From Tradition to Evidence Based Care
As acupuncture has become more integrated into western medical practice it is evolving from an alternative therapy to a practice that is being incorporated into mainstream healthcare.
This is a great milestone in the evolution of acupuncture as it has more of a focus on controlled studies and patient outcomes.
Evolution of Acupuncture
- Traditional Practice: Rooted in Ancient medicine
- Western Integration: Used in hospitals and clinics
- Scientific Evaluation: Focus on clinical evidence and outcomes
Perioperative Acupuncture
Key Clinical Findings
Perioperative Acupuncture was a proposed terminology to replace acupuncture anesthesia it does not replace anesthesia but serves as alternative method to compliment it. “Perioperative acupuncture medicine refers to the use of acupuncture techniques for the optimization of preoperative and intraoperative programs as well as postoperative management” (Yuan, W et al,.2019)
Reduced Opioid Consumption
Research shows acupuncture can lower total opioid use after surgery
It can help to reduce pain sensitivity and risk of drug dependency
Using opioids during surgery can make patients more sensitive to pain later increasing the risk of dependency for the drug. studies found that using acupuncture during surgery can reduce how many opioids patients require afterwards (Cheng, S.2025).
Acupuncture can be used before and after surgery using semi-permanent needles, this helps to shorten discharge times
