By Fred Cicetti

Q: I’m getting heartburn a lot since I turned 60. Is more heartburn something that comes with more years?

A: More than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month and more than 15 million Americans experience heartburn daily. Heartburn is more common among the elderly.

Seniors have a greater risk of GERD.

Heartburn two or more times weekly may be caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. See a doctor if you have heartburn too often. The doctor can test for GERD.

GERD makes stomach acid flow up into your esophagus. There is a valve at the lower end of the esophagus that is designed to keep acid in the stomach. In GERD, the valve relaxes too frequently, which allows acid to reflux, or flow backward.

A hiatal hernia may contribute to GERD. A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of the stomach is above the diaphragm, which is the muscle wall separating the stomach from the chest. The diaphragm helps the valve keep acid from coming up into the esophagus.

When GERD is not treated, you can suffer severe chest pain, narrowing or obstruction of the esophagus, bleeding, or a pre-malignant change in the lining of the esophagus. One study showed that patients with chronic, untreated heartburn were at a substantially greater risk of developing esophageal cancer.

The following are some symptoms that may mean there has been damage to your esophagus: difficulty swallowing, a feeling that food is trapped behind the breast bone, bleeding, black bowel movements, choking, shortness of breath, coughing, hoarseness and weight loss.

You can control infrequent heartburn by changing your habits and using over-the-counter medicines.

For example, you should avoid heartburn-producers such as chocolate, coffee, peppermint, tomato products, alcoholic beverages, and greasy or spicy dishes. Quit smoking because tobacco inhibits saliva that helps with digestion. Tobacco may also stimulate acid production and relax the esophageal valve. Lose weight. And don’t eat two hours before you go to sleep.

For infrequent episodes of heartburn, take over-the-counter antacids, such as Alka-Seltzer and Rolaids. Or, you can take an H2 blocker. H2 blockers are available in both over-the-counter and prescription forms. For example, Pepcid and Zantac are over-the-counter H2 blockers, which are available by prescription at higher doses.

There are also proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), prescription medications that prevent the release of acid in the stomach and intestines. Doctors prescribe PPIs to treat people with heartburn, ulcers of the stomach or intestine, or excess stomach acid. PPIs include Prilosec and Prevacid.

GERD is a chronic disease that calls for continuous long-term therapy. To decrease the acid in your esophagus, raise the head of your bed or place a foam wedge under the mattress to elevate the head about 6 to 10 inches. Avoid lying down for two hours after eating. And don’t wear tight clothing.

Prescription medications to treat GERD include the H2 blockers and the PPIs, which help to reduce the stomach acid and work to promote healing at prescription strength. In addition, there are agents that help clear acid from the esophagus.

Surgery is an option if other measures fail. A surgeon can improve the natural barrier between the stomach and the esophagus that prevents acid reflux.

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If you have a question, please write to fred@healthygeezer.com.

All Rights Reserved © 2010 by Fred Cicetti

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“The more information you have to help your child, the better your child can be served,” says Vanessa Markowitz, a lawyer and advocate for families with children with special needs. So for city parents who think that their child may have some kind of problem—be it developmental, physical or emotional—the most important thing is to take your child to a developmental pediatrician or clinical psychologist for an evaluation. Once your child is evaluated, and any delays or issues are identified, you will be much better prepared to determine how best to help.

Markowitz recommends taking advantage of New York’s early intervention programs, which provide a service coordinator to help you through the process of getting state-funded services. A program will be developed for your child that will include home-based therapies until your child turns 2 years old. At 2 years, your child may begin a center-based preschool program.

In the instance that your child’s special needs are not identified until 3 to 5 years of age, Markowitz again recommends getting a proper evaluation from a professional. Once that evaluation has been performed, the next step is to call New York City’s Committee on Preschool Special Education, which can develop and implement an Individualized Education Program based on your child’s needs.

Maybe the most challenging aspect for families with young children with special needs happens when parents have to find a grade school that adequately addresses their child’s strengths and challenges. Markowitz encourages parents to visit schools (public and private) and attend seminars on the topic, including some held at the JCC (jccmanhattan.org) and at YAI (yai.org). Other helpful sources: the NYC Department of Education’s “Students with Disabilities Transitioning from Preschool to School-Age Program,” a free orientation; and the book, A Parents’ Guide to Special Education in New York City and the Metropolitan Area, by Laurie DuBos and Jana Fromer. Additionally, Advocates For Children operates a helpline for parents with questions about special education and other issues.

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Special Needs Resources In NYC

If your pediatrician has determined that your child has a special need, you shouldn’t feel alone. These local organizations can provide you with important resources and parenting support:

Advocates For Children of New York: 151 W. 30th St., 1-866-427-6033 (helpline operates Mon.-Thurs., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), advocatesforchildren.org.

Jewish Community Center: 334 Amsterdam Ave., 646-505-5700, jccmanhattan.org.

Los Ninos Services: 535 8th Ave., 212-787-9700, losninos.com.

Resources for Children With Special Needs: 116 E. 16th St., 212-677-4650, resourcesnyc.org.

Parent-to-Parent of New York State: 75 Morton St., 212-229-3222, parenttoparentnys.org.

Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai School of Medicine: One Gustave L. Levy Pl., 212-241-0961, mountsinai.org.

YAI: 460 W. 34th St., 212-273-6182, yai.org.

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Special Needs: A Glossary Of Terms

For parents considering whether their child has a special need, the terminology can get confusing. Is he struggling with a learning delay? Does she have an emotional disability? Is there a physical impairment that needs to be addressed? Or is it a combination of several different issues?

So how do you sort it all out? Well, first, with the help of qualified medical professionals. But to get the conversation started, here’s a short glossary that might help you better understand the different types of special needs.

Developmental Disability: A long-term conditiown attributable to a mental impairment or a physical impairment (or a combination of both types of impairments) that manifests before 22 years of age. Developmental disabilities can affect many aspects of a child’s life, including mobility, learning and independence. Examples include Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome.

Emotional/Behavioral Disability: Interferes with a child’s ability to learn, interact socially, build relationships and conduct himself in an age appropriate way. Emotional/behavioral issues can often stem from developmental or learning ones. Examples include anxiety disorders, depression and eating disorders.

Physical Disability: Any neuromuscular, orthopedic, cardiovascular or pulmonary impairment. Physical disabilities can either be congenital or caused by injury. Examples include Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis and vision and hear-
ing impairments.

Learning Disability: Author Robbie Woliver defines a learning disability, or LD, as “a neurological disorder that affects processes in the brain that are involved with understanding spoken or written language, coordinating movements, directing attention, and the ability to learn, concentrate, listen, think, read, spell, write, or do math calculations.” Examples include attention deficits like ADHD, dyslexia and language disorders like aphasia and dysphasia.

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By Babette Gladstein

Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) is a significant health problem among all dogs. It has been estimated by many veterinarian organizations that up to 30 percent of the canine population are afflicted with this painful hip-socket condition. As a result of the widespread nature of this problem, a non-surgical alternative solution is now available.

Babette Goldstein.

Prolotherapy has been used in human medicine successfully since the 1950s. It is comprised of a series of injections with natural substances that cause natural contraction of tendons and ligaments surrounding the hip joint.

Typically, four treatments are utilized and administered by an experienced veterinarian.

The treatment protocols are determined by the physical findings as well as the response to treatments and the cessation of clinical signs. The addition of Acell is introduced at the end of the sessions and seems to accelerate the ultimate progress of the case. Typically the first session shows some progress. After the second session more progress is visible and by the third the clinical signs are mostly resolved. The fourth session is the one that proves the most significant.

Bejinos is a charming Tibetan spaniel, with the breed’s regal bearing and energy. Yet a few weeks ago, the 9-year-old spaniel was lame and clearly not his cheerful self. His case underscores the value of a combined regimen of prolotherapy and Acell.

The problem was compounded by wear and tear on his left side. The elbow and shoulder on that side were stiff and sore, problems directly related to overuse.

A week later, Bejinos underwent a second treatment. After this treatment his lameness issues resolved to a mild stiffness. The owner reported that Bejinos’ improvement was promptly apparent.

In Bejinos’ case, the results were clearly evident, with the compact dog quickly regaining his playfulness and energy.

Although Hazel, a young Saint Bernard, did not show signs of hip dysplasia, something was definitely going on with her. She was reluctant to go up or down stairs and would sometimes sit down abruptly in the middle of a walk. At just two-and-a-half years old, both of her hips were already painful.

Again, the results of the treatment were profound. Within a week, Hazel was sitting less often and was more willing to go up or down stairs. There seemed to be less tenderness in the hip joints.

Several months ago, Buddy—an 11-year-old chow mix at the New York City’s Humane Society—was presented with hip dysplasia and little hope. Palpitation showed how much pain he was in, and an inability to get up and down comfortably. He was basically walking on three legs and was using one hind leg only for balance.

Buddy’s immediate treatment included two prolotherapy sessions, given at two-week intervals and followed by a third treatment of Acell injections

In the weeks following treatment, Buddy made considerable progress. He is able to get up and down more easily and no longer needs pain medication. He now runs happily on his daily walks and the closeness of his hind legs has gradually lessened. He is bearing weight on all four limbs

But the success of his prolotherapy treatment is not the only good news for Buddy. He has recently been adopted and will go to a new home along with his long-time companion, a yellow lab mix.

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Babette Goldstein is a VMD and owner of B Glad Veterinary.

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Manhattan Media and 32BJ SEIU, the property service workers union—are pleased to present the third annual Building Service Workers of the Year Awards, honoring those workers who keep the city’s commercial, residential and other buildings running smoothly. This fall in a special section in our community newspapers, we will honor building service workers who go above and beyond to make
tenants’, residents’ and New Yorkers’ lives better.

These workers will be feted at an awards ceremony in October.

Building service workers in New York City residential and commercial buildings, public schools and other facilities, are eligible for these awards.

Categories include:
Residential Doorman/Woman East Side
Residential Doorman/Woman West Side
Residential Doorman/Woman Lower Manhattan
Brooklyn Residential Building Worker – Superintendent, doorperson or porter
Bronx Residential Building Worker – Superintendent, doorperson or porter
Queens Residential Building Worker – Superintendent, doorperson or porter
Manhattan Superintendent or Porter
Midtown Office Cleaner
Lower Manhattan Office Cleaner
Outer-Borough Office Cleaner
Theater/Event Cleaner
Security Officer – Commercial Office Building
Security Officer – University
Security Officer – Public or City Building
Public School Cleaner
Window Cleaner
Stadium Cleaner
Event Cleaner
Longevity Award (Commercial OR Residential)
Green Award
Life Saver Award

DEADLINE: Nominations are due Thursday, September 30, 2010

All fields are required. Your form will not work unless they are complete. Thanks.

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By Fred Cicetti

Q: I’m a geezer planning to have surgery in a few months. I was wondering if I can donate blood to myself in advance?

A: Yes you can. This is called “autologous” blood donation. It’s done in the weeks before non-emergency surgery. The blood is stored until the operation. Autologous donation is most often employed in surgery on bones, blood vessels, the urinary tract and the heart, when the likelihood of transfusion is high.

This form of blood donation is good for the patient, but it’s beneficial to society, too.

Seniors can donate blood ahead of time in cases of non-emergency surgery.

People over the age of 69 require half of all whole blood and red blood cells transfused, according to the National Blood Data Resource Center (NBDRC). Giving blood to yourself cuts down on the demand for blood.

Typically, each donated unit of blood, referred to as whole blood, is separated into multiple components, such as red blood cells, plasma, platelets and antihemophilic factor, for transfusion to individuals with different needs.

With an aging population and advances in medical treatments requiring blood transfusions, the demand for blood is increasing. On any given day, an average of 38,000 units of red blood cells are needed.

Volunteers donate almost all the blood transfused in the United States using current screening and donation procedures. A growing number of blood banks have found blood donation by seniors to be safe and practical; if you’re a geezer, you probably can help the cause.

To be eligible to donate blood, a person must be in good health. In general, donors must weigh at least 110 pounds. Most blood banks have no upper age limit. Donors are screened for AIDS, hepatitis, other diseases and other possible problems.

Adult males have about 12 pints of blood in their circulation and adult females have about 9 pints. The donor’s body replenishes the fluid lost from donation in about 24 hours. The red blood cells that are lost are generally replaced in a few weeks. Whole blood can be donated once every eight weeks.

What is the most common blood type?

The approximate distribution of blood types in the U.S. population is as follows. Distribution may be different for specific racial and ethnic groups:

O Rh-positive: 38 percent
O Rh-negative: 7 percent
A Rh-positive: 34 percent
A Rh-negative: 6 percent
B Rh-positive: 9 percent
B Rh-negative: 2 percent
AB Rh-positive: 3 percent
AB Rh-negative: 1 percent

In an emergency, anyone can receive type O red blood cells, and type AB individuals can receive red blood cells of any ABO type. Therefore, people with type O blood are known as “universal donors,” and those with type AB blood are known as “universal recipients.”

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If you have a question, please write to fred@healthygeezer.com.

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The dog days of summer can be hazardous to your dog. Be a cool owner and help your canine companion beat the heat this summer.

Humans have hundreds of sweat glands which help us cool by releasing moisture that evaporates on the skin’s surface. Dogs have only a few sweat glands, all of which are located in the pads of their feet. They cool themselves primarily by the process of panting and breathing, with the moist lining of their lungs, tongue and windpipe serving as the evaporative surface. They also dissipate heat by dilating blood vessels in the face and ears. Dilating blood vessels helps cool the dog’s blood by causing it to flow closer to the surface of the skin.

Minimizing your dog’s exposure to extreme temperatures can prevent life-threatening conditions like hyperthermia or heat stroke. Dogs with thick coats or short muzzles, or that are overweight or suffer heart problems, are at higher risk for heat stroke. Symptoms include hard and harsh panting, deep red gums, drooling, sluggishness, vomiting and diarrhea. Body temperatures over 105 or 106-degrees Fahrenheit can quickly lead to organ failure and death. These temperatures can be reached even with moderate heat and exercise.

Never leave your dog unattended in a parked car, not even for a minute. Temperatures inside a vehicle with the windows rolled up can easily reach 160 degrees in a matter of minutes. Just five minutes inside can lead to death. Consider leaving your dog at home when you run errands on a hot day.

I see many dogs being walked in public places wearing canvas muzzles, presumably because they don’t get along well with other dogs or people. While you may be trying to prevent a bite, you are also preventing your dog from panting and cooling off. Basket muzzles are a much better alternative, as it allows your dog to pant freely, but also adds the layer of protection you are looking for.

If you enjoy exercising with your dog, do so at the coolest part of the day. Noon time jogs are not a good idea.

If you think your pet may be experiencing heat stroke, take immediate steps to cool them down, and then seek veterinary attention. This usually entails hosing off with cool water or submerging in a tepid bath. It may not be enough to just bring them into air conditioning. Ice packs applied to the armpit and groin can help. Once at your vet’s, further cooling procedures can be done. Some of the consequences of prolonged, extreme elevations in body temperature can cause the irreversible process of multi-organ system failure leading to death.

On hot days, the coolest thing to do may be to leave Fido at home.

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Robin Brennen is the chief of Veterinary Services at Bideawee on the East Side.

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Domino the rabbit has a unique ability to make people smile. He is a certified therapy rabbit, which is rare in a field dominated by dogs. Therapy pets visit hospitals, nursing homes and schools to provide affection to people in need.

Domino shows extreme calmness and poise, and loves to be scratched behind his ears. He began sharing his therapeutic talents last year at an army base in Edison, N.J., cheering up soldiers. Ever since, Domino has visited nursing homes, hospitals and other places where people are in need of a smile. The rabbit makes owner and Upper West Side resident Nora Beard very proud.

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By Will Alden

The latest development in the search for a male birth control pill isn’t a pill at all—it’s an injection.

Last year, a study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism revealed that Beijing researchers have successfully tested a testosterone-based injection, intended to be used monthly by men to induce temporary sterility. It proved to be 95 percent effective, almost equivalent to the female birth control pill, but some doctors—and potential patients—are skeptical. But the “male pill” may still be years away from reality.

Elaine Lissner, director of the Male Contraception Information Project, identified a need for a male hormonal contraceptive. “Vasectomy is permanent, and condoms are not foolproof,” she said. “A reversible, reliable long-term method would meet a big need.”

Indeed, researchers have been struggling to develop a male equivalent to the female birth control pill since the 1960s, when the female pill was introduced. Headlines such as “Male Birth Control Pill Soon Available” appear regularly, without the hoped-for results.

“They’ve been saying it’s going to be available in five to seven years for the last 40 years,” Brian Alexander, a sex columnist for MSNBC, told NPR. But scientists from the National Research Institute for Family Planning in Beijing, led by Dr. Yi-Qun Gu, believe that they may have finally found a safe, reliable hormonal contraceptive for men. According to ABC News and the Independent, the 1,000 male participants who took part in the two-year study were all aged 20 to 45 and had each fathered at least one child. They were each given monthly injections of testosterone undecanoate (TU) in tea seed oil, as they continued sexual relations with partners aged 18 to 38 who had no known reproductive problems. Among the men whose sperm count decreased as expected within the first few months, the hormone was 98 percent effective. It was 95 percent effective overall.

These results aren’t perfect, and the drug isn’t nearly as reliable as the female birth control pill, but according to Dr. John K. Amory of the University of Washington in Seattle, it’s not bad either.

“They went down to 1 million sperm in a milliliter of semen from the normal 20 to 200 million sperm per milliliter,” Amory said. An immediate problem, though, is lag time. Since the drug takes about a month to lower sperm count, it would be most useful in committed relationships, rather than casual encounters.

“It’s certainly not a morning-after pill,” said Dr. Ronald Swerdloff, a researcher at the University of California Los Angeles. “It’s really designed for longer term planning.”

And scientists are quick to acknowledge the unintended and often dangerous side effects of taking testosterone. In some cases, it can cause permanent damage. “In men who have not tested their fertility and may already have impaired fertility, giving testosterone to lower sperm count can make them permanently sterile after the testosterone has stopped,” said Dr. Lawrence Ross, former president of the American Urological Association. “Over time it can cause the testes actually to involute and shrink. We’ve seen this in athletes. They become permanently scarred and don’t recover.”

Financial and political realities also prevent the release of a hormonal contraceptive for men. Because reliable contraceptive methods are already available, pharmaceutical companies tend not to be interested in funding new research—for both male and female contraceptive hormones.

According to Swerdloff, these companies believe that a male contraceptive drug would not be profitable, and more important, that its potential benefits would not offset the risk. “These [patients] are not people who have cancer or a serious disease.

They’re normal people,” he said. “When the only benefit is protecting against pregnancy—well, that’s not curing cancer. The biggest limitation is finding a company, or the public sector, that is willing to underwrite the cost of providing family planning in a male-directed fashion to very large numbers of people, and would somehow obviate the liability.”

And even if such a drug becomes available, some experts doubt that men will be vigilant enough to take it regularly. If a woman has intercourse with a new partner, she has no way of knowing if her man is telling the truth about taking the hormonal contraceptive.

“Ultimately I think it’s always going to come back to women. They’re the ones that get pregnant,” Kay Hymowitz, senior fellow at Manhattan Institute, told NPR. “In relationships that are less longterm and less committed and less well-defined, I think a woman would be very, very foolish not to see herself as in charge of these things.”

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By Keysha Whitaker

Many women worry about how to take the weight off after a pregnancy, but according to many doctors, taking the weight off before a pregnancy might increase fertility, promote healthier pregnancies and healthier babies. Men could also increase their fertility by losing weight.

A study recently published in the British Medical Journal found a link between obesity and sexual behavior and adverse sexual outcomes. Obese men were more likely to report erectile dysfunction and less likely to report as many sexual partners as normal-weight men. Obese women were less likely to seek healthcare services for contraceptives and more likely to report unintended pregnancies.

Dr. Joel Batzofin, of Batzofin Fertility Services in Midtown, recognizes the gravity of conceiving when a mother’s body mass index—a metric calculation of mass according to weight and height—is too high.

“Getting a potential mother prepared for pregnancy is a big issue. If someone is too heavy, I don’t like to help them get pregnant, until we help them get ready to be pregnant,” said Batzofin, who encourages patients to lose weight by referring them to counseling and weight-loss services, which he also offers in-house.

Batzofin said pregnancy while obese can be plagued with a number of problems—including a high miscarriage rate, premature births, higher rate of neo-natal deaths, gestational diabetes, blood-clot formations and birth complications such as shoulder dystocia (when the baby’s head passes through the vagina but the shoulders get stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone). According to Batzofin, the latter occurs because the babies are often too large.

Batzofin said new studies show that children gestated in obese women may suffer Metabolic Syndrome in their adult life, an altered metabolic state which predisposes them to obesity and other conditions such as “diabesity,” a new term that explains the strong association between diabetes and obesity.

Overweight men also experience fertility challenges, including erectile dysfunction, low sperm count and low quality sperm due to hormonal imbalances or elevated scrotal temperatures that are not good for sperm production.

Dr. Carson Liu, a UCLA-trained bariatric surgeon, explained that obesity increases the production of an estrogen-like hormone, called estradiol, converted by peripheral fat in the body. In men, the change results in larger male breasts, loss of hair on the arms, legs and chest.

“They [men] basically have a lot more estrogen-like compounds circulating in their body that could decrease their libido and testosterone level,” said Liu. “Testosterone allows men to handle more pain and be more aggressive. In that sense they cannot handle discomfort as well.”

In women, a hormonal imbalance may trigger polycystic ovarian syndrome resulting in insulin resistance, a stop in ovulation and abnormal facial hair growth. “If the body is too thin or too heavy, it does not ovulate,” explained Liu.

Obesity offers health challenges outside of fertility issues. Liu said obese persons have a higher risk of co-morbidity, the presence of two or more disorders, often high blood pressure, diabetes and knee pain.

“It has been studied that the higher your body mass index is, the higher incidences of cancer and a lower rate of survival,” said Liu. “We think if you can treat the obesity you can prevent a lot of these medical illnesses.”

Batzofin said many obese people suffer from a number of mental challenges such as low self-esteem and depression, and focus all their energy on getting pregnant rather than becoming healthier. “A baby will make them feel better in a certain place, but a baby will not fix their weight problem,” said Batzofin, who acknowledges that addressing obesity is more than just telling a patient to slim down. “It requires treatment and working with professionals who are going to help them with their nutrition and their exercise, and maybe some people even need surgery to lose weight.”

According to Liu, people who diet only have less than a 1 percent chance of keeping the weight off. “All the randomized studies show the Lap-Band is more effective in getting weight off and keeping it off,” said Liu, referring to the adjustable gastric banding device that requires surgery.

But surgery is only the first step to reducing weight and increasing fertility. “The surgery takes 40 minutes, but if they don’t change their lifestyle—diet and exercise—it is highly likely they will fail,” said Liu.

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By Kate Moser Miller

It’s a story all too familiar to young couples today: Two people who have lived a relatively healthy lifestyle decide to have a baby, but after months of trying, they’re still unable to conceive. Whatever the reason, more than 3 million couples suffer from infertility, according to the American Pregnancy Association. These couples often undergo assistive reproduction techniques like in vitro fertilization (IVF), but more and more are turning to holistic alternatives or, more specifically, to acupuncture.

Acupuncture, which operates by the idea that energy flows through channels in the body, can help treat sexual health ailments like infertility and impotence.

Liz Carlson, acupuncturist and owner of Clarity Point Health Care, said she’s often faced with the misconception that there needs to be a “belief” in acupuncture for it to work. “There is a biochemical effect involved,” she explained. “You don’t need to believe in it or know the details of what’s going on in order for it to work.”

Carlson practices Chinese medicine with a focus on women’s health and fertility and says treating a woman’s reproductive health issue is a complex process. “Because this is holistic medicine, we really run the gamut of looking at every organ system,” she said. “We ask about digestion, sleep, her relationship with her partner, how much they have sex, lifestyle and diet. Primarily, though, it’s looking at their gynecological systems.”

Diagnosing and treating sexual issues in men is approached in a similar fashion. According to Carlson, “There’s just so much less to talk about [with men] because their reproductive systems are less complex than women’s. But because of that, there’s a lot less that can go wrong.” She said she works with male clients who suffer from a range of sexual issues, from fertility problems to impotence.

Carlson said that her number of male clients has increased—often at the urging of their wives. “Over time, I have seen more men come to me, and I think higher numbers of men are starting to use alternative medicine,” she said.

Acupuncturist Arya Nielsen, who works at the Continuum Center for Health and Healing, said the number of male clients—which she said makes up about 40 percent of her clients—hasn’t increased in her 34 years in acupuncture, but that their reasons for seeking Chinese medical help have changed. “Often, there’s the idea that acupuncture only treats pain, so I see men who come first seeking relief from pain. Then, when they learn that it can help treat dysfunctions like impotence, they seek treatment for that issue too.”

Carlson said alternative and Western medicine practices can be used together to complement one another. “I use Western diagnoses, even though Chinese medicine technically doesn’t incorporate them,” she said. “But it really helps to know a client’s health issues, like whether he has a low sperm count, for example. I think that’s what our world is moving toward: the integration of all kinds of medicine.”

The Continuum Center is a practice that aims for such integration. Nielsen doesn’t use stereotypical Western medical techniques, but said she is always conscious of patients’ Western medical care. “When you’re working in the Western context, you have to be cognizant of what that person’s medical history is, like what medicines he or she has been prescribed.”

Acupuncture’s greatest benefit may be its perceived absence of negative side effects. Western medicine often heals by using prescription medication, which can leave patients with side effects ranging from the relatively mild (think nausea or drowsiness) to the blatantly dangerous—such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a side effect sometimes caused by IVF). There is no significant downside, however, with acupuncture. “Occasionally there may be some slight bruising, but the bruises are more superficial than painful,” Carlson said.

The low risks associated with Chinese medicine make it a pretty safe bet for those suffering from a sexual health issue. But Carlson notes that it’s important for clients to realize the underlying cause of their problems. “The thing about infertility is that often, it’s a symptom of a problem, it isn’t the problem itself.”

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