IN Hampton Winter 2016 | Page 24

SPONSORED SPONSOREDCONTENT CONTENT BUSINESS BUSINESSSPOTLIGHT SPOTLIGHT SPONSORED SPONSOREDCONTENT CONTENT Evidence-Based Eastern Method Integrated with Western Medicine N early 10 years ago, Dr. Marie Manrique found herself suffering from migraines and had been on different medications when a colleague suggested she look into acupuncture. As an anesthesiologist, it took her some time to find an acupuncturist that would pass muster with her standards of quality and care. Once she did, she found that, surprisingly, acupuncture greatly reduced the frequency, intensity and duration of her migraines, so much so that she began a journey into learning the technique and eventually started administering acupuncture to others. “I am trained in Western medicine, so my level of skepticism was high,” she said. “I still adhere to treatments that are backed by scientific principles and produce results for patients.” Acupuncture has now been shown to have beneficial effects on certain types of pain and is relatively safe. The needles used are fine, almost like a strand of hair, sterile and unimposing. Most people describe the insertion as a “tickling” sensation. Current studies from the National Institutes of 22 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Hampton Health (NIH) provide scientific support that acupuncture helps ease types of pain that are often chronic, and compared with conventional methods of treating pain, it has fewer complications. The last point she said is extremely important. At a time when opioid addiction as a result of pain medication is at an all-time high, acupuncture becomes a reasonable option to consider for chronic pain patients. With the changing paradigm on pain management, where a multimodal approach is now recommended, the integration of acupuncture to conventional treatment not only reduces the pain but also decreases the use of pain medications and their attendant side effects. The Medical Acupuncture Clinic also advocates and teaches patients the Stress Relaxation Response, a well-researched and documented method pioneered by Dr. Herbert Benson of the Massachusetts General Hospital. This method reduces the harmful effects of stress on the body, like hypertension and chronic pain. For more information on Medical Acupuncture and to see how it can help you, check the website, www.medicalacupuncturepittsburgh.com, or call 724.991.2366 to make an appointment. 1350 Old Freeport Rd, Suite 2A, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 724.991.2366 | www.medicalacupuncturepittsburgh.com