US Air Force relying on acupuncture for pain relief
December 19th, 2008 - 5:53 pm ICT by IANSWashington, Dec 19 (IANS) Medical acupuncture, performed by a clinical physician, is being used increasingly for pain control by the US Air Force (USAF). The technique developed by Richard Niemtzow, editor-in-chief of Medical Acupuncture, has been so successful that the USAF will begin teaching “Battlefield Acupuncture” to physicians deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan in early 2009. “Battlefield Acupuncture” can relieve severe, long lasting pain.
Based on modern neurophysiological concepts, Niemtzow developed a variation of acupuncture that involves inserting very tiny semi-permanent needles into very specific points in the skin on the ear to block pain signals from reaching the brain.
This method can lessen the need for pain medications that may cause adverse or allergic reactions or addiction, said an USAF release.
“This is one of the fastest pain attenuators in existence,” said Niemtzow, a consultant for complementary and alternative medicine for the Surgeon General of the Air Force, and is affiliated with Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda.
“The pain can be gone in five minutes,” he added.
- US Air Force to use battlefield acupuncture for pain relief - Dec 19, 2008
- China seeking heritage designation for acupuncture - Sep 14, 2010
- Acupuncture may aid spinal recovery - Apr 27, 2010
- Study maps acupuncture's effects on the brain - Feb 05, 2010
- Acupuncture really does change brain's perception of pain - Dec 01, 2010
- Acupuncture could relieve joint pain linked to breast cancer treatments - Mar 05, 2010
- Acupuncture the best bet to ease pain - May 02, 2010
- Acupuncture effective for patients with chronic illnesses - Feb 10, 2010
- Acupuncture 'helps beat the blues during pregnancy' - Feb 23, 2010
- Acupuncture helps chronic heart patients in exercising - Jul 03, 2010
- Researchers unlock secret behind acupuncture - Oct 08, 2009
- 'Simulated' needles as effective as real acupuncture - Mar 25, 2011
- Acupuncture - simulated or real - reduces nausea - Mar 25, 2011
- Acupuncture boosts exercise tolerance in heart patients - Jul 02, 2010
- Acupuncture eases side effects and symptoms of some cancers - Sep 06, 2010
Tags: alternative medicine, attenuators, clinical physician, complementary and alternative medicine, medical acupuncture, neurophysiological concepts, pain medications, pain signals, uniformed services university, us air
