Stuck in an opioids crisis, officials turn to acupuncture

February 20, 2018   |   Currents in Integrative Healthcare

About a decade ago, the military and Veteran Affairs began promoting a range of alternative approaches to pain treatment, including acupuncture, yoga, and chiropractic care. Federal research evaluators say there’s some good evidence acupuncture can help some patients manage some forms of pain. In government surveys, 1 in 67 U.S. adults say they get acupuncture every year, up from 1 in 91 a decade earlier. That growth has taken place even though most patients pay for it themselves: 2012 figures show only a quarter of adults getting acupuncture had insurance covering the cost.