Patient History
A 51-year old female patient was referred by her neurologist for the treatment of peripheral neuritis of unknown etiology. Her main complaints were severe pain and burning of the toes; she did not respond to any of the usual NSAIDs (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs). There was no history of diabetes or alcohol. The liver profile was normal.
The neurologist recommended 30 milligrams of amitryptilin per day, but the patient complained of many secondary effects such as dry mouth, blurred vision, etc. With the medication intake, the pain-burning level would be reduced from 10 (maximum) to eight (20% reduction) for a couple of hours, but would come back to 10 (maximum pain-burning) immediately thereafter.
Acupuncture Treatment
The patient underwent 12 treatments at a rate of one treatment per week. The first six treatments were done using acupuncture only (without microcurrent stimulation). The pain and burning were reduced by 30% (the patient was still taking her medication, but instead of the symptoms coming back, they leveled off at a 30% reduction).
Due to the extreme sensitivity of the patient (she complained of painful treatment although #38 gauge needles were used), acupuncture was discontinued. The treatment resumed with the use of a microcurrent device called the Acutron Mentor, using polarized probes (not biphasic), with an output of 75 to 100 micro-amps. The negative probe was localized stimulating the ba feng; the positive probe was located proximal (in the interosseus spaces).
Within the next six treatments, the pain and burning were reduced 80%. The patient was able to walk 45 minutes with little pain, whereas before she could only walk 10-15 minutes with severe pain. After the initial 12 weekly treatments, the frequency was reduced to biweekly.
The use of a micro-current device facilitated the treatment of a sensitive patient, which could not tolerate the use of acupuncture.
TrA-2, my primary needle location, I needle 95% of the time and I think it works the best. You’ll know you have the right point location when you discover the muscle twitching when applying electric stimulation.
The NCCAOM distributed the Job Task Analysis (JTA) Survey on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, to all licensed acupuncturists and herbal medicine practitioners. Your participation in this effort is invaluable in defining NCCAOM exam content outlines at the entry-to-practice level. The data collected is essential for recognition and advancing the acupuncture and herbal medicine profession with government agencies, employers and other institutions.
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On Dec. 7, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its “Guideline for Non-Surgical Management of Chronic Primary Low Back Pain in Adults in Primary and Community Care Settings.” The purpose of the 244-page document is to “provide evidence-based recommendations on nonsurgical interventions for chronic primary LBP in adults” that will improve outcomes.
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