Heidi M. Pascual*
Publisher & Editor
* 2006 Journalist of the Year for the State
of Wisconsin (U.S.-SBA)
Publisher & Editor
* 2006 Journalist of the Year for the State
of Wisconsin (U.S.-SBA)
| For more Asian American stories in Wisconsin, click: |
By Heidi M. Pascual
Background:
Acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving the stimulation of anatomical
points in the body using a variety of techniques. The acupuncture technique that has been
most often studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid metallic
needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.
Acupuncture is among the oldest healing practices in the world. As part of Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture aims to restore and maintain health through the
stimulation of specific points on the body. In the United States, where practitioners
incorporate healing traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries, acupuncture
is considered part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
The report from a Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture held at the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1997 stated that acupuncture is being “widely”
practiced — by thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners
— for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions. According to the
2007 National Health Interview Survey, which included a comprehensive survey of CAM
use by Americans, an estimated 3.1 million U.S. adults and 150,000 children had used
acupuncture in the previous year. Between 2002 and 2007 NHIS, acupuncture use among
adults increased by three-tenths of 1 percent (approximately one million people). —
National Institutes of Health-National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
When Xuehui (pronounced Shweh-hweeh) Wang emigrated to the U.S. from Changchun,
China in the 1990s, she knew very little English. However, Wang brought with her an
Background:
Acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving the stimulation of anatomical
points in the body using a variety of techniques. The acupuncture technique that has been
most often studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid metallic
needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.
Acupuncture is among the oldest healing practices in the world. As part of Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture aims to restore and maintain health through the
stimulation of specific points on the body. In the United States, where practitioners
incorporate healing traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries, acupuncture
is considered part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
The report from a Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture held at the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1997 stated that acupuncture is being “widely”
practiced — by thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners
— for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions. According to the
2007 National Health Interview Survey, which included a comprehensive survey of CAM
use by Americans, an estimated 3.1 million U.S. adults and 150,000 children had used
acupuncture in the previous year. Between 2002 and 2007 NHIS, acupuncture use among
adults increased by three-tenths of 1 percent (approximately one million people). —
National Institutes of Health-National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
When Xuehui (pronounced Shweh-hweeh) Wang emigrated to the U.S. from Changchun,
China in the 1990s, she knew very little English. However, Wang brought with her an
An interview with Xuehui Wang
The benefits of acupuncture
The benefits of acupuncture
lousy,” Wang recalled with more laughter. “Others were not much better than me, so I didn’t feel bad at all.”
When Wang’s husband accepted a job in Madison, Wisconsin and her daughter no longer required a full-time mom over her shoulder,
Wang decided that it was time to practice her profession (which she had set aside for quite a while). “I took the National Board Exam for
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2000,” Wang recalled, emphasizing that she chose to take the exam in English, not in
Chinese, and passed it. “I began to see a few clients, and at that time, it was only through word of mouth (that people learned about me).”
She basically started her practice by sharing an office with other providers. Her occupation essentially became her small business
as well, as she had to put in capital gradually until she was able to come up with her own clinic. “It took a while to build up,” Wang said.
“Now, I’m pleased to have achieved this and to be able to practice what I learned.” Wang named her clinic “Harmony Acupuncture.”
Acupuncture in China
According to Wang, acupuncture is a very common practice in China, which dates back to a few thousand years ago. “If you have
chronic pain, you’re not going to get morphine or oxycodin in China. You usually go to see an acupuncturist to manage or cure that pain,”
Wang said, adding that Chinese people know the side effects of modern medication, regardless of whether it is doctor-prescribed or over-
the-counter drugs.
She said she got interested in acupuncture — a very different field from that of her parents (her mother is an economics professor and
her father is VP of a business school) — because she wanted to be in the medical field, as she saw first-hand the benefits of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture.
“In China, I saw many cases of colds, bronchitis, and many other illnesses in children, and usually the parents try herbs first,” Wang
explained, and emphasized that most times, the herbs help patients recover quickly without the use of other medications. “Doctors of
traditional medicine in China make their own formula, customized to each individual patient. It’s not ‘one size fits all.’”
Wang added that acupuncture is used by doctors in many clinics and hospitals China. “The majority of China’s medical practitioners
believe in acupuncture and traditional medicine,” she said with certainty. “Acupuncture is commonly used because of the results.”
The science of acupuncture
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body is seen as a delicate balance of two opposing and inseparable forces: yin and yang. Yin
represents the cold, slow, or passive principle, while yang represents the hot, excited, or active principle. According to TCM, health is
achieved by maintaining the body in a ‘balanced state’; disease is due to an internal imbalance of yin and yang. This imbalance leads to
blockage in the flow of qi (vital energy) along pathways known as meridians. Qi can be unblocked, according to TCM, by using
acupuncture at certain points on the body that connect with these meridians. Sources vary on the number of meridians, with numbers
ranging from 14 to 20. One commonly cited source describes meridians as 14 main channels ‘connecting the body in a weblike
interconnecting matrix’ of at least 2,000 acupuncture points. - National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Wang echoed the sentiments of the above statement during this interview. “Every meridian has a yin and yang function, and if the yin-
yang function is off, not only for a particular meridian, it will also impact the other meridians,” she explained. “The human body should be
in harmony, and acupuncture tries to pull the meridians’ yin-yang and energy flows in harmony.” (This basic principle in TCM convinced
Wang to name her own clinic “Harmony Acupuncture.”)
She also explained that the needles in acupuncture are inserted into points that are on the meridians. The reason for using needles, she
said, is that they can penetrate the skin, and meridians are not on the surface of the skin. The positive results of acupuncture, she added,
make the practice popular even outside China and other Asian countries.
Wang’s observations during her practice in the United States
“Acupuncture was not well known yet when I started my practice here in Wisconsin,” Wang said. “Today, it has become so popular
that many insurance companies have began to cover acupuncture.
An area which is close to her heart is women’s health, one aspect of which involves the reproductive system and menstrual problems.
“I was very surprised to observe that many women are given birth control pills to treat irregular menstrual problems,” Wang said with
concern. “In China, it’s very rare to treat people with menstrual problems with birth control pills.
Ailments that acupuncture treats
While Wang’s specialization and interest are focused on women’s health, particularly on the reproductive system’s problems
(infertility, irregular menstrual periods, miscarriage, PCOS, uterine fibroid, and endometriosis), she averred that acupuncture treats the
symptoms of other ailments including migraines, insomnia, anxiety, and low back pain. She also declared that acupuncture has proved
helpful to cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments.
“Cancer patients should follow what their primary doctors recommended for them to do, like chemotherapy, radiation or surgery,”
Wang said thoughtfully. “After that, acupuncture and herbal medicine can help the body deal with the side effects of such cancer
treatments, and help the body prevent the growth of new cancer cells.” She added that cancer patients should not just opt for an
alternative treatment, because cancer cells will not go away if that sole direction is pursued. “If you use only alternative medicine, it’s
not going to work. Cancer cells grow fast. My opinion is that we should work together (with modern medical treatment).”
Benefits of acupuncture on women’s health
Wang described these benefits as summarized below:
• Infertility — Acupuncture and herbal medicine have helped many women get pregnant. For women who use IUI (Intrauterine
Insemination), IVF (In Vitro Fertilization), or fertility drugs, acupuncture helps increase the success rate. There’s data available to prove
this statement. Wisconsin has a local fertility clinic whose doctors recommend the use of alternative medicine to boost pregnancy
success rates.
Many of Wang’s infertility patients, ages from 20s to late 40s, become successfully pregnant after acupuncture treatments.
• PCOS, irregular menstrual cycle and menstrual cramps — Acupuncture and herbs help correct hormone imbalance in the
reproductive system and treat the pain associated with menstrual cramps.
• Uterine fibroid and endometriosis — Acupuncture helps achieve meridian balance through the blood flow and helps readjust the
reproduction system to get rid of symptoms. If the size of the uterine fibroid is big, however, surgery should be the first option.
Endometriosis is a terribly painful condition that affects women even during intercourse and sometimes induces constipation.
Acupuncture and herbs help treat the symptoms.
• Menopause — Acupuncture works very well to control hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, and sometimes, insomnia. Years ago in
the U.S., hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was routinely used to treat menopause symptoms. But when HRT was found to link to breast
cancer, many people stopped using HRT. There’s no effective way to alleviate hot flashes, night sweats, and anxiety. Acupuncture and
herbal medicine have proved effective in controlling the symptoms of menopause and help the body adapt to the new stage.
Wang averred that she has lots of success stories to tell, supported by hard data and results of studies on acupuncture and TCM all over
the U.S. and the world. While the practice of TCM and acupuncture in the U.S. is still very young, Wang is pleased to note that it is now
generally accepted and is beginning to flourish.
“About 10 years ago when I started practice in Wisconsin, not many people knew about acupuncture, let alone tried it,” she said. “It
was just that people didn’t know, or were not aware of acupuncture. Now, people know and understand a lot more. So people come to
me now for a variety of reasons. One reason is the harmful side effects of many medications. So people say, ‘Let’s try acupuncture. If it
works, then it’s great’. I have many patients who use acupuncture for their general well-being. So, I think with more education about
acupuncture, people would consider it as an alternative treatment.”
How does Wang feel today, serving the Madison community through her acupuncture skills?
“I’m very excited. It is a very rewarding occupation because I help people put a smile on their faces.”
Xuehui Wang owns Harmony Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine LLC, 3240 University Ave., Ste. 3B in Madison, Wisconsin. Wang can
be reached at (608) 469-0877 or wang_xue@sbcglobal.net.
When Wang’s husband accepted a job in Madison, Wisconsin and her daughter no longer required a full-time mom over her shoulder,
Wang decided that it was time to practice her profession (which she had set aside for quite a while). “I took the National Board Exam for
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2000,” Wang recalled, emphasizing that she chose to take the exam in English, not in
Chinese, and passed it. “I began to see a few clients, and at that time, it was only through word of mouth (that people learned about me).”
She basically started her practice by sharing an office with other providers. Her occupation essentially became her small business
as well, as she had to put in capital gradually until she was able to come up with her own clinic. “It took a while to build up,” Wang said.
“Now, I’m pleased to have achieved this and to be able to practice what I learned.” Wang named her clinic “Harmony Acupuncture.”
Acupuncture in China
According to Wang, acupuncture is a very common practice in China, which dates back to a few thousand years ago. “If you have
chronic pain, you’re not going to get morphine or oxycodin in China. You usually go to see an acupuncturist to manage or cure that pain,”
Wang said, adding that Chinese people know the side effects of modern medication, regardless of whether it is doctor-prescribed or over-
the-counter drugs.
She said she got interested in acupuncture — a very different field from that of her parents (her mother is an economics professor and
her father is VP of a business school) — because she wanted to be in the medical field, as she saw first-hand the benefits of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture.
“In China, I saw many cases of colds, bronchitis, and many other illnesses in children, and usually the parents try herbs first,” Wang
explained, and emphasized that most times, the herbs help patients recover quickly without the use of other medications. “Doctors of
traditional medicine in China make their own formula, customized to each individual patient. It’s not ‘one size fits all.’”
Wang added that acupuncture is used by doctors in many clinics and hospitals China. “The majority of China’s medical practitioners
believe in acupuncture and traditional medicine,” she said with certainty. “Acupuncture is commonly used because of the results.”
The science of acupuncture
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body is seen as a delicate balance of two opposing and inseparable forces: yin and yang. Yin
represents the cold, slow, or passive principle, while yang represents the hot, excited, or active principle. According to TCM, health is
achieved by maintaining the body in a ‘balanced state’; disease is due to an internal imbalance of yin and yang. This imbalance leads to
blockage in the flow of qi (vital energy) along pathways known as meridians. Qi can be unblocked, according to TCM, by using
acupuncture at certain points on the body that connect with these meridians. Sources vary on the number of meridians, with numbers
ranging from 14 to 20. One commonly cited source describes meridians as 14 main channels ‘connecting the body in a weblike
interconnecting matrix’ of at least 2,000 acupuncture points. - National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Wang echoed the sentiments of the above statement during this interview. “Every meridian has a yin and yang function, and if the yin-
yang function is off, not only for a particular meridian, it will also impact the other meridians,” she explained. “The human body should be
in harmony, and acupuncture tries to pull the meridians’ yin-yang and energy flows in harmony.” (This basic principle in TCM convinced
Wang to name her own clinic “Harmony Acupuncture.”)
She also explained that the needles in acupuncture are inserted into points that are on the meridians. The reason for using needles, she
said, is that they can penetrate the skin, and meridians are not on the surface of the skin. The positive results of acupuncture, she added,
make the practice popular even outside China and other Asian countries.
Wang’s observations during her practice in the United States
“Acupuncture was not well known yet when I started my practice here in Wisconsin,” Wang said. “Today, it has become so popular
that many insurance companies have began to cover acupuncture.
An area which is close to her heart is women’s health, one aspect of which involves the reproductive system and menstrual problems.
“I was very surprised to observe that many women are given birth control pills to treat irregular menstrual problems,” Wang said with
concern. “In China, it’s very rare to treat people with menstrual problems with birth control pills.
Ailments that acupuncture treats
While Wang’s specialization and interest are focused on women’s health, particularly on the reproductive system’s problems
(infertility, irregular menstrual periods, miscarriage, PCOS, uterine fibroid, and endometriosis), she averred that acupuncture treats the
symptoms of other ailments including migraines, insomnia, anxiety, and low back pain. She also declared that acupuncture has proved
helpful to cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments.
“Cancer patients should follow what their primary doctors recommended for them to do, like chemotherapy, radiation or surgery,”
Wang said thoughtfully. “After that, acupuncture and herbal medicine can help the body deal with the side effects of such cancer
treatments, and help the body prevent the growth of new cancer cells.” She added that cancer patients should not just opt for an
alternative treatment, because cancer cells will not go away if that sole direction is pursued. “If you use only alternative medicine, it’s
not going to work. Cancer cells grow fast. My opinion is that we should work together (with modern medical treatment).”
Benefits of acupuncture on women’s health
Wang described these benefits as summarized below:
• Infertility — Acupuncture and herbal medicine have helped many women get pregnant. For women who use IUI (Intrauterine
Insemination), IVF (In Vitro Fertilization), or fertility drugs, acupuncture helps increase the success rate. There’s data available to prove
this statement. Wisconsin has a local fertility clinic whose doctors recommend the use of alternative medicine to boost pregnancy
success rates.
Many of Wang’s infertility patients, ages from 20s to late 40s, become successfully pregnant after acupuncture treatments.
• PCOS, irregular menstrual cycle and menstrual cramps — Acupuncture and herbs help correct hormone imbalance in the
reproductive system and treat the pain associated with menstrual cramps.
• Uterine fibroid and endometriosis — Acupuncture helps achieve meridian balance through the blood flow and helps readjust the
reproduction system to get rid of symptoms. If the size of the uterine fibroid is big, however, surgery should be the first option.
Endometriosis is a terribly painful condition that affects women even during intercourse and sometimes induces constipation.
Acupuncture and herbs help treat the symptoms.
• Menopause — Acupuncture works very well to control hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, and sometimes, insomnia. Years ago in
the U.S., hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was routinely used to treat menopause symptoms. But when HRT was found to link to breast
cancer, many people stopped using HRT. There’s no effective way to alleviate hot flashes, night sweats, and anxiety. Acupuncture and
herbal medicine have proved effective in controlling the symptoms of menopause and help the body adapt to the new stage.
Wang averred that she has lots of success stories to tell, supported by hard data and results of studies on acupuncture and TCM all over
the U.S. and the world. While the practice of TCM and acupuncture in the U.S. is still very young, Wang is pleased to note that it is now
generally accepted and is beginning to flourish.
“About 10 years ago when I started practice in Wisconsin, not many people knew about acupuncture, let alone tried it,” she said. “It
was just that people didn’t know, or were not aware of acupuncture. Now, people know and understand a lot more. So people come to
me now for a variety of reasons. One reason is the harmful side effects of many medications. So people say, ‘Let’s try acupuncture. If it
works, then it’s great’. I have many patients who use acupuncture for their general well-being. So, I think with more education about
acupuncture, people would consider it as an alternative treatment.”
How does Wang feel today, serving the Madison community through her acupuncture skills?
“I’m very excited. It is a very rewarding occupation because I help people put a smile on their faces.”
Xuehui Wang owns Harmony Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine LLC, 3240 University Ave., Ste. 3B in Madison, Wisconsin. Wang can
be reached at (608) 469-0877 or wang_xue@sbcglobal.net.
Xuehui Wang (Above) owns "Harmony
Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine located along
University Ave. in Madison. (Below) An
acupuncture chart in Wang’s clinic shows
meridian points in the human body.
Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine located along
University Ave. in Madison. (Below) An
acupuncture chart in Wang’s clinic shows
meridian points in the human body.
exceptional skill and a formal education in Traditional Chinese Medicine,
specifically in acupuncture and herbal medicine.
While coming to America wasn’t in her plan, she had to join her husband in
Columbus, Ohio. Wang’s foremost concern then was being with her husband
and helping him raise their only daughter. Thus, she became a stay-at-home
mom for several years as she set aside her own career.
Wang made use of her time at home productively, though, by trying to
learn English. “At that time, I watched tons of TV programs, trying to figure out
what’s being said,” she said with a laugh. “I also tried to read newspapers
and some English books. The thing is, I never took an English class here,
although I learned some English when I was in high school. My second
language is actually Japanese. Japan has more acupuncture and herbal
medicine practices than in any western or European country. I thought maybe
later I’d have a chance to visit or attend a conference there. Had I known I’d
be going to the United States, I would have studied English instead when I
was in college.”
She credited the diverse international community where her family lived
in Ohio for helping her cope with her limited English skills. “Of course, I
mingled with people from different countries and I knew my English was
specifically in acupuncture and herbal medicine.
While coming to America wasn’t in her plan, she had to join her husband in
Columbus, Ohio. Wang’s foremost concern then was being with her husband
and helping him raise their only daughter. Thus, she became a stay-at-home
mom for several years as she set aside her own career.
Wang made use of her time at home productively, though, by trying to
learn English. “At that time, I watched tons of TV programs, trying to figure out
what’s being said,” she said with a laugh. “I also tried to read newspapers
and some English books. The thing is, I never took an English class here,
although I learned some English when I was in high school. My second
language is actually Japanese. Japan has more acupuncture and herbal
medicine practices than in any western or European country. I thought maybe
later I’d have a chance to visit or attend a conference there. Had I known I’d
be going to the United States, I would have studied English instead when I
was in college.”
She credited the diverse international community where her family lived
in Ohio for helping her cope with her limited English skills. “Of course, I
mingled with people from different countries and I knew my English was