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On January 22, visitors to Lifespan.org discussed acupuncture and complementary medicine online with Dale Drennan, MD, a rehabilitation expert at Newport Hospital. Below are excerpts from the chat. Moderator: Welcome to today's Doc Chat on Lifespan.org. Dale Drennan, MD, a rehabilitation specialist at Newport Hospital will be online today to discuss acupuncture and complementary medicine. Thanks for joining us. cricket60: Hi, Dr. Drennan. What types of conditions do you recommend acupuncture for? Dr. Drennan: The World Health Organization suggests treatment for pain, for example, back pain, neck pain and dental-type pain. It also appears to be helpful in situations such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and irritable bowel. cricket60: I have fibromyalgia as well as osteoarthritis. Currently I get acupuncture monthly and find it helpful for relaxation, but it really doesn't help pain very much. Dr. Drennan: Cricket, the energy component of the treatment appears to be more successful in my experience also. Anatomic acupuncture has been more successful for me in treatment of chronic pain. djgquilt: My knee. Dr. Drennan: Djgquilt, acute knee pain can be treated with a tendonomuscular technique of acupuncture. Chronic knee pain also can be treated with an energy-enhancing technique of acupuncture. djgquilt: Hi. I have chronic pain in my knee. I have had five surgeries in the past three years. Would acupuncture help with the pain? Dr. Drennan: Djgquilt, I would say give it a try with anatomic acupuncture if possible. It may take six to eight sessions to tell if it's going to work. cricket60: Can you please explain "anatomic" acupuncture? Dr. Drennan: Anatomic acupuncture is a technique of acupuncture using more Western nerve pathways, as well as Eastern energy pathways, and utilizing an electrical stimulator unit. djgquilt: Does insurance cover this? Dr. Drennan: Insurance usually doesn't cover this. cricket60: Thanks, I will mention this to my practitioner. Dr. Drennan: Good luck. mikestearns1: Doctor, have you ever used acupuncture for tinnitus? Dr. Drennan: Mike, I haven't, but it has been used for tinnitus, and I have been trained in the points. djgquilt: Thank for the information. How often are the sessions? Dr. Drennan: Sessions are usually once a week, but it depends on the practitioner. mikestearns1: how many visits would you think to see if it works? Dr. Drennan: The number of visits depends on the chronicity. For something acute, two to three visits; for a chronic, lingering problem, it may take six to ten visits. mikestearns1: Whom would I contact? Dr. Drennan: You can contact the office at Newport Hospital at 401-845-1650. The Rhode Island Department of Health may also have a list of practitioners in the state. cricket60: Have you had any success with acupuncture and weight control? Dr. Drennan: The professor with whom I trained said that acupuncture is not successful for weight control. I wish it were! It works as a supplementive treatment for smoking cessation, though. cricket60: Thanks for your honesty! I guess it's back to the treadmill! cricket60: Going back to the insurance question, I was told by Blue Cross/Blue Shield that if acupuncture was performed by an MD, it would be covered as any other office visit? Is this no longer the case? Dr. Drennan: Cricket, the best thing is to check with your insurer. Each plan is different. djgquilt: Thanks again, doctor, for the information. I'm going to think about it. mikestearns1: I've heard acupuncture was used for surgery with no anesthesia in some cases in the Orient, is that true Dr. Drennan: Mike, that is true. Acupuncture is a common anesthetic in China, but is not utilized for that purpose in this country. mikestearns1: Do you know how many credible practitioners there are in RI? Dr. Drennan: I don't know how many there are. The Rhode Island Department of Health may have that answer. One of the reasons I went into acupuncture is because I had trouble finding an acupuncturist with whom I was comfortable in terms of training and experience. cricket60: Do you have any other suggestions for alternative therapies for chronic pain? I do receive massage therapy weekly and that really is a lifesaver, but wondered if there was anything else I could try. Dr. Drennan: Cricket, you're right. Massage therapy, exercise, yoga and herbal treatments under appropriate supervision have been very successful when used with acupuncture, or independently in some cases. cricket60: I've always been a little afraid of using herbs. Would you recommend that these be prescribed by an oriental medicine practitioner as opposed to those supplements available in the health stores? Dr. Drennan: I think you need to have an oriental practitioner working in conjunction with your own physician to use herbs safely. cricket60: Dr. Drennan, thank you for your information and comments. Dr. Drennan: The training for acupuncture does not include herbal medicines, so you need to check with your acupuncturist to see if they have had training in herbal medicine. mikestearns1: Could you tell us what city your practice is in? Dr. Drennan: I practice in Newport, Rhode Island, at Newport Hospital. mikestearns1: Doctor, thank you for your time. Dr. Drennan: Best of luck, Mike. Mercedes: Dr. Drennan, can acupuncture help people with neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease? Dr. Drennan: There's no Western research on acupuncture helping neurologic disease, but Eastern practitioners feel it's helpful in situations such as stroke. Dr. Drennan: The National Institutes of Health is beginning to do research on complementary medicine, including acupuncture, that will fulfill practitioners' expectations in terms of research quality. Then we should have better information. vwilliams: Can a 9-year-old child have acupuncture? This would be for a neck injury where x-ray and MRI is negative, but discomfort exists all the time. Dr. Drennan: Yes, children tolerate acupuncture well, and the techniques are not different. There was a pediatrician in my training program. Mercedes: Thank you, Dr. Drennan. I'll be interested in the research findings. Moderator: Dr. Drennan will be here for a few more minutes to answer your questions about acupuncture. jcoldiron: Is acupuncture accepted by any insurance plan? Thank you. Dr. Drennan: Workman's comp will accept it, with prior authorization. Otherwise, none that I know of. It's best to check with your carrier for coverage details. Moderator: Thanks for participating in our online chat today. For more information about acupuncture at Newport Hospital, please call 401-845-1650. Find out more: |
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