Adding a face and the story to the data: Acupuncture for ptsd in the military

Abstract

Acupuncture is a holistic approach, which has been used since ancient times to treat physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual disorders at a fundamental systemic level. This is in accordance with the current system’s view of living systems, organizations and ecosystems, which recognize that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, due to the parts being in relationship. Chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (ptsd) is perhaps the most apparent of disorders which affect all aspects of mind, body, and spirit, and which requires treatment of all aspects of the human being, in order to restore health and balance to individuals who suffer from this complex disorder. In recent decades, advances in the quality of acupuncture research have been acknowledged by authoritative international scientific organizations. Our improved understanding of the neurobiology of acupuncture together with emerging understanding of point specific effects on the brain and recent evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for ptsd referenced herein, support more extensive availability, use, and study of this ancient therapy for the wounds of war which are often inadequately addressed by conventional approaches. Additionally, case reports, although viewed through the lens of modern science as a low form of evidence, are valuable in that they incorporate the profound response and essential narrative of the human being, the significance and meaning of which might otherwise be lost in the sorting of statistics and numbers.