Acupuncture Therapy as an Evidence-Based Nonpharmacologic Strategy for Comprehensive Acute Pain Care: The Academic...

Area of Science:

• Pain Medicine
• Integrative Health

Background:

• The persistent crisis in pain management and opioid overdose deaths necessitates exploring alternative strategies.
• The multidisciplinary pain care model, emphasizing non-pharmacologic approaches, is regaining prominence.
• Over 50% of chronic opioid use originates in acute pain settings, highlighting the need for opioid-sparing interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To update the evidence base for acupuncture in managing acute pain.
• To assess acupuncture's efficacy in postsurgical/perioperative and acute nonsurgical/trauma pain, including emergency department settings.
• To evaluate acupuncture's role in opioid sparing for acute pain management.

Main Methods:

• Systematic searches of major databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane) were conducted.
• Keywords included "acupuncture," "acute pain," "surgery," "peri-operative," "trauma," and "emergency department."
• Reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were prioritized, supplemented by manual reference checks.

Main Results:

• Twenty-two systematic reviews, 17 with meta-analyses, were identified for acupuncture in acute pain.
• The majority of reviewed studies indicated acupuncture as an effective strategy for acute pain.
• Acupuncture demonstrated potential for avoiding or reducing opioid use in acute pain scenarios.

Conclusions:

• Acupuncture therapy is an efficacious and low-risk strategy for acute pain management.
• It offers a valuable approach to opioid sparing in various acute care settings.
• Further multicenter trials are recommended to optimize acupuncture dosage and generalizability in emergency departments.