I seriously have patients ask me, an acupuncturist, if acupuncture works.
My head screams “8 years of schooling, student loans, tons of continuing eduction, a life’s work…. what do you think?!”. I realize, however, what they’re really asking is “Would acupuncture work for me?“.
I also, very often, hear “I tried acupuncture and it didn’t work. I only felt better for a few days/weeks/months before the pain returned”.
Let me touch on the second point, duration of relief, and then return to efficacy.
It is insane for me to hear a patient complain about an improvement that lasts longer then 4-6 hours. The typical long-term use of muscle relaxers, narcotics, pain relievers, and anti-inflammatories cannot provide relief longer than 12 hours. If a treatment, acupuncture included, brings benefits that last longer than the VERY transient effects of the pharmaceutical industry we should mark that down as a success.
In my experience the duration of relief is completely individualized. There are a number of variables that play into the successes of the treatment.
1. Patient Compliance – are they following instructions on icing/heating, stretching, changes in posture, activity, lifestyle modifications
2. Timeline of Injury – how long has the patient been in pain?
In chronic pain it will often take some time to change the body’s perception of pain, response to injury, posture, structural alignment, etc.
Pain is so individualized. It is a multidimensional stimuli that is hard to even quantify.
In a study conducted on pain perception, Psychologic Aspects of Pain perception, researcher Mcgrath says “The perception of, expression of, and reaction to pain are influenced by genetic, developmental, familial, psychological, social and cultural variables. Psychological factors, such as the situational and emotional factors that exist when we experience pain, can profoundly alter the strength of these perceptions.”
More and more research is being conducted on acupuncture’s efficacy in pain management. We are finding that complimentary and alternative approaches to pain can be very effective. If this is true, why are patient’s still preferring a pharmaceutical solution to their pain?
Leave your answers in the comments section!
In the News: Acupuncture for Chronic Pain
A recent NCCAM-funded study, employing individual patient data meta-analyses published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, provides the most rigorous evidence to date that acupuncture may be helpful for chronic pain. In addition, results from the study provide robust evidence that the effects of acupuncture on pain are attributable to two components. The larger component includes factors such as the patient’s belief that treatment will be effective, as well as placebo and other context effects. A smaller acupuncture-specific component involves such issues as the locations of specific needling points or depth of needling.
Although millions of Americans use acupuncture each year, often for chronic pain, there has been considerable controversy surrounding its value as a therapy and whether it is anything more than an elaborate placebo. Research exploring a number of possible mechanisms for acupuncture’s pain-relieving effects is ongoing.
Reference
- Vickers AJ, Cronin AM, Maschino A, et al. Acupuncture for chronic pain: a meta-analysis. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2012.
