Reprinted with permission
READING AGAIN

EAST LAUDERDALE NEWS
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2004

Maxine Crouch, 78, of Muscle Shoals, was diagnosed with a retinal disorder called macular degeneration in 2001. Steadily getting worse, she was eventually declared legally blind. Since getting a new type of acupuncture known as MicroAcupuncture™, Mrs. Crouch’s vision has drastically improved. Although not a cure, the procedure has made it possible for her to read, sew and perform other tasks which were impossible without magnification devices.
Acupuncture treatment helps local macular degeneration patient.
Macular degeneration can severely damage a person’s vision. Although it rarely leads to complete blindness, the disorder typically causes major difficulties related to eyesight.

Maxine Crouch, 78, and her husband, Carroll Crouch, reside at 2095 Lime Kiln Road, Muscle Shoals. She was diagnosed with macular degeneration in 2001.

As time went by, condition advanced to the point that it became difficult for her to drive an automobile, read a book, thread a sewing needle, use a computer keyboard, operate kitchen appliances, watch television and perform other normal tasks requiring good vision.

After going to her family doctor and a local eye specialist, Mrs. Crouch learned that little treatment is available for macular degeneration.

Eventually, she was declared legally blind.

Legal blindness is defined as visual acuity worse than 20/200 even after correction with eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Macular degeneration affects central vision, not peripheral vision. Nevertheless, if a person can’t see at 20 feet what someone else with clarity of vision can see at 200 feet that person is deemed to have legal blindness.
She had a few laser procedures done, but they didn’t seem to be helpful.
However, one year ago… in December 2003…Mrs. Crouch decided to try something radically different… acupuncture.

She has now had three sessions at a clinic in Arkansas with doctors trained in Oriental medicine who use the patented MicroAcupuncture™ technique.
“My vision greatly improved after the first treatment,” Mrs. Crouch stated. “In the motel room, I discovered that I could read the news channel’s small scroll line on the television set.”

Mrs. Crouch, the former Maxine Acton, grew up in Birmingham.

Carroll H. Crouch was born and raised in North Florence. He graduated from Coffee High School in 1942; America had entered World War II on Dec. 7, 1941. He entered the U.S. Army on Sept. 20, 1942.

Maxine and Carroll met before the war. He carried her picture everywhere the Army sent him. Sgt. Crouch earned the Bronze Star Medal for heroic service in connection with military operations near Frolois, France, on Sept. 10, 1944.
On Dec. 15, he was severely wounded by enemy machine gun fire in Habkirchen, Germany.

This newspaper published an article about Carroll Crouch on Nov. 13, 2003. Carroll and Maxine married on June 3, 1945. Eight months later, he was discharged from the Army and they made their home in Florence.

Mr. Crouch earned a degree from Florence State Teachers College. He went to work for the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1950 and retired as property and supply officer for the TVA in Muscle Shoals 30 years later.

The couple has three children and numerous grandchildren.

Maxine has always been extremely active in her church and community. When the children were young, she took part in school events. Preparing delicious meals and desserts, doing knitting and other needlework, working on complicated jigsaw puzzles, driving on long vacation trips, etc., have always been enjoyable to her.

Both Maxine and her husband learned to use a computer and navigate the Internet when this technology was new.Therefore, when her vision began to fail three years ago it was hard to adjust. Magnification devices were obtained to help Maxine cope. However, her ability to do many things she enjoyed was greatly limited.

Macular degeneration was robbing her of leading a normal lifestyle.

Otherwise healthy and adventurous, she wasn’t ready to give in to this disorder. The retina is the light sensitive membrane on the inner surface of the back of the eye.The optic nerve extends from the brain to about the center of the retina and then branches out.The central area of the retina, called the macula, contains the highest density of light-sensing nerves.
In macular degeneration, the light-sensing cells of the macula gradually stop functioning. The destruction is painless.

Symptoms include distortion… when fine straight lines appear wavy. Blind spots or empty appear in the center of an image, etc.

Carroll’s cousin from Texas came to visit and do genealogical research.
“She told me about her friend, Ruth Ledbetter, who operated a custom drapery shop,” Mrs. Crouch explained. “This lady had macular degeneration and she got help by going to an acupuncture clinic.”

Ledbetter had been to the Arkansas Therapy Center located at 4409 North Highway 7 just outside Hot Springs Village, Ark. The facility is a 15-minute drive from downtown Hot Springs and a one-hour drive from Little Rock.
Accompanied by her husband, Maxine went to the Arkansas Therapy Center for the first time in December 2003.

Arkansas Therapy Center was established by Per G. Otte. He has also opened clinics in San Diego, Calif., North Port, Fla., Minneapolis, Minn., Westfield, N.J., and Edmonds, Wash.

Otte perfected a technique called MicroAcupuncture™ which he uses in the treatment of macular degeneration and other vision-related ailments.
Because he travels a great deal, Otte trained Dr. Lizbeth A. Ryan in his patented procedure. She has a degree in Oriental medicine and is chief acupuncturist at the Arkansas Therapy Center.

Mrs. Crouch said she was ready and willing to try acupuncture.

According to literature from the facility:
“MicroAcupuncture™ is a new procedure involving 48 newly-discovered acupuncture points located on the hands and feet only and not associated with any other acupuncture system. These points were discovered by Dr. Freddy Dahlgren in Denmark in 1984 and researched by both him and Otte who now resides in the United States.

“We begin the treatment with a visual field scan, five to six MicroAcpuncture™ treatments and a second visual field scan. “Following the second scan, the doctor evaluates the patient and recommends a treatment schedule. Each course of treatment is typically 12-15 treatments. A second course of treatment is generally recommended within four to six months to further stabilize the eyes. Patients often require a course of treatment every one to two years or more depending on the individual’s progression of disease.”
After her initial visit in December 2003, Maxine Crouch returned to the center in March and again in November.

Concerning her first session, Mrs. Crouch recalled: “I had a visual field scan on Monday and started treatments. By Wednesday, I was so excited by the progress I had made, I could read road signs, view the scenery and watch television much better than before.”

Patients must show improvement after the first three days before the center will consider future treatments, she explained.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese method of relieving pain and treating various conditions by inserting tiny needles at certain points on the body.
Mrs. Crouch said MicroAcupuncture™ is not very painful although the patient does feel the initial prick.

When being treated, she has six needles in each foot, three in her right hand, two in her left hand, one in each temple and one on her forehead. They remain inserted about 20 minutes. She got three of these treatments a day. Between treatments, there is time for sightseeing, shopping and dining. She enjoys talking to fellow patients while being treated.

During one of her trips to the center, she and Carroll met a nine-year-old girl from Lauderdale County, Ala., who was also there fro treatments, but to treat a different ailment.

Maxine Crouch said that MicroAcupuncture™ is not a cure, but she firmly believes it has helped restore a great amount of her vision.

She belongs to a local support group for macular degeneration patients and has already told fellow members about her progress since getting MicroAcupuncture™ treatments at the Arkansas Therapy Center.
Other people go there for help with fibromyalgia, arthritis and dozens of other disorders.

Maxine expects to go back to the center next March or April.
She is also continuing to see her primary doctor.

There are no side effects to MicroAcupunture™, stated Mrs. Crouch, “except my feet got a little sore.”

She is now cooking again and just the other day discovered that she could thread a sewing needle. Maxine is also working crossword puzzles and watching television with magnification.

For more information, call Maxine Crouch at 446-5317. You may also reach the Arkansas Therapy Center at (501) 984-5560 or toll free (800) 422-4933. Its website is www.microacupuncture.com.