Welcome to Eastern Medicine & Acupuncture Center! Dr. Sophia Pan

Dr. Sophia Pan provides comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine care at the Eastern Medicine & Acupuncture Center in Walnut Creek, California.

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925.391.0066
Dr. Sophia Pan, DAOM, L.Ac.
潘秀芬 中醫師(台灣)

1840 San Miguel Dr, Ste 203, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
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Acupuncture and Hypertension

Researchers with the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine have found that patients with hypertension treated with acupuncture experienced drops in their blood pressure that lasted up to a month and a half.Hypertension and Acupuncuture

Their work is the first to scientifically confirm that this traditional Chinese medicine therapy is beneficial in treating mild to moderate hypertension, and it indicates that regular use could help people control their blood pressure and lessen their risk of stroke and heart disease.

“This clinical study is the culmination of more than a decade of bench research in this area,” said Dr. John Longhurst, a University of California, Irvine cardiologist and former director of the Samueli Center. “By using Western scientific rigor to validate an ancient Eastern therapy, we feel we have integrated Chinese and Western medicine and provided a beneficial guideline for treating a disease that affects millions in the U.S.”

Participants were treated at UCI’s Institute for Clinical & Translational Science. Longhurst and his UCI colleagues Dr. Peng Li and Stephanie Tjen-A-Looi conducted tests on 65 hypertensive patients who were not receiving any hypertension medication. Separated randomly into two groups, the subjects were treated with electroacupuncture – a form of the practice that employs low-intensity electrical stimulation – at different acupoints on the body.

In one group of 33 receiving electroacupuncture on both sides of the inner wrists and slightly below each knee, the researchers found a noticeable drop in blood pressure rates in 70 percent of participants – an average of 6 to 8 mmHg for systolic blood pressure (the high number) and 4 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure (the low number). These improvements persisted for a month and a half.

Also in this group, the team identified significant declines in blood concentration levels of norepinephrine (41 percent), which constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure and glucose levels; and renin (67 percent), an enzyme produced in the kidneys that helps control blood pressure. In addition, the electroacupuncture decreased aldosterone (22 percent), a hormone that regulates electrolytes.

No consequential blood pressure changes were found in the group of 32 who received electroacupuncture at other acupoints along the forearm and lower leg.

Although the blood pressure reductions in the first cohort were relatively small – mostly in the 4-to-13-mmHg range – the researchers noted that they were clinically meaningful and that the technique could be especially useful in treating systolic hypertension in patients over 60.

“Because electroacupuncture decreases both peak and average systolic blood pressure over 24 hours, this therapy may decrease the risk for stroke, peripheral artery disease, heart failure and myocardial infarction in hypertensive patients,” Longhurst said.

Sources:

  • Li Peng, Tjen-A-Looi Stephanie C., Cheng Ling, Liu Dongmei, Painovich Jeannette, Vinjamury Sivarama, and Longhurst John C.. Medical Acupuncture. August 2015, 27(4): 253-266. doi:10.1089/acu.2015.1106.
  • “One Acupuncture Treatment Drops Blood Pressure For Over a Month Without Medication” PreventDisease.com article, August 21, 2015

The information provided on this site is for reference only and should not be taken as medical recommendations or professional guidance.

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Dr. Sophia Pan is an experienced traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, sought after for the quality of her pulse diagnostic. Sophia gained considerable experience from more than 10 years of practice in Taiwan, following her degree from China Medical University, before starting a practice in the United States in 2011.

In addition to her dedication for the care of her patients, Dr. Pan taught clinical and theoretical classes to aspiring TCM practitioners at Five Branches University in San Jose, CA, and has been supporting new graduates in their practice.

Dr. Pan maintains her medical license in Taiwan and returns for a few weeks a year of practice with local specialists to keep up with the latest advances in treatments.

Chinese medicine herbs used for herbal therapy and preparation of formulas
Dr. Pan uses herbs of the finest quality in the preparation of her formulas.

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MENU
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Meet Dr. Sophia Pan
    • Testimonials
  • Our Services
    • Chinese Herbal Therapy
    • Acupuncture
    • Auriculotherapy or Auricular Acupuncture
    • Moxibustion
    • Cupping
    • Nutritional Counseling & Lifestyle Recommendations
  • New Patients
    • Patient Forms (get password from our office)
    • What to Expect On Your First Visit
    • Payment and Insurance Options
    • Make a Payment
  • Oriental Medicine
    • TCM Diagnostic & Chinese Herbal Therapy
    • An Introduction to Acupuncture
    • Reversing Infertility with Acupuncture
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Acupuncture
    • How Acupuncture Can Safely Help with Allergies and Asthma
    • Pain Relief for Arthritis
    • Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatments for Eczema and other Skin Disorders
    • Is Acupuncture Effective for Psoriasis?
    • Acupuncture for Migraines
    • Acupuncture and Hypertension
    • Ovarian Health and Traditional Chinese Medicine
    • Acupuncture to Improve Prostate Health
    • Acupuncture and Depression
    • Acupuncture and Diabetes
  • Blog
  • Contact Us