Health Fair Pin Points Ancient Healing Aid of Acupuncture

WILDWOOD – Throngs converged on Wildwoods Convention Center April 8 for the county’s annual “Healthcare Resource Day.” The event was free. 
The event, which ran from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., was sponsored by the Cape May County Health Department, which assembled a variety of speakers from county departments as well as private entities that focus on providing health services.
A featured highlight was the acupuncture lecture as a solution for health issues entitled “Acupuncture: How it Works and How It Can Help” by Christopher Curley, director of the New Eastern Health Center, in Court House.
Curley stated, “Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of healing in the world. Acupuncture originated in China more than 5,000 years ago. It’s become one of the most widely researched, practiced, and respected forms of complementary medicine in the United States.”
Curley gave a brief history of acupuncture explaining that archeologists had found needles made of bone and bamboo from around 3000 B.C. before metal was developed.
“These days we use very, very fine needles, about the size of a human hair and about 20 of them would fit in a hypodermic needle. You just feel pressure, no pain from them.
“In acupuncture, we see the body as a natural ecosystem while Western medicine views the body as a machine. Using maps of the body’s ‘meridians, we can treat stomach problems through acupuncture of the ear or the liver through the eye.
“In Eastern medicine, there are many influences on energy and vitality including sun, light, cold and heat as well as wind and dampness. So, in Cape May County residents have a number of factors that will affect their health,” Curley explained.
Curley has treated many types of ailments including pain from chemotherapy and addictions including to opioids.
“The National Institutes of Health list about a hundred conditions that acupuncture can help. It’s very difficult to treat smokers who want to quit because nicotine is such a powerful addiction. But I’m proud to say I’ve been able to help those who have drug addictions with good success,” he said.
Over 40 exhibitors were staged throughout the venue and showcased a variety of health services including nursing home care, aging and disability, rehabilitation, and several medical facilities. Visitors were excited as well about the free screenings offered by the Parish Nurse Program of Cape Regional Medical Center. Volunteers quickly assessed attendees for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, osteoporosis, and hearing loss.
Other groups supporting this year’s event included non-profit organizations such as Gilda’s Club, which provides information and support for women being treated for ovarian cancer.
“This is a great event, and I look forward to coming each year since I learn a lot and know where to turn for my health issues,” said one Court House resident.
Another visitor from Rio Grande commented, “This is the first year I heard about the fair so I wanted to check it out and brought my mother who was really happy to get her blood pressure, and cholesterol checked for free.”