Statistics on Complementary Health and Acupuncture
Acupuncture is still not a first line pain management option
In 2012, the Journal of Pain estimated that 25.3 million Americans suffer from daily pain and that 14.4 million suffer from level 4 pain, or the highest level of pain.
The National Health Interview Survey from 2012 showed that 3.5 million Americans used acupuncture in the last 12 months, up from 2.1 million in 2002. This represents approximately 1.5% of the US population which shows that acupuncture still is not thought of as a pain management solution for most people. I would anticipate that by 2019 that number is now above 2% based on the prior growth and increased adoption of acupuncture.
More people tried massage therapy (6.9%), progressive relaxation (2.1%), and even guided imagery (1.7%) versus acupuncture. The report highlights that people are open to complementary health approaches, as over 40 million (17.7%) used non-vitamin, non-mineral dietary supplements, and over 19 million people (8.4%) used chiropractic or osteopathic intervention.
Acupuncture is not yet thought of as a first line therapy for pain management. Over $54 billion was spent on prescription drugs alone in 2012 versus a total of $30 billion for all complementary health approaches.
According to Grand View Research, “The global complementary and alternative medicine market size was valued at USD 59.76 billion in 2018.” It is expected to grow to over $210 billion by 2026 which shows that there will be growing demand for alternative therapies like acupuncture.
There is still room for acupuncture to grow significantly in the US as a pain management and alternative healthcare solution. The biggest hurdle I see is a lack of education on what acupuncture can be helpful for, as well as a general phobia of needles. Many patients remark that an acupuncture treatment is significantly less painful (usually not painful at all) versus what they were expecting. Many expect that it will feel like getting a shot or their blood drawn as our association with needles is generally negative.
With the increased backlash against opioid drug use, acupuncture is being highlighted as a viable alternative because it does not have any of the side effects that prescription drugs have and also provides lasting pain relief. In 2018, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) endorsed acupuncture as a pain management solution by hiring acupuncturists within their network.
I hope to educate prospective patients on both the benefits and safety of acupuncture. I was once a first time acupuncture patient myself and shared the same fears that many new patients feel. My experience with acupuncture was so positive that I decided to pursue it as a career and now hope to share the benefits with as many people as I can.
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