Can Acupuncture Ease my
Pain?
by Andrea Tapia
According to the US News & World
Report, Americans spent an estimated $34 billion in out of pocket costs on
alternative medicine in 2007. Since then, health insurance companies have been making
a shift in covering alternative treatment methods. Acupuncture has gained popularity
with healthcare as research provides increasing beneficial evidence in pain management. Acupuncture has evolved from the treatment of smoking addictions
and stress relief, to becoming the cornerstone of many Western treatment
methods.
Acupuncture
involves the insertion of needles to restore the flow of energy within the
body, also known as “Qi” (pronounced “CHI”). When administered by a Certified Acupuncturist, certain trigger points can be stimulated within the body, which
affects the sensory neurotransmitters and hormones associated with pain. These
points release endorphins, increase blood flow, and thereby initiate healing
and the reduction of pain.
In a 2001 pilot study, patients with low back pain were
examined and treated with acupuncture over a period of twelve months. Over 80%
of those evaluated benefited from acupuncture treatment and showed a decrease
in low back pain and other related symptoms.
More recent meta-analysis studies showed short-term
improvements on pain scale when compared to placebo, demonstrating significant
improvements in neck and back pain, chronic headaches, and osteoarthritis pain.
According to ABC NEWS, “Research studies consistently show
that acupuncture can be an effective form of pain management, with some studies
finding it even more effective than pain-relieving drugs or surgery.” With
ongoing information surrounding the benefits of acupuncture in place of or in
addition to current treatment modalities, such as Physical Therapy, it would be
difficult for the consumer to disregard.
If you are experiencing any form of back pain, neck pain, or chronic headaches, you may benefit greatly from looking into alternative treatments such as acupuncture. Dr. David Chu is Board Certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation as well as a Certified Acupuncturist. Dr. Chu treats hundreds of patients utilizing acupuncture and other treatment methods effectively.
REFERENCES:
Manheimer
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Neport,
Liz. A Close-up Look at Acupuncture for Pain. Good Morning America.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/close-acupuncture-pain/story?id=23411898 Published April 22, 2014.
Accessed September 8, 2015.
O’Connor,
Anahad. Acupuncture Provides True Pain Relief in Study. The New York Times.
September 11, 2012. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/11/acupuncture-provides-true-pain-relief-in-study/?ref=topics&_r=0. Accessed September 8,
2015.
Renter,
Elizabeth. Does Your Health Insurance Cover Alternative Medicine? U.S. News
& World Report. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-insurance/articles/2015/03/09/does-your-health-insurance-cover-alternative-medicine. Published March 9, 2015.
Accessed September 3, 2015.
Vickers AJ, Cronin AM, Maschino AC, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic
Pain: Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(19):1444-1453.
doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3654.
Wilkinson
J, Faleiro R et al. Acupuncture in Pain Management. Oxford Journals (Online). 2015. doi:10.1093/bjaceaccp/mkm021 http://ceaccp.oxfordjournals.org/content/7/4/135.full.pdf+html
