Military veterans often come back with a range of physical, mental, and emotional issues tied to their service. These health problems rarely occur in isolation. A 2014 study highlighted the complexities in treating veterans’ multifaceted medical needs.
“Veterans from all war periods show high rates of chronic diseases, mental health issues, and chronic multi-symptom illnesses (CMI).(1-3) Many report symptoms affecting multiple body systems rather than single ailments. Standard treatments often focus on specific issues like headaches, sleeplessness, or back pain, potentially overlooking the more complex, multi-system problems documented in veterans. Research shows veterans experience intricate symptoms involving physical, cognitive, psychological, and behavioral disturbances, such as hard-to-diagnose pain patterns, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, or cognitive dysfunction. (2-4) Meditation and acupuncture are broad-spectrum treatments targeting multiple biological systems at once, potentially well-suited for these complex chronic conditions. Growing evidence suggests complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) approaches enhance standard treatments, improving outcomes for those with chronic diseases, mental health disorders, and CMI. (5-12.)”
As Western medicine increasingly recognizes acupuncture’s benefits, more veterans are trying this ancient healing method. The VA acknowledges acupuncture’s value, noting it’s “often linked to pain management, but may help with other conditions… A 2014 VA Health Services Research & Development (HSR&D) evidence map of acupuncture found potential positive effects for several pain conditions, including chronic pain and headaches, mental health issues like depression, anxiety and PTSD, and wellness indicators such as insomnia.”
If you’re a veteran struggling with chronic pain, anxiety, depression, PTSD, or insomnia, acupuncture might help! Better yet, it doesn’t carry the risky side effects of pain and sleep medications. Keep reading to learn how acupuncture can aid your healing!
SLEEP PROBLEMS/INSOMNIA Acupuncture helps people with sleep issues and insomnia by balancing melatonin, serotonin, and endorphin production – hormones affecting sleep, mood, stress, and pain. Studies show 90% of patients using acupuncture for insomnia saw notable improvements. They fell asleep faster, experienced more uninterrupted sleep, and slept an average of 3 hours longer per night.
PAIN RELIEF
Veterans often turn to acupuncture for pain management, and with good reason. This ancient practice has shown remarkable success, easing chronic pain in up to 85% of users. Acupuncture’s pain-relieving power stems from its ability to trigger the body’s natural painkiller production – endorphins. It’s proven effective for various chronic pain conditions, including back issues, knee discomfort, headaches, and peripheral neuropathy, among others.
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
Research indicates acupuncture can address PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms by influencing the autonomic nervous system, neurotransmitters, and key brain regions. A veteran-focused study revealed significant improvements in physiological responses and reduced startle reactions. Further studies suggest acupuncture can help PTSD sufferers manage anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.
Kimberly Netling (NPI1649865619) at VIM Acupuncture is an Optum VA Community Care Network (CCN) in-network provider. Veterans with acupuncture authorization can receive fully covered treatments at our facility. Reach out to us for more information!