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Acupuncture therapy is being used successfully by the U.S. Department of Defense in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and pain.

Acupuncture also is being used in the battlefield to treat acute injury pain. The Air Force surgeon general is starting a pilot program in March to teach "battlefield acupuncture" to some of the doctors who will deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan by 2010.

There is growing interest in treating our returning veterans with traditional Oriental medicine therapies. Recent studies have proven the effectiveness of acupuncture for treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and pain.

Staff Sgt. Samuel Darwin is responsible for promoting the idea of acupuncture to the Air Force. Andrews Air Force base in Maryland currently houses the Defense Department's only acupuncture clinic, but acupuncture is catching on in Air Force medical circles. Here is an excerpt from an article in the Air Force Times;

"Col. Richard Niemtzow, an Air Force physician for 28 years, started practicing acupuncture in 1994. Niemtzow's treatment is a modern interpretation of the traditional Chinese approach. It's not designed to treat specific injuries, but the entire body. Short, thin needles that look like gold studs are inserted into the ears to help interrupt pain signals traveling through the central nervous system, said Niemtzow, a senior adviser to the Air Force surgeon general.

Niemtzow and Col. Stephen Burns, Andrews' acupuncture clinic chief, have trained other doctors in acupuncture and treated troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and Ramstein Air Base, Germany, when other traditional treatments have failed.

Lt. Col. Terri Riutcel, an Air Force psychiatrist, used Niemtzow's battlefield treatments in Iraq last year with success, Niemtzow said. Acupuncture helped troops deal with traumatic injuries such as burns and severed limbs as well as post-traumatic stress disorder and general aches and pains, he said.

Niemtzow said he is eager to train more doctors and get them to the war zone to see if his battlefield acupuncture treatments continue to work. So is the Air Force.

Niemtzow and Burns acknowledge doubts still exist over acupuncture but remain confident that the $1 million invested by the Air Force to teach more doctors how to practice acupuncture is a step toward it becoming more broadly accepted across the service. 'Look at the people we are helping here, and think how many more we could help,' Niemtzow said."Air Force Times article

The following are excerpts from more recent news and studies:

"In the Veteren's Administration WRIISC-DC Acupuncture Clinic acupuncture clinic, a licensed and experienced acupuncturist cares for the OIF and OEF combat veterans who may be experiencing chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder and/or other health concerns.

During these sessions, the WRIISC-DC acupuncturist provides individualized acupuncture therapy and uses her educational and clinical training to improve health symptoms and enhance overall quality of life."VA.gov article

Can acupuncture treat depression and anxiety?

"Acupuncture is indeed a powerful treatment for depression and anxiety. Before I became an acupuncturist, I worked as a psychotherapist in a community mental health clinic. For those patients who received psychotherapy, it was helpful, sometimes invaluable and life-saving, but the gains were usually small and slow, and often didn’t get the whole job done. I frequently saw an over-reliance on pharmaceuticals which helped for a season but eventually had to be changed due to a loss of effectiveness." Carol Morton, L.Ac., LCSW

Can herbal medicine help with anxiety and PTSD?

"Herbal therapy, when appropriately used, can offer many benefits to clients fully from anxiety and panic disorders. Botanicals are often more suitable than drugs for highly sensitive patients and individuals who have previous herb experience. They should be combined with techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Whenever possible, use herbs under the direction of a professional herbalist." Acupuncture Today, Vol. 03, Issue 08

Study on acupuncture for posttraumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.

A pilot study shows that acupuncture may help people with posttraumatic stress disorder. The researchers found that acupuncture provided treatment effects similar to group cognitive-behavioral therapy; both interventions were superior to the control group. Additionally, treatment effects of both the acupuncture and the group therapy were maintained for three months after the end of treatment."NCCAM, National Institutes of Health

Joe C. Chang, MAOM, DiplOM, LAc, is a second-generation acupuncturist. Currently, he is working as an acupuncturist at the Ft. Bliss Restoration & Resilience Center, Ft. Bliss, TX. This center is a two-year pilot program that provides an integrated approach in the treatment of post-deployment soldiers who are diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He is the first acupuncturist in the United States to be selected for this program. His successes as an acupuncturist at the Ft. Bliss Restoration & Resilience Center- William Beaumont Army Medical Center led to the integration of acupuncture as a treatment modality for PTSD at the Ft. Hood Restoration & Resilience Center at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center. He was a speaker at the 2009 American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine’s International Conference. He has co-authored for Occupational Therapy International and Medical Acupuncture, and he is a member of the Military Acupuncture Society for Military Physicians. Here is an excerpt from a recent interview with Joe C. Chang, MAOM, DiplOM, LAc;

How did you go from working in private practice to working with soldiers recovering from battle?

"I did not believe the saying 'It’s who you know' until I met the vice-president of Med-National. His company is hires healthcare professionals to work in the military healthcare system.

One day in my private practice I simply asked him, “So, what do you do for a living?” He explained that he creates contracts for the government, and he employs healthcare professionals to work through these contracts.

Then I asked him if he ever came across any opportunities for acupuncturists. He said, “You know, I had two opportunities but did not know who to approach.” So, two weeks later, he approached me with an opportunity about a pilot program for PTSD at Ft. Bliss, TX, and I jumped at the opportunity."Joe C. Chang, MAOM, DiplOM, LAc

Military Doctors Embrace Acupuncture →