A New Kind of Acupuncture

Acupuncture helps no matter how it’s done. The news is it helps without piercing the skin. A new study reveals new benefits of acupuncture. The researchers found that using toothpicks they can relieve back pain.

We all know acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment – the difference between then and now is that you don’t have to get punctured with needles into meridians to relieve pain and deliver other benefits.

In the United States chronic back pain is an old health issue and also the main reason why patients go to acupuncturists, usually when traditional therapies fail. The new study proves all kinds of acupuncture decreases medication use immediately and during the next year.

It's possible that the new acupuncture stopped some physiological processes that result in relief, wrote the authors in the report from the Archives of Internal Medicine. The benefits may come from patients’ enthusiasm or from some non-specific effects like therapists’ conviction.

"When we understand that different stimulations may be effective rather than doing deep-needle stimulation which, for some people when in pain can be painful, we can now use laser or light needling or even just electric stimulation on the points; I think that part is great" said Janet Konefal, a licensed acupuncturist, also the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine dean’s assistant.

Daniel Cherkin, the author of the report, stated "just because you don't understand how it works doesn't mean it doesn't work. It could be worthwhile to pursue it."