Originally published February 26 2006
Acupuncture's low cost aids its integration into mainstream medicine
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Dr. Nader E. Soliman, president of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, talks about the alternative therapy's steady entrance into mainstream medicine and U.S. hospitals.
Acupuncture, long shunned by mainstream medicine but for centuries considered the crown jewel of alternative therapy, is slowly gaining ground in doctors' offices throughout the country.
Although some experts still question its effectiveness, studies in recent years -- including one at Duke last fall -- have thrown scientific weight behind its benefits, supporting its usefulness in alleviating conditions from morning sickness to carpal-tunnel syndrome.
"A lot of physicians who used to be extremely reluctant to refer patients for the treatment are now doing it regularly," says Dr. Nader E. Soliman, president of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture.
More and more employers looking for low-cost additions to medical plans are embracing the treatment.
Nearly 50 percent of workers with benefits received coverage for it in 2004, compared with just over 30 percent two years ago, according to a survey last fall by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust.
"Of the many different alternative therapies, this was really the first one to be studied seriously by the National Institutes of Health," says Dr. Richard Nahin, of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
For other ailments, however, acupuncture has been found to work better than standard medications -- and without side effects.
Last fall, researchers at Duke showed that it was far more effective for postoperative sickness in a group of subjects than Zofran, a widely used antinausea drug.
Roughly a quarter of all those who undergo major surgery in the United States experience retching and illness afterward, usually brought on by anesthesia.
"We are seeing more and more evidence suggesting that alternative therapies are beneficial, and patients are gradually demanding it," Gan says.
Research suggests that stimulating acupuncture points somehow prompts the flow of endorphins and other hormones that soothe pain.
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