Prevention and Wellness with Acupuncture Local Practitioners Offer Holistic, Primary Health Care
by Linda Sechrist D
espite the volumes of informa- tion written today about pre- vention and wellness, the basic tenets are simple: Build immunity; nip illness in the bud; use lifestyle changes to restore health; consider the big picture; look within for the root cause of the problem, rather than just treating symptoms; and consider food as medi- cine, to help the body heal itself. The concept of prevention—com- mitting to health and wellness by cul- tivating it every day, rather than trying to restore it during a calamity—requires an investment in health and wellness before a problem develops. While spending money now to avoid potential health challenges down the road may be a new concept to many Americans, its underlying premise of preventive care forms the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a 2,500-year- old model that includes acupuncture. The insertion of thin, sterile, stainless steel needles into various parts of the body to balance chi, the body’s vital energy circulating through its pathways, or meridians, has become a popular method of healing.
According to a recent survey sponsored by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CAOM), some 20 million Americans over the age of 18 have experienced acupuncture therapy. However, only a small percentage un- derstand it as a tool for prevention and wellness and as an effective component of primary health care that can sig- nificantly improve specific conditions named by the World Health Organiza- tion. The organization notes that needle acupuncture, the most-used form, can help with the root causes of acute sinusitis and rhinitis; bronchial asthma; tennis elbow; sciatica and low back pain; rheumatoid arthritis; constipation and diarrhea; headaches, including migraines; facial paralysis; trigeminal neuralgia; nocturnal enuresis (bedwet- ting); and the common cold. Additional studies, performed by
32 Collier/Lee Counties
organizations such as the National Center for Complementary and Alterna- tive Medicine and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease, indicate that acupuncture provides pain relief and improves func- tion for people with osteoarthritis of the knee. Other studies reveal that patients with unexplained symptoms also ben- efit from acupuncture.
Holistic, Primary Health Care Terri Evans, the own- er of TAE Healthy Aging, in Naples, sees daily evidence of how this ancient therapy improves well-being. As a doctor of Orien- tal medicine (DOM) and acupuncture phy-
Terri Evans
sician (AP), she uses acupuncture as part of her healthy anti-aging program that sometimes includes needling points in the face for a facelift. The face is one of Evans’ diagnostic tools, as are the tongue and the body’s pulse. To an AP, the face reveals the body’s state of health. For example, Evans treats the kidneys for dark under-eye circles, and the thyroid for puffy eyes. “I do a Japanese-style acupuncture treatment and throw in the facelift, so I’m never surprised when a patient’s unexplained symptoms go away,” says Evans.
In Florida, where the legislature vigorously enforces licensure regula-
swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com
tions for all healthcare professions, both DOMs and board-certified APs are designated as primary healthcare providers that can treat common medi- cal problems, provide preventive care in the form of teaching healthy lifestyle choices, and identify and treat common medical conditions using the results of beneficial laboratory testing. They can also assess the urgency of health problems and direct patients to the best place for care, as well as make referrals to medical specialists when necessary. “In my experi- ence, no patient has ever known that an AP and DOM are designated by the state of Florida’s Department of Health (DOH) as
Nick Shirghio
primary health care providers,” says Nick Shirghio, owner of Nicholas A. Shirghio Acupuncture Clinic and an AP with 15 years of experience. Evans agrees, noting the strict regulations and stringent standards for education set by the state’s DOH Board of Acupuncture. It requires DOMs and APs to complete 60 college credits from an accredited postsecondary institution as a prerequisite to enrollment in an authorized four-year course of study in acupuncture and oriental medicine that meets established standards: success- ful completion of academic courses in Western anatomy, Western physiology, Western pathology, Western biomedical terminology, first-aid and cardiopulmo- nary resuscitation. In addition, whether as part of an education curriculum or con- tinuing education, the profession requires an eight-hour program that incorporates the safe and beneficial use of laboratory test and imaging findings. It also calls for a minimum of 2,700 hours of super- vised instruction. “I’m sure patients don’t realize that an AP can invest as much as $300,000 in their education,” says Evans. The Florida DOH also determines the adjunctive therapies used by APs: nutritional counseling and the recom-
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72