Acupuncture can be highly effective in cases of nasal congestion so common in allergy presentations; so much so that I often treat such issues using acupuncture protocols alone. In cases of seasonal allergies with highly predictable causes such as obvious elevations of environmental allergens, I use a skeleton acupuncture prescription that can easily be fleshed out to target potential underlying patterns and effectively customized to the patient.
Medicare Acupuncture Bill Update
In the November 2004 issue, we reported that HR 1477, the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act, had amassed a total of 54 co-sponsors. Since that article was published, an additional nine co-sponsors have signed on to support the legislation.
The new co-sponsors (as of October 1, 2004) are:
- Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR, 3rd District)
- Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA, 14th District)
- Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY, 2nd District)
- Rep. Darrell E. Issa (R-CA, 49th District)
- Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY, 14th District)
- Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY, 4th District)
- Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA, 37th District)
- Rep. Major R. Owens (D-NY, 11th District)
- Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-VA, 10th District)
Make sure to visit AcupunctureToday.com for additional updates on the status of HR 1477.