a “lucky” birthday.  However, this rise in c-sections can be seen across the entire globe and over every socioeconomic class.  Even in the United States the rate of c-sections has risen from 4.5% back in 1965 to 33% in 2007.

There are many reasons why this rise is happening.  Research suggests that the natural contractions of the uterus are disrupted by the continual electronic monitoring of the baby as well as by the administration of epidurals early in the delivery. Women are rarely being advised of all their birthing options, perhaps because as medicine becomes more advanced a more casual attitude towards major surgeries is taking hold.  It is easier to “go in” and get the baby then invest the time and energy in having a doula or other trained professional present to assist in a natural birth. One is also left to wonder whether insurance compensation practices pressure doctors to deliver in an efficient manner, as a long, drawn out delivery is still reimbursed as just “a delivery”.

It is important to realize that c-sections pose a great deal of risk to both the mother and the child. Mothers will have uterine scarring after the c-section that increases the future chances of infertility, ectopic pregnancies and placenta previa, a condition where the placenta develops across the cervix, increasing the risk of miscarriage.  A higher rate of unexplainable fetal demise happens after week 34, late in the 3^rd trimester, in women who have scarred uteruses.  And the one proposed benefit of a c-section, protecting the pelvic floor and reducing future incontinence, seems over emphasized.  Minimal differences exist 6 months post partum and by age 50 no noticeable difference in the strength and function of the pelvic floor is detectable.  Furthermore, this concern can be offset by regularly practicing simple pelvic floor exercises.

Babies, too, are put at risk when a c-section is performed.  A recent study has shown that the normal infant mortality rate in the United States, 0.62 deaths per 1000 vaginal births, jumps 3 fold to 1.77 deaths per 1000 when a c-section is performed.  While this is still considerably low, it is cause for concern.  These deaths can be the result of something as simple as being cut during the procedure or as complicated as developing dyspnea, a breathing disorder, after they are born.  Dyspnea can develop in weaker children who are unable to clear out the amniotic fluid in their lungs that would normally be pushed out by the natural physical compression of the lungs during vaginal birth. Children delivered via c-section have high levels of pain medicines in their systems, leaving them sleepy and uninterested in breastfeeding. These children often lose interest in breast-feeding and again if already weakened, can fail to thrive.

Cesarean sections are one example of the great strides modern medicine has made to save lives and avert emergencies.  However, this is a major surgery that does come with serious risks, and anyone planning a family should evaluate the pros and cons prior to their delivery date.

On June 24th, the Portland Business Journal revealed the rankings of their Top 100 Fastest-Growing Privately-owned Businesses, and Inner Gate Acupuncture ranked 24th! We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment and continue to share our success and happiness with our patients.

Each year, the Portland Business Journal selects their Top-100 businesses based on their percentage of growth during the previous 3 fiscal years.  The percentages are averaged to determine not only their qualification, but their rank on the list. Inner Gate Acupuncture has consistently grown throughout its 5 years of business, and ranked 24th on the Top-100 list with an averaged growth percentage of 109.41%

Of the Top 100 businesses in the field, populated mainly by IT and finance firms, we are only medical office recognized.  This is particularly significant given the fact that during this most recent recession visits to health care practitioners have dropped considerably.  We also especially proud of being the only acupuncture clinic ever selected by the Portland Business Journal.

Inner Gate Acupuncture has continuously believed it’s success has been determined by providing patient-focused, individualized care to address not only the symptoms of disease, but its underlying cause as well.  With over 5000 patient visits per year and an attentive and personal staff, Inner Gate Acupuncture has blossomed into many people’s first choice for health care and wellness.