Recently, many studies have shown that continuing pain has a significant effect on work and daily life (RFRSNC). Chronic pain resulting from physical trauma, disease or injury, or having an unknown aetiology, may have a substantial effect on patients’ lives. Many have to give up work permanently, abandon potentially satisfying physical and social activities, or withdraw from contact with friends and family. In addition to these problems for the patients themselves, chronic pain is likely to cause financial difficulties and create distress for other family members. One multinational study found that chronic pain was associated with decreased ability to work and with complexity in fulfilling the requirements of everyday activities.
There is evidence that chronic pain has negative effects on physical and psychological health, daily activity, employment and economic wellbeing. For example, in the United Kingdom, it has been estimated that back pain leads to 45 million working days being lost each year (REFRNC). Furthermore, the National Health Service (NHS) spends substantial funds on the treatment of chronic pain; in 1991 the Office of Health Economics estimated an NHS expenditure on this of £1 billion per year.
Patients with such conditions also often seek help from complementary and alternative medicine, which is a recent phenomenon in the West. As the number of patient consultations for such medication rises rapidly, there has been an increased interest in non-pharmacological modulation and its efficacy. Such treatments include traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), in particular acupuncture, which can provide analgesia for chronic pain. For instance, patients who suffer from peripheral joint osteoarthritis and neck pain have ta...
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...gesia, but that it may be helped by the body’s own pain reduction system as it stimulates the release of endorphins, enkephalins and serotonin, as well as GABA.
The position of acupuncture has been strengthened by the detection of both endorphins and enkephalins. Many experiments on humans and animals have shown that acupuncture causes the release of endorphins and enkephalins, directing opiates into different areas of the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system.
The side effects of acupuncture which have been identified are nerve injury, brain damage, kidney damage and pneumothorax. However, the risk of these complications can be avoided by proper training of acupuncturists and by the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. There is evidence that MRI can identify the CNS pathways which acupuncture stimulates (GUIDELINES).
A. Chronic pain signifies a developing public health issue of huge magnitudes, mainly in view of aging populations in developed countries (Russo).
A long term condition not only brings the physical symptom of pain, but a number of psychological and social effects too. In 2014 the Department of Health recognised that the impact of having a long term condition can contribute to mental health problems like depression and anxiety (Department of Health, 2014). As well as finding ways to manage their physical symptoms, patients are encouraged to adopt acknowledge and address all of their health and wellbeing needs, in particular self-management at home and incorporating and educating the patient’s family and close friends as a support system (Kraaimaat and Evers, 2003). The suffering that a person with chronic pain endures not only impacts on their life, but also affects their family, time lost from employment and uses up precious healthcare resources.
Have you ever wondered why when you stub your toe on the chair in the living room, it helps tremendously to yell out an expletive or two and vigorously rub the area? I may not be able to discuss the basis for such language in this paper, but we will explore the analgesic response to rubbing that toe, in addition to the mechanism of pain and alternative treatments such as acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
Pain is not always curable but effects the life of millions of people. This essay examines the Essence of Care 2010: Benchmarks for the Prevention and Management of Pain (DH, 2010). Particularly reflecting on a practical working knowledge of its implementation and its relevance to nursing practice. It is part of the wider ranging Essence of Care policy, that includes all the latest benchmarks developed since it was first launched in 2001.
The results of these actions can be relieved pain. “A National Institutes of Health trial has found that acupuncture decreases pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee, when combined with standard medical treatment” (“Acupuncture”). While these results show that some of the pain can be relieved, other studies reveal that the received advantages are nearly nonexistent. Disease therefore cannot be cured. “The benefits of acupuncture are likely nonexistent, or at best are too small to be of any clinical significance.” ( “Why acupuncture is giving sceptists the needle”, David Debyshire) This is a statement made by pharmacologist David Colquhoun and neurologist Steven
" Chronic Pain (CP) statistics astounding according to The Institute of medicine approximately 100 million adults suffer from chronic pain which is more than heart disease, diabetes, and cancer combined."(IOM Relieving Pain in America 2011, p. 1)
Auricular acupuncture has a variety of uses, some with more documented success than others. Auricular acupuncture is an alternative medicine with some documented success in treating anxiety, insomnia, smoking, drug addictions and obesity. Not all studies have generated conclusive positive results and more research is needed to accurately evaluate the efficacy of the procedure in treating multiple ailments. Acupuncture is an ancient medicinal practice that originated in China. The name comes from the Latin acus, or “needle”, and from pungere, or “prick,” and involves the insertion of superfine needles into specific points on the body. Once inserted, the needles can be manipulated to stimulate the body for healing effects. Auricular acupuncture is acupuncture performed on the ear. The treatment of auricular acupuncture is preformed on the ear using stimulators such as different types of needles, staple-punctures, probes, magnetic beads, fingers, or harmless electrical impulses. The most common is method is inserting needles. For auricular acupuncture, there are different type of needles that can be used such as a regular half or whole inch needle, press needles, and interdermal needles. Press and interdermal needles are pressed into an acupuncture point and tape is used to keep them in place, as well as give constant stimulation. The ear is thought to contain an innumerable amount of important and potentially therapeutic acupuncture points. This is why it is believed that by using these types of stimulators on acupuncture points in the ear, problems and/or dysfunctions will be revealed throughout the body. (Suen 135)
There are three claims for why acupuncture is effective: reflexes, hormones, and energy transfer. When the needle is inserted into the skin, the nerves send signals that travel up the spinal cord, into the brain, and block the pain center in the brain. This prevents pain and other signals from entering and exiting the brain and severity of the symptoms is suppressed. This allows the body to heal itself while the individual is unaware of any pain or other distress (http://www.acupuncture.com/Acup/Works.htm).
Public Health Reports (Interagency Team at NIMH and NIDA Studies How Acupuncture Works.) (1974-) , Vol. 95, No. 5 (Sep. - Oct., 1980), pp. 503-504
Chronic lower back pain is a major health disorder in the world today (Mendelson, Selwood, Kranz, Loh, Kidson, Scott, 1983). It can cause many physical, mental, and emotional problems on the victim (Mendelson, Selwood, Kranz, Loh, Kidson, Scott, 1983). Many people find their work so unbearably painful that they often have to stay home. Others experience depression, inactivity, and social isolation (Kaplan, Sallis, Patterson). Treatments range from the conventional methods such as medication and surgery to the alternative or unconventional methods such as acupuncture. However, only a small percentage of low back pain patients have the type of condition for which surgery can be used so acupuncture is becoming more popular (Lehmann, Russell, Spratt, 1983).
For many centuries, humanity has been on an eternal quest for cures and treatments for many chronic conditions. At the present time, conventional medicine is mostly performed by doctors and other health care professionals, with the extensive use of pharmaceutical drugs, surgery or radiation treatments for disease treatment. Conversely, even though not as popular, complementary and alternative medicine and treatment options are slowly gaining popularity and becoming an addition to traditional medicine.
These alternative treatments include acupuncture, meditation, and therapy among many others.There is growing evidence that the desire for alternative medicine is expanding because people undergoing procedures in today’s health care system has had unmet needs as well as feelings of being uncared for (Acari & Flanagan, 2015). Alternative medicine is able to provide patients with treatments that provide relief for hard to cure problems such as back pain, neck pain, and arthritis. Many of these alternative treatments have been shown to be successful for various problems. The use of complimentary and alternative medicine as well as the open ended communication that holistic nursing provides is gaining popularity from patients who are fed up with traditional care and hospital
Complementary and alternative therapies are relatively new and essential options in health care, they help to increase the quality of life of patients and provide them with numerous possibilities to ensure growth of their health, beyond current medicine. Recently, these therapies, such as massage therapy and acupuncture, have become more prevalent in research. Consequently, their substitution with standard medicine in the healthcare system has been supported by the literature. The literature that supports these methods has explored why complementary therapies are needed, the different and distinct features of each therapy, and they also examine the education and knowledge those implementing the services must have. To accurately analyze if complementary and alternative therapies are valuable to the health care system, this paper will aim to learn why they are becoming predominant and why nurses should use these therapies’ to assist in improving the health of individuals. To determine the main attributes of these therapies, a variety of resources that extensively discuss complementary and alternative therapies will be examined and the paper will also examine the benefits and weaknesses they have on improving health. Lastly, this paper will aim to determine if these services should be implemented by nurses as alternative options for their patients, as nurses should have substantial knowledge pertaining to implementing these therapies.
Acupuncture doesn’t allow people to get ahead of themselves like Victor did; the way of thinking brought about is that of a natural sense. The techniques of the alternative medicine allow people to remember how magnificent and sacred the human body is and realize that it cannot be created through lab work or perfected through medicine. With Western medicine, patients can take up to four or five medications before finding one that suits their needs and most can have many life threatening side effects. With acupuncture, it is one procedure and one attempt to heal a patient with NO major side effects. Acupuncture is a unique ancient art that is backed by thousands of years of Chinese thought and research and has been proven affective for many people and their illnesses.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is slowly becoming better known all over the world. CAM encompasses various types of therapies, such as yoga, reflexology, chiropractic therapy, herbal therapy, ayurveda, meditation, biofeedback, hypnosis, homeopathy, acupuncture, etc. The evidenced-based research, recognition of disconnect between patients and also the positive and negative aspects of CAM modalities are reasons behind the increased attention it has gained in medicals schools all over the United States. (Hart, 2009, p. 287).