NEWS RELEASE

Acupuncture is Safe, Natural and Effective For Treating Pain

San Francisco, CA – Medication alone is not enough to relieve the pain of over 70 million Americans. This fact is getting attention during the Month of August, officially named National Pain Month by the National Pain Foundation. With so many Americans suffering, the use of complementary therapies like Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine is on the rise.

Acupuncture, which originated in China more than 3000 years ago, has been accepted as a safe, natural and effective method to treat pain without the unwanted side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. According to the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, acupuncture is useful as a primary therapy for both acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain problems, including muscle spasms, sprains, repetitive strain disorders (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome), myofascial pain conditions (e.g., muscle tension headaches, soft tissue pain in the neck, regional shoulder pain and headaches. The World Health Organization recommends acupuncture for disorders such as tennis elbow, sciatica, low back pain, headache, migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy and more.

According to the National Pain Foundation, pain is the number one cause of adult disability in the U.S., affecting one in three Americans and thus hugely impacting the economy. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, pain costs $100 billion annually in lost workdays, medical expenses and other benefit costs.

Acupuncture is effective in reducing pain due to its ability to increase the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids and release endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. The functional MRI has shown predictable and reproducible changes in very specific areas of the brain when acupuncture needles are placed in specific sites around the body. The placement of acupuncture needles at specific pain points have been found to release endorphins, opioids, immune system cells and neurotransmitters in the brain.

Acupuncture is a safe, natural and effective method of treating all types of pain without the unwanted side effects of over-the-counter and prescription drugs, such as gastric bleeding, ulcers, liver and kidney problems, nausea, vomiting and drowsiness. The Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that approximately 42 percent of all Americans are using complementary therapies such as acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and spending more than $34 billion annually. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) estimates that nearly one out of every 10 adults in the United States has tried acupuncture.

About American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ACTCM)

American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ACTCM) has provided affordable, quality health care to the public and trained professionals in acupuncture, massage and Chinese medicine since 1980. In addition to its graduate curriculum, ACTCM offers continuing education, public education, community outreach and clinical services in acupuncture and herbal medicine. ACTCM has been the recipient of many awards for its curriculum, faculty and clinic, and has been voted “Best of the Bay” by both the San Francisco Weekly and the San Francisco Bay Guardian. ACTCM is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and is a private, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.