Medscape features Acupuncture's inclusion in the American Medical System
Watching this medicine grow in popularity over the past 25 years, even though there's no big corporation or product behind it, makes me hopeful for us as a society. In my opinion, the practice of acupuncture, when prescribed by the diagnostics of Oriental Medicine, holds the key to our country's declining health. Not as an alternative for pain management; but true primary care. BEFORE disease hits; evaluating the subtle function of the organs and their communication between each other is vital for optimal health. Just being disease-fee, or pain-free isn't optimal. it's just one lab away from something big, bad or ugly.
Anyway, back in the 1990's I watched acupuncture needles move from "experimental" by the FDA to "safe and effective". Slowly, it's continued to push into our modern medical system. Ironically, allied healthcare providers, including physical therapists around the US are using these needles, with very little training, and calling it dry needling. But here's the thing, they are using acupuncture needles, against FDA rules and regulations! AND, they are getting away with it.
This is how it happens - something gets popular and when a few think there's money in it, they jump and try to bypass the years of training it takes to become competent. They are getting away with it because they have college degrees in physical therapy, they have state licensed therapists nation-wide, they are completely included in the insurance system, and they put a lot of money into their political activism.
So that's the down side. I'm encouraged anyway, because people are smart, and information is available. The medical doctors are noticing, and understand there is more to this than just putting in a needle. Always check your providers' credentials SPECIFICALLY in Acupuncture. The best providers to see have a state license specifically in Acupuncture.
The article in medscape is one more step forward towards inclusion. Even though I'd like to see it used more for prevention, this is a very good step towards the bigger goal.
This is copied from the article posted on Medscape in October:
Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Unprecedented Advances
Pauline Anderson
October 30, 2017
SAN DIEGO — The last two decades have seen "unprecedented advances" in the use of acupuncture to treat pain conditions, with a "rapid rise" in the number and quality of related published studies, according to a physician who is an experienced acupuncture practitioner.
"Right now, we have a pretty solid foundation for the efficacy of acupuncture" for headache, osteoarthritis (OA), and musculoskeletal conditions, said Farshad M. Ahadian, MD, clinical professor of anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego.
"I think it's fair to say that acupuncture is here to stay. It's going to be a permanent addition to our tool box."
Dr Ahadian presented the data here at the Academy of Integrative Pain Management (AIPM) 28th Annual Meeting.
