References for “Acupuncture in Pain Management: A Pathway to Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Oregon”

References for “Acupuncture in Pain Management…”

References for “Acupuncture in Pain Management: A Pathway to Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Oregon”

As presented at the 2024 Oregon Conference on Opioids + other Drugs, Pain + Addictions Treatment

John Rybak, LAc, Medical Director

The purpose of the OPAT conference is to collaborate and share our lessons in pain management and the opiate crisis to create better interventions leading to prevention and actionable steps forward. This year’s conference is unique in that it has two acupuncturists presenting on this crucial topic. If there’s one thing that’s been missing from this crisis it is acupuncture as an integrative approach. My purpose here at the conference is to expand the conversation and actionable tools for providers, policy makers, and patients in the effort to provide better care for pain management, addiction prevention, and addiction recovery.

Acupuncture has been hidden behind bias for decades. Over 50 years of research into the mechanisms of action have shown fascinating prospects of how acupuncture can be integrated to provide care for multiple health conditions including pain and addiction therapies. These are the references of my presentation given at the Oregon Conference on Opioids Other Drugs Pain and Addictions Treatments for Lines of Life in 2024.

I’m here to provide a high level review of evidence based acupuncture mechanisms of action and how this medically relevant therapy can be implemented on a broader scale. It’s important to note that in 2022 a National Institutes of Health survey showed that only 1.7% of Americans utilized acupuncture therapies. My purpose is not to say acupuncture is the complete answer to pain management, opiate alternatives, addiction prevention and addiction recovery. Rather, my purpose is to raise awareness of a tool that is frighteningly underused and subjected to disproportionate bias.

I fully acknowledge that the acupuncture profession has not communicated its value in evidence-based terms using modern physiologic terminology. You are invited to use these references as a jumping off point to better understand the evidence base, cost savings, implementation models, and opportunities for integration and collaboration amongst a greater field of medical professionals. In doing so the evidence indicates that not only do patient outcomes improve but patients also report an improved quality of life with acupuncture care.

References

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