Peter Hourigan’s Web Page     www.peterhourigan.com 

1190 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, CA, 95405, 707-523-2305  

Email   [email protected] 

 

See below for:

     Fees and insurance

     Map and directions to my office

     Treatment of my arm by salves

 

 

Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine

 

Chinese medicine is a system of natural healing based on empirical observation and treatment of disease over thousands of years. Some of the main therapies include acupuncture, herbal formulas, massage therapy, exercise, and diet.

 

It is based on the idea that all parts of one’s body are dynamically connected and affect each other continuously.

 

Because of the interdependent nature of all the body’s organs, all systems are affected (digestive, circulatory, immune, etc.).

 

Western research has shown that acupuncture causes the body to release endorphins (natural pain killers produced in the body), immune factors, and other natural chemicals involved in balancing and strengthening health.

 

Whenever possible, it is beneficial to allow the body's own healing capacity to overcome a disease naturally with the end result of a stronger immune system. This is the goal of Chinese medicine.

 

Chinese medicine is extremely useful as an adjunct to western medicine as a way to strengthen the body so that the drugs or surgery can work better with less side effects.

 

WHAT IS A TREATMENT LIKE?

 

After a thorough interview to assess your symptoms and body constitution, ultra-fine needles are gently inserted at specific points on the body. The sensation is usually a dull pressure which may feel slightly electric or warm. The sensation should never be so strong that you cannot completely relax. The needles are retained for 20-40 minutes and then are painlessly withdrawn.

 

Because of the regulating and calming effect of acupuncture on the nerves, most people find the treatment very relaxing. Many people get some immediate relief. Usually the effects of the treatment are felt from one to three days.

 

All factors which influence one's health are considered in a treatment. These include diet, lifestyle, exercise, medications, etc.

 

HOW MANY TREATMENTS ARE NEEDED?

 

Each person is unique; therefore the treatment plan is individualized. It depends on the type and duration of the illness, the severity of the condition, and the physical state of the patient at the time of treatment. Acupuncture works by stimulating the body's own healing functions, so several treatments are often required.

 

For best results, acute conditions should be treated twice per week, then in prolonged intervals as needed. For chronic conditions 1-2 treatments per week are advised.

 

CHINESE HERBOLOGY

 

The use of herbs is the second oldest form of physical healing in the world (after massage). What makes Chinese herbology unique is the long history of clinical use, including some of the oldest written medical texts in the world. There is a wealth of information and research available, both historical and current – there are many hospitals in China with thousands of inpatients which use herbs as the main therapy.

 

The philosophy of Chinese herbology is based on balance and observation of nature and was constantly developed over the centuries. This understanding can be applied to any other herbs in the world, so I use some western herbs as well. Some these are local organically grown or wild crafted.

 

SOME OF THE MANY CONDITIONS WHICH RESPOND WELL TO ACUPUNCTURE AND HERBS

 

Acupuncture is an external form of physical medicine which mainly effects physiological dysfunction, as opposed to anatomical problems. This means an inflamed joint (for example) will respond well, but pain from a bone spur will not.

 

Any condition which is aggravated by stress often responds well.

 

Herbs are an internal form of medicine and can help many of the same conditions but they work by strengthening or detoxifying the internal organs and regulating the body’s metabolism.

 

Some of the many conditions that respond well to acupuncture and herbs –

 

Arthritis and tendonitis
Chronic pain

Back pain

Neck and shoulder tension

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue

Digestive problems

Women’s health

Menstrual problems

Sports injuries

Sciatica

Headaches

 

I have also worked with many eye and vision conditions.

 

 

ABOUT ME

 

I started my study of Chinese medicine in 1980 and graduated from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco, California, in 1983. I then moved to Santa Rosa, California, and started my practice. I have been there ever since. Other experience includes being a Nurse’s Aide for Hospice and home care for two years. I was a paramedic (ambulance work) for 3 ½ years. I have maintained a massage therapy practice since 1983. This varied experience has given me a unique perspective in Wholistic health care. It is my goal to provide the appropriate therapies for your particular situation.

 

I have a practical view of medicine, and I incorporate modern and traditional aspects of medicine in order to get the best of each.

 

I use gentle acupuncture technique. As I stated above - the sensation should never be so strong that you cannot completely relax.

 

I often incorporate some massage and mild physical therapies into the treatment.

 

Therapies that I use include acupuncture, massage, herbal formulas, exercise therapy, diet and hot stone massage techniques.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fees and payments

 

Rates for office visit - Sliding scale fee $30 - $50, depending on ability to pay and how often you need to come in. Herbs are usually $10 per week.

 

Medi-cal is accepted with a $20 co-payment. Only two visits per month are covered. Extra visits are $25.

 

Insurance – I don’t accept insurance based on provider lists (95% of insurance policies). However, if you are paying for a policy that covers acupuncture and I cannot accept it, I will happily apply the sliding scale if it is appropriate.

 

Credit cards through Paypal – Currently I can accept credit cards if you have access to an email account. I will email you a bill which contains a link to Paypal. You do not need an account with them. The payment site is secure and private. In the near future I will accept credit card payments directly at my office.

 

 

 

 

Map and directions to my office. 1190 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, CA, 95405, 707-523-2305

 

Across the street from Whole Foods Market in Santa Rosa at the corner of Yulupa  and Mayette Aves.

 

On the north east side of the intersection is a brick building directly behind a bus stop. My sign is on the wall and door

 

From Hwy 101 take the Route 12 exit EAST (towards Sonoma), Cross Farmers Ln. and continue straight onto Hoen Ave. Turn left on Yulupa Ave. Go one long block to Mayette Ave. (traffic light).

 

From eastern Santa Rosa (Route 12) turn left on Mission Blvd and go down Montgomery Blvd. to Yulupa Ave.

 

From downtown take Sonoma Ave. to Yulupa Ave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the story of my arm in December 2005.

 

12-8-05   For my whole life I had two moles on my right forearm. Both of them were the same size, never changing for 47 years. Then one of them decides to start growing. It doubled in size over the course of a year. There was a slight itch. I got a thorough exam by an MD, who said that I did not appear to have cancer. Indeed, I felt fairly healthy. As for the mole, there were two options – first; wait and see what it does. Second, get a biopsy. I did not want to get a biopsy for fear of spreading something that was, so far, encapsulated and probably not malignant, but I did not want to wait around to watch it grow, either. Therefore, I decided to remove it using “chemosurgery”. This consisted of applying a simple salve over the mole daily for about two weeks until the lesion fell off my arm. Also, I took huge amounts of digestive enzymes to help my body work from the inside out. I also took a large amount of herb teas which I have a lot of experience with, along with good diet and moderate exercise. Then a few weeks more of letting the wound heal naturally. The salve consisted of Bloodroot (a strong medicinal root herb), Zinc Chloride (a caustic chemical), and Galangal (a mild medicinal herb). This protocol and the products (except the herb teas) were developed by a company based in Florida. Please check out their website for detailed information and incredible (very graphic) photos of other people who have used their products. I found them to be very helpful and compassionate. CancerX.org.

 

 

Application of the salve (on day three) with tegaderm bandage.

 

 

12-14-05   This is a test spot on my leg near my knee where I applied the salve for 24 hours. It created a small welt. There is some redness around the outer edge of where the salve was. It went away after a few days.

 

12-14-05    This is my mole after the same 24 hours of using the salve. There are four little yellow bumps that appeared, and the edges of the mole became red and expanded their borders. The bumps are hard and not painful to touch at all. Now I am starting to get a little scared.

 

 

12-16-05   Day three. The area become inflamed and the inner part is turning brown and dead looking. The area is warm and itching, but not very painful still. Now I am starting to freak out. Many questions are going through my head. Every day I re-read the educational material and watch the DVD provided by CancerX. My progress seems normal, so I keep going.

 

12-19-05   Now it is getting a little painful. It is like I had a bee sting yesterday. Sore, but not worth taking pain pills yet. Luckily, this location on the arm is fairly tough.

 

12-20-05   Still expanding, and I’m still freaking out, and I still re-read the instructional material daily.

 

12-21-05   Now it’s starting to hurt. It now feels like I got a bee sting this morning, and the surrounding area is very tender.

 

12-23-05   I am really wondering if this thing will stop! My whole forearm is getting very sensitive. It hurts, but I am afraid to mask the pain with medication because I want to be in touch with what is going on inside of me. I also have a fairly high tolerance to pain

 

12-24-05   Now it feels like a hive of bees are constantly stinging me. The inflammation is intense. It is not due to the tegaderm bandages, but it is torture to take them off everyday. Oddly enough, taking a warm shower does not cause pain. It actually feels good. However, I have reached my pain limit. It hurts to even blow gently on my arm. I start taking 2 Advil three times per day. Thankfully, sleep is OK, although I have to protect my arm carefully. The lesion is just starting to crack on the top edge. This is GOOD! It has finally stopped expanding.

 

12-25-05   “My Christmas present”. Difficult to see, but the crack is increasing around the edge from about “11 o’clock to 5 o’clock” on the circle. The pattern of inflammation is changing a little bit also.

 

12-26-05   Side view showing how it is raised out of my arm, like a little volcano, which is what it feels like.

 

12-26-05   Same day as above, different view. Still very painful, and you can hold your hand over it and feel the heat radiating from it. Although I can see that it is almost completely separated around the edge, the instructions say to wait until it is totally separated to stop applying the salve, so I did it one more day. Yuck, but I am now very happy to see this coming to completion.

 

12-28-05   Side view. It’s looking pretty gross now. Yesterday the whole edge separated but it’s still completely attached on the bottom. As soon as the edges detached, the pain decreased by about 50 percent. No more need for pain medicine.

 

12-28-05   Same day, different view. As soon as the edges separate, the inflammation magically goes away. It turned to pale purple with no heat. The sensitivity in my forearm is almost normal.

 

12-29-05   This morning I take off the bandage and the whole thing falls off painlessly.

 

12-29-05   This is right after removing the bandage. There is no bleeding; only a little bit of slightly bloody fluid.

 

12-29-05   After a warm shower, which felt good. No pain at all from the water. Immediately after the lesion fell out the pain went down to 10% of what it was three days earlier. It is very strange to be looking at the muscle layer of my arm.

 

12-29-05  Blurry picture of  the top surface of the “thing”.

 

12-29-05   It is a little less than ¼ inch thick.

 

12-29-05   Same day, after my shower. Notice that the inflammation is totally gone and the skin is pale and gray from a sudden lack of circulation

 

1-1-06   Two days later and the skin is starting to re-grow from the outer edge. It is more or less painless, but a little sore.

 

1-2-06   Rapid growth of skin.

 

The wound is closing in.

 

I make the mistake of poking at it to check the skin, and end up with a blister which now breaks open each day and then heals by the end of the day. This is a set back, but the main wound continues to close in and heal.

 

Another day, another popped blister.

 

Finally! The blister closes for good

 

Finally, the wound closes itself up and stays there!

 

The final scar. There is a kind of soreness under the scar and by the top end where the muscle moves under the skin. This sensation continues for a few more months as the skin and the muscle continue to join and stretch.