by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Yi Ding Yuan

Age: 39

Occupation: Acupuncturist/practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Bio: This jovial LaSalle buck and former pro table tennis combatant has been practicing acupuncture and TCM out of his office in the Westmount Medical Building for just over six years. Trained in both Western and Chinese medicine way back when in Shanghai, he has opted to forgo the ordeal that would see him licensed to practice Western medicine in Quebec largely because, “It’s crazy, they put you on a waiting list and the whole process might take up to 10 years.” The grandson of a traditional Chinese doctor, he was originally persuaded to abandon his ping pong career and study medicine by his siblings - who thought it was a smart idea to have another, younger, medical man in the family.

Do most of his patients come to see him first or after having visited a million other doctors? The latter. “The public generally still sees Chinese medicine and acupuncture as a last resort.”

How many patients come to him on referral from their MDs: Very few. “Look, I work in the Westmount Medical Building where there are over 80 other doctors, I’ve been practicing here for years and I’ve gotten no more than three or four referrals in all that time.”

Do patients generally freak out when they first see his big long disposable acupuncture needles? Yes, sometimes. “It’s always worse with men.”

Will Medicare cover the expense of having Yi Ding jab his needles into you? No, but most private health insurers will pay up. “And that helps a lot. But I don’t expect to see the government adding acupuncture to their list of services. If they add anything, it’s more likely to be something like physiotherapy than any alternative medicine.”

Something many Westerners do that Yi Ding thinks is wacky: Read a couple of books on TCM and believe that they are capable of treating themselves. “They go down to Chinatown to buy herbs, but these people are not necessarily herbologists. Often they are just business people who will sell you things only to make money. If you want to be treated through Chinese medicine, you really need to see a doctor.”

What most people come see him for: Pain, depression, fertility problems, drug addiction issues (pot, junk, etc.).

His estimated success rate in combating nicotine addiction: “50 to 60 per cent. But they have to be ready to stop mentally. Acupuncture is only 50 per cent of it, you have to have the willpower to quit. It can take a long time but we get pretty good results.”

The cost of an acupuncture session: $45 tax included.

Childhood ambition: To become an actor.

Favourite local restaurant: Keung Kee on de la Gauchetière W.

Something he likes to do: Check out films at the “annual” Fantasia festival.

Last book read: Total Nutrition, edited by Dr. Victor Herbert et al.

Television preferences: CBC news, Hockey Night In Canada.

Words of wisdom: “It doesn’t matter what happens, even the sky might fall, just keep calm.” :

Comments? dimwit@openface.ca