By Acupuncture relief chronic pain is a traditional Chinese medicine that people have been used worldwide for many reasons. In recent years, it has been getting a lot of attention to think if it could be of help for those suffering chronic pain. With chronic pain being one of the most common causes of pain, according to the National Institutes of Health, it is a good idea to consider such old -age treatments to whether or not it may be of help (1).
The University of York, located in the UK, compiled 29 studies on using acupuncture for chronic pain (2). The studies were all considered high-quality clinical trials. It focused on patients who treated with acupuncture and standard medical care, like, using an anti-inflammatory medications and physiotherapy. The studies had a total of 18,000 participants, who were suffering from chronic pain of the knee, head, lower back, and neck. Some of the people suffered from osteoarthritis, while, others had experienced chronic migraine headaches.
The studies compiled to evaluate the outcomes and see if it will provide more relief than using a placebo. Researchers found that there had a large reduction in the number of migraine headaches. It is also providing a reduction in disability and pain to those with lower back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis as well. After all, they concluded that by using acupuncture with standard medical care may see a greater reduction in their chronic pain.
This information supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). They had taken extensive studies conducted using acupuncture for chronic pain (3). therefore, those studies suggested that it may bring relief for certain types of pain, namely, chronic pain conditions as osteoarthritis, low back pain, neck pain, tension headaches, and help preventing migraine headaches.
The NIH reports that there are few complications from acupuncture. Then, it involves inserting fine needles into specific body points. Moreover, those opting for this treatment should ensure that the person administering it has credentials. Most states do require a certification, registration, or a license to perform the acupuncture. Acupuncture is not a substitute for seeking a medical doctor when experiencing chronic pain. It is another tool that may help reduce the pain. The more options people have with them, the more they will find help in bringing some pain relief.
Sources:
- National Institutes of Health. Pain Management. https://report.nih.gov/nihfactsheets/ViewFactSheet.aspx?csid=57
- Science Daily. Acupuncture boosts effectiveness of standard medical care for chronic pain, depression. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170130083228.htm
- National Institutes of Health. https://nccih.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/introduction
