New Research for Acupuncture as Fibromyalgia Treatment

A new study published in Rheumatology International suggests that "dry needling" (another name for acupuncture) is an effective treatment for fibromyalgia.

Researchers gave 60 people with fibromyalgia weekly dry-needling sessions for six weeks. At the end of the study period, the treatment group showed significant improvement when compared to the control group. The symptoms that improved included:

• Pain

• Fatigue

• Pressure pain threshold

At a check up six weeks after the treatment period ended, the dry-needling group still showed significant improvement.

Learn more about acupuncture for pain relief. Curious about 'dry needling'? Just another name for acupuncture - and sometimes for trigger point therapy as well! We offer the only board certified acupuncturist in Iowa who is trained in both of these styles.

Patients at Health On Point have huge successes with acupuncture, both for fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome. It reduces overall pain, anxiety, fatigue, and "fibro fog" - all of which made individuals much more functional.

Have you had acupuncture? How did it work for you? Is it something you've considered? Leave us your comments!

Acupuncture is worth a try for chronic pain

Below is an excerpt from Harvard Men's Health Watch. We would love to hear your stories and experience with acupuncture for pain.

Chronic pain in the muscles and joints can make life miserable. Standard treatments like ice and heat, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and appropriate exercises can often ease the pain. But when they don’t, acupuncture is an option with a good track record that’s worth considering.

Over the years there has been substantial debate about whether acupuncture really works for chronic pain. Research from an international team of experts adds to the evidence that it does provide real relief from common forms of pain. The team pooled the results of 29 studies involving nearly 18,000 participants. Some had acupuncture, some had “sham” acupuncture, and some didn’t have acupuncture at all. Overall, acupuncture relieved pain by about 50%. The results were published in Archives of Internal Medicine.

The study isn’t the last word on the issue, but it is one of the best quality studies to date and has made an impression.

“I think the benefit of acupuncture is clear, and the complications and potential adverse effects of acupuncture are low compared with medication,” says Dr. Lucy Chen, a board-certified anesthesiologist, specialist in pain medicine, and practicing acupuncturist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

How does it work?

Acupuncturists insert hair-thin needles into the skin at specific points around the body. It is virtually painless when done by an experienced practitioner. Inserting the needles is thought to correct imbalances in the flow of energy in the body, called qi (pronounced “chee”). As I write in the April issue of the Harvard Men’s Health Watch, in Western scientific terms acupuncture is thought to ease pain by affecting neurotransmitters, hormone levels, or the immune system.

• How often is acupuncture needed? Plan on weekly treatments until you start to see a benefit, then gradually lengthen the time until the next visit.
• Who administers it? Ideally a trusted, certified provider. You can search for a trained acupuncturist at the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine or by calling the organization at 904-598-1005.