Earlier this month, NUHS acupuncture and oriental medicine students met with local veterans to discuss complementary and alternative treatment options at the Chicago Standdown event at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton.

Nationwide Standdown events started in 1988 and provide homeless veterans access to a variety of free services including haircuts, flu shots, housing, clothing, employment assistance, veterans’ benefits assistance and more.

Students handed out informational brochures about the NUHS Veterans Clinic in Lombard where veterans can receive free acupuncture and cupping for a wide variety of injuries and disorders. Some of these conditions include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, musculoskeletal injuries and chronic pain. Other services at the clinic are available to veterans at discounted rates.

One often-used acupuncture protocol involves the use of “ear seeds” to treat PTSD. Interns at the clinic use small seeds taped onto five key acupuncture points on the ear. The treatment method is part of the traditional  NADA protocol (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association), which has been proven effective in treating PTSD, as well as other psychological and emotional trauma, depression, ADHD and most forms of addiction.

MSAc student Linda Clarke, who participated in the event, said many of the veterans had musculoskeletal issues like arthritis in the knees and hips along with metabolic diseases like diabetes. Acupuncture can help in the treatment of each of these diseases.

“I appreciated the opportunity to let the vets know there are alternatives to the allopathic treatments they receive that are also free of charge,” Clarke said.