76.2 Million in Pain
According to statistics from the National Centers for Health Statistics 76.2 million Americans suffer with pain. That is more than the 23.6 million that have diabetes, the 23.3 million that have coronary heart disease and the 11 million that have cancer combined. The National Institutes of Health estimates that the cost of chronic pain in the United States exceeds $100 billion in healthcare expenses, lost income and lost productivity.
A National Health Interview Survey found that pain accounted for 7 of the top 10 conditions patients used acupuncture for. The most common types of pain cited were back, joints, neck, headache/migraine and recurring pain.
Because clinical research demonstrate the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic, acute, physical and psycho-emotional pain disorders more physicians, hospitals and medical centers are embracing acupuncture.
The evidence is so strong that the Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States has revised pain management and behavioral health standards to include acupuncture as a nonpharmacological modality.
Acupuncture is effective, gentle and safe and improving health care.