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NEWS RELEASE

October 6, 2003

For More Information Contact: Rebecca Wilkowski, Phone: (800) 729-0941

Old-fashioned House Calls Get a New Twist with Acupuncture

The era of medical house calls is making a comeback, thanks to the efforts of Pacific College of Oriental Medicine alumna Eileen Wein, who has been treating patients with auricular (ear) acupuncture at their workplaces for over a year.

Wein visits three businesses once a month to treat employees for a variety of conditions, though stress and repetitive injuries are the most common complaints she sees. Kolmar Labratories, a company that manufactures cosmetics, has actually brought Wein on staff because so many of their employees develop carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis. About a dozen other businesses in New York and Pennsylvania also utilize Wein’s services on an as-needed basis.

Wein treats every acupuncture house call client as they sit in a chair, using only auricular acupuncture. Wein said that the hardest part of her job is convincing the companies to give their employees the required 45 minutes time off. But can employers afford not to?

In 1999, the New York Times reported that 640,000 people miss work every year because of repetitive stress injuries. Statistics show that stress is even more prevalent and more costly in the workplace; $300 billion, or $7,500 per employee, is spent annually in the U.S. on stress-related compensation claims, reduced productivity, absenteeism, health insurance costs, direct medical expenses, and employee turnover. Acupuncture can be an extremely cost-effective solution to maintain employee health.

Acupuncture can alleviate stress symptoms by releasing endorphins, the body’s own natural painkillers. Acupuncture also decreases the stress hormone cortisol, lowers blood pressure, reduces heart rate, and relaxes muscle tissue."

According to Wein, "[The house calls] started as a marketing tool to get more patients into the office, and it really has worked." Wein currently sees 300 patients, including those who get treated at work.

Wein is currently negotiating with Blue Cross/Blue Shield to give its employees acupuncture once a month. Wein said that after doing an acupuncture demonstration, "I got quite good response from the employees."

For more information on how acupuncture can be used in the workplace, call (800) 729-0941.

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