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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1981)
Puncture by prescription Acupuncturist points out remedy for aches, pains By JIM GERSBACH Of the Emerald I felt nothing when the needle punctured the back of my hand. But as it dug deeper a sudden dull pain shot through my hand. According to acupuncturist Malvin Finkel stein of the Eugene Center for Acupuncture and Acupressure, the needle could relieve con stipation, headaches, toothaches and help my digestion, provided I wasn’t already in tip-top shape. One of four Eugene acupuncturists, Finkel stein became interested in non-Western healing after an acupuncturist successfully treated him for back pain. Finkeistein and his wife came to Eugene two years ago because they heard that people here would be receptive to acupuncture. “A lot of Eugeneans are real open to new ways of doing things,” he says. Acupuncture, however, isn't really new, Finkeistein points out. It has been practiced in China for at least 3,000 years. Needles originally were made of stone, jade or bamboo. The Chinese say acupuncture unblocks chi, the life energy they believe courses through everyone’s body. Headaches, digestive problems and a host of other chronic ailments occur when germs or other external substances block the body’s flow of chi, Finkeistein says. Acupuncture restores the flow of chi when needles are inserted at specific points where chi is believed to flow close to the surface. Depending on the ailment, two to 16 stain less steel needles are inserted at specific points on the patient’s body. The needles are stuck from one-quarter to one-half inch under the skin and left in place from five to 20 minutes while the patient lies immobile. Finkelstein estimates that 98 percent of his patients feel very little pain when the needles go in. "It feels like a mosquito bite.” But if a client prefers not to have needles inserted, Finkelstein can press the acupuncture points by hand. Besides needles and acupressure, Finkel stein uses moxibustion to restart the flow of chi and relieve pain. Long practiced by native healers in Asia, moxibustion involves burning the herb mugwort over acupuncture points. Ground, sifted arid aged, the mugwort looks and feels like shredded foam rubber. Finkelstein rolls the herb into small cones, places them on the acupuncture point and lights the cones with a stick of incense. The mugwort smoulders, heating the skin and supposedly stimulating the flow of chi. Most people begin to feel better almost immediately, although severe or chronic pain may begin to subside a few days after a session, Finkelstein says. He estimates about three-quarters of his patients experience some relief. Acupuncture acts as an analgesic, dulling or easing pain rather than blocking it out altogether, Finkel stein explains. But patients who believe in acupuncture s effectiveness often get over pain more quickly than skeptical patients, he admits. Under current state law, Oregonians must be referred by a doctor before visiting an acupuncturist. But that may change. One acupuncture bill before the Legislature would change the referral law, and a second bill would require insurance companies to pay for the services of licensed acupuncturists. They currently are required to pay only for treatments received from physicians. Photo by Steve Dykes Chinese chart details the ear’s acupuncture points. Angry vets charge media with distortion As the return of the American hostages filled TV screens, an other special group of Amer icans experienced feelings dif ferent from the joy transmitted through the media. Vietnam war veterans around the country have expressed anger and resentment at the contrast between the greeting given the former hostages and that given the veterans. While many veterans are angry because they “never received comparable treat ment,” there also are many who feel that the government is hin dering efforts to return the hos tages to normal lives, says University veteran Dave Isen berg. “They'll have three months and then they’ll be dropped until the books and movies come out," Isenberg says. “The government puts people on a cycle where they continue thinking of themselves as hos tages.” Fellow veteran Ron Phillips says the press is attempting to create new myths out of both the hostages and Vietnam Vet erans. “They want, for some reason, February 14th is... LOVE CAREFULLY DAY Special gifts for Special People! • VALENTINES CARDS WITH PINK CONDOM • GIFT CERTIFICATES • POSTERS. BOARDS, T-SHIRTS FOR MORE INFORMATION WRITE: ZPG-SEATTLE LCD DEPT. MO 4424 ButfcaN SEATTLE, WA 48103 to bring back the myth of the white knight,” he says. Phillips believes media man ipulation was responsible for the election of Ronald Reagan. Now is he is afraid the media may attempt to change the image of the Vietnam war to prepare the American public for a resurgence of militarism. "They’re going to remold the image of the Vietnam veteran into a hero. That scares me,” he says. "They want to get these young boys to die in El Sal vador.” For the past few years, the media have burdened the Viet nam vet with a “junkie image,” but that will change as it won’t be of any use in encouraging a new generation to go off to war, he says. “People go to war because they want to be heroes," Phillips says. He says that after the Amer ican policy of "search and des troy" in Vietnam, it is “insane" to say the hostages were bru talized. "They should go to state hospitals. That’s 100 times as brutal,” Phillips says. The former Marine exper ienced three years of treatment Resumes Make a great impression with resumes copied or printed on your choice of paper at Eugene Print. 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Isenberg describes some of the reaction to the returned hostages as “selective patriotism.’’ Some of it may be SUMMER STUD Y IN NOR H AY University of Oslo INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL June 27 to August 7, 1981 Graduate and undergraduate courses ALL LECTURES IN ENGLISH Two years college required SI 190 - $1600 (excluding transatlantic transportation) For course catalog write to: International Summer School Admissions c/o St. Olaf College Northfield, MN 55057 USA derived from feelings of frustra tion and guilt over Vietnam, he suggests. “It’s an effort to assuage guilt over what they should have done and didn't do,” he says. f—-- > Voice Talent Search Feb. 4th and 5th We’re looking for qualified persons to read copy for advertising and communications industry. Call Producers Studio 683-1400 V_____' TINO’S Serving Full menu until 11:30 pm Pizza until 12:45 15th & Willamette Open Everyday Mon-Fri 11-1 am. •«#&» Sat. 5-1 a m. Sun 5-11 p.m. HEART THROBS 20 words for $1.50 if placed by 1 pm Feb. 12 at the ODE office (300 EMU), UO Bookstore, EMU Main Desk. Great Throbs from the Past: JANET: Your hair, your lips, your dreamy eyes Such beauty fashion can't disguise And on your thighs I'd love to dine Won't you be my Valentine? CIA PHILBERT: Why don’t we get together this Valentine’s Day and aim your arrow for my target Hopelessly in love with you. PEANUT LIL UPTURN: Like the wind through the trees Your love makes me shake But everytime I tell you so Your head begins to ache USA: Roses are blue, Violet are red. My back is cramped. Fix your bed Love. JOHN JIMMY: How 'bout some hot sauce on a cold winter night? SUE
