By Jennifer Troyan
We just celebrated the 4th of July, our nation’s birthday and this has us thinking about sharing treatment options for our veterans. If you are a veteran or know one who might benefit from learning how to have some holistic efforts combined with your regular Veteran’s Affairs (VA) benefits, please read on or pass this article on.
First of all, thank you to all our veterans who have served, are currently serving, as well as the friends and families of them. When one of us is dealing with something, we all are.
Image courtesy of rawpixel
As a Veteran, you can go through the VA to get acupuncture treatments. While conventional medicine is great, there are some wonderful benefits, treatment options and healing that you can derive from acupuncture.
In a recent podcast, Breakthrough The Ordinary (S1, EP 11), Maria Chah LAC, LMT, MP said, “Ancient wisdom has been here a long time, so it is the medicine we are just remembering. Our body is calling for it.”
Here are some wonderful benefits:
- Increase your well-being
- Help ease PTSD
- Arthritis
- Pain relief
- Improve sleep
- Depression
- Assist digestive function
- Memory and balance issues
There are many more therapeutic benefits, and it might be worth giving it a try.
You can of course be treated at the VA, but did you know you can get approval from your primary physician for acupuncture and be treated by ANY acupuncture licensed provider? Your primary doctor will need to note it is medically necessary for you to use acupuncture. Ask your case manager to give you a script that it is approved. Most people do not know they can seek acupuncture treatment outside of the VA, but you can! This is a federally approved program, and we want you to be aware of your options. Here is a resource to get you started: https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTH/professional-resources/Acupuncture.asp (at the bottom of this page, you can see some additional resources)
You may have to push a bit, yet it is okay to insist on the care you want. In fact, you should. You deserve the best possibility for complete health. You have a choice.
Stay in good health!