Dr. Angelica Kokkalis, O.M.D L.Ac., a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and Licensed Acupuncturist, uses acupuncture to treat a wide range of health problems and the management of pain. By looking at pain from a traditional Chinese approach, she combines acupuncture with specific exercises that can quickly relieve pain.

In her private practice, Kokkalis offers Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnostic tools such as tongue and pulse analysis, individualized herb medicine formulas based on diagnosis and a variety of treatment options including acupuncture and moxibustion.

“Acupuncture is a very safe system of health care when done by a well-trained practitioner,” Kokkalis said. Seven years ago, Americans made 9 million to 12 million acupuncture patient visits, according to a Food and Drug Administration report.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, traditional medicines including herbal preparations account for 30 percent to 50 percent of the total medical consumption. In the 1990s, one third of the American adult population have used alternative treatment. That percentage is even smaller in the Greater Lafayette area, which means establishing a private practice in the area has been difficult for Kokkalis.

The wellness of the human body depends on keeping all its elements in balance, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. The basic belief is that humans have a natural flow of energy, known as Qi, which circulates through the body on meridians. Pain and disease are the result of a disruption, deficiency or blockage of this energy. When acupuncture is selected as therapy, tiny needles are placed in proper acupoints along the meridians to help regulate the body’s energy flow.