Ka-Kit Hui, M.D., F.A.C.P., Professor in the Department of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the Founder and Director of the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine presented a discussion on "Aging Gracefully with Less Pain: The Integrative East-West Approach" at the UCLA Center on Aging's Spring Community Meeting held at the Skirball Cultural Center.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Dr. Hui received his B.S. and his M.D. at UCLA. He completed his training at UCLA and is Board-certified in internal medicine and clinical pharmacology, with expertise in both geriatrics and Chinese medicine.

"All forms of medicine aim to ease human suffering and improve quality of life; they differ only in their approaches to the realization of this goal. The blending of the Eastern and Western approaches to health and healing can maximize the safety and effectiveness of care," Dr. Hui stated. He founded the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine in 1993 to advance his vision of East-West integrative medicine.

"We build upon the strengths of both systems to create a new model of comprehensive care with emphasis on health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation through an integrated practice of East-West Medicine. Our goal is to develop a model system of healthcare that will benefit people all over the world," he said.

Using Western approaches for such critical events as heart attacks or injuries, for example, and Eastern methods for wellness and prevention focusing on the interconnectedness of the body, mind and spirit offers an innovative, flexible, less-invasive, and less-costly approach to health and disease.

Many patients come to the Center with conditions that were not resolved with conventional medical treatment, including surgeries, or as the result of the complications of potent medications. Clinic patients suffer from a variety of chronic conditions including soft tissue pain, fibromyalgia, neuralgia, spinal stenosis, shingles, osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis, interstitial cystitis, women's health issues, migraines and headaches.

According to Dr. Hui, "We are able to solve some of the problems that defy the best of Western medicine because we do not just treat a problem or a disease, we treat a person with ill-health, someone who is out of balance and has decreased functional reserve."

At the Clinic, an extensive medical history is developed for each patient that also includes an understanding of the psychosocial factors affecting the patient, lifestyle factors, and diet. The Clinic's staff develops integrative East-West treatment plans tailored to meet each patient's needs. Therapeutic techniques include patient education, medication adjustments, accupuncture, acupressure, trigger point injections, therapeutic massage, dietary and herbal counseling, and mind-body exercise.

The Center for East-West Medicine focuses on assisting aging adults to care for themselves, to manage pain, and to manage the stress that both accompanies and may also cause further pain. Central to the Center is a holistic approach, one that focuses on the whole person, and not on a single disease-or combination of diseases---afflicting an aging adult.

"Key to the success of the East-West model is the empowerment of the patient. East-West healthcare enlists the patient as a central figure in the healing process. We actively involve the patient in the ongoing process of health promotion and disease prevention and their own healthy aging," Dr. Hui said.

"The education of our patients begins with getting people to understand some of the common factors that can lead to pain and that the right treatment is not merely taking a pain pill. At the Center, our elderly patients learn how to prevent overloading; how the lack of exercise or inappropriate exercise must be replaced by a balanced exercise program; and how nutrition tailored to the individual is vital to healthy aging."

"We teach effective and easy-to-implement techniques so that patients can manage their pain and the stresses in their lives. Many of our patients then can be weaned off some of their medication successfully," Dr. Hui stated.

Dr. Hui noted that stress can not only overwhelm a person's ability to cope with pain, it can also inhibit the healing process. Dr. Hui recommended a number of effective stress management techniques including a strong support system; positive thinking; adequate sleep; eating right; self-massage; exercise and stretching; a sense of humor; appropriate crying; meditation; hobbies; and the companionship of pets.

In addition to managing stress and taking steps to avoid injury and disease, Dr. Hui urges people to maintain their reserves by focusing on the qualitative aspects of their lives. He encourages his patients to strive for mental tranquility and nurture their spiritual health; cultivate and build harmonious social relationships; and lead an active life in moderation.