Needles penetrate skin in ancient pain-relief technique
10:37 a.m. Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Acupuncture is an ancient form of medicine that can help relieve pain with just the prick of a needle.
Marquetta Bayless has dealt with back pain for years.
"I have degenerative disk disease and bugling disk," she said.
Marquetta tried various remedies even epidurals, but nothing seemed to help. Then someone told her about acupuncture.
"It helps a great deal. There's days when I'm hurting and know I have an appointment, and I can't wait to get here," she said.
Related info
Acupuncture can be used alongside conventional medicine just be sure both doctors communicate with each other so they know what's going on with the patient. Find a licensed practitioner and check to make sure only sterile single-use needles are used. For more information on acupuncture you may call Dr. Khosh at Natural Medical Care (785) 749-2255.
More information can be found on the Web site for the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Acupuncture is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world. It originated in China more than 2,000 years ago. About two million adult Americans a year use acupuncture.
"Acupuncture used for almost any type of ailment," said Dr. Farhang Khosh, an acupuncturist. "And usually nowadays it has been used basically with chronic diseases."
Khosh and his brother, Mehdi, of Lawrence, are Naturopathic Doctors and licensed acupuncturists.
"The whole purpose of acupuncture is the balancing yin and yang and flowing the qi which is the vital energy throughout system," Khosh said. "In Chinese philosophy or oriental philosophy is that the ailment or sickness comes if the yin and yang is not balanced and if the qi not properly flowing throughout the system."
Thin needles are placed on certain points of the body affected by pain. Sometimes electrical stimulation is used to help increase effectiveness.
Most patients report no pain, just a tingly sensation. When needles are placed in the proper place there's usually no bleeding.
Khosh says it's important to find a licensed practioner as the needles can penetrate deep under the skin.
"It depends on where in the body you are inserting the needle. But anywhere from 1/2 an inch sometimes less than 1/2 an inch to almost an inch," he said. "And of course you have to be careful in the vesserial area you don't wanna go so deep because you can penetrate some organs."
Pain relief with acupuncture can last up to several weeks. And for Marquetta being pain free means more than anything.
"Any kind of thing I can do to help relieve the pain is really exciting to try to do for me," he said. "What you get out of it is way more than what you would imagine."
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