Healing Chronic Pain with Acupuncture
An estimated 11.2% of the US adult population experience chronic pain (1), of which the 5 common pain conditions seen by primary care physicians are back pain, osteoarthritis, neck pain, severe headaches and migraines, and fibromyalgia. In the past, primary care physicians used medication and other therapies to alleviate the patient’s pain, including opioid therapy such as OxyContin and Percocet. Though there is evidence to support short-term opioid therapy for acute pain conditions (2), unfortunately, there is now recognition that the long-term affects of opioid therapy may have many unintended consequences. There are currently 40 opioid overdoses occurring every day in the United States (3), and an estimated 1.9 million persons who are addicted or abusing prescription opioid medication in 2013 alone (4). The opioid epidemic is evident through the numerous media headlines and in our daily lives through our friends and families who are affected by opioid addiction. This has lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to recently publish a new guideline for physicians* in 2016 to consider non-opioid methods as the first line treatment for pain (5).
So what are long-term solutions for chronic pain? According to a 2016 review from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health which includes 105 randomized controlled trials and more than 16,000 participants shows that a variety of complementary therapies such as acupuncture and tai chi have more positive results than negative results for pain management, particularly for back pain and osteoarthritis of the knee. Another plus is that no trial reported a serious adverse event linked to a complementary approach (6). In 2003, the World Health Organization compiled an 87 page review called Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials which listed 28 diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proven through clinical trials to be an effective treatment, plus numerous other conditions in which acupuncture showed some therapeutic effect (7).
Here is a partial list of just the Musculo-skeletal Disorders that can be effectively treated or have some therapeutic effect with acupuncture:
There are also other forms of pain that can be effectively treated or have some therapeutic effect with acupuncture:
If you or a loved one suffers from chronic pain, consider a non-opioid method such as acupuncture for pain management. Contact us for more information here.
Raven Acupuncture Clinic offers a holistic approach to pain management. We use acupuncture to tap into your body’s natural ability to heal, boost your immune system, and modulate the neurotransmitters involved in the sensation of pain. Herbal therapy, cupping, moxibustion, and other East Asian medicine modalities reinforce and prolong the therapeutic effects of acupuncture. Lastly, we emphasize a lifestyle-based approach to all chronic conditions, which include lifestyle changes, diet & nutrition based on Chinese Medicine theory, exercise, and self-care practices. Our goal is a natural and long-term substantial benefit for your health.
*The new guidelines from the CDC in 2016 regarding opioid therapy does not apply to primary care physicians treating adult patients with chronic pain for active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care.
1. Nahin, R.L. (2015). Estimates of pain prevalence and severity in adults: United States, 2012. J Pain. 2015;16(8):769-780. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26028573
2. Guideline for the use of chronic opioid therapy in chronic noncancer pain: evidence review. American Pain Society and American Academy of Pain Medicine. Accessed May 19, 2017. Retrieved from http://americanpainsociety.org/uploads/education/guidelines/chronic-opioid-therapy-cncp.pdf.
3. CDC has advice about opioids for primary care doctors. (2016, March 15). Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/15/470559682/cdc-has-advice-about-opioids-for-primary-care-doctors
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Results From the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings [NSDUH Series H-48, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4863]. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 2014.
5. Dowell, D., Haegerich T.M., & Chou, R. (2016). CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain – United States, 2016. JAMA. 2016;315(15):1624-1645. Retrieved from http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2503508
6. Nahin, R.L., Boineau, R., Khalsa, P.S., Stussman BJ, Weber WJ. (2016). Evidence-Based Evaluation of Complementary Health Approaches for Pain Management in the United States. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. September 2016;91(9):1292-1306. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(16)30317-2/abstract
7. Chmielnicki, Bartosz, trans. WHO official position. Evidence Based Acupuncture. Accessed May 19, 2017. Retrieved from http://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/who-official-position/
So what are long-term solutions for chronic pain? According to a 2016 review from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health which includes 105 randomized controlled trials and more than 16,000 participants shows that a variety of complementary therapies such as acupuncture and tai chi have more positive results than negative results for pain management, particularly for back pain and osteoarthritis of the knee. Another plus is that no trial reported a serious adverse event linked to a complementary approach (6). In 2003, the World Health Organization compiled an 87 page review called Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials which listed 28 diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proven through clinical trials to be an effective treatment, plus numerous other conditions in which acupuncture showed some therapeutic effect (7).
Here is a partial list of just the Musculo-skeletal Disorders that can be effectively treated or have some therapeutic effect with acupuncture:
- Fibromyalgia and fasciitis
- Knee pain
- Lateral epicondylitis – Tennis elbow
- Low back pain
- Neck pain or stiff neck
- Osteoarthritis
- Periarthritis of shoulder – Frozen shoulder
- Rheumatic arthritis
- Sciatica
- Spine pain, acute
- Sprain
There are also other forms of pain that can be effectively treated or have some therapeutic effect with acupuncture:
- Abdominal pain (in acute gastroenteritis or due to gastrointestinal spasm)
- Cancer pain
- Earache
- Facial pain (incl: craniomandibular disorders)
- Headaches/Migraines
- Neuralgia, post-herpetic
- Pain in dentistry (incl: dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction)
- Postoperative pain
If you or a loved one suffers from chronic pain, consider a non-opioid method such as acupuncture for pain management. Contact us for more information here.
Raven Acupuncture Clinic offers a holistic approach to pain management. We use acupuncture to tap into your body’s natural ability to heal, boost your immune system, and modulate the neurotransmitters involved in the sensation of pain. Herbal therapy, cupping, moxibustion, and other East Asian medicine modalities reinforce and prolong the therapeutic effects of acupuncture. Lastly, we emphasize a lifestyle-based approach to all chronic conditions, which include lifestyle changes, diet & nutrition based on Chinese Medicine theory, exercise, and self-care practices. Our goal is a natural and long-term substantial benefit for your health.
*The new guidelines from the CDC in 2016 regarding opioid therapy does not apply to primary care physicians treating adult patients with chronic pain for active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care.
1. Nahin, R.L. (2015). Estimates of pain prevalence and severity in adults: United States, 2012. J Pain. 2015;16(8):769-780. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26028573
2. Guideline for the use of chronic opioid therapy in chronic noncancer pain: evidence review. American Pain Society and American Academy of Pain Medicine. Accessed May 19, 2017. Retrieved from http://americanpainsociety.org/uploads/education/guidelines/chronic-opioid-therapy-cncp.pdf.
3. CDC has advice about opioids for primary care doctors. (2016, March 15). Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/15/470559682/cdc-has-advice-about-opioids-for-primary-care-doctors
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Results From the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings [NSDUH Series H-48, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4863]. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 2014.
5. Dowell, D., Haegerich T.M., & Chou, R. (2016). CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain – United States, 2016. JAMA. 2016;315(15):1624-1645. Retrieved from http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2503508
6. Nahin, R.L., Boineau, R., Khalsa, P.S., Stussman BJ, Weber WJ. (2016). Evidence-Based Evaluation of Complementary Health Approaches for Pain Management in the United States. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. September 2016;91(9):1292-1306. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(16)30317-2/abstract
7. Chmielnicki, Bartosz, trans. WHO official position. Evidence Based Acupuncture. Accessed May 19, 2017. Retrieved from http://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/who-official-position/