Military tries 'battlefield' acupuncture to ease pain

Baltimore Sun ^ | December 11, 2008 | David Wood

[CE2949BB]

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE - Using ancient Chinese medical techniques, a small team of military doctors here has begun treating wounded troops suffering from severe or chronic pain with acupuncture.

The technique is proving so successful that the Air Force will begin teaching "battlefield acupuncture" early next year to physicians deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan, senior officials will announce tomorrow.

[CE2949BB]

Someone needs to contact CSICOP. This is nuts.

[mefistofelerevised]

Not a good idea. More PC bs

[Jumpmaster]

Same four acupuncture points were found in enemy field manuals during Korea and Viet Nam wars. (Actually seven pts, three are bilateral) Our enemies did not have our med support (morphine), developed these techniques to control ALL pain.

[abigkahuna]

I can not claim to to twit about acupuncture beyond the ordinary understanding of how it works. But if it works for specific applications, why not. It appears in-expensive and able to be done in the field.

[ASOC]

I was stunned with the annoucement that the USAF accepts crack-o-practors as full up docs.

Talk about turning into a real medical hobby shop....

OTOH, as a medic, I would have pushed to get those classes - you can only carry so much morphine sulfate......

[doc1019]

Saw it in action for leg injuries in VN. Worked as temporary pain relief until medical help became available...

[jonrick46]

All acupuncture does is give one a nice poke with a sharp pin. This causes a release of endorphins, the body’s endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds. It is a natural morphine substance. One could get the same result by getting a jolt from a tazer.

[Dagny&Hank]

Use whatever works.

[strongbow]

Boy things have sure changed since I took the Combat Casualty Care Course back in the 80’s. The golden hour now includes applying quackery to badly injured soldiers in a timely manner.

[GOP Poet]

If you have ever had acupuncture, you would know it is not nuts and that it works very well and effectively for specific situations. It is also not harmful to the soldiers, but clearly helpful and effective. We want the best and most effective for our soldiers and not see them come home addicted to a drug. If they are addicted to acupuncture this will be a great thing for them.

If it works for our soldiers I say absolutely YES!

[GOP Poet]

If our bodies have natural endorphins—let ‘em work. If this works for the soldiers and empowers them in the field and off, I am all for it. Would you prefer they shoot up? Accupunture has many actions on the body above and beyond endorphin producing actions.

[steve86]

It only works when the needle or stimulation occurs at the right point(s). Sham acupuncture at deliberately incorrect locations does not work. Endorphins may not even be involved in the therapeutic response, and certainly aren’t when the treated condition has nothing to do with pain.

[steve86]

Agreed. I have used it (actually accupressure) for anti-nausea and the effect is dramatic. Others in my family have had equally striking results with actual acupuncture for various kinds of pain..

Some people are parochial and closed minded when it comes to other systems, even when something potentially beneficial to them exists there.

[Dagny&Hank]

I was a USAF medic. When faced with the worst you try whatever will work. The more skills the better. And ignore those who say something can’t be done when trying is all you have left.

[jonrick46]

The analgesic (pain-killing) action of acupuncture is associated with the release of natural endorphins in the brain. This action has no relevance to node sites as claimed by the pseudoscience of acupuncture.