Medical Acupuncture | Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition | UC Davis Children's Hospital

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Pediatric gastroenterologist Arthur de Lorimier, M.D., trained in medical acupuncture at the Helms Medical Institute. He practices this ancient Chinese medicine art form in his care of young patients presenting with variety of GI conditions, including:

• Chronic abdominal pain
• Chronic nausea 
• Anxiety related to gastrointestinal conditions

As a retired Army medical officer, Dr. de Lorimier saw firsthand how medical acupuncture has revolutionized the care of returning war veterans with a variety of conditions including chronic pain, post traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and chronic anxiety. Many of these patients reported positive outcomes as a result of their acupuncture treatment. This exposure prompted Dr. de Lorimier to pursue this training in order to better care for his pediatric patients without necessarily resorting to medication.

Patients can expect a first time visit to last at least one hour and involve a proper medical history and explanation of planned therapy. Subsequent visits follow, typically on a weekly basis. These visits include the placement of needles in various parts of the body. While the placement of acupuncture needles is not absolutely pain-free, the pain involved is minimal and offset by the usual therapeutic results.