Providers Treating Providers

The past several days I noticed many people posting about a study reporting the increasing popularity of acupuncture and other CAM among healthcare providers over the general population. Shock? Nope. I see my fair share of MDs, RNs, NPs, DPTs, PharmDs, LMTs and folks who work in the healthcare administrative arenas. They, more than anyone else, see the end effects of poorly managed chronic illness and reactive rather than proactive self-care. Contrary to popular opinion, they often make the best patients . . . and even joke about how bummed out they are that this stuff actually works!My only gripe with the CAM classifications in the study is they include self-administered therapies like nutrition (which is an alternative to what, exactly, starving?) and exercises like pilates and yoga. I do...

Providers Treating Providers

The past several days I noticed many people posting about a study reporting the increasing popularity of acupuncture and other CAM among healthcare providers over the general population. Shock? Nope. I see my fair share of MDs, RNs, NPs, DPTs, PharmDs, LMTs and folks who work in the healthcare administrative arenas. They, more than anyone else, see the end effects of poorly managed chronic illness and reactive rather than proactive self-care. Contrary to popular opinion, they often make the best patients . . . and even joke about how bummed out they are that this stuff actually works!My only gripe with the CAM classifications in the study is they include self-administered therapies like nutrition (which is an alternative to what, exactly, starving?) and exercises like pilates and yoga. I do...

Engineering Explanations

Lately I have noticed my usual answers to the common questions "how does acupuncture work? I mean, what do the needles really do?" have not been working for the folks who want an explanation in 20 words or less. Although I provide excellent literature on theory, a few months ago I jettisoned my TCM explanation and shortened it to "the needle sensation helps direct the release and flow of endorphins to stimulate the body's self-healing processes." This seems to satisfy those who find things like Qi and meridians either too esoteric or too hippy dippy to accept as viable healthcare. As it turns out, my simple explanation has evidence-based research to back it. The Columbia University electrical engineering department and University of Hong Kong medical faculty of the collaborated on a study...

Engineering Explanations

Lately I have noticed my usual answers to the common questions "how does acupuncture work? I mean, what do the needles really do?" have not been working for the folks who want an explanation in 20 words or less. Although I provide excellent literature on theory, a few months ago I jettisoned my TCM explanation and shortened it to "the needle sensation helps direct the release and flow of endorphins to stimulate the body's self-healing processes." This seems to satisfy those who find things like Qi and meridians either too esoteric or too hippy dippy to accept as viable healthcare. As it turns out, my simple explanation has evidence-based research to back it. The Columbia University electrical engineering department and University of Hong Kong medical faculty of the collaborated on a study...

The "Other" Provider: It's Time to Talk

Despite most intake forms including a section for vitamin, supplements, and other therapies, many people keep complementary and alternative treatments from their primary care provider. Sometimes this is because of a lack of knowledge that a particular health behavior is an actual therapy, that it has the potential to interfere with conventional treatment, or that it should be reported. Providers neglecting to ask,  lack of time to bring up the topic, and concern of provider disapproval or embarrassment over what they might think also contribute to underreporting. Although we are moving to a partnership model of healthcare, many of those...

The "Other" Provider: It's Time to Talk

Despite most intake forms including a section for vitamin, supplements, and other therapies, many people keep complementary and alternative treatments from their primary care provider. Sometimes this is because of a lack of knowledge that a particular health behavior is an actual therapy, that it has the potential to interfere with conventional treatment, or that it should be reported. Providers neglecting to ask,  lack of time to bring up the topic, and concern of provider disapproval or embarrassment over what they might think also contribute to underreporting. Although we are moving to a partnership model of healthcare, many of those...