Acupuncture for Workers Comp

Want to know more about “acupuncture for workers compensation near me”? 

Meet our acupuncturists and receive the best acupuncture for work injuries in Irvine. 

If you have been injured in work, worker’s compensation insurance covers 100% of the necessary acupuncture treatments for injuries.

Call now to see how our acupuncturists can help you!

irvine acupuncture for workers compensation
irvine acupuncture for workers compensation

“Each treatment session exceedingly met my expectations. Dr. Fu has a calming aura which tones down my nervousness with needles and even puts me to sleep while I wait for the needles to do its work!” – T.L. (San Diego, CA)

Table of Contents

Acupuncture And Workers’ Comp Insurance

If you received a workplace injury, you are eligible for workers’ compensation insurance that can cover all your necessary medical treatment. Acupuncture is one of the treatments that workers’ comp covers.

On June 15, 2017, workers’ compensation was approved to cover acupuncture as a medical treatment in California through the passing of the California Labor Code Section 4600. This section states:

a.) Medical, surgical, chiropractic, acupuncture and hospital treatment, including nursing, medicines, medical and surgical supplies, crutches and apparatuses, including orthotic and prosthetic devices and services, that is reasonably required to cure or relieve the injured worker from the effects of his or her injury shall be provided by the employer. In the case of his or her neglect or refusal reasonably to do so, the employer is liable for the reasonable expense incurred by or on behalf of the employee in providing treatment.

That means workers’ compensation insurance covers 100% of necessary medical treatment for injuries resulting from one’s occupation. If you have an open Workers Comp claim or believe that your condition arose as a result of your occupation you may have benefits. Please contact us. We will instruct you on how to get the referral from your primary physician and authorization from your adjuster.

Acupuncture For Workers Comp

What Can Acupuncture Treat?

When it comes to acupuncture for work injuries, acupuncture is able to treat various conditions. Here are just some condition that acupuncture can treat:

  • Back Pain
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Dizziness
  • Foot Pain
  • Frozen Shoulder
  • Headache / Migraine
  • Knee Pain
  • Muscle Aches, Sprains and Strains
  • Neck Pain
  • Pain Management
  • Sciatica
  • Tennis Elbow

What Does The Research Say About Acupuncture?

There have been several studies that concluded that acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment. You can find a lot of studies published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information that has found or is still continuing to find the efficacy of acupuncture in various medical conditions. It was even stated by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health [1] that acupuncture can help ease types of pain that are often chronic such as low-back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis/knee pain. In addition, many health professionals may recommend acupuncture as an alternative or complementary treatment for certain conditions.

Need acupuncture for your work injury and have workers comp? Irvine Meridian Acupuncture Health Center will accept workers’ compensation and will provide the best acupuncture for work injuries. If you have questions about acupuncture for work injuries or workers’ compensation insurance, Call us now to get a complimentary consultation.

acupuncture-for-back-pain-in-mission-viejo-ca
acupuncture-for-back-pain-in-mission-viejo-ca
workers injury

Why Choose Acupuncture?

Choosing acupuncture has many benefits. Acupuncture is a safe, effective, and drug-free treatment that can help treat various medical conditions. In addition to that, acupuncture takes into consideration each individual person (because people experience acupuncture differently) and treats one’s entire well-being (body, mind, and spirit).

Other reasons to choose acupuncture includes:

  • More cost-effective: Compared to other treatments, it’s more affordable and still as effective as other more pricey treatments.
  • Promotes relaxation: Acupuncture is able to help with relaxation. Patients who have received acupuncture felt relaxed during and even after their treatment. Some feel so relaxed during the treatment that they fall asleep.
  • Promotes natural healing: It was found to help reduce sickness and also help patients recover faster from their condition.
  • Works well with other treatments: Research suggests that acupuncture is also a great complementary treatment. Studies done for acupuncture found that acupuncture with treatments like medication worked better than other treatments by themselves.
  • Alleviate pain: Not only does acupuncture help with relaxation, but it was also found to help alleviate or reduce pain. In some cases, acupuncture is used as a natural pain reliever for those who are resistant to pain medication.
  • Good for your health: In addition to all these benefits, acupuncture can help with a person’s health: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Acupuncture can be used to aid with mental disorders, weight loss, and was also found that patients feel an increase in energy levels.

Workers Injury Information

Workplace injuries are a common occurrence where it was found by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics [2] that there were 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2018 and was the same in 2017. It was also found by the National Safety Council [3] that every 7 seconds, a worker is injured on the job. If you are injured, it’s important to get treatment right away to prevent making your injury worse or experiencing other injuries. One safe and effective treatment you should try is acupuncture for work injuries.

Workers Compensation Insurance

Workers compensation insurance will fully cover any necessary medical treatment (including acupuncture) caused by your occupation. Have an open workers comp or had a work injury caused by your work? You may be entitled to acupuncture treatments covered by your worker’s comp.

Wondering more about acupuncture and workers compensation? Call now to get a complimentary consultation about your worker’s comp and see how our acupuncturists can treat you. Our number is: 

acupuncture workers compensation
acupuncture workers compensation

Things You Need To Know About Acupuncture and Workers Comp

Given the California Labor Code Section 4600 and allowing workers’ comp to cover acupuncture, there are some things you need to know about acupuncture for workers comp.

California Labor Code Section 4600 states that employers are only “reasonably required” to provide workers compensation insurance to cover injuries caused in the workplace. As a result, if there is no more injury or the injury was not caused in the workplace due to work, employers are not obligated to provide workers’ comp. In addition, if treatment is not required for the injury, Labor Code Section 4600 does not apply and workers’ comp will be denied.

Unless the acupuncturist is a primary treating physician, it is required for acupuncturists to associate with other qualified health professionals to properly diagnose the work injury, its symptoms, and the proper treatments for it. As a result, the bill to the workers’ compensation carriers will increase due to the additional services / report provided by qualified medical experts (QME).

Given the prominence of alternative medicine like acupuncture, employers can not ignore them as a form of treatment for work injuries and are “reasonably required” to provide worker’s comp. In addition, more research is being done on alternative medicine and there is even a class on alternative medicine at Stanford and John Hopkins University.

An injured worker is allowed to predesignate a primary treating physician (PTP). Under Labor Code 4600.3, it states that “The employee may choose to be treated by a personal physician, personal chiropractor, or personal acupuncturist that he or she has designated prior to the injury …”. If a worker does not have a predesignated primary treating physician, the worker shall be treated by the health care organization selected by the employer. If the injured worker wants to change their PTP, they can do it 30 days after their injury. Any changes will be recorded and the worker needs to confirm if they are still eligible for worker’s compensation from their employer.

[1] “Acupuncture: In Depth.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, http://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/acupuncture-in-depth.

[2] Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses occurred in 2018 on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2019/2-point-8-million-nonfatal-workplace-injuries-and-illnesses-occurred-in-2018.htm.

[3] National Safety Council, InjuryFacts.nsc.org, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Award-Winning Acupuncturist

best acupuncturist in irvine

Dr. Chun-Ming Fu Ph.D.

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