Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that has been practiced for centuries. It involves the insertion of extremely thin needles into very specific points in the body.
LEARN MORE ABOUT ACUPUNCTURE
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE WORK?
According to traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that insertion of acupuncture needles in to acupuncture points can stimulate qi, or, energy to flow freely throughout the body along acupuncture meridians. This freely flowing energy can then promote healing for many different conditions, depending on the points stimulated.
The more Western school of thought is that insertion of needles stimulates increased neuro-endocrine effects, endorphin production, hormone production and/or stimulates micro-circulation and oxygenation of tissues which in turn promotes different types of healing, depending on the condition being treated.
WHAT CONDITIONS MAY RESPOND TO ACUPUNCTURE?
The World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes diseases or disorders that acupuncture has been tested using controlled clinical trials into four major classifications including: “proven to be effective,” “positive effect, but further proof needed,” “some effects, but worth trying” and “maybe tried if practitioner has specialized knowledge, effect not known.”
Diseases and conditions where acupuncture has proven to be effective include:
Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever)
Bell’s Palsy
Depression
Diabetic Neuropathy
Menstrual Pain
Stomach Pain
Facial pain and Facial Spasm
Female Infertility
Fibromyalgia
Gout
Headache
Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
Hypertension, essential
Induction of labor
Insomnia
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Infertility
Knee pain
Low back pain
Morning sickness
Neck pain
Neuralgia (Nerve Pain)
Osteoarthritis
Pain in dentistry (including dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction)
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD)
Shoulder Arthritis
Sjogren’s Disease
Postoperative pain
Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sciatica
Sprain
Stress Management
Tennis elbow
Tietze Syndrome (costo-chondral pain)
Ulcerative Colitis
ARE THERE ANY RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH ACUPUNCTURE?
The risks associated with acupuncture are minimal. The majority of people find that it is completely painless. Bruising or soreness may occur. The risk of infection or cross infection from needles is completely eliminated at Greater Chicago Specialty Physicians (GCSP) by the use of strict sanitary protocols and sterile, disposable needles that are only used once.
HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL IT TAKE?
There are no fixed treatment plans. Treatment frequency varies depending on the patient and the condition.
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT ON MY FIRST VISIT?
- Paperwork: You will be asked to fill out standard medical intake forms pertaining to your pain and medical history prior to seeing Dr. Desai.
- Evaluation: After you fill out paperwork pertaining to your pain, Dr. Desai will sit down with you and have a conversation with you about your pain.
- Examination: An exam will be performed in order to assess your condition.
- Discussion: Following your examination, Dr. Desai will discuss your diagnosis with you and give you a chance to ask questions. She will let you know if you are a candidate for acupuncture or if it would be more beneficial for you to see a different type of medical specialist. If you are a candidate for acupuncture, she will discuss your treatment plan with you.
- Care: Acupuncture treatment is initiated on the first visit. Dr. Desai takes pride in spending time with her patients and giving them the most thorough evaluation possible. For that reason, the first visit may take up to 1 hour.
- Treatment: Each acupuncture treatment entails insertion of needles along specific points on the body. The points vary depending on your condition and where you are in your treatment plan. Needle insertion takes approximately 10 minutes and stay inserted for approximately 30 minutes. Needles are then removed which takes a few minutes.
DOES HEALTH INSURANCE COVER ACUPUNCTURE?
Some major health insurance companies will cover acupuncture. Call your insurance company to find out if you have acupuncture benefits. If you don’t have coverage, GCSP offers low and competitive rates so that acupuncture can be more affordable and accessible for everyone.
HOW MUCH DOES ACUPUNCTURE COST?
GCSP offers low and competitive rates in order to make acupuncture accessible to everyone. Please call our clinics to learn about our rates and packages.
WHO SPECIALIZES IN ACUPUNCTURE AT GCSP?
Dr. Vishva Desai is a board certified Chiropractic Physician who is certified in performing Acupuncture. She performs acupuncture as one of the many modalities of care she offers. She specializes in providing less invasive, evidence based, complementary and alternative treatment options for a wide variety of medical conditions. In addition to acupuncture, she also utilizes other treatment modalities, including chiropractic spinal manipulation, exercise therapy, nutrition counseling, manual therapy (clinical massage) and physiotherapy.
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Desai today to see how she can help you “Get Pain Free, Get Moving, and Get Well” by addressing the root cause of your pain and offering a comprehensive individualized treatment approach.