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Acupuncture: A Senior Moment
One of the things about Chinese medicine that has always impressed me is how long it has endured. One of the reasons I chose to become an acupuncturist was because it would allow me to grow and mature along with the medicine. Chinese medicine has been in continuous practice for over 3,000 thousand years and continues to grow and thrive. That old saying, "you're not just getting older, you're getting better" certainly applies in this case. Every day brings new challenges and new opportunities to draw upon this wealth of knowledge and information.
One of the things I enjoy about being an acupuncturist is the variety of people I meet and the variety of settings I get to work in. Besides my private practice on West Portal I also visit a number of senior centers on a regular basis to provide treatments to some of the elders in our community. When I go on site to deliver acupuncture I use a different style of treatment. In the office I generally perform full–body treatments with the patient lying down on the treatment table. In a group setting, such as a senior center, I use another approach known as auricular acupuncture, in which patients are treated while sitting in chairs. Using this technique I can treat the whole body via the ear.
Originally developed by Dr. Paul Nogier, a French acupuncturist, auricular acupuncture functions in a manner similar to reflexology, a form of foot massage. The therapeutic principle is that there are nerve endings on the ear (and foot) that connect via the brain to all the various parts of the body. By stimulating specific points in the ear you trigger a response in the correlating body part. If you examine the ear in detail you can see how it resembles an inverted fetus with the lobe representing the head at the bottom. Detailed charts have been developed that outline all the parts and functions of the body on the ear. When I am performing an ear treatment I use a tool that measures the electrical resistance of the skin to help pinpoint the exact location of the point I wish to treat. Ear treatments are not only quick and easy to perform, but also quite relaxing and pain free. Once the needles have been inserted, patients are free to sit peacefully, or they can read or converse quietly with one another.
One of the main lessons I have learned by working with seniors is that everyone has the ability to change their health for the better. As long as we are alive there is the potential to heal and recover. Obviously many of the problems we develop as we age are chronic in nature and may never resolve totally, but there is always room for improvement. Conditions that are considered hopelessly degenerative can often be slowed down or halted. I have seen numerous cases of patients whose quality of life and sense of well–being were improved significantly by the use of this very simple procedure. Acupuncture helps to stimulate the body's own healing energy. By providing a time and a focus it helps to bring attention to what is happening with the body. And paying attention is always the first step in solving a problem.
One of the issues that I run into over and over again with my patients who are seniors is that Medicare does not yet cover acupuncture. As many seniors live on a fixed income, this can be an impediment to getting the care they need and deserve. This is a situation that needs to change. There is a bill in Congress that would make acupuncture a covered benefit under Medicare. It is HR 747, the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act. I urge anyone who is a senior or anyone who plans on becoming a senior to contact their elected representatives and urge them to lend their support and cosponsor this bill.
I remember when I was a youngster there was a saying, "Don't trust anyone over 30." Now that I'm closing in on 50 I have come to appreciate the benefits that come with age such as patience, maturity, wisdom and the flexibility to adapt and change with the times. As the song says, "Everything must change." The question is, how do we make sure it is a change for the better? The first step is to pay attention.
© 2000 Larry Forsberg. All rights reserved.
Articles posted on this Web site are for personal use only and remain the property of Larry Forsberg, L.Ac.
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