FREE COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC OPENS IN SILVER SPRING

Family Acupuncture Center treats Veterans, Active Duty Servicemembers and their Families Suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

(Silver Spring, MD)– The Military Stress Recovery Project (MSRP) announces the opening of a new community acupuncture clinic in the Washington, D.C. area.  Kay Madsen, owner of the Family Acupuncture Center in Silver Spring, Maryland joins MSRP, a nationwide campaign to provide free acupuncture treatment to veterans of all wars, active duty servicemembers and their families.  The clinic will be held Wednesday, February 19, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m at the Family Acupuncture Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.  Free community acupuncture clinics will be offered on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.

The Military Stress Recovery Project began in 2006 with a pilot clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Today, 27 clinics operate nationwide treating thousands of our nation's servicemembers.  The campaign, originially intented to help Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, soon discovered veterans from other conflicts were underserved as well as the families who help them cope with PTSD symptoms.  Madsen says, "Current wars can re-engage trauma with veterans. While many people think PTSD is only combat related, it's not.  PTSD can come from sexual assault, abuse or any other traumatic experience." For more than a decade, Madsen has been treating patients with PTSD and says military servicemembers can benefit from the 30-minute acupuncture treatments.

Thousands of military veterans suffer from serious acute traumatic stress – they may be having flashbacks, panic, insomnia, suicidal ideation, or any number of symptoms. A June, 2007, Washington Post article reported that “nearly 40 percent of soldiers, a third of Marines and half of the National Guard members” are reporting symptoms of mental-health issues.

Acupuncturists Without Borders, who is coordinating the program began by treating residents, volunteers, relief workers, first responders and military personnel following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana. Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) offers treatment based on the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) ear protocol, which has proven to be extremely powerful in alleviating symptoms of stress and trauma.  During treatment, people sit fully clothed in a circle of chairs and the licensed acupuncturist places 5 tiny needles on each ear.  The recipients are invited to close their eyes and rest for 30-45 minutes, as the acupuncture does its work.

At clinics around the country, veterans are experiencing benefits such as a full nights sleep for the first time in years and fewer bad dreams.  They are reporting improved mental clarity, less anxiety and a reduction in stress. Acupuncture is currently being investigated at Water Reed National Military Medical Center as a viable treatment for PTSD in returning veterans and the military has started using acupuncture in the battlefield to help with pain. MSRP is a private program and not affiliated with the Veterans Administration or the military.  Treatments provided by the Family Acupuncture Center are confidential.  Kay Madsen, owner of the Family Acupuncture Center says, "Unlike conventional therapy for PTSD, acupuncture does not rely on rehearsing or replaying the traumatic events.  Instead, acupuncture treatment is a more passive experience or relaxation and calm while the needles help to "reset" the brain to stop replaying the horror." 

Family Acupuncture Center in Silver Spring will be offering the Community Style Acupuncture, which consists of:

·       Acupuncture needles on ears only- using the NADA auricular protocol.

·       Treatment to help reduce stress and anxiety; help with trouble sleeping; provide a general sense of well-being and make you feel better.

·       30 – 45 minute treatment / group setting.

·       All needles are pre-packaged, sterile, and disposed of after use


Family Acupuncture Clinic hours will be 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M., Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at 13415 Connecticut Ave., Suite 204, Silver Spring, MD 20906.  For more information, contact Kay Madsen at 240-393-5420.  The clinics will be offered on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month.

Website:  www.familyacupuncturecenter.org

e-mail: familyacupuncture@verizon.net

About Acupuncturists Without Borders
Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) provides immediate disaster relief and recovery to communities that are in crisis resulting from disaster or human conflict. AWB is committed to creating alliances with local community based organizations and treating all who have been affected - survivors, first responders, emergency personnel and other care providers.  AWB uses community-style acupuncture to provide caring, compassionate treatment in a group setting. This model of treatment allows everyone treated to experience relief from stress and trauma together. When the entire group feels calm and quiet, hope, determination and resiliency rises powerfully within it.  For more information, please visit www.acuwithoutborders.org.

About Kay Madsen/Family Acupuncture Center
The Family Acupuncture Center was established and continues to be operated exclusively by Kay Madsen, Nationally Board Certified (NCCAOM), Licensed Acupuncturist.  It was founded on the concept that medical care should be provided from the vantage point that each patient is a unique whole person, not a statistical average or a sum of specialized parts.  One of her primary areas of clinical success relates to women's health issues, including PMS, menstrual issues, menopausal symptoms, and infertility.  Other success stories concern resolution of pain, including migraines and other chronic headaches, sleep and digestive issues, fatigue, and psycho-emotional manifestations, such as depression and anxiety.  For more information, please visit www.familyacupuncture.org.