While vaccinations and western medical interventions continue to evolve, we can also be treating COVID-19 with East Asian medicinal formulas. 

Current guidelines concerning symptomatic presentation of a potential COVID-19 contagion (fever, fatigue, dry cough) is to stay at home and isolate for up to 2 weeks after symptoms abate. In other words, wait it out to prevent spreading the disease to others. However, this does not mean we can’t be treating the disease at the onset to lessen the severity of the symptoms as well as hasten recovery.

China has been dealing with this for a lot longer than us, and a Guidance for Corona Virus Disease 2019; Prevention, Control, Diagnosis and Management has been published by the National Health Commission of the PRC and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the PRC. It has been authored by doctors from the Beijing Ditan Hospital, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Chinese Preventative Medicine Association. This 130 page CIP database documents various COVID-19 manifestations and their subsequent treatment with East Asian herbal medicinals. Based on that data and what I’ve learned about how COVID-19 has been presenting in Seattle, I have put together a pharmacy of what I feel would be appropriate herbal formulas for treatment.

Since I cannot allow symptomatic patients to enter the clinic at this time, I am instead offering treatment with herbal medicine.

Here is an interesting article on the uses of acupuncture and herbal medicine being used in Beijing, China for the treatment of COVID-19.

https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/2010-acupuncture-and-herbs-covid-19-coronavirus-findings

Beginning Monday April 8th, Nanarita Acupuncture will have a new Capitol Hill location.

 

The new location is at:

 1666 East Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98102

(in the The Evergreen Center building, corner of Olive and Boylston)

 

Even though it looks like there is parking out front, unfortunately it is reserved for other building tenants. However there is free 2-hour street parking, and a few pay lots within a block or so (Lyric Building lot off Broadway), as well as the Starbucks lot down the street. Access to the building will be secure with a Nest/Yale keypad.  **hint: it’s the address number

 

I’m excited to begin working in this new space, as it is just a bit farther from the noise and bustle of Broadway, but still in the Capitol Hill area.  The wellness center will also have medical therapists in massage, chiropractic, and counseling/therapy.

 

Insurance coverage is a convoluted thing. I find most of my patients have little to no understanding of what their coverage actually entails. For your average layman, understanding of what your actual coverage is can be frustrating and confusing. Which in turn makes picking the right insurance carrier and plan a maddening experience. Here’s some tips for navigating the insurance shopping nightmare.

Benefits

The most important thing is to first look at what benefits you have used the most in the past few years. It’s tempting to just go with the cheapest plan, but they are often cheap for a reason (ie no coverage for anything but catastrophic emergency). Start with looking at plans that contain the coverage for the things you use most. For some, it is decent pharmaceutical coverage, for others it might be acupuncture or chiropractic coverage. Then price shop.

Deductibles

This is where things get tricky. Some plans will have certain benefits that are outside of your deductible, and some will have the exact same benefits but will apply them to your deductible. Look at this carefully, it can make the difference between paying your copay amount only, versus the full amount for a doctors visit, until your entire deductible is met. That can often negate what you think you are saving in your monthly coverage payment, if the services you like to use all go towards a high deductible.

PS – keep in mind, every new calendar year, re-check your coverage. More likely than not, something within your plan has changed and you may not be aware of it.

As the cost of premiums continue to go up, it is so important to choose a plan carefully, that fits within your budget but also supplies you with a benefit package that suits your needs. It’s why for all my patients, I take the time to look carefully at your coverage and give you a full understanding of what your acupuncture benefits are (and aren’t). That way there’s no surprises at the end of the day when you get your explanation of benefits invoice.