By Beth Griffey, LAc.
The American Pain Society (in the Journal of Pain, vol 19,
May, 2018) published a review of multiple randomized
acupuncture trials (through 2015) to determine effects of
acupuncture on four chronic pain conditions.
Thirty-nine trials and more than twenty thousand patients were
included. The pain conditions included nonspecific
musculoskeletal pain, osteoarthritis, chronic headache or
shoulder pain. The end results measured were changes in
pain and function.
The conclusions reached by the review are:
1) acupuncture is effective for treating chronic pain,
2) lasting relief of pain and/or improvements in
function persist over time and cannot be simply due
to “the placebo effect”.
At MAS we encourage consistent treatment over
time. This is the best way to work toward treatment
goals over an initial period of days and weeks. After
improvement is demonstrated we ask patients to space
out treatments and monitor the results. I have seen
patients be able to withdraw from treatment for months
and years after achieving and maintaining lasting pain
relief and improved function.
This is exciting news for
those of us who experience and treat chronic pain conditions.
5NP drawing by James Shelton
written by Elizabeth Ropp
If you're curious about recent MAS 5NP ear acupuncture trainings, here's why they matter.
Under New Hampshire law, anyone can become certified as an Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist (ADS) after completing an approved training. MAS offers the Auricular Acupuncture Technician Training in partnership with The People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture (POCA). ADSes can practice under the general supervision of a licensed acupuncturist (LAc) (like us), which includes remote support, biannual site visits, and state recertification every two years.
The 5-point ear acupuncture protocol we teach is akin to first aid. It addresses anxiety, stress, insomnia, and pain management by promoting relaxation and resilience. On its own, ear acupuncture is a powerful tool for supporting mental and behavioral health.
The history of this 5-point protocol reflects its impact on underserved communities. Developed during the heroin and methadone epidemic in the South Bronx in the 1960s, it became a cornerstone of Lincoln Hospital's outpatient program, offering highly effective stigma-free, walk-in treatment. Practitioners trained there have since shared these skills worldwide. This is how we have come to be able to teach these methods ourselves.
Ear acupuncture has been utilized in numerous settings, from disaster recovery (e.g., 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the El Paso mass shooting) to drug courts, substance use programs, rural mental health initiatives, prisons, and even support groups for conditions like sickle cell anemia and celiac disease.
Recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and endorsed by Indian Health Services (IHS), ear acupuncture is also incorporated into VA centers and hospitals.
At MAS, we share the mission of POCA: making acupuncture affordable and accessible to as many people as possible. Teaching these skills empowers people to use this inexpensive, transformative tool effectively and easily in their communities.
Written by Elizabeth Ropp, LAc
Many people ask if we treat kids and teens at MAS. The answer is emphatically “yes.” Kids and teens get acupuncture for the same reasons adults do: chronic pain, sports injuries, digestive discomfort, allergies and sinus congestion. Most of all, anxiety and stress.
Being a teen today is harder than ever. There is so much to be anxious about. Social media is an avenue for cyberbullying. Targeted online messaging is meant to tap into a young persons worst insecurities. COVID-19 has made feelings of isolation for teens worse than usual.
USA Today just put out an article about school avoidance. Many students are refusing to go to school for a variety of reasons. Parents and teachers are struggling for solutions.
I am especially grateful when a teen is willing to give acupuncture a try. I think about how much I could have used acupuncture in my teen years. It is too hard to manage the stresses of life while being in a perpetual state of overwhelm. Regular acupuncture can foster feelings of resilience, bring focus when the thoughts are scattered.
If you know a teen who is struggling with mental and behavioral health, please considering recommending MAS or any community acupuncture clinic.
MAS is a space for everyone to put their feet up and let their guard down, including teens. MAS is a space where you can come as you are to rest, digest, and recover from other areas of life.
Our own staff acupuncturist Andy Wegman had a fun conversation with colleague Alexa Hulsey, LAc over the summer. It's now available to listen in on via Alexa's excellent substack/podcast, "Notes From Your Acupuncturist", that we've featured right here on the MAS Blog in past months.
While you're there, we highly recommend perusing through Alexa's previous podcast and especially her writing on many topics related to her insights and work as an acupuncturist at Encircle Acupuncture in Nashville, TN. Enjoy!
We're really happy NH licensed acupuncturist Beth Griffey has joined the MAS staff.
Her arrival in Manchester allows us to open the schedule until 4pm on Fridays and Saturdays, starting June 17th.
Please come say hello!
Beth Griffey MD, LAc came to acupuncture later in life. Having been raised in a medical family, she followed her parents and siblings into Western medicine. She retired from general surgery after twelve years, and was amazed to find her way into eastern medicine in 2018 after receiving an acupuncture treatment. She walked out of that acupuncture clinic and immediately applied to New England School of Acupuncture at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Upon graduating she received a Master’s degree in Acupuncture. She now looks forward to giving back to her community by offering affordable acupuncture treatments via MAS to as many people as she can.
