Several Organizations Create White Paper Validating Acupuncture Value Against Opioids

The opioid crisis in this country is growing. This over-reliance on drugs to make us feel better is damaging the very fabric of our society and indeed our health. Scientists who have their hands in a series of national and policy documents and guidelines say that acupuncture is a valid “non-pharmacologic” approach to pain management. Six acupuncture organizations recently put out a 20-page white paper saying that acupuncture is a valid, effective option over addictive pharmaceutical agents.

Read the whole report here. Produced via the Joint Opioid Task Force established by the Acupuncture Now Foundation and the American Society for Acupuncture, this task force comprises an inter-disciplinary team of writers and reviewers, including medical doctors who also happen to be licensed acupuncturists.

The white paper illustrates five pain conditions and three additional conditions displaying a positive effect when it comes to the value of acupuncture in cutting back on “opioid-like medications.”

However, the barrier that can get in the way of more people using acupuncture for pain is cost. This white paper outlined 10 conditions for decision-makers to ponder, with six specifically linked to pain. Those factors were:

• Low back pain
• Migraine
• Chronic neck pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Dysmenorrhea
• Headache

In addition to acupuncture, there are many methods of non-pharmacological methods to manage acute and chronic pain, including physical therapy, yoga, spinal cord manipulation, tai chi, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Acupuncture, however, is optimal when targeting the endogenous opioid system in particular. That’s because acupuncture has been found to induce endorphins that help people effectively deal with acute and chronic pain.

In this country, there are 28,000 licensed acupuncturists and 10,000 medical doctors who are also trained in acupuncture. The authors hope to reach all of these professionals and more.

The white paper is another in a series of many convincing documents that have been coming out recently touting the benefits of acupuncture when it comes to pain. The document also veers off track a bit because it shows what else acupuncture is good at such as alleviating dry eye, restless leg syndrome, and insomnia.

Contact Metro Detroit Acupuncture

Those who suffer from chronic pain in Michigan can rely on acupuncture for effective treatment instead of opioids. Contact Metro Detroit Acupuncture now at 248-432-2846, as we are Southeast Michigan’s leading acupuncture and Chinese herb clinic.