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Commentary on the use of acupuncture in chronic pediatric pain
Michael Waterhouse1, Jennie C I Tsao, Lonnie K Zeltzer
1Pediatric Pain Program, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1752, USA.
Insights
Acupuncture shows promise for pediatric chronic pain, but more rigorous studies are needed. Future research should focus on randomized clinical trials to confirm acupuncture
Area of Science:
- Integrative Medicine
- Pediatric Pain Management
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Background:
- Acupuncture is a traditional Eastern medicine practice for pain relief.
- Interest in acupuncture for pediatric pain is growing in Western countries.
- There is limited systematic research, especially randomized clinical trials, on acupuncture for chronic pediatric pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the history of acupuncture for pain.
- To summarize current findings on acupuncture's analgesic mechanisms.
- To identify future research needs for acupuncture in pediatric chronic pain.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of acupuncture history and pain mechanisms.
- Summary of existing research on acupuncture for pediatric pain.
- Identification of research gaps and future directions.
Main Results:
- Historical use of acupuncture for pain is extensive.
- Potential mechanisms for acupuncture's pain-relieving effects are discussed.
- A significant lack of high-quality randomized clinical trials for pediatric chronic pain was identified.
Conclusions:
- More research is crucial to establish acupuncture's efficacy for chronic pediatric pain.
- Randomized clinical trials are essential for advancing evidence-based practice.
- Future research should address key areas to support acupuncture's application in this population.
Abstract:
The use of acupuncture for pain in pediatrics is a long-standing practice in Eastern cultures. Despite growing interest in the West, there has been relatively little systematic research on acupuncture for chronic pediatric pain. In particular, there is a paucity of randomized clinical trials testing the efficacy of acupuncture for chronic pain problems in pediatric populations. This commentary briefly reviews the history of acupuncture for pain and includes a summary of extant findings regarding potential mechanisms of its analgesic effects. Key areas for future research to advance the application of acupuncture to chronic pediatric pain problems are outlined.