According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, approximately 3.1 million US adults had used acupuncture in the previous year. Acupuncture is more known for pain management. However, it is also used as an adjunct therapy for the management of nausea, vomiting and lymphedema, especially among patients with cancer. In a case presentation, auricular acupuncture reduced the pain and swelling in the legs of a 90 year old patient who was previously unresponsive to conventional therapy and improved her quality of life. See the article citation in the Inspire Health Integrative Cancer Care journal.
Reference:
(1) Mora JC, Ciocon J. Auricular Acupuncture Treatment to Alleviate Chronic Lower Extremity Swelling Not Responsive to Conventional Therapy.Journal of American Geriatric Society. 2013 April; 61S133-S134.
Auricular acupuncture treatments have become increasingly available throughout a variety of healthcare settings in response to the push for non-pharmacologic options to address new approaches to therapy-resistance, and training in Auricular Medicine by recognized continuing education providers continues to grow. The Canadian Institute of Auricular Medicine (CIAM) is one such education provider and offers a highly endorsed core curriculum for medical doctors, nurses, acupuncturists and other healthcare practitioners advancing their approaches to therapy-resistant patients.
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