On Point: Medical Acupuncture Offers Relief

From the Summer 2011 StayHealthy publication

It brings Susan relief from debilitating migraines. It eases the pain and fatigue of Joel's fibromyalgia. It boosts Diane's confidence by treating her rosacea.

It’s medical acupuncture and it’s proving effective for these conditions, as well as relief from back pain, and can even be used to treat infertility, asthma, insomnia and irritable bowel syndrome, according to Family Practitioner Faleh Atassi, MD, who is with Valparaiso Family Health Center, P.C. Atassi is specially trained to perform medical acupuncture in his Valparaiso office.

“The results we’ve seen from acupuncture are positive and encouraging,” says Atassi. “How long it takes and how effective it is truly varies with the patient and the condition. But in general, the more acute the problem, the more rapid the relief with acupuncture,” he says.

While acupuncture is a very old medical art, medical acupuncture refers to its use by a medical doctor, specially trained to use acupuncture as part of an overall treatment plan. It involves the placement of needles both to unblock obstructions, enabling the body to correct imbalances, and stimulate the nervous system to release beneficial chemicals.

“In general, it takes multiple sessions to treat most patients,” said Atassi. Sessions usually last for an hour to 90 minutes. While the thought of using multiple needles might be unsettling, patients do not complain of pain, according to Atassi. “I’ve seen patients with acute migraine attacks that include pain and nausea come in and find significant relief in a single session. Other conditions may require ongoing treatment,” he says.

Medical acupuncture can be covered by insurance, depending on the plan and the condition. Your physician can help you to determine if medical acupuncture is right for you.