Note: Thank you for your interest in acupuncture. This was the first alternative therapy that Dr.Ou learned. He understands that many people are starting to explore alternative medicine and that acupuncture is one of the best known modalities. Dr. Ou has years of experience with acupuncture and has found through his experience that while it generally works well, it does have limitations.
To address these limitations, he has used his experience in both conventional and alternative medicine to develop a Natural Healing Program using a combination of liver flusihg, Matris Energetics, and Field Control Therapy. Because of the success of his program, he rarely performs acupuncture anymore.
1) Most importantly, his Natural Healing Program produces more effective results in terms of the percentage of people who respond and the degree of improvement. For example when using Matrix Energetics, 80% of Dr. Ou's patients will get over 50% relief of pain after the first visit. With acupuncture, it usually takes several treatments to get that degree of improvement. As another example, more complex problems such as fibromyalgia will get about 20% improvement with acupuncture. With his Natural Healing Program, they will get up to 90% improvement.
2) The Natural Healing Program is more holistic. Acupuncture tends to focus on one or 2 health problems at a time. His program stimulates healing of all of a person's health issues on both a physical and mental level.
3) The Natural Healing Program involves no needles.
4) Out of pocket costs for most people are less with the Natural Healing Program than acupuncture.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a healing system which can tap into the body's ability to heal. Very thin needles are inserted into specific points, which tell the body to reduce pain and inflammation, reduce muscle spasm, improve blood flow, and correct malfunctioning nerves. It has an important place today because it can help many conditions which modern medicine has difficulty treating.
In July 2000, Dave Ou, M.D. introduced acupuncture to Rockdale County and since then, he has performed thousands of treatments to improve the quality of life of people suffering from ailments that could not be helped by modern medicine. Most of these people turned to acupuncture as a “last resort” because specialists, medications, physical therapy, injections, surgery, and other therapies did not help.
What can it be used for?
Aacupuncture is most commonly used for the treatment of pain. This includes, but is not limited to:
• back pain (including herniated discs, degenerated discs, and
arthritis)
• sciatica
• neck pain
• shoulder pain
• tennis elbow
• headaches (migraine and tension)
• arthritis in any joint such as the knees and hips
• TMJ
• plantar fasciitis
How effective is it?
It provides permanent or long term improvement in up to 75% of people.
Those who do not respond to acupuncture need more powerful treatments such as Dr. Ou's Natural Healing Program. For example, people with fibromyalgia can get 10-20% improvement with acupuncture. With his healing program, they can get 75-90% improvement.
How many treatments are needed?
It takes several treatments for permanent or long term relief. An average of 5-10 treatments are needed and they need to be given 1-2 times per week. More chronic and severe problems may require more treatments. Acupuncture does not work well if it is not done frequently enough or done enough times.
Do you need to return for maintenance treatments?
No. After the condition is adequately treated, no further treatments are needed unless the condition returns. Many people never need to come back.
How soon can improvement be seen?
Most people will notice a definite improvement within the first 3-5 treatments. If no improvement is noted within 5 treatments, other treatments should be considered.
Does acupuncture hurt?
The needles are 5 times thinner than the smallest needles used by doctors for injections. Because the needles are so small, the feeling is much less than getting an injection or getting your blood drawn. Some people feel a slight prick as a needle is inserted. Others feel nothing at all. After the needles are inserted, no pain is felt, but there may be a feeling of tingling, warmth, soreness, or numbness. Because of the chemicals released by the body during acupuncture, many people feel relaxed and fall asleep during the treatments.
Do you have to believe in acupuncture for it to work?
No. Acupuncture is successfully used in cats, dogs, horses, and other animals and is in fact recommended by the American Veterinary Association. Many people try acupuncture because their pets were helped.
Does insurance cover it?
Very few insurance companies cover acupuncture. You will need to check your benefits to see if there is coverage.
For everyone else, patients will be responsible for payment of the procedure fee at the time of treatment. Out of pocket costs range from $50 to $100 per treatment depending on their insurance.
Is it commonly used and why?
It’s estimated that Americans make around 15 million visits to acupuncture practitioners per year.
This is because despite all the advances in science and medicine, many conditions, especially pain, do not respond well to medications and surgery.
What is involved in a treatment?
Before treatment, Dr. Ou determines if there are any serious causes of pain that may require further testing or other therapy. If he feels acupuncture is an appropriate treatment for a patient’s condition, he places acupuncture needles into specific points on the body based on a patient’s individual condition. The needles may then be attached to electrical wires and have a weak electrical current run through them to enhance the effect of acupuncture. This is known as electroacupuncture. The needles are left in for approximately 15-30 minutes while the patient rests.
Are there any side effects?
Acupuncture is one of the safest medical treatments in the world. Serious side effects are extremely rare. Punctured organs can occur in those who do not know anatomy and infections may occur in those who do not use sterile needles. Passing out can sometimes occur and this usually happens in people who have a history of passing out from injections or getting their blood drawn.
How does acupuncture work?
The latest research suggests that during acupuncture, signals are carried by nerves to the brain, increasing blood flow to specific areas of the brain. For pain, the brain can release endorphins (your body’s natural pain killers), cortisol (your body’s natural anti-inflammatories), relax tense muscles, improve blood flow in the involved area, and readjust the way the brain handles pain signals.
According to ancient acupuncture theory, good health is maintained by the smooth flow of energy through the body. When the flow of energy is disturbed, disease occurs. Acupuncture is believed to directly readjust these energy pathways to restore health. Physicists have proposed that these energy pathways are made of what is known as coherent water clusters. This means that water molecules are lined up and in sync. Illness occurs when the molecules fall out of line. Acupuncture appears to restore the coherence of these water clusters. Dr. Ou has pursued more effective methods of increasing the coherence of water clusters and they form the foundation of his Natural Healing Program.
For comments or questions, E-mail Dr. Ou at info@drdaveou.com. I will only be checking my E-mail after hours so please no questions about appointments, prescription refills, or anything urgent. For urgent questions, please the office at 770-922-3023. For emergencies, call 911.
Dave Ou, M.D., Dip. FCT
Internal Medicine Associates of Rockdale
1301 Wellbrook Circle
Conyers, GA 30012
770-922-3023
Disclaimer: The information at this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The information on this website are the observations and opinions of Dr. Dave Ou. The information about Field Control Therapy, Matrix Energetics, Nutri-Energetics Systems, liver flushing, and the M-Power Program have not yet been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or other government or regulatory agencies.
This website created and maintained by Dave W. Ou, M.D.
Last updated September 26, 2008
