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What is Acupuncture?
Traditional Eastern medicine has been used for thousands of years and includes acupuncture. It is based on the idea that your body’s energy, chi (pronounced “chee”), moves through and around it through channels called meridians.
According to acupuncturists, illness happens when anything blocks or unbalances your chi. Chi can be influenced or unblocked with acupuncture to help it return to its normal, balanced flow.
Very tiny needles are inserted into the skin at specific places on the body during acupuncture treatments. Sometimes needles are combined with other elements like pressure, heat, or moderate electrical current.
Why is it used?
Acupuncture treatment can be used for numerous conditions. Some people use acupuncture to manage chronic pain from osteoarthritis, headaches, and neck issues as well as to treat acute pain, such as low back pain. Many research suggests that acupuncture may be effective in treating pain and other related conditions.
Who does acupuncture?
Most often, licensed acupuncturists perform acupuncture (L.Ac.). After finishing a training program and passing a certification exam, L.Ac.s in California are granted certification by the California Acupuncture Board. They are authorized to practice on their own.
Risks
In general, when performed by a licensed professional, acupuncture is safe. A state license guarantees the provider has a specific degree of training and adheres to specific rules.
What can the patient expect?
Acupuncture can help decrease some pain for some patients. The amount of benefit, and the length of time it lasts, varies. It can take a few sessions to start to see improvement. Most studies show an improvement in pain after just a few sessions.
Most patients feel only minimal pain as the needles are inserted, or as they are stimulated. Some feel no pain at all. It is unusual for the needles to really hurt. If the needle is in the muscle, there will be a slight increase in discomfort. The pain usually begins to ease after a few seconds.
Is acupuncture a Kaiser Permanente benefit?
Yes and no.
The Kaiser Health Plan agreement neither includes nor excludes the use of acupuncture in the care of Kaiser members. This means that, like most of the services and treatments, it is an option that can be covered by the insurance when it is considered to be appropriate.
Periodically Kaiser Permanente reviews the medical literature and to define the scope of acupuncture care. At this time acupuncture is recommended as an option to consider in the care of patients with chronic pain and those with nausea and vomiting, especially associated with chemotherapy.
Please give us a call to verify your Kaiser Health Plan insurance coverage for acupuncture treatment.
Do I need a referral from Kaiser?
Yes or No. Referral requirement varies depends on you Kaiser Health Plan.
If your insurance plan does not require acupuncture referral, you can contact our office(Rivernorth Acupuncture in Diamond Bar, CA) directly to make an appointment for your initial visit.
Obtaining acupuncture referral process can be different case by case. Each primary doctor’s office has a specific system. It may be internal, to a department of complementary (alternative, integrative) medicine, or to a chronic pain program. It may be external, which means to the outside referrals office.
American Specialty Health (ASH)
Kaiser Permanente partners with American Specialty Health so you can get care from their network of acupuncture and chiropractic practitioners. When you need chiropractic care or acupuncture, you have direct access to more than 3,400 licensed chiropractors and more than 2,000 licensed acupuncturists in California.
Hyosu Kim, L.Ac. K.M.D., Rivernorth Acupuncture is affiliated with American Specialty Health.
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