05/23/2002

Meg Farris, Medical Reporter

WWL-TV Searching for energy channels

They say it works for pain, headaches, stress, asthma, irritable bowl syndrome, fertility problems, even breech babies, and they say there is proof.

Dr. John Clark practices physical medicine in Baton Rouge. He's a conventional doctor who believes that acupuncture works.

“We don't understand, to be honest with you, fully how it works. But we know that it does work,” said Clark. “A lot of physicians that you talk to, particularly neurologists, say it's a placebo. But pet scans are not placebo; endorphin measurements in the blood stream aren't placebo.”

He says brain scans clearly show chemical changes from using these tiny needles. They are put in invisible channels that move energy throughout the body. The channels can get blocked and keep your body from naturally healing itself. And while some doctors use acupuncture to treat addictions to smoking alcohol and drugs, some now say it can even curb overeating.

Leah Paskewich says it helped her lose 25 pounds over four months in Houston. But she gained it back when she moved to New Orleans and stopped the treatments.

“It really curbed the appetite it truly did,” said Paskewich. “Even with the hectic schedule you didn’t think about eating.”

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WWl-TV Acupuncture is said to heal joint pain

Petit has been going to Metairie certified acupuncturist Dr. Jin Wu for 3 years. She claims her hand swelling and pain is gone and she quickly lost five pounds. Dr. Wu knows western doctors are skeptical, even non-believers. But he says 4000 years of acupuncture in China gave him all the proof he needs.

“If you want to reduce appetite, if someone wants more appetites, always at this point,” said Wu.

Dr. Wu points to the ear because acupuncture experts say that just like a section of your brain correlates to every part of your body, they say a place on the ear does too. In fact, in Dr. Clark’s clinic in Baton Rouge, his acupuncturist said she could read every ache and pain in my body from my ear. And to this skeptic’s surprise, she found every little physical nagging problem. She even got my normal blood pressure and abnormal sleeping patterns right.

WWL-TV Meg Farris goes under the needle

To some respected doctors, it's snake oil. To others, with a combination of diet and exercise, it will give you that small advantage.

Most insurance does not pay for acupuncture.