Family Medicine 2022 Jan;54(1):72-73.
President's Column
Acupuncture in Family Medicine?
Aaron J Michelfelder
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine.
(no abstract)
Free full text:
https://journals.stfm.org/familymedicine/2022/january/prescol-jan22/Excerpts:
"While walking home from my acupuncture treatment, feeling remarkably positive with a massive amount of endorphins coursing through my body, I decided that this president’s column should continue the theme of expanding interprofessionalism in family medicine by discussing an often-underutilized member of the care team: the acupuncturist.
"Lack of insurance coverage has long been a barrier to receiving acupuncture."
"There is solid scientific evidence that acupuncture is helpful for low back pain, migraines, tension headaches, fibromyalgia, neck pain, and knee pain.3-6 As a board-certified physician-acupuncturist, I have found acupuncture to be helpful for anxiety, asthma, and other conditions as well.
"It amazes me that thousands of years ago, people first used needles to improve health, and only in the last few decades has the research confirmed its effectiveness. My migraines are dramatically improved with regular acupuncture."
"Fortunately, acupuncture complications are extremely rare, with the most serious being infection or pneumothorax.7,8
"As a resident physician, I completed a rotation in integrative medicine. During that time, I saw people’s symptoms improve with acupuncture where medications and surgery had failed. I saw acupuncture helping people who were anticoagulated, were pregnant, or were immunosuppressed and could not be offered traditional medical or surgical therapies. As an attending physician, I began my acupuncture training through the Helms Medical Institute,9 and after completing the 300-hour course over a year, performing over 500 acupuncture treatments and passing a rigorous board exam, I became certified by the American Board of Medical Acupuncture."
"Fortuitously, the holistic approach offered by acupuncture overlaps nicely with the principles and practice of family medicine. The majority of my personal clinical practice is acupuncture, and I enjoy shifting and integrating different mindsets as I intermix acupuncture and family medicine patients throughout the day."
"Our senior medical students and residents can complete a 1-month elective in integrative medicine that includes time with us physician-acupuncturists as well as licensed acupuncturists, homeopaths, hypnotherapists, chiropractors, naturopaths, and functional medicine physicians. The underlying theme is that a holistic approach to patient care is emphasized."
"Receiving acupuncture as a patient has improved my overall health and quality of life. I think about yin and yang and balance with every patient, and most importantly, with myself and my own health."
"So why am I writing about acupuncture today? I am asking us to expand our definitions of what family medicine is. Acupuncture clinicians are one example of professionals who should be included when we think 'family medicine.' Additionally, I believe there are many other professions we should be diligent about inviting to the team."
Comments:
Michelfelder is president of the Society of Teachers and Family Medicine
https://www.loyolamedicine.org/about-us/news/michelfelder-stfmHe is much more impressed with the evidence for benefits of acupuncture than are skeptical reviewers, who find that it shows little or no benefit compared to sham treatment. He seems to be inappropriately influenced by anecdotal evidence and his own personal experience.
It is doubtful that anything resembling modern acupuncture was practiced thousands of years ago.
It seems that he also believes that homeopaths, naturopaths, and functional medicine physicians have useful lessons for physicians. I suspect that these are among the "many other professions" that he feels should be invited to the family medicine "team." This shows a lack of awareness of the scientific flaws in these approaches.
