According to a study that was conducted at four Melbourne hospitals, acupuncture was as effective as drugs at relieving people’s pain from a number of conditions, including migraines, lower back pain, and sprained ankles. The data may open the way for hospitals and other practices to offer the alternative to Western medicine.

Data Still Being Analysed

The data is currently being finalised for publication in a medical journal, but researchers said it showed that acupuncture offered the same level of pain relief as analgesic drugs when patients were asked to rate their pain one hour after treatment.

Acupuncture was compared to several pain relievers, including:

  • Endone
  • Panadeine Forte
  • Voltaren
  • Valium

The study was conducted on about 550 patients. Treatments were compared singly and in combination. Individually, the two treatments had the same level of results, but they did not seem to complement one another. When used together, they were about as effective as either used individually.

Winning over Doctors, but Not Universally Effective

Although one of the supervising doctors has long been an advocate for acupuncture–having studied acupuncture 9 years ago–others were definitely sceptical of the technique. However, the results of the study has won over the critics.

Researchers noted that acupuncture, like drugs, is not universally effective, but it shows great promise for people who want pain relief without drugs, such as pregnant women, people with impaired kidney function, or those who prefer to avoid drug-related side effects.

Another Drug Free Alternative

It is good to see people exploring more drug-free alternatives for pain relief. For people with migraines, TMJ treatment offers another possibility for drug-free pain relief. Many chronic headaches are caused by muscle tension or nerve stimulation that may be secondary to a jaw imbalance. By restoring the jaw to balance, TMJ treatment can reduce both the frequency and severity of migraines and other chronic headaches.

To learn whether TMJ treatment may be able to help you, please call (02) 9686 7375 to schedule an appointment at My Hills Dentist in Baulkham Hills today.