Acupuncture Is An Effective Treatment For Back Pain In Seniors–And Sometimes It’s Covered By U.s. Medicare

Acupuncture Is An Effective Treatment For Back Pain In Seniors–And Sometimes It’s Covered By U.s. Medicare

Acupuncture Is An Effective Treatment For Back Pain In Seniors–And Sometimes It’s Covered By U.s. Medicare Credit: Getty Images / Unsplash+ Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for back pain in older people, according to new research. Chronic back pain for the study participants (aged 65 and older) showed greater improvement—in both physical function and reduced pain—when treated with the traditional Chinese method of inserting needles into specific meridians on the body, when compared to common medical care, according to new research. Affecting over one-in-three older adults, the condition is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and one of the key drivers of the opioid addiction. But treatment options like pain-relieving drugs have a somewhat modest effect. “They often reduce pain by about a third at best—and can help people function better,” said study lead author Dr. Lynn DeBar, who researched alternative solutions. The BackInAction clinical trial by the Kaiser Permanente …