Acupuncture for Naperville and Warrenville Residents

Acupuncture is an increasingly accepted and valid form of treatment for many types of pain and dysfunction in the body. Here at Wellness First, acupuncture is a cornerstone of our philosophy regarding treatment and healing and we know that many more people could be benefiting from this remarkable and time-tested method.

Acupuncture is especially useful in treating the following types of conditions:

Acupuncture

  • Acute pain
  • Chronic pain
  • Sports injuries
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Tension headaches
  • Migraine headaches
  • Neck pain
  • Sinus/Allergies
  • Lower back pain
  • Depression/Stress/Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Weight Loss/Appetite Control
  • Smoking
  • Infertility
  • Breech baby
  • Knee pain

At Wellness First it is our goal is to make you as comfortable as possible, answer your questions and prepare you with all the information you need to gain your trust and your acceptance of the practice and its clearly proven ability to help with your pain and improve the quality of your life. Take a look at these excerpts from one of the leading publications in the field of Acupuncture.

Acupuncture Gets High Marks from Pain Specialists

Medical Practitioners Consider Acupuncture a Legitimate Practice
Chronic pain is a term given to a variety of conditions that can cause frequent, continuous pain lasting several months or longer, including arthritis; chronic fatigue syndrome; fibromyalgia; headaches; back, neck and shoulder pain; and temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ). While most chronic pain sufferers have traditionally taken prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications to ease their suffering, studies show that increasing numbers of people have begun turning toward more natural, less invasive methods of pain relief.

Acupuncture received consistently good reviews from practitioners who returned the survey. Sixty-nine percent of those surveyed said they either used Acupuncture in their own practice or referred patients to an acupuncturist, ranking the therapy fourth behind counseling/psychotherapy, electromagnetic applications (TENS, magnets) and exercise.

Acupuncture Today
December, 2000, Volume 01, Issue 12

Acupuncture Provides Long-Term Relief of Low Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people see a health care provider. It has been estimated that up to 80% of the world’s population will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, with the lower back as the most common location of pain. Although most episodes of low back pain last less than two weeks, research has shown that recurrence rates for low back pain can reach as high as 50% in the first few months following an initial episode.

While there is no definitive way to resolve lower back pain, the use of Acupuncture to treat this condition has increased dramatically in the past few decades, based in a large extent to placebo-controlled studies that have validated it as a reliable method of pain relief. The results of a recent study published in the Clinical Journal of Pain provide further proof that Acupuncture is a safe and effective procedure for low-back pain, and that it can maintain positive outcomes for periods of six months or longer without producing the negative side-effects that often accompany more traditional pain remedies.

Acupuncture Today
March, 2002, Volume 03, Issue 03

Frequently Asked Questions About Acupuncture:

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is simply a health science used to treat both pain and dysfunction in the body. Acupuncture began in China between 5,000 and 7,000 years ago and although Acupuncture did not become known and accepted on a national level until 1971 in the U.S. it is today a widely used alternative form of treatment for physical ailments ranging from headaches to substance addiction. At Wellness First our main method for applying Acupuncture therapy is modern non-needle and involves using electrical pulses on strategically selected points on the body. For those who prefer the traditional form of Acupuncture, which involves placing micro-fine needles in carefully mapped points on the body, this traditional technique is also available at our office.

Is treatment painful?

Treatments are not painful and most people even find them to be very relaxing and calming. The electro pulses are very mild and should result in no discomfort. For those who prefer the traditional type of Acupuncture using needles, the needles are so extremely slender that four Acupuncture needles can be inserted into the tube of one hypodermic needle! In fact, most people compare the sensation to less than that of a mosquito bite.

How many treatments will I need?

Obviously the number of treatments will vary with each different condition and patient. Chronic problems generally require more treatments. Some patients notice an immediate improvement whereas others may not notice any effect until the several treatments have been performed. Researchers agree that the usual number of treatments is between eight and sixteen and the frequency is between two and four times per week. It has also been shown that a certain percentage of patients receive the maximum benefits for up to three months following a course of therapy.
It should also be noted that a small number of patients will experience a slight worsening in their symptoms as the body’s energies begin to return to normal. This is not unusual and should not cause alarm as it is immediately followed by improvement.

Are the results psychological?

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Many critics of Acupuncture have suggested that the science is hypnosis or simply “mind over matter”. This criticism is completely unfounded as Acupuncture has documented effects on infants and toddlers and even has proven to have veterinary applications. It has also been used in the surgical field as an anesthetic.

Which health conditions respond well to Acupuncture?

Acupuncture textbooks list well over two thousand different conditions that respond to Acupuncture treatments. The World Health Organization, working in close harmony with the International Acupuncture training center of the Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, has shown that Acupuncture is effective under the following conditions:

  • Acute and chronic pain
  • Migraines
  • Tension and sinus headaches
  • Infertility
  • Bladder dysfunction
  • Neck pain
  • Mid and low back pain
  • Shoulder pain
  • Tennis elbow
  • Post operation pain
  • Gastric problems
  • Asthma and allergies
  • Skin conditions
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Abnormal blood pressure
  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • And many more

Is Acupuncture effective in treating infertility?

Acupuncture can be very effective in improving the condition of the body, creating the optimal environment for conception to occur. Dr. Oberheide will conduct an examination, trying to determine the condition of the spine and use Acupuncture to correct any misalignments, nerve pressure or irritation that may be affecting the body and preventing pregnancy.
Traditional infertility treatments, involving many consultations and treatments with fertility doctors and subsequent drug and hormone therapy, are very time consuming and come at extremely substantial cost, both emotionally and financially. Acupuncture may be a better solution for you and is certainly worth looking into before resorting to the more costly alternative of a fertility specialist. Acupuncture has even been used together with fertility drugs to enhance the effects of the drugs and improve chances for conception.

Is Acupuncture treatment covered by my insurance?

acupucture
Very possibly! Mainstream acceptance of Acupuncture is growing like never before. According to a recent article in a leading Acupuncture publication, Acupuncture Today, employers are beginning to recognize the benefits of treatments like Acupuncture and have begun to integrate them into their existing health insurance plans. In fact, a recent survey has identified Acupuncture as one of the fastest growing alternative treatments to be covered under insurance plans! Please see our section on Insurance Coverage Information for more complete information and a list of the plans we are currently accepting or call our office as the list of accepted insurance plans is always growing.
But even if your insurance does not cover treatment, you will find that because of the short duration of the non-needle Acupuncture treatments, the cost is very reasonable and the benefits are outstanding. Call our office today to discuss some of our very flexible payment options.

Are the results permanent?

Results are often permanent for acute problems where there has been little or no organ, system or tissue damage. For chronic conditions, symptoms may recur from time to time. Generally a few additional treatments are shown to give relief. It is suggested that patients with severe or chronic conditions return for a booster treatment two to three times per year.

Is Acupuncture used for anesthesia?

Acupuncture has been used very successfully in place of chemical anesthesia for a variety of surgeries within the last thirty years but it is unlikely that it will replace chemical anesthesia in the U.S. However, it has extremely practical applications for those who can not tolerate chemical anesthesia and in the field of dentistry. The first U.S. national media coverage featuring Acupuncture was in 1971 during President Nixon’s visit to China. There, visiting reporter James Reston told of his emergency appendectomy performed while he was under Acupuncture anesthesia.

Can Acupuncture help control addiction?

Acupuncture
Acupuncture has gained a great deal of notoriety in recent years concerning its considerable success with addiction control. It has been shown that Acupuncture has a very positive effect in the area of both drug and alcohol addiction. This procedure, in conjunction with professional counseling, has been proven extremely effective.
One of the most noteworthy addictions Acupuncture helps is smoking. However, it should be noted that this treatment requires the desire and commitment to quit in order to be effective. The average patient will reduce their intake by at least one-half within twenty four hours of the first treatment. Several additional treatments generally allow the patient to stop smoking without experiencing the negative side effects of quitting. Acupuncture also has a favorable effect on weight control with the same guidelines of desire and commitment. Currently there are several Acupuncture clinics in the US devoted solely to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
For more information on Acupuncture, the below information and websites are especially helpful. The full National Institute of Health Consensus Statement on Acupuncture is available by calling 1-888-NIH-CONSENSUS (1-888-644-2667) or by visiting the NIH Consensus Development Program Web site at http://consensus.nih.gov. The National Institute of Health Consensus Development Program was established in 1977 and is the premier health technology assessment and transfer program in American medicine. Under this program, the Office of Medical Applications of Research at NIH organizes major conferences that produce consensus statements and technology assessment statements on controversial issues in medicine important to health care providers, patients, and the general public

What Can I Expect On My First Visit?

Please plan at least an hour and a half for your first visit. Because we make our diagnosis based on a holistic paradigm it is important for us to gather as much information as we can about your medical history. Even details that seem unrelated to the condition that you are seeking treatment for could provide important clues for an accurate diagnosis.

A brief western physical assessment will follow your medical history interview. Finally, your tongue and pulses will be examined . This will provide information about the status of your organ systems. Once we reach a clear diagnosis based on the physical examinations and your medical history interview, you will be given an acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture needles are considerably thinner than the injection needles that you may be more familiar with. In fact, several acupuncture needles can fit into the barrel of an injection needle. There may be a moment of slight discomfort as the needles are inserted, but the sensation is minimal and brief. Like many patients, you may feel extremely relaxed after the needles are placed, and may even fall asleep.

Generally, we will let you relax and let the needles do their work for about 20 minutes. After they are removed you may be given further treatment, depending upon your condition.

Request an appointment today and take the first step to better health.