No More Pain - Acupuncture to the Rescue!

Dealing with the effects of discomfort, pain and injury can significantly affect your life both in and out of work, limiting what you do and how you interact with others. Therefore, preventing and managing discomfort, pain and injury makes good sense.

The Pain Clinic provides a complete, well-integrated approach to effectively eliminate pain and inflammation that ensures a speedy return to work and daily activities.

Of all the therapeutic tools they offer, acupuncture has been repeatedly demonstrated to outperform other treatments, not only effectively treating pain but also increasing the healing process. According to Dr Heinz-Peter Becker, leader of the Pain Clinic's team, acupuncture results in significant reduction in long-lasting pain without the need for narcotics, drugs, surgery or ongoing supplementation.

"Numerous studies by the National Institute of Health, the Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation have shown that acupuncture offers the treatment of choice for sustained acute and chronic pain relief," Becker said in an interview with The Gleaner.

Becker, a doctor of oriental medicine, naturopath and clinical psychologist, was trained at the International Institute of Chinese Medicine, California School of Professional Psychology, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Boston University.

Several years ago after sustaining two back injuries, Becker was introduced to acupuncture by his friends. Over a decade after his first back injury, he still suffered chronic pain to the extent that surgery was recommended. After his second injury, which left him partially paralysed for some time, Becker took the advice of his friends and decided to try the alternate Chinese medicine.

"It was amazing how rapid my recovery was. Within five to six months, I was completely better. Afterwards, I decided to study acupuncture, physical therapy, spinal adjustment techniques and herbal medicines. I have found that acupuncture reduces stress all over your body, and relieves chronic pain symptoms that most of us get trapped in overtime," Becker said.

WIDE RANGE OF SKILLS

So wide-ranging and effective are his skills that Becker now serves as the acupuncturist for Jamaican track and field athletes and athletic clubs from high schools through to Olympic professionals. He is also the acupuncturist and consultant for the Hugh Wynter Fertility Management Unit at the University of the West Indies.

While the World Health Organization recognises the effectiveness of acupuncture and oriental medicine in the treatment of more than 40 commonly encountered clinical disorders, conditions effectively treated by the Pain Clinic include low back pain, neck and knee pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines and headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, menstrual pain, lupus, myofascial pain, dental pain, anxiety, tennis/golf elbow and workplace injuries.

Becker is also the founder of Doctor Bird Herbals, a line of herbal products that represent Jamaica and the Caribbean as the first line of synergistic multi-herbal products made with the highest quality ingredients including organic and wild crafted herbs.

"My mother is the greatest source of inspiration for using herbs. We have used herbs all our lives. I grew up in the countryside in Luidas Vale, and we were surrounded by many of the herbs I have used in the products. My mother also used these herbs as remedies and a lot of research has shown that they are regarded as some of the best in the world," Becker said.

Becker is on a mission to improve wellness in the workplace. According to him, his comprehensive corporate programme improves employee productivity, wellness and job satisfaction.

"In Jamaica's developing corporate setting, health concerns have increasingly come to the forefront of employer-employee relations. Our wellness in the workplace programme provides cost-effective and highly beneficial, proven solutions, supporting the efforts to maintain a healthy productive workforce," he said.

For further information visit: www.doctorheinzbecker.com

keisha. hill@gleanerjm.com