Feds finally admit alternative therapies relieve pain without drugs
Tai chi for fibromyalgia? Yoga for back pain?
How about acupuncture for knee arthritis?
If you think these are recommendations coming from a group of aging hippies, well, they’re not.
That advice, and plenty more like it, is straight from the feds — the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).
That’s the federal government’s “lead agency” providing the latest research on “diverse medical” practices. You know, many of the same things that we’ve been told in the past are quack ideas.
So if you’re fed up with being given boatloads of dangerous prescriptions or taking risky OTC meds to treat these painful conditions, the feds are finally admitting that there are effective, non-drug options!
The evidence is so strong that the mainstream just couldn’t ignore it any longer.
You might say they finally woke up and smelled the coffee — but it’s more like the coffee pot hit them smack on the head!
For years now I’ve been giving you many of these identical recommendations and telling you about studies that back up alternative treatments for pain. But now the government is doing the same.
And hopefully if your doctor has been like a brick wall where these treatments are concerned, he’ll no longer be able to dismiss these proven therapies.
The NCCIH study, which was published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, took a look at research going back half a century. And when the group was finished, it finally came out and acknowledged that these time-tested treatments can address painful conditions and diseases without resorting to drugs!
Here are some of its long-overdue findings:
- Acupuncture and yoga are effective in treating back pain.
- Tai chi and acupuncture can stop the pain of knee arthritis.
- Massage therapy can help neck pain.
- Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and meditation, can be used to stop the pain of migraines.
They even gave some kudos to chiropractic and osteopathic spinal manipulation for back pain.
Will wonders never cease?
David Shurtleff, the deputy director of the NCCIH, said that he hopes this study will help doctors have “informed conversations” for “nondrug approaches” to pain relief. Wow!
As I told you earlier this year, a big study out of Spain confirmed that acupuncture can significantly alleviate the symptoms of fibromyalgia. And just a few weeks ago I told you about an amazing study finding that this ancient remedy from China can run circles around an Rx drug used for dementia.
And for years I’ve been sounding like a broken record in telling you how yoga can be excellent therapy for relieving back pain.
But here’s one of the biggest obstacles in getting more people in pain on the alternative bandwagon:
While it’s a cinch to have your insurance coverage pay for dangerous meds, such as opioids, getting safe and effective alternative treatments is often an out-of-pocket deal.
Dr. Hisham Hakim, a neurologist who specializes in nonsurgical pain treatments, calls the evidence “irrefutable” showing acupuncture is effective in treating headaches. But he notes how insurance companies will pay $1,200 at the drop of a hat for botox headache treatments and balk at $50 for an acupuncture session.
It’s time to “turn the tide” on the U.S. opioid crisis, say the US Surgeon General, but as many doctors admit, that won’t be happening anytime soon unless insurance companies see the light.
The good news, however, is that acupuncture is now starting to be covered by more and more health policies.
Also, chiropractic is covered under Medicare. And as for yoga and tai chi, you can easily find an inexpensive — or perhaps free — class at a local health club or even your church or synagogue.
Sources:
“Review suggests safe, effective ways to relieve pain without meds” Robert Preidt, September 1, 2016, HealthDay, consumer.healthday.com
