Acupuncture, tai chi, yoga, music therapy, massage and mindfulness, once considered alternative therapies, have earned the endorsement of a national task force on pain relief. Dr. Heather Tick, a clinical associate professor of family medicine and of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, is the lead author of the paper calling for a reform in pain treatment.
The Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health, a 72-member organization, recently published the 74-page white paper stating that these nonpharmacological options are highly effective for treating pain.
The report addresses “the dual crisis of pain care and opioids” in the United States and offers evidence for effective treatment of post-surgical pain, acute inpatient pain, cancer pain and chronic pain. Read more from the University of Washington. (Tim Pfarr)
