Doctors learn about acupuncture for pain management per FDA recommendation

In the PBS article on acupuncture development (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/fda-proposes-doctors-learn-acupuncture-pain-management), FDA proposes that doctors learn about acupuncture for pain management.

In the FDA guidelines, they recommend that doctors get information about chiropractic care and acupuncture as therapies that might help patients avoid prescription opioids in the background of national opioid crisis.

“[Health care providers] should be knowledgeable about the range of available therapies, when they may be helpful, and when they should be used as part of a multidisciplinary approach to pain management,” as the agency wrote.

Acupuncture has a long history in treating drug related conditions.  Acupuncture is an effective, safe, and cost-effective treatment for numerous types of acute and chronic pain.  It is a Primary, Non-Pharmacologic Method for Pain Relief and Management.  Acupuncture should be recommended as a first line treatment for pain before opiates are prescribed, and may reduce opioids use.

1. Effectiveness/Efficacy of acupuncture for different types of pain.
   There is growing research evidence to support the effectiveness and efficacy of acupuncture for the relief of numerous types of pain, especially chronic pain, as well as the use of acupuncture for a diverse array of conditions. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective for treating various types of pain, with the strongest evidence emerging for back pain, neck pain,
   shoulder pain, chronic headache, and osteoarthritis.
2. Safety and feasibility of acupuncture for pain management.
   The strongest evidence for the safety of acupuncture in chronic pain management comes from an open pragmatic trial involving 454,920 patients who were treated for headache, low back pain, and/or osteoarthritis. Minor adverse events were reported in 7.9% of patients while only 0.003% (13 patients) experienced severe adverse events. Minor adverse events included needling pain, hematoma, and bleeding, while serious adverse events included pneumothorax, acute hyper- or hypotensive crisis.
3. Cost-effectiveness of acupuncture for pain management.
   In a systematic review of 8 cost-utility and cost-effectiveness studies of acupuncture for chronic pain, the cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained was below the thresholds used by the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for “willingness to pay”. The chronic pain conditions included in the systematic review included low back pain, neck pain, dysmenorrhoea, migraine and headache.

Above is a short summary in regard to acupuncture role in opioid crisis by Shu Fan, Licensed acupuncturist in Washington dc.