Lancaster, a registered nurse for 27 years, completed her acupuncture training in 1997 at the Maryland Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Bethesda. She is a licensed acupuncturist and is credentialed by NCCAOM (National Commission for Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine). She is also the employee health nurse at Calvert Memorial, where she has worked for 25 years.

Acupuncture is best known, said Lancaster, as a treatment for pain, but can also be effective in treating women’s health issues such as menstrual and menopausal symptoms and emotional problems including depression, anxiety and insomnia.

Therapy for pain management covers a range of issues, she said. “Many people come to me for back and neck pain as well as persistent headaches.” Digestive disorders are also a frequent complaint, she said.

Acupuncture uses very fine needles, about the width of three human hairs, to stimulate the body’s natural healing. “It is a common misconception that the needles are large and they hurt,” said Lancaster. “They are actually very small and feel nothing like an injection or blood draw.”

She said the length of treatment varies greatly and depends on the nature of the problem, how long it has bothered the person and the individual’s overall health. “Many people receive five to six weekly treatments,” she said, “and then come in less frequently.”

Lancaster stressed that acupuncture is safe and minimally invasive and works well with other therapies. “It relies on the basic diagnostic techniques of observation, history review and physical exam to determine the root causes of problems,” she explained.

For more information or to make an appointment, call the Healthy Alternatives program at CMH at 410-414-4507.