Bill had so many aches and pains that Heidi Mo Hawkins didn't think
she would be able to help him. After all, Hawkins was still in training when
Bill, a 58-year-old television repairman, came through the college doors.
"He had a huge list of complaints," says Hawkins. "When I sat down to talk
with him, he jokingly said, 'I have everything but cancer!'"
Among many other chronic pains, Bill had been bothered by sore knees and
shoulders for decades. "I tried to just treat that complaint, through treating
the root of the problem as best I could," says Hawkins. She put four tiny
needles in the outside of his ear for 15 minutes.
"When I took them out, he stood up and started stomping his feet on the
floor," she says. "He was totally amazed that his pain was gone. He told me
that he didn't think acupuncture was going to work at all."
Elaine Komarow, an acupuncturist in Virginia, treats many people who don't
believe they can be helped. "I had a client come to me who had horrible migraines
that were no longer responding to medication," she says. After only six treatments,
the patient stopped having the headaches altogether.
A second client came to her office as a last resort. He was about to have
surgery for pain in his foot. Much to his surprise, the pain was reduced after
the first treatment and vanished after the third.
Komarow spends time talking to patients, both believers and non-believers,
to find out what is ailing them and to make sure they feel comfortable with
the treatment. She spends two hours with a new patient and an hour with repeat
clients.
No matter how often she sees a client, she begins every session with a
15-minute chat. "I find out how the last treatment was, how things are going
in their life, find out how they are sleeping and eating," says Komarow. She
then leaves the room to give the patient a chance to get settled on the table.
When Komarow returns, she takes the patient's pulse and then sits
at her desk to plan the treatment. "I'll tell them what I'm going
to do that day, insert the needles and then take their pulse again."
In most cases, she leaves the needles in for 15 minutes. Because Komarow
works by herself, she uses these few minutes to do other work.
"While I'm out of the room, I may return phone calls, take care of
paperwork, order supplies or think about other clients that I will be seeing
that day," she says.
When the time's up, Komarow takes the patient's pulse again and
decides whether to take out the needles or insert more. "When I'm satisfied
that the pulses have improved, I'll remove all the needles and leave
the room so the client can get up and get dressed."
Finally, Komarow gives the patient suggestions on how to stay healthy.
Communication is also important in treatments given at Hawkins' clinic.
"I interview the person thoroughly, arrive at a diagnosis and treatment plan
that I explain to the client," she says. "I usually advise her or him on lifestyle
changes, such as diet and exercise."
Hawkins takes time to record the patient's complaints. "I also spend
a lot of time explaining procedures and the philosophy of Chinese medicine,"
she says.
Alex Feng combines other types of traditional Chinese medicine such as
herbal medicine, massage and qi gong, an internal meditative exercise, with
acupuncture.
While some acupuncturists say the needles must stay in the skin for 15
to 20 minutes, Feng disagrees. "An acupuncture session can be anywhere from
one to 30 minutes, depending on what needs to be done," he says.
Many acupuncture students enter this field because they have experienced
a successful acupuncture treatment themselves in the past, or have been otherwise
exposed to the ancient healing methods. Feng is no exception. His family has
always been immersed in Chinese spirituality, history and healing.
Feng's own interest increased while he was at university. "I wasn't
so happy in college," he says. "So I shifted my attention to traditional Chinese
medicine."
Hawkins first became interested in acupuncture when she was 10. "I read
an article in National Geographic and was fascinated," she says. Her interest
was piqued again when she received acupuncture treatment for lower back pain.
In Komarow's case, "My main reason for trying acupuncture was curiosity."
She says she had always been interested in health care, and a few years ago
was intending to train to become a midwife. Then a friend told Komarow about
a successful acupuncture treatment. Komarow tried it for herself.
"I began treatment and found it to be an amazing experience," she says.
"I had been having a problem with mood swings....After a few months of acupuncture,
this had greatly improved and is no longer an issue at all."
But there are plenty of people who don't believe in the powers of
acupuncture. Scientists and medical experts have found a number of ways to
explain the healing method. Some suggest the needle points may cause a reflex
reaction, which suppresses the pain center in the brain. Others have suggested
the pricking releases hormones that are pain-killing and stimulate the circulation.
"Some skeptics just need a personal experience. Otherwise, it becomes an
intellectual exercise," says Feng. He believes that the proof of acupuncture
lies in the positive treatment results.
"When [patients] see results, that's the ultimate reward
for them -- and for us."