Intermountain Park City Hospital’s LiVe Well Center Welcomes Acupuncturist

If the thought of a potential flare up of chronic pain has you, well, on pins and needles, a new service now offered at Park City Hospital might be able to help. In January, the hospital’s LiVe Well Center added a licensed acupuncturist to its extensive list of wellness experts. Zui Fang, L.Ac., who is an Oriental Medical Doctor, has been practicing acupuncture for over 25 years—both in the US and China
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“For quite some time, Western medicine has focused more on managing symptoms rather than getting to the root of an issue,” Mr. Fang noted. “But as patients have become more educated and empowered, they’ve started to realize a pill isn’t always the solution, and likewise, many physicians realize alternative therapies like acupuncture can be of great benefit to their patients.”

In addition to the proven benefits of acupuncture, including relief from chronic pain, weight loss, elevated mood and better sleep, acupuncture is also a natural remedy that allows the body to heal itself.

“While some prescription medications are necessary, if an ailment can be treated without one, that’s often best for the patient,” noted Dr. Kelly Woodward, medical director of the LiVe Well Center in Park City. “Medications are expensive, and they always have side effects. So, if a patient responds well to a treatment that lessens or eliminates the need for medication, that’s always the better option.”

“We’re part of a system that understands the old way of doing things isn’t necessarily still the right way to do things.”

Dr. Woodward acknowledged it’s a bit unusual for a hospital to embrace alternative treatment options, but says that’s one of the things he enjoys the most about working for Intermountain Healthcare. “Our mission is to help people live the healthiest lives possible, and that means offering a number of services and treatment options that can help reduce the need for expensive medical care.” He noted the LiVe Well Center has been doing that for years with services like nutrition counseling, wellness coaching and lifestyle evaluations.

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