Acupuncturist believes Barstow deserves health options

BARSTOW — When Babs Nappier first entered the Fang Acupuncture Clinic in 1997 and met clinic owner Chaohua Fang, she had no idea what to expect.

Nappier had painful back and knee issues, carpal tunnel syndrome, and issues with her weight. The pain was so severe that she was barely able to stand up on her own, but she did not want to be dependent on prescription painkillers. Nappier had heard of acupuncture, a Chinese medicine technique of inserting needles into specific points in the body to help relieve pain and other symptoms and decided it was worth a try.

“I dislike pain pills,” Nappier said. “... I decided I had heard so much about acupuncture that I’m going to bite the bullet and try it.”

She found that the needles were not painful, and the treatments made her feel better. More than that, Nappier said she was impressed by Fang’s caring bedside manner. She was pleased enough that she kept coming back for the next 11 years.

Fang believes that it is important for people like Nappier to have that option. Fang, who opened the Fang Acupuncture Clinic in Barstow in 1994, was trained in both Eastern and Western medicine in China. Some of her fellow students went on to become doctors in the United States, but Fang found that she preferred the Eastern approach.

Fang said she sees the value of Western medicine but believes it sometimes depends too much on medication and ignores the underlying root of health issues. As part of her approach, she likes to talk to her clients about their lifestyle, suggesting ways that they can improve their health through exercise, eating habits and removing stress from their lives.

“I feel like as a doctor, only treating (the patient) doesn’t work — you have to be able to educate them,” she said.

Acupuncturists insert fine needles into points in the body that are believed to link to different parts of the brain. Practitioners like Fang say that the practice helps ease pain, relieve stress and allows the body to detoxify. Patients walk into her clinic for help easing their aches and pains, allergy symptoms as well as looking for help with weight loss and quitting smoking.

Within the Western medical community, opinions of acupuncture vary, with some doctors dismissing it as unproven, while others believe in its benefits and refer their patients to acupuncturists for some types of treatment. Fang said she regularly gets referrals from and refers patients to medical doctors in Barstow.

“Even though Barstow is a small town, to have a choice is always better for the community,” Fang said.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4123 or abby_sewell@link.freedom.com