Portland State University’s Center for Student Health and Counseling began offering acupuncture therapy this month. The service was introduced on May 6 and is being offered by appointment on Mondays.
SHAC has brought in outside help to deliver the treatment option to students. Sacred Root, a classical acupuncture and Chinese medicine health care provider, is helping SHAC by providing group sessions for $12 for a half hour or one-hour individual sessions for $50.
The introduction of acupuncture is part of a wider effort by SHAC to expand and promote a diverse array of treatment and therapy options offered at the center.
“We have a lot of international students who are familiar with acupuncture,” said Dr. Mark Bajorek, the director of health services at SHAC.
The decision to offer acupuncture was made because of a larger needs statement the center compiled. SHAC surveyed students about the services they felt the center should have, and acupuncture ranked high on the list.
“It offers an alternative to other treatments,” said Angela Abel, the marketing and communications coordinator at SHAC. Acupunctureis used to treat stress, anxiety and even chronic pain.
“It’s getting to be more mainstream,” Abel said. “Ultrasound studies show that it helps with blood flow.”
SHAC will operate this program according to very clear guidelines and regulations, Abel said. They’ve decided to offer the service to students by sharing data that has shown acupuncture to be useful, rather than push the envelope.
“Some degree of stress is good,” Bajorek said, adding that some students don’t want to have to take pills when they they need treatment. SHAC employees hope that acupuncture services will help provide students some relief as an alternative to prescription treatment options.
At present the service is limited. Bajorek and Abel said that if the demand for service increases, SHAC will consider developing the program further.