Acupuncture: Finding Its Place in Our Healthcare System

Over the past 40 years practicing acupuncture, William D. Skelton, D.Ac., founder and owner of the Acupuncture Clinic, conveniently located at 620 Sims Avenue, in Columbia, has observed the astounding and transformative ways in which acupuncture has enhanced the nation’s healthcare system. To many, acupuncture has earned its place in the medical field by merit and by meeting the health industry’s rigorous demands and expectations for all integrated components of patient care.

            Research by respected institutions, such as the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, the Mayo Clinic and others, validate and recommend using acupuncture for more than just the treatment of pain. Such findings have revealed that acupuncture can be an appropriate and effective treatment option for a broad range of health conditions and works well with conventional medical care.

            Hospitals and specialty clinics are increasingly adding acupuncture treatment as part of a comprehensive model of care. Skelton, along with his skilled staff at the Acupuncture Clinic, has provided acupuncture services for two major hospitals for the past 25 years. Both healthcare facilities offer acupuncture as an effective treatment option in their respective multimodality/multispecialty clinical portfolios. Due to the success of acupuncture treatment programs offered by clinical providers, such as the Acupuncture Clinic, the Joint Commission recently included acupuncture as a standard nonpharmacological treatment option for pain and behavioral health. The commission is the nation’s oldest and largest accreditation and standards-setting body in health care, accrediting nearly 21,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States.

            Pain remains the most common reason patients seek acupuncture. The list is vast, including such conditions as back pain, migraines, neuropathy, arthritis, neuralgia, sciatica and many others.

            There are new and exciting areas of acupuncture use emerging for conditions that are difficult to treat, medically undiagnosed and/or mood and stress related. The Veterans’ Administration system, for example, uses acupuncture to treat anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and pain. A Mayo Clinic study on using acupuncture to treat fibromyalgia found it to be beneficial. The study also reported a marked improvement in the care and treatment of individuals suffering from various conditions, including fatigue and anxiety. In fact, major oncology centers now offer acupuncture as a treatment option for conditions such as nausea, malaise, neuropathy, mood fluctuations and fatigue.

            Fortunately through research, technology and medical imaging advancements, there is a better comprehension and understanding within the healthcare industry, as a whole, of how acupuncture promotes positive change in a patient’s brain and body, which will ultimately lead to improved application.

            The acceptance of acupuncture as a viable treatment option by the healthcare system is largely due to the highly skilled expertise and dedication of acupuncture practitioners that meet the nation’s highest education, safety and examination standards to attain national board certification. Acupuncture has been so efficacious that many other healthcare specialties are exploring variations of acupuncture-like treatment methods typically involving electricity, laser or dry needles. These have vastly different practice and education standards and differ in clinical outcomes. Numerous studies validate and reinforce the many benefits and advantages of comprehensive acupuncture treatment that is administered effectively and professionally by certified practitioners. 

            Those interested in trying acupuncture or wanting to learn more about the nature and benefits of care should find and contact a practitioner that has been licensed by the S.C. Board of Medical Examiners and holds national board certification with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

For more information about the services provided by William D. Skelton, D.Ac., and the Acupuncture Clinic, call 803-256-1000 or visit SCAcupuncture.com.