Acupuncture is on the rise in the healthcare marketplace. According to the National Institutes of Health, “More than 10 million acupuncture treatments are administered annually in the United States alone. Its rise in popularity, particularly in the West, can be attributed in part to its effectiveness for pain relief and in part to the fact that scientific studies have begun to prove its efficacy” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4104560/).
A promising sign for the future of acupuncture in America is the “Non-discrimination in Health Care” clause within the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The clause includes acupuncturists as part of the covered healthcare workforce, with mandated coverage in states like California. More and more insurance companies offer acupuncture benefits to their corporate clients, including Cigna, United Healthcare, and Aetna. And starting last summer, Medicare is now covering acupuncture for low back pain. The future of acupuncture is looking wide open!
Research Supports Acupuncture Benefits
NIH-funded research concludes that acupuncture effectively treats migraines, arthritis, and chronic pain. The study, which compiled data on close to 18 000 patients, revealed that acupuncture was more effective than standard care and sham treatments. It’s no wonder acupuncture is on the rise. (O’Connor A.Acupuncture Provides True Pain Relief in Study. The New York Times. September 11, 2013. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/11/acupuncture-provides-true-pain-relief-in-study/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0)
At Raleigh Acupuncture we have been compiling the rapidly growing number of research studies on acupuncture’s effectiveness in treating a wide variety of health conditions. LINK TO RESEARCH STUDIES. We also post case studies highlighting the different conditions we treat. LINK TO CASE STUDIES.
These studies help put a human face on what can sometimes seem like an intimidating medical technique. Most patients who come in for the first time are most concerned with two things – does it hurt, and are the needles single-use? The answer is, “No’, acupuncture does not hurt. And, “Yes,” the needles are sterile and single-use. Acupuncture is the safest medicine on the planet – there are no adverse side effects, and the treatments are relaxing.
Many Uses For Acupuncture
Most people in the West are aware of acupuncture’s benefits for treating pain conditions like back pain, neck pain, sciatica, and tennis elbow. Most people and most medical practitioners are still unaware that acupuncture has been used in the East to prevent and treat numerous internal health disorders for thousands of years.
Global Advances in Health and Medicine has featured 15 articles discussing the application of acupuncture in healthcare. Topics include acupuncture’s effectiveness in treating migraines, helping veterans overcome PTSD, alleviating adverse effects of multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy, and its use in reducing the pain, nausea, and anxiety of pediatric oncology patients.
The list goes on – our website describes nearly one hundred health conditions that we treat in our clinic. Acupuncture is on the rise because it works so effectively. Now that insurance covers treatment, people are taking advantage of this safe, natural alternative medicine.
Next Steps
Are you ready to give acupuncture a try? In the past, patients would come to us after having tried every other possible health care solution. When all else failed, they finally made the call to book an appointment. Now that acupuncture is on the rise and getting more positive attention, patients save themselves time, effort, and frustration by trying acupuncture first.
Book Now to schedule an appointment online.
