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Safety & Efficacy

Enchanted Goat

Traditional East Asian Medicine — the birthplace of acupuncture — is the oldest, professional, continually practiced literate medicine in the world.

Please visit our Research Page for a list of current scientific research.

Acupuncture and Traditional Oriental Medicine were developed long before the system of modern western medicine that most of us use today. While the methods and treatments of Traditional Oriental Medicine have survived because they are effective, there have been some advances in modern medicine that are faster and more effective than the traditional remedies. At Cascade Wellness, we will assist you using Traditional Oriental Medicine in conjunction with western medicine, referring to and communicating with your primary care physician or specialist as needed throughout your treatment process.

Safe

“Generally speaking, acupuncture treatment is safe if it is performed properly by a well-trained practitioner. Unlike many drugs, it is non-toxic, and adverse reactions are minimal.  Even if the effect of acupuncture therapy is less potent than that of conventional treatments, acupuncture may still be worth considering because of the toxicity or adverse effects of conventional treatments.”

Cascade Wellness offers: 

  • Only well-trained practitioners
  • The highest quality needles that are smoother and stronger than others on the market
  • Herbs that are sulfur and preservative free, organically focused and always tested for heavy metal content for your safety from companies like SuntenSpring WindBlue PoppyKan Herb, and Mayway.

Effective

Traditional East Asian Medicine is the oldest, professional, continually practiced literate medicine in the world. It’s practices were beginning to be refined before recorded history. Traditional East Asian Medicine has remained relatively unchanged for at least 2000 years. While there are many studies showing the positive effects of acupuncture, it is difficult to understand scientifically (new ideas from Australia on why acupuncture works). A double blind randomized controlled trial of acupuncture is not easily carried out. The nature of the treatment process makes a blinded study difficult. Just as there are usually multiple roads to get from one destination to another there are many different points and channels that can be used to treat the same condition with acupuncture. Most treatments are individualized for the patient and not the medical condition they have. Acupuncture is an art form where the practitioner uses his or her unique skills and experience to diagnose then treat each unique patient, making for a difficult scientific study environment. This combined with a lack of funding for studies on acupuncture makes for slim pickings of large sample size, double blind studies that are well carried out and well controlled.