Alternative Pain Remedy
Source: Prevention
http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/acupuncture-and-qigong-pain-relief
Acupuncture
Use it for: arthritis; migraines; low-back, menstrual, or post-operative pain
What the science says: When pricked with tiny, essentially painless needles, your body releases endogenous opioids, its natural painkillers, but for reasons scientists are still figuring out, the benefits last longer than the chemicals’ analgesic effect. Recent research has yielded stunning results: people with knee arthritis reduced pain by 40% after 6 months of weekly acupuncture, according to researchers at the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine, who also found it can relieve low-back pain. Overseas, scientists in Europe used acupuncture to cut medication use in half among migraine sufferers and, in another study, ease menstrual pain. Post-surgery patients needed less morphine after receiving the needle pricks, a recent Duke University study found.
How to try it: For acute pain, try 5 to 8 treatments; experts say you’ll need 8-15 sessions for chronic pain (in the UMCIM study on osteoarthritis, significant improvement took 14 weeks). Nearly half of employers offer health insurance that covers acupuncture, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey. Contact your state’s acupuncture board or your insurer to find a licensed practitioner. (Learn more about this natural cure with 6 Science-Based Benefits Of Acupuncture.)