Finalized CMS Rule Provides Medicare Coverage for Acupuncture Back Pain Treatment
CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) has finalized a proposed rule to provide Medicare coverage to chronic lower back pain patients who access acupuncture. This is partly due to an effort to reduce the dependency on opioids in treating contract pain. Medicare will now cover up to 12 acupuncture sessions in 90 days with an additional eight sessions for patients with chronic lower back pain that show improvement. In announcing their decision, CMS highlighted a study that showed patients 65 years or older who received acupuncture treatments gained improvement in both function and...
Read MoreMigraines and Acupuncture
Do you suffer from migraines? If so you’re not alone. Migraine sufferers number more than 38 million people in the US alone. Most people plagued by migraines experience one or two attacks per month and according to the Migraine Research Foundation, there are more than 4 million people that have at least 15 days of migraine-suffering each month. This makes migraines extremely debilitating and intrusive — hampering a person’s ability to function normally at work, school and in other areas of life — and it’s also why migraines are considered the sixth most disabling illness in the...
Read MoreAcupuncture in the Emergency Room
Acupuncture is an alternative medicine practice originating in ancient China that treats patients by manipulating thin, solid needles, which are inserted into acupuncture points in the skin. Acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain, but can be used to treat a wide variety of disorders such as digestive disorders, headaches, and anxiety. According the StarTribune, a Minneapolis hospital is blazing trails as the first hospital in the nation to have an acupuncturist on staff in the Emergency Room. The hospital reports this alternative addition has been successful thus far, treating...
Read MoreAcupuncture for Menopause
Did you know that acupuncture can be helpful in alleviating the symptoms of menopause? Recent research indicates that acupuncture treatment can be effective in helping women through this time of their lives. In a study published in Menopause, researchers completed a meta- analysis of 104 studies in order to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture on menopausal symptoms. The researchers found that acupuncture reduced both the frequency and severity of hot flashes. These findings suggest that acupuncture could be an effective alternative treatment for menopausal symptoms and women who suffer...
Read MoreWays to Manage Stress
Stress can have many negative effects towards our health. Not only can it affect how we interact with others, but it also weakens our immune system, causes skin breakouts, affects our mood and our appetite. Stress can also affect our heart health and hormone levels in our body. The effects of unmanaged stress can be quite serious. April is National Stress Awareness Month and if you haven’t already, it’s time to start thinking about ways to manage your stress. 1. Acupuncture treatments Studies have shown that acupuncture lowers stress hormones, like cortisol. Some studies also show that...
Read MoreAbout Me
My name is Stefanie Woods and I am a Board Certified and Licensed Acupuncture Physician. I received a Master in Oriental Medicine from the Acupuncture and Massage College in Miami, FL.
-- Stefanie Woods, AP, LMT
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