Peter G. Hanson M.D.

Western medicine is actually very good at dealing with acute problems.  Infections respond to antibiotics; lacerations are fixed with sutures; and an inflamed appendix responds to surgery.  But when we get into chronic pain management, doctors are usually stumped.  In most patients, by the time they have become chronic, they have already tried every category of drugs on the list.  Even if some help for a while, the body builds up resistance to them, and soon they are seeking yet another new drug, until there are none left untried. 

The side effects of these drugs, while reasonable in short term doses, become much more dangerous with long-term use.  Opiates, like Vicodin or Oxycontin, can easily become addictive.  Anti-inflammatories also have their side effects in the long term: NSAID’s like advil lead to kidney complications, tylenol harms the liver, and most others also damage the stomach.  The most powerful antiinflammatory drug is Prednisone, usually given by mouth.  Again, in the short term, for a five day pack, the risks are minimized.  But in chronic pain, the side effects fill a google page. 

In spite of all these problems, the litany of western drugs usually fails to improve even half the patients.    By definition, then, chronic pain is one of the most challenging adversaries a doctor will encounter.

Now, there is a new use for an old treatment; ACUPUNCTURE.  When given by an M.D. it follows the known anatomy of the problem area, takes into account the underlying pathology and physiology of the disease that is causing the pain.  With the precise placement of sterile needles, the doctor can also generate the patient’s own pituitary gland to restart its production of the natural painkiller, endorphine.  It also gets the adrenal glands to resume normal production of cortisone, in order to fight off inflammation that is the underlying cause of the chronic pain. 

While chronic pain usually shows less than a 50% response to medications, acupuncture usually shows an 80% response to treatment.  In many cases the need for medications will disappear, in other cases patients can downgrade away from prescriptives to simpler medications like aspirin. 

Acupuncture treatments are comfortable, affordable, and often covered by insurance. 

For more information, contact www.peterhansonmd.com.