Everything Knoxville had the unique opportunity to have an informative conversation with the owners of West Knox Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine, Drs. A.J. and Monica Sarrat, located off North Cedar Bluff. In addition to helping their patients live pain free lives, they love educating the community on exactly what acupuncture is and what it can do for you. We’ve compiled the most common questions the Sarrats get asked regarding their business.
What types of conditions can be treated with acupuncture?
While acupuncture can be used for many health conditions, at West Knox Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine, we focus on treating complex, chronic cases such as fibromyalgia, peripheral neuropathy, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, and failed surgeries, as well as women’s health issues like infertility, endometriosis, and PCOS.
So how exactly does acupuncture work?
One of the many ways it works is by stimulating the nervous system to produce specific hormones and neurotransmitters. You’ve heard of serotonin or dopamine – well, we can get the nerves to produce the desired effects like improved sleep from anxiety or insomnia, regulate hormones for women’s health conditions and erectile dysfunction, or even produce the body’s own natural painkillers for chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia.
That sounds great, but will it work for me?
Every BODY is different. We have high clinical success rates because we are very selective of the types of cases we take on. No two conditions are treated the same, even though patients may present with similar symptoms.
The best way to find out if we can help is to schedule an in-depth consultation with our doctors so they can see if you are a good candidate for our treatments. If we can help you, we will let you know what it will take during your initial consultation so there are no surprises later. If we can’t help, we are often able to refer you to someone who can.
How long until I start feeling better?
Everyone responds differently, but if you’ve had something for a long time, we tell our patients not to expect a cure overnight. After 20 years of being in practice, the most important thing we have learned is that all long-term healing takes time and consistency.
Do I need to get a referral from my medical doctor to make an appointment for acupuncture treatments?
In Tennessee, acupuncturists are licensed by the Tennessee Department of Health and no referral is necessary. You can make an appointment directly by calling our office at 865-275-2444.
How do most medical doctors feel about acupuncture?
Forty years ago, it was common for MDs to be skeptical. However, in 2022, every healthcare provider wants to work with an acupuncturist. Integrative or complementary medicine is the new buzzword, because it works for so many tough, seemingly incurable cases. They often refer many of their difficult cases to us because we solve problems that they don’t have good solutions for and vice versa. We complement each other’s treatments well, so it is a true Integrative Medical model.
Does insurance cover this?
Our clinic provides a complementary insurance benefits check to see what coverage you may have, but cost has never been an issue for our patients to start care. They are just happy we can help them where other providers might have said there is nothing that can be done.
Do you treat long hauler Covid-related conditions like hair loss or loss of smell?
We have had great success treating long hauler related symptoms such as hair loss, fatigue, brain fog, loss of smell or taste, and quite often within a few months patients regain their sense of smell and taste.
What kind of training do you have in order to practice acupuncture?
Our providers have doctorate degrees and are Board Certified both nationally and in several states. Drs. A.J. & Monica have a combined 40 years of experience practicing.
I’ve had surgery, PT, injections, and chiropractic already. Can acupuncture still help me?
Dr. A.J. worked in a hospital for more than 15 years treating patients just like this where they were sent to him after they had tried everything else. He was often seen as the last resort with the best results. Acupuncture is also very complementary and works well in conjunction with the types of modalities you mentioned.
What can a patient expect when they come into the clinic?
After your meeting with the doctor, you will get a personalized treatment plan that gives you the best opportunity to get the results you want. The recommended plans are based on the most current evidence-based research and decades of experience successfully treating these conditions.
If you have been living with pain or a chronic health problem and would like a second opinion, call West Knox Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine today at 865-275-2444 to set up your consultation with one of our experienced doctors!
Acute and Chronic Pain
• Failed Surgeries
• Headaches/Migraines
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
• Back, Neck, and Joint Pain
• Heel and Plantar Fasciitis
Chronic Conditions
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue
• Diabetes
• Asthma
Neurological Disorders
• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Post Stroke Recovery
• Bell’s Palsy
• Multiple Sclerosis
Women’s Health
• Fertility and Pregnancy
• Hormone Imbalances
• Menopause/Perimenopause
• Endometriosis and PCOS
Autoimmune Diseases
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Psoriasis/Psoriatic Arthritis
• Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
… and many other conditions
West Knox Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine
9125 Cross Park Drive
Suite 150
Knoxville, TN 37923
865.275.2444
WestKnoxAcupuncture.com