FAQs
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
Dr. Meecham initially trained as an ophthalmic plastic surgeon and practiced at Kaiser during the 1990's. In 2000, degenerative neck disease forced him to abandon that career. In working through chronic pain and physical limitation, plus considerable stress and grief, he found acupuncture extremely helpful. He was delighted to learn what the Chinese have known for millennia: acupuncture not only reduces muscle tightness and skeletal discomfort, it also centers and calms the emotions. Given acupuncture's potential to reduce pain and increase function in musculoskeletal disorders, and its benefits for emotional balancing, Dr. Meecham decided to pursue training as a physician acupuncturist. He completed the medical acupuncture education program offered by the Helms Medical Institute (which has trained more than 90% of the physician acupuncturists in the United States). He also mentored with an established medical acupuncturist in Marin County. His practice tends to focus on musculoskeletal problems, pain issues, and emotional distress, whether of longstanding or recent onset. However, because by nature Chinese medicine addresses the whole person and resists treating body parts or conditions in isolation, Dr. Meecham also uses acupuncture to relieve bodily discomfort resulting from stress, lifestyle, chronic disease, and aging.