Acupuncture Gets Respect
Some people say this ancient therapy really works to relieve pain – now research backs them up.
It’s been about 2,000 years in the making, but acupuncture now may be propelled into the mainstream. New research shows the procedure can relieve pain and improve function in people with the two most common forms of arthritis – rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. But how?
The ancient – and current – theory goes like this: An essential life energy called qi (pronounced “chee”) flows through the body along 20 invisible channels called meridians. When the flow of this energy is blocked or out of balance, illness or pain occurs. More than 2,000 acupuncture points connects to the meridians. Stimulating those points with needles may correct the flow and alleviate pain.
When speaking with his patients, Tim Rhudy, a licensed acupuncturist in the department of pain management at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, explains that acupuncture diminishes pain by “untying muscular straitjackets – releasing tight, spasmed, shortened muscles to their resting state.”
It also helps regulate the body's nervous system, which can stimulate the release of natural pain-fighting endorphins.
And there’s more: Acupuncture tells the body where the battle is. When you cut your hand, the body sends help to the injury site. Likewise, when a needle is inserted into an acupuncture point, the body pays special attention to the micro-trauma and emits healing factors,” says Rhudy.
Acupuncture also alters the perception of pain, he says. “Brain magnetic resonance imaging shows that deep needling of acupuncture points deactivates the part of the brain that deals with our perception of pain.” With deep needling, a needle in inserted as far as one-half inch (12.7 millimeters) as opposed to superficial needling.
RA. A recent study from China shows that both traditional acupuncture and electro-acupuncture – a type in which pulsating electrical currents are sent through the needles to stimulate target areas – may reduce tenderness. All 36 study participants had a standardized treatment, whether they received traditional acupuncture or electro-acupuncture. During a total of 20 sessions throughout a 10-week period, needles were placed at a depth of about 10 to 20 millimeters and left in place for 30 minutes.
OA. In a German study, 304,674 people with knee of him OA who received 15 sessions of acupuncture, combined with their usual medical care, had less pain and stiffness, improved function and better quality of life than their counterparts who had routine care alone. The improvements occurred immediately after completing a three-month course of acupuncture and lasted for at least another three months.
Although Medicare does not cover acupuncture treatments, some private health insurers do. The devil is in the details when it comes to insurance coverage of acupuncture, says James Dowden, executive director of the American Academy of Acupuncture, a Los Angeles-based professional society of physicians with training and practice. “Most U.S. insurers do provide some acupuncture coverage,” he says. “But what conditions they cover vary.”
If your insurance company does not cover acupuncture, check to see if it is covered as an optional treatment. The most important questions to ask an insurer, says Dowden, are: For which conditions do you cover acupuncture, and for how many treatments?
To find a certified acupuncturist, try these Web sites:
National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
American Academy of Medical Acupuncture
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