2016 Acupuncture Awareness Week – Musculoskeletal Injury & Pain

Acupuncture for the treatment of Musculoskeletal Injury and Pain is the theme of the 2016 Acupuncture Awareness Week which commences on Monday 7 March.  The week was officially launched by the Chairperson of Chronic Pain Ireland, Mr John Lindsey, on the 2 March in the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.

Musculoskeletal conditions comprise over 150 diseases and syndromes, which are usually associated with pain of varying severity.  They can broadly be categorized as joint diseases, physical disability, spinal disorders and conditions resulting from trauma.  Common areas affected include the hands, wrists, elbows, neck, shoulders, lower back, hips, ankles and feet.  Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading cause of absenteeism and temporary work disability  in the workforce.

What can Acupuncture do for Musculoskeletal conditions and how does it work?

Acupuncture treatments are based on an individual diagnosis and work by treating the underlying root cause of any condition as well as the symptoms.  Acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neuro-chemical messenger molecules.  The resulting biochemical changes influence the body’s homeostatic mechanisms, thus promoting physical and emotional well-being.  A 2010 study, using fMRI to monitor the effects of several classical acupoints on the human brain, indicated that acupuncture modulates the limbic network, an important intrinsic regulatory system of the human brain (Hui et al., 2010).

Evidence for Acupuncture

Below is a sample of the growing body of research verifying the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of many musculoskeletal conditions.  Research trails often compare “real” acupuncture to “sham” acupuncture which potentially under estimates the effect of “real” acupuncture, as “sham” interventions are not inert placebos (Lundeberg et al., 2001).

Fibromyalgia, Low Back Pain & Osteoarthritis – According a 2013 report from Arthritis Research UK, acupuncture is the most effective from of complementary therapy for treating osteoarthritis, low back pain and fibromyalgia. 

Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis) a common, painful and sometimes disabling condition that can last for months or years.  The pragmatic German Randomized Acupuncture Trial for chronic shoulder pain (GRASP) showed that acupuncture is more effective than conventional standard therapy with NSAIDs and physiotherapy (Molsberger et al., 2010).

Neck Pain – In a study of 517 patients with neck pain of a median duration of 6 years, acupuncture treatment led to significant reductions in neck pain and associated disability compared with usual care at 12 months (MacPherson et al., 2013).

Knee Pain – In a study to compare the effectiveness of acupuncture with other relevant physical treatments for alleviating pain due to knee osteoarthritis, acupuncture treatment was found to be significantly better than standard care (Corbett et al., 2013).

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome affects 1 in 10 people and involves potentially disabling sensory and /or motor symptoms in the hand.  Researchers in a 2010 RCT (randomized controlled trial) concluded that acupuncture was as effective as orthodox treatment of night splinting in terms of overall symptoms and function, and superior to it for pain control (Kumnerddee & Kaewtong, et al., 2010).

Tennis Elbow – A systematic review of RCTs of acupuncture and moxabustion for lateral elbow pain show that the acupuncture group had a significantly higher cure rate than conventional therapy, including prednisolone injection, triamcinolone acetonide, lidocaine injection and oral administration of meloxicam tablets (Gadau et al., 2014).

Plantar Fasciitis – Researchers concluded that the results of a 2011 RCT showed that acupuncture can provide pain relief to patients with the condition (Zhang et al., 2011).

Achilles Tendinopathy – Researchers found that compared with exercise therapy, acupuncture can produce significant and more rapid improvements in pain and activity levels in patients with chronic Achilles Tendinopathy (Zhang et al., 2013).

Performance & Recovery – A systematic review supports the use of acupuncture as a means to enhance exercise performance and post-exercise recovery (Urroz et al., 2013).

Acupuncture is widely used in mainstream hospitals throughout the world, including the Whittington Hospital in London, which has a dedicated Pain Clinic run entirely by Traditional Chinese Medical practitioners.  The therapeutic benefits of acupuncture have been embraced internationally due to it proven effectiveness, not only in respect of the management of chronic and acute conditions but also in the treatment of their underlying causes.  It is now the largest drug-free health care therapy in the world whilst being compatible with and therefore capable of being used alongside Western Medicine.

In Ireland acupuncture is becoming increasingly acknowledged within mainstream healthcare as a treatment option for many conditions.  The potential of acupuncture to deliver timely, cost effective, safe and clinically effective management of a range of conditions, including pain and injury, has yet to be full exploited.