Acupuncture has emerged as a powerful and safe evidenced-based treatment modality that could provide a solution to the opioid crisis which has caused 72,000 drug overdose deaths in the year 2017 alone according to information provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Acupuncture therapy has been shown to be quite effective in treating different types of pain conditions and its mechanisms of action explained from physiologic and biochemical stand points. It has also been noted to have a positive effect on the addiction centers of the brain helping people safely wean off drugs. Further, acupuncture is a very cost-effective procedure and can be easily administered in the hospital or clinic setting. During an acupuncture therapy session, fine needles are inserted into your skin at specific points of the body. The needles stay in place for 5-30 minutes. They stimulate circulation, decrease inflammation, and release certain stress-reducing hormones. Patients often
experience a deep sense of relaxation as the cycle of pain and inflammation is broken and the body starts to heal.
According to research studies by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), acupuncture may be used to treat conditions such as low back pain, migraines, neck pain, knee pain, and osteoarthritis. As far back as 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) had stated that acupuncture had proven to be effective in treatment of low & high blood pressure, sprains, tennis elbow, sciatica, rheumatoid arthritis, and several other conditions.
The above-mentioned attributes make acupuncture therapy a good alternative to opioids when dealing with chronic pain or withdrawal symptoms. It has already been successfully utilized by the Veterans Administration and several branches of the U.S. Military where it has demonstrably decreased the quantity of opioids prescribed. NewportCare Medical Group is a comprehensive specialty group with a Licensed Acupuncturist located in Newport Beach, California. For all appointments and inquiries,
please call .
