Acupuncture Center of Cary-Areas of Expertise

"It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has." Hippocrates


Richard A. Shwery, OMD, L.Ac
Bonnie R. Shwery, MA, L.Ac
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Areas of Expertise

In 25 years of practice, we’ve had the opportunity to develop expertise with many different conditions. As Acupuncturists and specialists in the field of Traditional Oriental Medicine and Functional Medicine, we are almost by definition general practitioners. We are comprehensively trained to treat a wide variety of health problems, ranging from back and neck pain to chronic fatigue and irritable bowel. See Conditions Treated.

Because Acupuncture treats numerous different systems of the body, it can help with many symptoms at once. Because it reduces inflammation, its effects are applicable to any illness characterized by inflammation, such as arthritis, asthma, tendonitis, sport injuries, sciatica, IBS, carpal tunnel, headaches and sinusitis. Because it helps regulate hormones, neurotransmitters and immunity, it can help with hypertension, hot flashes, depression, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, infertility and PMS, allergies, diabetes and hypoglycemia.

While conventional medicine treats the disease, Acupuncture also treats the person that has the disease. This means that we can help the majority of modern chronic illnesses, by improving and regulating general physiological function. The effects of Acupuncture don’t ‘wear off’ in the same way that drugs do, because the body actually learns to function better. In a way, Acupuncture treatments train the brain and nervous system to do what they once knew how to do, but have forgotten.

Some of the areas that we’ve had considerable experience and success with include:

Pain Relief
We have remarkably high success rates treating chronic pain. Our skills with Japanese Acupuncture allow us to ascertain the most effective points for each condition.

There are two kinds of patients with pain: those for which we don’t expect a resolution of the problem, and our emphasis is therefore on helping the body better manage the pain; and those for which we do expect resolution and the emphasis is on increasing healing capacity.

For example a joint ravaged by arthritis, or a severely compressed lumbar disc causing sciatic pain, will never be brought back to their healthy condition from 20 years earlier. However, in most of these cases, Acupuncture can markedly reduce pain and inflammation and increase mobility, even if it can’t cure the problem. On the other hand, tendonitis or muscle spasms in the neck or back may improve significantly to the point where the problem resolves or only requires periodic ‘tune-up’ treatments.

Acupuncture stimulates the release of endorphins, which reduce pain, and it also desensitizes areas in the brain that respond to pain. It also increases production of the body’s own anti-inflammatory chemicals, which can lead to a reduction of medications and their attendant side-effects.

Stress Disorders
Acupuncture has been shown to modify the release of stress hormones and neurotransmitters. In excess, these do a lot of damage to the body and contribute to anxiety, insomnia and depression and can complicate problems with blood pressure, headaches and digestion.

Acupuncture’s effect on the nervous system often induces a profound state of relaxation in our patients. By regulating serotonin and endorphin production through a series of treatments, the accumulated effect brings about a long-lasting feeling of calm, coupled with increased energy and a deeper sense of happiness and well-being.

Women’s Health
Acupuncture is successful in treating a wide array of Women’s Health issues. It helps regulate estrogen and progesterone balance, and can ease symptoms of PMS, menstrual irregularity, painful periods, morning sickness and hot flashes.

Acupuncture is also becoming widely used to help increase fertility in both men and women, and has also been shown in clinical trials to improve chances of pregnancy with IVF. Many of our infertility patients have gotten pregnant while receiving Acupuncture and herbal medicine. Issues that can be addressed with Acupuncture include: low sperm production and poor motility in men; and regulating the follicular, ovulation, and luteal phases in women as well as helping women with a history of miscarriages.

Digestive Disorders
Irritable Bowel, Gastritis, Ulcers, Colitis and many other inflammatory conditions of the Stomach and Intestines respond favorably to our Acupuncture treatments. In addition to reducing inflammation, Acupuncture increases digestive enzymes production and regulates acid production. Many of our patients are able to reduce their dependency on antacids and other drugs, while experiencing less gas, bloating and digestive pain.

Immune Problems
We see many of people with allergies, asthma, chronic bronchitis and sinusitis, and even susceptibility to frequent colds. Our patients often experience fewer and fewer episodes or aggravations as their treatments continue. Acupuncture regulates immune function, increasing immune cells when they’re deficient, and reducing them in cases of autoimmune diseases like allergies and MS. Many of our patients have been able to eliminate their use of allergy medication altogether.