Using Technology Safely

Mobile technological devices have made our lives more convenient.  We can now send e-mails. access the Internet, manage our schedules, and use spreadsheets and other office software all from our phones.  While this makes it easier to accomplish tasks without being tethered to an office, this has also increased the amount of time we spend using these devices, which is not without risks.

Before these advances in technology, our bodies moved as we used thee phone and the computer, we walked to the fax machine, and we flipped through our calendars.  Now we slump over a small screen with little change in our position.  Our bodies are made to move - not to maintain the same stooped-over posture for long periods of time.  This doesn't mean you have to sacrifice these modern conveniences for your health, but you do need to be conscious of the risks and what you can do to minimize them.

Protect Your Neck
The bent-forward position increases disc pressure.  It also increases loads on the muscles.  This is similar to the faulty forward position often used when watching TV and working on the computer.  Remember these tips:

• Sit upright, keeping your ears over your shoulders.
• Look down with your eyes and gently tuck your chin in, not forward.
• Never pinch the phone between your ear and shoulder.  Using a headset reduces muscle fatigue and frees your hands for typing or writing.
• Support your forearms on a pillow during extended texting to reduce the strain on your neck and shoulder muscles.

Our bodies are made to move - not to maintain the same stooped-over posture for long periods of time.  Be conscious of the risks involved with excessive use of PDA's or cell phones.

Prevent Elbow Injury
The ulnar, or "funny bone," nerve wraps around the inside of your elbow.  Keeping your elbows bent can compress the nerve.  As the nerve becomes irritated, you can experience pain, numbness, tingling, and even weakness or muscle atrophy.  The nerve sits close to the surface and is also damaged by external pressure.  To prevent the risks:

• Minimize the time you bend the elbows to hold the screen up to see.
• Instead of returning all your e-mails on the phone, wait until you can use the computer.
• Avoid leaning on the flexed elbow while talking on the phone or in the car.

Like a Sore Thumb
Our thumbs are not made to quickly and forcefully press the small keys on cell phones to text and input data.  Use the following tips to minimize the risk of injury:

• Alternate among using your thumb, index finger, and a stylus, if available.
• If your only choice is a stylus, change how you hold it.  Switch between holding it like a pen and holding it between the index and middle fingers.
• Several multi-tip pens are available at office supply stores that allow you to switch between pen and stylus tips.  This is a good option, as the barrel of the pen is thicker than a standard stylus and requires less force on the joints and muscles.
• Minimize the use of school wheels as they often cause inflammation of thumb tendons.

As technology progresses, there are likely to be more and more tasks we will be able to complete on our phones.  While it is convenient, remember to take a break and think about the effects on our body.

Tips to Minimize PDA and Cell Phone Use

• Return only urgent e-mails on the PDA.  Respond to other e-mails from your computer.
• Use key shortcuts (cut, paste, etc.) and abbreviations.
• Enter all contact info on the computer, and synchronize the devices to transfer the data to the PDA.
• Avoid, or at least minimize, using word processing and spreadsheet programs on your PDA.
• Take breaks to stretch and shake out the hands.
• Turn the PDA off when possible! If it is on all the time, it's more likely to be overused.

Printed with permission by American Chiropractic Association.

Fun Ways to Get Fit

Eating healthy and exercising don't have to be boring!  You can spice up nourishing snacks and get exercise without even realizing it with the following tips.

Eating Right
Let's work our way up the food pyramid starting with grains.  You should be eating about 6 oz. of grains every day - try to make at least half of them whole grains.  This isn't as bland as you may think.  For breakfast, try whole-grain cereals like Cheerios or Raisin Bran or oatmeal.  For snacks, munch on low-fat popcorn, and ask your mom to substitute brown rice for white rice at the dinner table.  And remember, just because bread is brown doesn't mean it's whole grain.  Take a look at the packaging, to make sure it says "whole wheat" or "whole grain" - and check the label on the back to be sure it has at least 2g of fiber.

You need 2.5 cups of vegetables a day.  Have fun with your veggies by choosing different colors for your plate.  Go green with broccoli or asparagus, and reach for orange with carrots and sweet potatoes.

Every day you should eat at least 2 cups of fruit, but this shouldn't be hard.  Fruits are just nature's candy - sweet and delicious.  Try dried fruits for an easy snack, or add berries to your cereal or oatmeal in the morning.  You can also add frozen fruit to smoothies for a tasty treat in the summertime.  Don't get tricked by juices: Read the label, and make sure they're 100 percent fruit!  If water and sugar are main ingredients, they are not!

Calcium builds strong bones.  Make sure to eat 3 cups of calcium-rich foods, like milk, on a daily basis.  Check the labels to make sure your milk, yogurt or cheese is low fat.  You can grab a yogurt for a delicious snack on the go and toss in some fresh fruit for an added flavor - and nutrient - bonus!

Protein - which you need for building muscles - can be found in lots of different foods from chicken, turkey and fish to nuts, seeds and beans.  Ask for your meat baked, broiled or grilled, not fried, and spice up a salad with chickpeas, sunflower seeds or almonds.  Peanut butter falls into the protein category, as well, but be sure to eat only small servings as it's also high in fat. 

Get your fat facts and your sugar smarts from the nutrition labels of food and drink.  Limit foods that are high in fats and sugars.
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Make snacking more fun by creating your own popsicles or blending all your favorite fruits into a smoothie.  Then go get some exercise by playing a game of kickball with your friends.

• Ants on a log:
• Spread peanut butter on a celery stick and decorate with raisins.
• Fruit smoothies:
• Blend low-fat yogurt, orange juice and your favorite fruits together for a refreshing snack.
• Trail mix:
• Make your own trail mix by combining your favorite nuts, seeds and dried fruits.
• Take a dip:
• Dip veggies in low-fat ranch dip or hummus, and try dipping fruits such as apples in peanut butter.
• Homemade popsicles:
• Fill an ice cube tray with lemonade or another fruit juice and place popsicle sticks in each compartment to make your own frozen treats.
• Mini pizzas:
• Smear some tomato sauce on half of a whole grain English muffin, sprinkle on some low-fat cheese, add chopped vegetables and a little bit of lean meant and pop it in the microwave or toaster oven for a minute.

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Get Moving
Turn the TV off, and move more.  aim for at least 60 minutes of activity every day.  Swim, run, walk the dog, bike, rollerblade, climb trees, play outside with friends - it all counts!

Fun Ways to Exercise

• Weight lifting.  Ask your PE teacher or an adult to teach you how to do it right, so you don't hurt yourself.  Take turns with a friend to give your muscles a break between repetitions.
• Playing a pickup game of soccer or baseball with friends.
• Kayaking.  Head down to a lake or a river and paddle around.
• Jumping rope.  Have a competition with friends to see who can go the longest without stepping on the rope.
• Dancing.  Turn up the volume on your favorite tunes, and invite your friends over for an impromptu dance party.  You can find a lot of great music on www.youtube.com.
• Rollerblading.  Dust off your skates, grab your friends and hit the sidewalk for a tour of the town or bring your hockey stick and join in a game of street hockey.

Don't Forget Water
Drink plenty of water.  Hydration is the key element to being fit.  Teenagers need at least eight 8-oz. glasses a day.  If you are not a teenager yet, you should drink at least five. Don't replace water with fruit juices, sodas or high-sugar sports drinks because these actually dehydrate your body.

Get Plenty of Sleep
Nobody wants to have an early bedtime, but catching some extra z's is good for your body.  Young children need as much as 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night, and eight hours is ideal for older kids.

If you don't get enough sleep and rest, you may have a harder time learning at school and reach for food more, to get additional energy.  Turning off the TV and computer well before bedtime will help you get to sleep much quicker.  Instead, read a book or talk to your parents or siblings about your day.

Printed with permission by American Chiropractic Association.

Treating Children With ADHD

In the past decade, prescriptions for Ritalin, a stimulant education commonly used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), increased five-fold, with 90 percent of all prescriptions worldwide consumed in the United States.  As many parents grow leery of the traditional medical approach to ADHD, doctors of chiropractic are offering promising results with nondrug treatments that focus on postural muscles, nutrition, and lifestyle changes that affect brain activity.

Some children may simply have difficulty learning certain subjects, but the current system - in a sense - prompts school officials to encourage their parents to have the children diagnosed with ADHD, says Dr. Scott Bautch, past president of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Council on Occupational Health.  "The higher the number of disabled kids in the school, the more funding the school can apply for," says Dr. Bautch.

Some teachers might also have difficulty with students  who have a different style of learning, according to Dr. Bautch.  If the child is a visual learner - and the teacher is not - perhaps the child is not being taught in a way he or she can learn.  Before diagnosing the child with ADHD, Dr. Bautch recommends doctors talk to the child and the parents: "Is the child too active? Bored? Has dyslexia or a different learning pattern? It can be a behavior problem, problems at home, or frustrations with the teacher's style," explains Dr. Bautch.  "If we went to a conference where the speakers taught in a way we can't learn, we would be frustrated and would misbehave - we'd get up and leave or chat to the person sitting next to us."

The traditional medical model, however, seems to follow the cookie-cutter principle.  The diagnosis of ADHD is based on a questionnaire.  But this is not enough, says Dr. Robert Melillo, a chiropractic neurologist.  "True ADHD patients have other signs - tics, tremors, balance or postural problems, or unusual sensitivity to touch, movement, sights or sounds."  Unfortunately, although medications can keep ADHD under control, they don't cure it.  Eighty percent of patients have ADHD features in adolescence, and up to 65 percent maintain them in adulthood.

Doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic neurologists offer a non-drug and non-invasive treatment alternative for ADHD patients that targets the underlying problems, bot just symptoms.  "Motor activity - especially development of the postural muscles - is the baseline function of brain activity.  Anything affecting postural muscles will influence brain development.  Musculoskeletal imbalance will create imbalance of brain activity, and one part of the brain will develop faster than the other, and that's what's happening in ADHD patients," says Dr. Melillo.

Chiropractic neurologists are trained to identify the underfuntioning part of the brain and find treatments to correct the problem, to help that hemisphere grow.  "On every patient, we perform a brain function exam," says Dr. Frederick Carrick, president of the ACA Council on Neurology.  "We test visual and auditory reflexes through, for example, flashing light in the eye, or asking patients to listen to music in one or the other ear."

When the problem is identified, patients are placed on a treatment program - and most of the therapies can be done at home.  "Patients are asked to smell certain things several times a day ... or wear special glasses," says Dr. Mark S. Smith, a chiropractic neurologist.  "We also focus on their individual problems.  Some children, for example, have difficulty with planning, organization, and coordination - so they benefit from timing therapies.  They learn to clap or tap to the metronome, perform spinning and balancing exercises."

Although currently no studies comparing chiropractic neurological and medical treatment for ADHD are available, chiropractic neurologists are compiling the data.  "We test children before they start the treatment and then every three months," says Dr. Melillo.  "Within the first three months, the children get a twograde - level increase on medications, the improvement in academic performance is short term and lasts only as long as they take the medication.  Our programs change the brain function and the improvement doesn't go away."

If you or your loved one is diagnosed with ADHD or has the symptoms, ask your doctor of chiropractic if he or she has experience treating patients with the condition.  Doctors of chiropractic are trained to identify neurological problems and find individual noninvasive treatment modalities.  They can also assess your nutritional  status and help you find the diet that will help you manage your condition.

Natural Ways to Prevent ADHD

Many chiropractic neurologists recommend nutrition and lifestyle changes that may help correct or prevent biochemical imbalances that cause ADHD.  Parents are encouraged to:

• Remove as many food dyes, sugar, preservatives, and additives from the diet as possible.
• Focus on natural, mostly organic foods with as few pesticides or herbicides as possible.
• Determine if there is an allergy- usually starting with dairy and gluten and try elimination diets.
• Stop using pesticide sprays in the house.
• Avoid taking medications, nicotine, alcohol, and other drugs in pregnancy that may harm the fetus.
• Find ways to relax during pregnancy.  Stress on the job may affect the unborn baby's health, as well.
• Breastfeed.  The first months and years of a child's life are critical to physical and psychological development.  Breastfeeding mothers' diets are important as well.

 

Printed with permission by American Chiropractic Association.



Get Healthy and Pain Free With Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health.  Doctors of chiropractic - often referred to as DCs, chiropractors or chiropractic physicians - practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment.  In addition to their expertise in spinal manipulation/adjustment, doctors of chiropractic have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.

What conditions do chiropractors treat?

Doctors of chiropractic care for patients of all ages, with a variety of health conditions.  DCs are especially well known for their expertise in caring for patients with back pain, neck pain and headaches with their highly skilled manipulations, or chiropractic adjustments.  They also care for patients with a wide range of injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, involving the muscles, ligaments and joints.  These painful conditions often involve or impact the nervous system, which can cause referred pain and dysfunction distant to the region of injury.  The benefits of chiropractic care extend to general health issues, as well, since our body structure affects our overall function.  DCs also counsel patients on diet, nutrition, exercise, healthy habits, and occupational and lifestyle modification.

How is a chiropractic adjustment performed?

Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the doctor of chiropractic's intensive years of chiropractic education.  The chiropractic physician typically uses his or her hands - or an instrument - to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to restore or enhance joint function.  This often helps resolve joint inflammation and reduces the patient's pain.  Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort.  The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient.  Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.

Why is there a popping sound when a joint is adjusted?

Adjustment (or manipulation) of a joint may result in the release of a gas bubble between the joints, which makes a popping sound.  The same things occurs when you "crack" your knuckles.  The noise is cause by the change of pressure within the joint, which results in gas bubbles being released.  There is usually minimal, if any discomfort.

Research Supporting Chiropractic

A growing list of research studies and reviews demonstrate that the services provided by chiropractic physicians  are both safe and effective.  The evidence strongly supports the natural, whole-body and cost-effective approach of chiropractic care for a variety of conditions.  To read excerpts from recent studies, visit www.acatoday.org/chiroresearch.

Chiropractic Education

Doctors of chiropractic - who are licensed to practice in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and in many nations around the world - undergo a rigorous education in the healing sciences, similar to that of medical doctors.  Because of the hands-on nature of chiropractic, and the intricate adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical training. 

The course of study is approved by an accrediting agency which is fully recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.  This has been the case for more than 25 years.  Before they are allowed to practice, doctors of chiropractic also must pass national board examinations and become state-licensed.  This extensive education prepares doctors of chiropractic to diagnose health care problems, treat the problems when they are within their scope of practice and refer patients to other health care practitioners. when appropriate.  To learn more about how chiropractic education compares to medical education, visit www.acatoday.org/chiroeducation.

Are the services provided by doctors of chiropractic safe?

Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal complaints.  Although chiropractic has an excellent safety record, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects.  The risks associated with chiropractic, however are very small.  Many patients feel immediate relief following chiropractic treatment, but some may experience mild soreness or aching, just as they do after some forms of exercise.  Current literature shows that minor discomfort or soreness following spinal manipulation typically fades within 24 hours.  Learn more at www.acatoday.org/chirosafety.

Is chiropractic treatment appropriate for children?

Yes, children can benefit from chiropractic care.  Children are very physically active and experience many types if falls and blows from activities of daily living as well as from participating in sports.  Injuries such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort.  Chiropractic care is always adapted to the individual patient.  It is a highly skilled treatment, and in the case of children, very gentle.

Is chiropractic treatment ongoing?

The hands-on nature of the chiropractic treatment is essentially what requires patients to visit the chiropractor a number of times.  To be treated by a chiropractor, a patient needs to be in his or her office.  In contrast, a course of treatment from medical doctors often involves a pre-established plan that is conducted at home (i.e. taking a course of antibiotics one a day for a couple of weeks.).  A chiropractor may provide acute, chronic, and/or preventative care thus making a certain number of visits sometimes necessary.  Your doctor of chiropractic should tell you upfront the extent of treatment recommended and how long you can expect it to last.


Printed with permission by American Chiropractic Association.

Finding Your Game

Find Your Game

“Find Your Game” means achieving optimal function to any level of fitness. That includes everyone from athletes to office workers, young and old. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) encourages everyone to use the month of October to resolve to your best, feel your best, and perform your best.

Chiropractic: Athletes’ Not-So-Secret Weapon

Athletes know that chiropractic gets them back on their feet after injury. Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) support athletes in high school, college and professional sports. DCs work at events such as Olympic Games, the World Games, and the Pan-American Games-wherever they are needed.

Play Through Pain?

Athletes and weekend warriors may try to play through pain, hoping a painful elbow or low back will get better by itself. As a rule of thumb, the earlier the musculoskeletal injury is treated, the sooner the healing can begin. An untreated injury can easily slide from “acute” into “sub-acute,” and even into “chronic”. Each phase has its own characteristics and challenges.

Injury Timeline

The acute phase lasts from 48 to 72 hours after injury. This phase is characterized by pain, inflammation, loss of range of motion, increases temperature around the injury and swelling.

An injury can becomes sub-acute at any point after that period. In this phase, the swelling decreases or disappears altogether and range of motion improves. The sub-acute phase can stretch out for weeks and even months, depending on the severity of the injury and rehabilitation required. During this phase the doctor of chiropractic works on flexibility, postural retraining, non-weight-bearing strength/ coordination training, and pain management. “Many elite athletes spend the better part of their careers in the sun-acute injury phase due to grueling competition schedules and high demands placed on their bodies. Knowing the phases and what therapies to incorporate during which phases are crucial to recovery. Recuperation tales longer as we age whether you run, marathons, spin three times a week, or play golf on the weekend,” says Steve Hanson, DC, DACBSP, who specializes in treating sports injuries.

Doctors of chiropractic are trained to work with musculoskeletal injuries in any phase. Injuries are considered chronic from about two weeks after trauma until recovery. The longer an injury goes untreated, the more likely it is that the brain will accept it as “the new normal.” Therefore, if optimum function for like is the goal, treatment should be sought out sooner, rather than later.


Treat Causes, Not Symptoms

In this culture, we are told that pills are the answer. We pop aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to mask the pain-and get back to action. By numbing the pain of injury, we lose touch with the body’s signals. Without a “guardian” in place to keep us from overstressing a body part, we can easily worsen the original injury-and we won’t even feel it until the NSAID wears of.

Besides silencing a self-protective dialog with our own bodies, NSAIDs have many documented negative side effects-particularly in the gastrointestinal tract. Perhaps the most important point to keep in mind is that NSAIDs treat only the symptoms. Chiropractic, on the other hand treats causes. When the cause of a musculoskeletal injury is properly treated, healing can begin.

Soft –Tissue Injuries

An increasing number of doctors of chiropractic are getting trained in specialized techniques of instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization (IASTM) to work with musculoskeletal injuries. Stephen Perle, DC, MS, professor of clinical sciences at University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic, Bridgeport, Connecticut, says the beauty of these instruments is that they allow him to focus the forces of his hands into smaller area of the patient’s body, allowing him to bring about pain relief sooner. IASTM is gaining appreciation and acceptance among athletes and the weekend warriors alike, as a technique that compliments the unique strengths of chiropractic.

This information has been reprinted with permission from acatoday.com

Computer Ergonomics for CHILDREN!!!

At least 70 percent of America’s 30 million elementary

school students use computers, according to a recent

New York Times article. As a result of this increased

usage, doctors of chiropractic are treating more young

patients suffering from the effects of working at computer

stations that are either designed for adults or

poorly designed for children. Many children are already

suffering from repetitive motion injuries (RMI) such as

carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic pain in the hands,

back, neck and shoulders.

A recently published study conducted by a team of

researchers from Cornell University found that 40 percent

of the elementary school children they studied

used computer workstations that put them at postural

risk. The remaining 60 percent scored in a range indicating

“some concern.”

“Emphasis needs to be placed on teaching children

how to properly use computer workstations,” stated

Dr. Scott Bautch, of the American Chiropractic

Association’s Council on Occupational Health.

“Poor work habits and computer workstations that

don’t fit a child’s body during the developing years can

have harmful physical effects that can last a lifetime.

Parents need to be just as concerned about their children’s

interaction with their computer workstations as

they are with any activities that may affect their children’s

long-term health,” added Dr. Bautch.

What Can You Do?

 

• If children and adults in your home share the

same computer workstation, make certain that

the workstation can be modified for each

child’s use.

• Position the computer monitor so the top of the

screen is at or below the child’s eye level. This

can be accomplished by taking the computer

off its base or stand, or having the child sit on

firm pillows or phone books to reach the

desired height.

• Make sure the chair at the workstation fits the

child correctly. An ergonomic back cushion, pillow

or a rolled-up towel can be placed in the

small of the child’s back for added back support.

• There should be two inches between the front

edge of the seat and the back of the knees.

The chair should have arm supports so that

elbows are resting within a 70- to 135-degree

angle to the computer keyboard.

• Wrists should be in a neutral position while typing

– not angled up or down. The mousing surface

should be close to the keyboard so your

child doesn’t have to hold the arm out. 

• The child’s knees should be positioned at an

approximate 90- to 120-degree angle. To

accomplish this angle, feet can be placed on a

foot rest, box, stool or similar object.

• Reduce eyestrain by making sure there is adequate

lighting and that there is no glare on the

monitor screen. Use an antiglare screen if necessary.

• Limit your child’s time at the computer and

make sure he or she takes periodic stretch

breaks during computing time. Stretches can

include: clenching hands into fists and moving

them in 10 circles inward and 10 circles outward;

placing hands in a praying position and

squeezing them together for 10 seconds and

then pointing them downward and squeezing

them together for 10 seconds; spreading fingers

apart and then closing them one by one; 

standing and wrapping arms around the body

and turning all the way to the left and then all

the way to the right.

• Your child’s muscles need adequate hydration

to work properly and avoid injury. Encourage

your child to drink four 8-ounce glasses of

water a day. Carbonated beverages, juices and

other sweet drinks are not a substitute.

• Urge your child’s school or PTA officials to provide

education on correct computer ergonomics

and to install ergonomically correct workstations. 

“If your child continues to complain of pain and strain

from sitting at a computer, see a doctor of chiropractic,”

urges Dr. Bautch. “A chiropractor can help alleviate

your child’s pain and help prevent further injury.” 

This information has been reprinted with the permission of acatoday.com

 

Acupuncture what is it? Will it help?

ACUPUNCTURE

 

Acupuncture is a non-drug, non-invasive therapy that

may produce a variety of benefits—from pain management

to helping with nausea associated with

chemotherapy. According to the 2002 National Health

Interview Survey, an estimated 8.2 million Americans

have been to an acupuncturist, and an estimated 2.1

million U.S. adults used acupuncture in the previous

year. Since the use of acupuncture has spread widely in

the U.S. in the past 20 years, researchers are studying

the benefits of acupuncture for many conditions, including

low-back pain, headaches, and osteoarthritis of the

knee.

Acupuncture may be useful as an independent treatment

for some conditions, but it can also be used as a

complement to other healthcare therapies.

The philosophy of acupuncture

One of the oldest healing arts, acupuncture originated in

China and other Asian countries thousands of years

ago. Acupuncture practitioners believe that all illness is

caused from interference with the flow of energy, also

called chi, and imbalance of two opposing and complementary

forces within the body: yin, the cold and passive

aspect, and yang, the hot, active, and excited

aspect.

To restore the balance between yin and yang and to

unblock chi, acupuncture stimulates specific points of

the body through several techniques, including insertion

of hair-thin metal needles through the skin. In Chinese

medicine, chi is believed to flow through pathways

(meridians) in the body, which are accessible through

more than 350 acupuncture points. Western medicine

explains the effect of acupuncture through stimulating

nerves, muscles, and connective tissue, which

increases the body’s natural activity to regulate pain and

increase blood flow.

Before your visit

• Ask your doctor of chiropractic or another

health care provider for a referral. Some

doctors of chiropractic practice acupuncture,

too.

• Ask people you trust for recommendations.

• Check online referral listings of national

acupuncture organizations.

• Check the acupuncturist’s credentials. A

license is required to practice acupuncture;

however, education and training standards, as

well as license-obtaining requirements, vary

among states. Most states require non-physician

acupuncturists to pass an exam through

the National Certification Commission for

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

• Interview the provider. Ask what the treatment

involves, how likely it is to be effective for your

condition, and how much it will cost.

• Check with your insurance company to find out

if the treatment is covered by your insurance.

During your visit

During your first office visit, the acupuncture

practitioner may ask you for details related to your

health condition, lifestyle, and behavior. Be sure to tell

the provider about all treatments or medications you are

taking and all conditions you have. Ask how many visits

the treatment will take approximately.

While acupuncture providers may have different styles,

a typical visit—which usually lasts about 30 minutes—

includes an exam and assessment of your condition,

insertion of needles, and advice on home care. Before

the needles are placed, you will lie down on a comfortable

surface face down, face up, or on your side,

depending on where the needles will be inserted.

Usually the procedure isn’t painful; however, you may

feel a brief, sharp sensation when the needle is inserted

and when it reaches the correct depth. Sometimes, the

needles are gently moved or stimulated with electricity

or heat. Each treatment may require the insertion of as

many as 12 needles, which stay in place for 5 to 20 minutes.

Benefits and risks

Just as with other therapies, acupuncture has benefits

and risks. On the benefit side, acupuncture:

• Has few side effects

• Can be a useful complement to other therapies

• Is becoming widely available

• Helps control certain types of pain

If you have a bleeding disorder or are taking blood thinners,

acupuncture may not be for you.

Acupuncture treatment is experienced differently by different

people—some report feeling energized by treatment;

others feel relaxed. Most report feeling no or minimal

pain from the insertion of the needles. Soreness

and pain during treatment can result from improper

needle placement, a defect in the needle, or the movement

of the patient. Some experience bleeding or bruising

at the needle sites.

If acupuncture is not provided by a properly qualified

practitioner, however, potentially serious side effects

can occur. Acupuncture needles, which are regulated by

the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, should be sterile

and non-toxic, and should come in single-use packages

labeled for use by qualified providers only. Some

complications have been reported from inadequately

sterilized needles. Inappropriately delivered treatment

can result in infections and injured organs. These risks,

however, are low when acupuncture is provided by a

competent, certified practitioner..