WellNews - Research Update

In 2008, Pathways was approached by a large Managed Care Agency in Boston to provide acupuncture for its members and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment, whether cost-savings could result, and members’ satisfaction with their care. The project will be completed in Summer, 2010.

Members of the Managed Care Plan who had any of the following conditions could be referred for acupuncture treatment with the recommendation of their primary care provider: pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, menstrual or menopausal difficulties, headache or migraine, nausea and vomiting related to cancer chemotherapy.

Preliminary evaluations of the project include the following:

•151 individuals received five or more acupuncture treatments; 72% of these members were referred for musculoskeletal pain

• Pain levels significantly decreased following a course of acupuncture treatment, and the number of days per month that pain interfered with doing normal activities decreased from 10 days to 3.5 days

• Frequency and duration of pain dropped dramatically

• Headache severity decreased significantly following acupuncture. Symptoms that accompany headache, such as vision changes, weakness or fatigue and sleep problems also demonstrated very favorable responses to acupuncture treatment

• Women who were referred for symptoms related to their menstrual cycle experienced reductions in headache, back and breast pain, fatigue, and anxiety.

• Menopausal symptoms such as night sweats, sleep disturbances, and difficulty with memory responded favorably to treatment with acupuncture

• Individuals who were referred for treatment of their carpal tunnel syndrome reported reduced numbness and weakness of their hands, and greater ease in using their hands

• No side effects or uncomfortable reactions to acupuncture were reported

• Members who responded to a survey were very satisfied with their acupuncture care, and all reported their willingness to refer family and friends to Pathways.