Acupuncture and Pain

With more than 1.5 billion people around the globe suffering from chronic pain, it’s safe to say this is a world-wide epidemic. The three most common types of pain include low back pain, neck pain and migraines. Many people are seeking alternative ways to treat their pain rather than rely solely on medication. That’s where acupuncture comes in.

Acupuncture, already known for its effectiveness in the treatment of pain, has been studied the world over. There are many findings that show acupuncture is indeed effective for pain. One big study having to do with chronic pain comprised 454,000 patients. These patients were treated for headache, back pain, and osteoarthritis using acupuncture. It was found to be effective in 76% of cases by more than 8,700 treating doctors. Another big two-year study of nearly 90,000 patients in 2016 showed that 93% showed improvements in musculoskeletal pain.

An analysis of 17,900 patients from a variety of randomized trials found that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic pain. There were, however, big differences between true and sham acupuncture, showing that acupuncture has more than just a placebo effect. Follow-up studies on long-term pain relief have revealed that the benefits of acupuncture lasted for one year post-treatment.

Yet another study appeared in the journal Current Opinion in Anesthesiology. It suggested growing evidence supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic low back, neck, shoulder, and knee pain, in addition to migraines and headaches. The use of acupuncture is also emerging as a viable alternative to opioids in peri-operative settings.

Studies have been going on for the last 60 years. Yes, there is still a lot to learn about acupuncture and the human body. But the results so far are very promising. Acupuncture is believed to activate many of the body’s own opioids plus it has the ability to improve the brain’s sensitivity to those opioids. Certain bio-chemicals as part of pain reduction responses are released or regulated by acupuncture, such as ATP and adenosine.

The conclusions are that acupuncture is a safe and effective method to treat chronic pain, backed by a long record of success.

Call Metro Detroit Acupuncture

Do you suffer from chronic pain? Acupuncture can help. Just give Metro Detroit Acupuncture a call at 248-432-2846. Led by Marino Moutafis, the founder and owner of Metro Detroit Acupuncture, we are Southeast Michigan’s leading acupuncture, Chinese herbs and pain management clinic.