The Roanoker - July/August 2018 - 68

Holistic Health Care
Holistic health care incorporates
body, mind, emotions and spirit,
addressing the whole person. Holistic
practices put the emphasis on
integrated well-being and healing
rather than treating a condition.
While some perceive holistic
modalities as new age, many have been
around for thousands of years. These
include breathwork, meditation, yoga
and tai chi, which can contribute to
relaxation and reduce stress levels.
Most energy work is based on the
principle that we are made of energy
that moves freely through the body.
When the energy becomes low or

blocked, it can create discomfort, pain
or disease. Holistic health practitioners
often offer healing modalities that
unwind the kinks in energy flow.
Amy Jo Wheeler, Owner of Luxuria
Wellness, provides several energy
healing techniques: Reiki, reflexology,
mind wiping and Emotional Freedom
Technique (EFT). There are many
additional modalities but a few
of the popular ones also include
aromatherapy and chiropractic.
Deciding to use a complementary
or alternative approach to healing is
an individual choice. Part of holistic
healing is deciding to address
underlying causes and approaching
health and healing as a lifestyle. An
integrative health care plan could

include ancient healing methods as
well as conventional Western medical
treatments. It works best when all the
practitioners are familiar with the
overall plan of the patient's care, and
the individual advocates for his/her
health care.

How to Choose a Holistic Practitioner
* Get recommendations from people
you trust
* Check their training
* Schedule a consultation
* Be sure you feel comfortable with the
person and his/her philosophy
* Listen to your intuition
* Try various modalities to see which
ones work best for you

Want to learn more about holistic health from the experts? See the full article at TheRoanoker.com/HolisticHealth.
-LAURA WADE

Dr. Shaheen Lakhan

JULY/AUGUST 2018

Lakhan is a board-certified neurologist and pain
medicine specialist. He moved to Carilion Roanoke
Memorial Hospital in September, 2017, from
Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical
School. He chose Roanoke because it is a "hot spot" on
the map nationally for opioid issues, yet a great place
to raise a family. Now Chief of Pain Management for
Carilion Clinic, he describes our opioid crisis as an
"epidemic of chronic pain."
Lakhan's vision and mission at Carilion Clinic, in
partnership with Virginia Tech Carilion School of
Medicine, brings together clinicians, learners, scientists
and the community in an integrated and comprehensive
pain management service. The service focuses on
functional restoration training within the seven
dimensions of wellness (physical, emotional, intellectual,
occupational, social, spiritual and environmental). In his
role as co-chair for the system-wide opioid committee,
he will work to mitigate the risk of opioid dependence
among Carilion patients. He has already begun engaging
with national policy makers on behalf of Carilion Clinic,
including drafting a letter to the Senate Committee on
Finance, chaired by Senator Orrin Hatch, on "measures
that may mitigate the development of opioid use
disorder (OUD)."
The many sub-specialities within medicine can be
confusing. Having a strong relationship with a primary
care practitioner enables patients to make better
informed decisions. As care becomes more complicated,
a primary care provider (PCP) will have relationships
with trusted subspecialists throughout the community
and will consult them as needed. The PCP is the
quarterback of your health care team and should be
relied upon for appropriate referrals. I
TheRoanoker.com

COURTESY OF CARILION CLINIC

counseling. Baylor has seen patients
in his office that have been prescribed
up to 200 opioid pills a day from
multiple clinics. Baylor believes that
"illicit pharmaceuticals are diverted
from manufacturing facilities in other
countries and dumped on the street." He
also noted that not all 'pain clinics' test
patients for illicit drugs.
"Among people who die from
overdoses, 80 percent were taking
opioids not prescribed to them," says
Baylor. He believes the majority of deaths are from
illegal drugs or legal substances used inappropriately.
Baylor welcomes regulation and oversight, much
like that done for hospitals by The Joint Commission,
were there any such governing body for outpatient pain
clinics. He would also welcome a requirement for board
certification for all those practicing within the specialty.
He wishes outpatient offices were managed to at least
the minimum standards that a restaurant goes through.
Baylor says, "In restaurants, the health department is
required to visit at least annually, to check for general
safety and cleanliness, and to ensure that food is safe
and stored at the proper temperature ... Some of my
medications also need to be stored in temperaturecontrolled environments and nobody is coming around
to check."
In January 2018, Nancy Agee, CEO at Carilion
Clinic, created a multidisciplinary task force for the
opioid crisis. The investment made is significant
and includes an interdisciplinary staff headed up by
psychiatrist Dr. Robert Trestman, along with Dr.
Shaheen Lakhan.

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The Roanoker - July/August 2018

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