WASHINGTON, D.C., October 4, 2017 (Newswire) -The Integrative Health Policy Consortium (IHPC) applauds the Sept. 18 letter, signed by 37 State Attorneys General, from the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) asking its insurance company members to review their payment and coverage policies and revise them to encourage health care providers to choose alternatives to prescribing opioid pain relievers. The letter further urged insurance companies to adopt incentive structures that reward the use of non-opioid and non-pharmacologic pain management therapies. Click here to read more!
I continue to see excellent results with those patients who are being treated for acupuncture for pain relief. But my goal is really about returning a person to a functional quality of life. For many people who receive acupuncture the pain is reduced to the point where they are able to function at a higher level in their lives. This may mean a small amount of pain that remains, but that the person is able to resume all of their normal activities, such as going to the gym, house cleanings, working in the garden, walking their dog. As well, when the pain is reduced a person is able to function better in their relationships.
As a practitioner who has been in practice for over 20 years, I have found the highest results by doing distal acupuncture which involves the insertion of very fine needles away from the area of pain. Success depends on three factors: the severity of the condition, the age of the person and any complicating additional health concerns. Those patients who maintain consistent follow up visits are able to built on their level of health overtime.
For those who are experiencing pain, I strongly advocate acupuncture as the first choice and certainly before the use of any pharmaceutical drugs.