Acupuncture enters Keesler treatment arena

Published April 15, 2009
By Steve Pivnick
81st Medical Group Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, BILOXI, MISS. -- Keesler plastic surgeon Maj. (Dr.) Kerry Latham is participating in a pilot program to train active-duty physicians in the discipline of acupuncture.

Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. (Dr.) James Roudebush recently announced the program.

Major Latham is one of 32 physicians from across the Air Force selected for this prestigious pilot program at the Bolger Center in Potomac, Md. Although Major Latham is a board-certified plastic surgeon, she also has an interest in alternative medicine.

"The techniques taught at the military acupuncture training are time-tested and can be used to address common functional organic problems and to treat neuromusculoskeletal pain," she explained. "A technique called battlefield acupuncture is taught as well. This involves using acupuncture needles in the ear to rapidly diminish pain. It is simple and can be applied even in the battlefield setting."

The technique was developed by Col. (Dr.) Richard Neimtzow, Andrews Air Force Base, Md., who has treated more than 20,000 patients with acupuncture. He helped to found the military acupuncture training course.

According to Major Latham, acupuncture has been practiced for 2,000 years but has become increasingly standardized, studied and popularized in the U.S. since the 1970s.

"Acupuncture may be able to lessen pain without significant use of heavy pain medicine or with reduced amounts of pain medicine," the major continued. "It can be helpful for muscle strains that are not associated with bony injury. Acupuncture also can be helpful for pain reduction after being treated for an injury, and can even reduce nausea and headaches.

"Of course, patients who have experienced an injury or have a new headache should be evaluated by their primary care manager or emergency department depending on the severity and urgency of the injury," she added. "Acupuncture is not meant to replace standard treatments for injuries but it may be helpful in making patients more comfortable after they have been initially evaluated and treated and all serious medical conditions have been ruled out or addressed."

Major Latham has completed the first of three major certifying sessions in the pilot program and is credentialed to treat acute and subacute pain using auricular therapy, scalp acupuncture, piezoelectric stimulation, surface release techniques and trigger-point deactivations.

Although this is generally not covered by Tricare, the 81st Surgical Operations Squadron plastic surgery clinic will provide acupuncture service for all patients eligible for care at Keesler Medical Center. Patients may make appointments through a referral or may walk into or call the clinic at 376-3026.

A second physician, Capt. (Dr.) Nathan Evans, 81st Medical Operations Squadron internal medicine flight, begins the acupuncture training program this month.