This section is for those of you who are interested in evidence of the effectiveness of the various healing modalities that I offer. Please note that this research is as current as the latest date that I edit this page; research is underway all the time. Also, what you find below is just a sampling of the research, as it is very time consuming to review all the research.
The modern scientific community values research studies that incorporate randomized control and treatment groups, blind studies, and consideration of confounding factors. Healing methods like acupuncture, qi gong, and massage therapy have been practiced for centuries. These modalities would not have survived through the ages if they were ineffective. The ancients didn’t know the scientific method and lacked modern knowledge about such things as viruses, bacteria, blood pressure, cell structure, and other substances. Their method of doing research was to discover, through treatment of thousands of patients over hundreds of years, what worked and didn’t work for the majority. This, in my opinion, also qualifies as research.
It is very challenging to research these modalities using the modern scientific method. One of the hallmarks of these natural medicines is their focus on looking at the whole of each individual and adapting the treatment to each person’s individual needs, rather than prescribing the same acupuncture points, qi gong or massage methods for a particular presenting condition, like a backache, stomachache, etc. Modern research methodology frequently does precisely that, having practitioners apply needles or touch at the same places for each person in the study group. When a person is treated this away, it limits the potential potency of the medicine. Below are some of the modern research results on studies evaluating acupuncture, massage, qi gong, movement therapies, and sound healing. This is not a thorough listing; new studies are done daily.