In this draft, the Task Force very strongly recommends a multidisciplinary approach to pain management, including Complementary and Integrative Health, behavioral health/psychological interventions, as well as restorative movement therapies. Acupuncture is specifically named (see section 2.6). This document more clearly and positively includes many types of integrative health providers than any report previously put forth. However, many who are not supportive of integrative approaches are submitting comments arguing for a continued reliance on pharmacological approaches to pain.
This report represents a quantum leap in HHS pain policy, and as an acupuncturist, it is imperative that you, and as many of us in the Complementary and Integrative Health community, respond positively to the call for public comment, due by April 1, 2019.
In your comment please refer to docket number: HHS-OS-2018-0027. Also, identify yourself as a patient, clinician, or representative of an organization with your name and title. You may also send an email to your patients asking them to write a short note of support as well.
Our profession needs to be represented in future clinical practice guidelines, government policy documents, and reports such as this. Once a report such as this is accepted, there will be future opportunities to build on the progress.
Acupuncture can be highly effective in cases of nasal congestion so common in allergy presentations; so much so that I often treat such issues using acupuncture protocols alone. In cases of seasonal allergies with highly predictable causes such as obvious elevations of environmental allergens, I use a skeleton acupuncture prescription that can easily be fleshed out to target potential underlying patterns and effectively customized to the patient.
Low-level laser therapy is having a moment in acupuncture circles for good reason. With a growing body of research supporting its role in reducing inflammation, enhancing circulation and stimulating mitochondrial activity, more practitioners are exploring its application in fertility care. But in the nearly 20 years I’ve used laser therapy in clinical practice, I’ve seen a wide range of outcomes. It’s not because laser therapy doesn’t work. It’s because many of us don’t realize how much the details matter.
“Integrating Traditional East Asian Medicine Dietary and Herbal Therapies for Supporting Cancer Treatment and Survivorship in the West,”published in Perspectives on Integrative Medicine (2025), provides a detailed exploration of how traditional East Asian medicine (TEAM) can support cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. This article summarizes findings from the two case reports included in the study.
