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5 Acupuncture Myths
In
recent years acupuncture has enjoyed a tremendous surge
in popularity and acceptance. Just the other day, my
mother called to tell me "Oprah's talking about
acupuncture on her show today!" Despite Oprah's
coverage, the questions I hear over and over again about
acupuncture tell me that what I do for a living is still
not well-understood by everyone. What follows are my
answers to the questions and apprehensions I have heard
over and over again during my eight years of practice.
1.
Acupuncture needles hurt! Compared with the needles
used to take blood or deliver medicine, acupuncture
needles are many times thinner, solid rather than hollow,
flexible rather than rigid and rounded at the tip. An
acupuncture needle is inserted quickly through the skin's
surface until you feel tingling, warmth or pressure
in the area of the needle. After a few minutes, these
sensations fade away and you are left with a feeling
of heaviness and deep relaxation.
2.
Acupuncture only works if you believe in it.
While keeping a positive attitude is likely to help
you get well, how and why acupuncture works is not so
simple. According to the National Institutes for Health
(NIH), studies have shown that acupuncture may alter
brain chemistry in ways that affect the body's immune
reactions, blood pressure regulation, blood flow and
temperature, and it may aid the activity of endorphins
(the body's own pain-killing chemicals) and immune cells
"at specific sites in the body". According
to traditional Chinese medical theory, acupuncture restores
the free flow of Chi (energy) and restores balance to
the Yin and Yang forces of the body (blood and energy,
hot and cold, estrogen and progesterone, etc.).
3.
Acupuncture is only good for treating pain. It
is true that pain responds very well to acupuncture.
Low back pain, sciatica, neck pain, shoulder pain, tennis
elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, headaches
and other kinds of pain can all be treated successfully
with acupuncture. But because the aim of acupuncture
is to bring balance and harmony to the whole person,
it can also be an excellent treatment for insomnia,
fatigue, digestive problems, menopause, menstrual disorders,
infertility, MS, Lupus, and can be used as a supportive
treatment for patients with cancer, Hepatitis or HIV.
4.
Acupuncturists aren't licensed medical professionals.
This may have been true 35 years ago when acupuncture
first became available in the U.S., but today acupuncture
is a licensed, regulated profession. A Google search
of "acupuncture in hospitals" reveals that
a number of hospitals, including Children's, Massachusetts
General, Concord and Elliot Hospitals have at least
one acupuncturist on staff. To be licensed in the granite
state, acupuncturists must complete a 3 to 4-year graduate
program in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine
(TCM) and pass a series of national certification exams.
Like other professionals, to maintain our licensure,
we must add to our knowledge with continuing education,
maintain national board certification and adhere to
a strict code of medical ethics.
5.
My insurance won't cover acupuncture, so I can't
afford to try it. Though many insurance plans don't
pay for acupuncture, some are beginning to cover it,
especially those underwritten in states like California,
Washington, or Maine. If you have to pay out-of-pocket,
$50 to $100 per visit can be daunting, but there is
more than just cost to consider. Most patients start
to feel better within the first two visits and feel
significantly better by the 6th visit. Once the improvements
to your health are stable, you can choose a treatment
schedule that maintains wellness and fits your budget.
If cost is truly an obstacle, you could try acupuncture
in a "community clinic"
where shorter, simpler treatments are given at a much
lower rate.
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