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Step 1
Speak with a dermatologist regarding the use of acupuncture to treat your specific case of cellulitis. Some physicians will agree that acupuncture can be used as a complementary treatment to the conventional antibiotic regimen. Your physician, however, may believe your particular condition too severe to be treated with acupuncture therapy.
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Step 2
Find a physician who is an experienced acupuncturist. Most acupuncturists in the United States are not medical doctors. Consult the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture website to find an acupuncture specialist who meets rigorous requirements (see Resources below).
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Step 3
Find out what policy your acupuncturist employs for needle use. Some acupuncturists use one-time disposable needles, while others sterilize their needles for reuse. Ask for an explanation as to how the needles are sterilized if your physician reuses them. This method should be up to the sterilizing standard used for surgical instruments.
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Step 4
Question your acupuncturist regarding how many needles will be used and where they will be placed to treat your condition. It is a controversial practice to puncture the specific area afflicted with cellulitis. Most physicians use acupuncture at unaffected points to help boost the immune system and thereby fight the cellulitis infection.
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Step 5
Monitor the appearance of your cellulitis following acupuncture therapy treatments. Discontinue treatments if your conditions do not improve or appear worse. Always follow your antibiotic regimen to its completion, even when your cellultis appears improved by it and acupuncture.
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Step 6
Consider using acupuncture as a preventative measure once your cellulitis infection has cleared. You will likely benefit from the purported immune building benefits of regular acupuncture treatments if you are satisfied that the therapy helped treat your infection.
