April 2004
Case Study: Acupuncture
In a marketplace where treatment options for what ails you seem to grow on a daily basis, why choose acupuncture?
Sometimes the answers are hard won. Lynn was in his early 30s and seriously ill with AIDS . He was wheelchair-bound and given at most six months to live, and told he would never function normally again. As a last resort he consulted an acupuncturist. A decade later he is fully able to care for himself, is no longer confined to a wheelchair, and takes good care of himself, including regular acupuncture treatments.
What is different? Most fundamentally, acupuncturists work on restoring and preserving health by treating people, not disease. Lynn came to the acupuncturist with a disease, and the acupuncturist treated Lynn, not just the AIDS. Lynn still has HIV and is still considered to be an AIDS patient, but he feels better, functions at a higher level and has a higher quality of life than he did when his HIV specialist gave him that dire pronouncement.
Acupuncture is inexpensive compared to many biomedical treatments, making it more affordable. More and more insurance plans are covering acupuncture. Treatments cost between $50 and $125 per treatment, and are offered in some clinics for less.
Who should go? Acupuncturists treat many common ailments, such as pain, nausea, colds and flu as well as less commonly seen problems, such as infertility, gynecological problems and the side effects of medications. In all cases the acupuncturist does a detailed history and assessment before recommending a treatment. Depending on what is found during the intake, the acupuncturist may refer you to a medical doctor or some other provider for follow up evaluation.
Who should you go to? The best source of acupuncture care is a fully trained and licensed acupuncturist. Check the database of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at nccaom.org for acupuncturists in your area.
CASE STUDY is a bi-monthly column from practitioners at Bastyr University in Seattle, one of the country’s leading natural health medical schools. Steve Given, director of Bastyr’s Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Clinic, authored this column.
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