Use of acupuncture in the management of pain
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Use of acupuncture in the management of pain

Ian Appleyard Independent acupuncturist and researcher, Brighton, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To recognise that patients experiencing chronic pain may benefit from the use of acupuncture

  • To improve your awareness of the theory and techniques involved in acupuncture

  • To understand the evidence for the effectiveness of using acupuncture to manage chronic pain

Nurses practising in almost any area of healthcare may encounter individuals who are considering acupuncture, particularly those caring for people who are experiencing chronic pain. Acupuncture is a complex intervention and in traditional practice is not simply the insertion of needles, as some people believe. This article provides a historical understanding of acupuncture, outlining some of the differences between styles of practice that may be relevant when selecting an acupuncturist. It also examines the issues that should be considered when assessing the evidence base for acupuncture.

Nursing Standard. doi: 10.7748/ns.2018.e11303

Citation

Appleyard I (2018) Use of acupuncture in the management of pain. Nursing Standard. doi: 10.7748/ns.2018.e11303

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

Correspondence

ian@acupuncture81.com

Conflict of interest

None declared

Published online: 21 November 2018

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