This week, let's look at "8 Acupuncture Questions" for Morgan White.

Morgan has been treating patients clinically for the past three years, but only has been in the Coeur d'Alene area for the past year, where she opened Urban Acupuncture. Morgan has studied at the Arizona School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Tucson, Ariz., with a heavy emphasis in tuina and cranial sacral.

She graduated from Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, Ore. She also has a western medical background in laboratory sciences. Her diverse education creates a unique approach to patient-centered care. Morgan specializes in helping people manage chronic conditions through acupuncture and herbal medicine, while focusing on supporting and balancing the whole body.

Q. Morgan, traditional Chinese acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine. Can you tell us a little about acupuncture and its role in wellness?

A. Traditional Chinese acupuncture takes a look at the whole body system and how its functions are or aren't working to optimal capacity. The beauty of this approach is it not only includes the entire system of a person, it looks at how it applies to each of us on an individual level.

Acupuncture itself is the insertion of a sterile, single use, hair-like needle into an acupuncture point. The needles stimulate certain points in the body that help to re-harmonize the circadian rhythms, creates a local healing response which flushes the body with fresh circulation and helps to sedate the nervous system. These lingering effects leave a state of feeling refreshed, revitalized and relaxed. Acupuncture does play a key role in wellness. The body wants to run as efficiently as possible, so getting treatment will gently remind the body of the most optimal function possible: Health.

Q. Acupuncture is recognized by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to be effective in the treatment of a wide variety of medical problems. Do health care professionals refer patients to acupuncturists and do health insurance plans cover acupuncture?

A. It is becoming more of a routine practice for health care professionals to refer patients for acupuncture. This may be happening in larger cities on a more regular basis, but I do have a few current patients that were specifically referred by a health care professional. Acupuncture is covered by some health insurances. It varies widely from state to state currently, but I feel more companies will pick up acupuncture benefits in the future.

Q. Is acupuncture safe for most people, or are there people who should not have acupuncture therapy? Also, can all ages take advantage of acupuncture?

A. The great thing about acupuncture is it is one of the safest therapies. It is gentle, effective and can be applied to almost any case. There are a few instances that I would not apply acupuncture to. For instance, a patient that is severely immuno-compromised or in a really weakened state. It really is a case-by-case assessment though.

Yes! All ages can take advantage of acupuncture, to varying degrees. Young children for example, can benefit from acupuncture greatly, but they wouldn't necessary "rest" with the needles in as an adult would. Or the elderly may only retain needles for 5-10 minutes rather than 20-25.

Q. When would someone typically seek acupuncture therapy?

A. Acupuncture, in its true strength, is used when no symptoms are manifested or occurring. It excels at keeping the body in a state of wellness where symptoms just don't present themselves. However, that is not a concept of health many of us were taught. Most people seek acupuncture when they want something to feel better, like a low back strain for instance, but don't want to take anti-inflammatory meds. Many seek acupuncture as an alternative to something that isn't working. Whatever is occurring that makes someone consider acupuncture, the sooner the better. Whether it be a cold or a pulled muscle, acupuncture also excels at lessening duration of discomfort or illness.

Q. How deep do the needles go in and does insertion of the needles hurt?

A. The needles themselves don't go in very deep, one-quarter to one-half inch is average. This also depends on the area of the body being worked on. Areas with more muscle will have a deeper insertion then say the arms or legs. The insertion of the needles doesn't really hurt. Some of the points on the hands and feet are a little tender, but the sensation diminishes quickly. There is also this interesting phenomena that can occur during a treatment. A needle may not cause sensation during insertion, but after being in place for a few minutes, an ache or pulsating may start to be felt. This typically happens at points that are specifically related to the chief complaint. It usually is a mild and short sensation.

Q. How many acupuncture sessions do most people average in order to see their condition improve? Do they need to stay on a maintenance plan after their initial session?

A. The treatments build on each other as far as alleviation is concerned and it depends on how long something has been going on. For really chronic conditions, it can take a little longer to turn a corner, but everyone should get some relief from the first treatment and moving forward. A good 6-12 treatments (utilized weekly) should give a good frame of improvement. There is no "one size fits all" though. After my first assessment, I give everyone a specific personal treatment plan in order to give the most clear picture of what it will take for them. The goal is to move everyone into a maintenance plan. That may be once every 4-6 weeks for some. This is the best way to prevent issues from recurring.

Q. How does someone choose an acupuncturist? What credentials should they look for?

A. Choosing an acupuncturist is just like choosing any professional. Find someone they trust, connect with and feel comfortable with. This is where reading testimonials, asking friends or other health care professions who they recommend is paramount. As far as credentialing, always look for at least, LAc or EAMP (in the state of Washington). This implies that the professional is a licensed acupuncturist and is trained in the other modalities that fall under the traditional Chinese medicine category. Anyone with LAc, MAcOM is a licensed acupuncturist and also a board-certified herbalist. This is important if the professional prescribes herbal formulas for their patients as well.

Q. Is there supporting evidence that acupuncture is an effective treatment for chronic pain, illness and neurological disorders?

A. Acupuncture research is a hot area of attention right now in the evidence-based medicine world. There is some great evidence supporting acupuncture and its effectiveness for pain, illness and neurological disorders (as well as other conditions). There just isn't a lot of it right now, as far as the western world research is concerned. Many universities are beginning to put more research out about acupuncture though, which is fantastic. Education is key for people to feel confident and safe when it comes to making decisions about their health.

Thank you Morgan for the great answers. Morgan can be contacted at (208) 665-2293.

Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corporation.