Acupuncture Without the Needles
Acupuncture Without the Needles
11/12/2007
Joanna Small
KFYR-TV
Acupuncture is an ancient form of chinese medicine that dates back thousands of years.
But the Chinese never did it like this. There`s a new twist on acupuncture that costs less, and surprisingly, doesn`t include needles.
LaRhonda Baier is no stranger to pain, and she`s no skeptic either.
"I`ve had traditional acupuncture, that was really hard on me," Baier says. "It`s not supposed to be as painful as it was."
She was through with needles, but not with Eastern medicine.
So, in hopes of reducing her shoulder discomfort, Baier opted for acupuncture without the puncture.
This is electro-manual stimulation or EMS, most commonly called needle-less acupuncture.
"From an eastern medicine standpoint, what you`re doing is stimulating flow or qi," says Dr. Jonathan Deitz, of Wellness Dimensions. "A lot of times when you get pain, energy is no longer flowing."
Needleless acupuncture aims to fix that, just like its ancient counterpart.
But it includes a few added benefits.
A major difference between needless acupuncture and traditional acupuncture is EMS works with three points, acupoints, myofacial points, and trigger points, places on the body that transfer pain elsewhere.
With a handheld unit, Dr. Deitz sends an electrical signal into any one of those points.
The energy travels through the body and can cause a world of good.
"It can be like myofacial release, which helps the muscle to relax and release, it also involves the nerves because it`s stimulation to the nerves, which causes the release of endorphins, natural pain relievers," says Dr. Deitz.
It`s proven better than anything in a bottle for Baier.
"I can count more days I don`t have pain versus the days I do have it," Baier says.
Acupuncture without needles is usually more cost effective, because most insurance companies will cover electrical stimulation, but not traditional acupuncture
© 2007 KFYR-TV
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