Can Acupuncture Ease My Pain?

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.

Request an appointment here.

REFERENCES:

Manheimer E, Cheng K, Linde K, et al. Acupuncture for Peripheral Joint Osteoarthritis. Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online). 2010; (1):CD001977. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001977.pub2.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3169099/

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.

http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1357513

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