Acupuncture is a ‘safe and effective’ alternative to pain-relieving drugs according to a recent study published in MJA.com.au.

The study examined 528 patients with acute low back pain, migraines and ankle sprains who were rushed to hospital between January 2010 and December 2011.

Rating their pain levels on a score of 4 out of a 10-point scale, the participants received three kinds of treatment including acupuncture alone, pharmacotherapy, or a combination of both.

The study found that 40% of patients across all treatment groups reported significant reductions in their pain after only one hour of treatment.

More than 80% continued having a pain rating of 4.  Researchers lead by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia noted that most patients rated their therapies as being acceptable after a 48 hour treatment duration.

The study reported that nearly 83% of patients in the acupuncture-only group said they would repeat the treatment, compared with 72.8% in the pharmacotherapy-only group and 80.8% in the combination treatment group.

Acupuncture is widely used within the community setting for treating pain yet it is rarely used within hospital emergency departments.

Why Acupuncture?

Pain relieving drugs can carry the risk of addiction when it’s used long-term. This study showed that acupuncture is a viable alternative and beneficial for patients who are unable to take standard pain-relieving drugs due to their medical conditions.

It’s clear that most conditions need more research to develop better medical approaches to pain management. The study also revealed that patients initially remained in some pain, no matter what the treatment is that they received.

Researchers noted that they need to be able to determine the conditions that are most responsive to acupuncture however and this includes their treatment within emergency settings, or the training needed for doctors or allied health personnel.

Studies Attest To How Acupuncture Relieves Pain

Research shows that this study is simply one of many indicating how acupuncture is efficient in pain management.

A meta-analysis published in MayoClinicProceedings.org showed that acupuncture was among other complementary health practices that showed favourable results when it comes to alleviating common pain.

The team of researchers from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health at the National Institutes of Health reviewed 105 U.S. based randomised controlled trials and identified treatments that address one or more of these five painful conditions. This includes back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, migraines and severe headaches.

Researchers also found that acupuncture is effective at treating back pain and that this alternative treatment can also be used in alleviating osteoarthritis of the knee.

The results show that information about patients and health providers is necessary for learning more about non-drug approaches to pain management, the research team concluded.

One study published in Health.USNews.com showed that acupuncture therapy was highly effective at relieving pain and improving quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia.

The study also showed the pain scores of patients who received acupuncture had an average decline of 41% at 10 weeks. By contrast, those who received a simulated acupuncture treatment had a 27% reduction in their pain scores.

Mastering the Art of Acupuncture – In Your Own Hands

Acupuncture has many amazing healing benefits and this can extend to a variety of emotional disorders such as anxiety, depression and even digestive complaints like nausea, vomiting and irritable bowel syndrome. Using acupuncture can be a fast and effective form of pain relief when compared with other methods.

Now it’s possible to take the power of acupuncture into your own hands – using the HealthPoint™ device to locate and stimulate various acupressure points. You can achieve pain relief for numerous health conditions with these simple techniques.

Recommended Examples

 

HealthPoint™ Kit – This allows anyone to become a ‘Master of Acupressure’ and to bring relief and healing to any number of health conditions. HealthPoint™ allows you to locate and accurately stimulate various acupressure points, helping to improve over 160 health conditions including most eye issues, stress and anxiety.