Acupuncture has been used for healing for centuries, but to some the thought of sticking a needle in a part of the body as a therapeutic remedy for something as simple common cold doesn't make sense.

To Valerie Stall-baumer, acupuncture is for everyone.
Stallbaumer has practiced acupuncture and oriental medicine at Story County Medical Center's specialty clinic for more than four years.

She spends two days in Nevada at the hospital clinic and three days treating patients at a new location in downtown Ames at the Avenues for Health 221 Fifth St.

Acupuncture can help heal just about anything, she says.

People often turn to this form of healing as a last resort, when doctors and medicines are not necessarily a complete cure.

Acupuncture can help treat addictions, allergies, pain, depression and a whole host of other things.

"It focuses on a person's energy," Stallbaumer said. "When a person's energy is out of balance, acupuncture can help realign it."

She says acupuncture activates the body's natural method of healing.

Prior to treatment, Stallbaumer asks questions about medications, medical history and a person's home and work environment.

She will take a pulse in both arms and look at a person's tongue.

All those, she says, help her make a diagnosis.

"I look at the big picture," Stallbaumer said. "I try to heal the entire person, not just the symptom they are coming to see me about."

Needles are then inserted just under the skin in the spots Stallbaumer feels will be most beneficial. At worst, she says, the insertion may feel like a mosquito bite.
Sometimes pat-ients will see redness around the spots where the needles are inserted.

"That means there is active blood flow," she said. "We don't know why the needles work, but they open up blood flow to the parts of the body that need it."

Stallbaumer allows a person to relax with the inserted needles for about 30 minutes.

"It causes everything to relax and get their energy flowing," she said.

Typically, a problem such as chronic or acute pain can be helped in several weekly treatments.

And Stallbaumer says it can even reduce the cost and need for prescription pain medications or the need for surgery.

"I wish more people would come to someone like me first," she said.