I have been wanting to show some case studies from the clinic to help the lay public to understand the benefits of acupuncture. The elderly don’t frequently seek acupuncture treatment. There are a few reasons for this. Medicare Insurance doesn’t cover it, often they are on a fixed income, they are not used to paying for these types of services, and cultural biases. This is very unfortunate because acupuncture is safe and not only can help mood, sleep and mobility, but can help them minimize medications.
I gave a talk at the Sequoias in late January and a few people started coming to see me. The first is a man in his early 80’s who had lost his wife 8 months before after a very long illness. He sought help with mood and mobility. He also happens to be a physician who has knowledge of acupuncture so understood that treatment takes time and some measure of commitment. After 6 months of treatment,(averaging every 2 to 3 weeks) his mood is very much improved. His knees, though not perfect, have not deteriorated and he is getting faster and faster walking to his appointments. He recently developed a piriformis syndrome that was causing a fair amount of pain in his buttock, but is resolved after two focussed treatments. He has taken up weekly (limited) tango, an old hobby of his, and is planning his first overseas travel in 20 years. And, no, I don’t take credit for much of his progress, but it is instructive how treatment in conjunction with a great attitude can be very healthy.
