In case you missed it on NPR's Morning Edition a few days ago, there was a great story about the "Pain S.W.A.T. Team" at Benioff Children's Hospital at the University of California, San Francisco. The pain team here includes a variety of different practitioners, including acupuncturists, to help manage severe and often debilitating pain.
"The team still relies on traditional painkillers, including opioids, to help the children. But, he says, acupuncture may be more effective against nausea than a medication. And a massage therapist can ease muscle aches; a psychologist can help with the existential fear; and art or music therapy can distract children from their pain.
Together these interventions can make the experience of illness less awful."
It is great to see more and more Children's Hospitals offering a holistic and integrative approach to patient care like this. If you know of a family who is struggling with a child who is in chronic pain, see if there is an integrative treatment center near you for them to try a multi-pronged approach to pain management. Or reach out to your local acupuncturist for support!
Listen to the full audio above or visit NPR's website at the link below for the written article.