Mill Acupuncture offer pain relief options to a variety of different clients who have had problems with, or do not want to use other forms of pain relief – such as an Opioid. Some patients may have chronic pain that necessitates the use of opioids alongside their Acupuncture, and some use Acupuncture as a way of avoiding heavy pain medication.
The opioid crisis in the US has received a lot of attention from a broad range of sources, and some areas have looked at the potential pf acupuncture to help patients.
States looking to cut opioid prescriptions have been experimenting with extending Medicaid coverage for acupuncture as another option for pain treatment. When Vermont commissioned a small pilot study on acupuncture for chronic pain in its Medicaid population, it concluded that 32 percent of people taking opioids for pain cut back. They were eligible for up to 12 treatments over two months.
The opioid crisis in the US has seen a spike in the number of people dying from opioid overdoses in the past decade. Over 40 per cent of these were as a result of prescription opioid use. There has also been a rise in the incidence of new-borns experiencing withdrawal syndrome due to opioid use and misuse during pregnancy.
In 2017, a national emergency was called over the opioid crisis in the US, which has led to increased focus on opioid prescription in the UK. However some doctors are concerned that mismanaged pain could lead to increased mental health issues and suicide among patients.
