 |
|
| Articles |
|
Mt Perspective as an Alternative Medical Doctor/Licensed Acupuncturist
By Marilyn Walkey, in Reply to Editorial in Alternative and Complementary Therapies
Feb 2011, 17(1): 37-40
Dear Dr. Niemtzow,
I enjoyed your editorial on "East Meets West in Acupuncture: Integrating the Unique Contributions of Licensed Acupuncturists and Medical Acupuncturists to Enhance Patient Care"
I believe, however, that you have missed the point of how Alternative Medicine is being regulated at the state level by our respective State Medical Boards, and therefore what options are truly available to Medical Acupuncturists (i.e., MD/DO's who have no formal training or limited formal training in Acupuncture).
As an Alternative healer at the cutting edge of new technologies [including EAV testing, applied kinesiology, Body Talk practitioner, complex homachord homeopath, German drainage expert (aka Dr. Hans-Heinrich Reckeweg), with a large practice of chronic, recalcitrant illnesses such as Lyme disease, dental amalgam-caused mercury toxicity, chronic fatigue, chronic fatigue plus inflammation (aka fibromyalgia)] I am continually searching for new methods of breaking through resistance to healing in my chronic patients.
What I have discovered, is that I am free to find alternative healing methods and modalities, unfettered by the Oregon Medical Board, precisely because I am NOT only a licensed Medical Doctor. My LAc license frees me. This is how it works according to the OMB (and all State Medical Boards). When a patient arrives at an allopathic doctor's office, the patient expects allopathic medicine, purely based on the license....which equates to the law. When an allopathic MD strays from the allopathic standard, they can be sanctioned by their Medical Board. For example, a physician who knows more than most about thyroid replacement, may decide on thyroid support in a client whose TSH is NOT elevated by usual lab standards. In this case, they are practicing "Alternative" medicine, and can be sanctioned by their State Board.
Another amazing example concerns the treatment of Lyme & other Tick-Born Diseases. In the USA, there are 2 professional organizations who specialize in the treatment of Lyme Disease. They are:
ILADS--International Lyme Associated Diseases Society (includes allopathic and alternative practitioners)
IDSA---Infectious Disease Specialists Assoc (includes only MD's who specialize in Infectious Disease)
These 2 organizations have completely different guidelines in the treatment of Lyme Disease. The ILADS protocols are continually changing as new information about the use of alternative techniques, and their success or failure is gathered.
IDSA recommends 4 weeks of standard antibiotic as the total and complete treatment of Lyme Disease. Their protocol almost never works. But apparently, they stick by it!
ILADS does not publish the names of their members, because those member's medical licenses are continually under scrutiny, because they approach Lyme disease with the aim of healing it, rather than following a cook book approach which nearly always fails. Yes, ILADS members get far better results in Lyme Disease, however they are subject to loss of their Medical Licenses because of their use of so-called "Alternative" healing methods.
Sugar-coating reality will not change it....
It is the State Medical Boards who interpret exactly what allopathic doctors may or may not do, and the State Medical Boards who sanction those who stray from the established standards.
Best wishes always,
Dr. Marilyn Walkey MD, LAc
Oregon's only MD Acupuncturist
"Healing Beyond Western Medicine"
http://www.flyingcraneacupuncture.com
7875 SW Alden St.
Portland, OR 97223-9336
503.608.8155 |
|
|
|
|
Flying Crane Acupuncture • 503-608-8155