Control Pain with TCM, Not Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen finds its way into most home medicine cabinets in the form of brand name products Tylenol and Excedrin, and in many cold medicine and prescription painkiller combinations. In fact, it is one of the most commonly used drugs, with 28 billion doses bought in the U.S. in 2005.

Recenty, however, an advisory committee for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended that the FDA set more rigorous limits on acetaminophen. While the FDA does not have to adopt these recommendations, they usually follow advisory committees' suggestions. The proposed changes for acetaminophen include:

• Lowering the maximum daily and single dosages

• Eliminating some prescription drugs that combine acetaminophen with other drugs

• Requiring a "black box" label (the FDA's strictest warning) to be put on prescription combination drugs that include acetaminophen

The reason for all of this is the risk of liver damage, which can occur from taking too much acetaminophen. A 2005 study shows acetaminophen was the leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States from 1998 to 2003. Acetaminophen was also associated with 56,000 emergency room visits and 458 deaths from overdoses between 1990 and 1998.

So, are you at risk? Do you take painkillers regularly? Acetaminophen has been linked to liver problems; NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen can cause stomach and intestinal problems. Regular or excessive usage of painkillers has its risks. Does that mean that you must suffer in pain? No.

Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to relieve pain. We do not yet thoroughly understand just how this happens, but there are some tested theories. Acupuncture has been shown to cause a release of endorphins and serotonin (your body's own "feel good" hormones) and morphines (your body's own painkiller); change the way the brain signals; trigger a different set of nerves to block pain; and cause an increase in local blood circulation.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we say that acupuncture improves the flow of Qi (or energy). Where there is blocked Qi there is pain; where there is pain there is blocked Qi.

No matter how you look at it, acupuncture has been an effective way to relieve pain for billions of people over thousands of years. It is also very safe, non-intrusive, can work on the cause as well as the symptom of pain, can address other coexisting symptoms, does not interfere with other treatments including medications, and it can even offer a chance for patients to de-stress. Most of my patients fall asleep on the table and are surprised by how relaxing a treatment can be. I call acupuncture "ahhhhcupuncture" with the "ahhhh" read like a sigh.

TCM herbal remedies are another route to pain relief, as our herbal pharmacopeia is filled with painkilling and anti-inflammatory herbs

And if neither of these options works for you, try a little cursing to relieve the perception of pain. It's not TCM, it won't speed your healing, and you may want to reconsider if young ears are nearby, but it's certainly an intriguing option.

More on TCM treatments from Naturally Savvy:

Letting Go: Cleansing and Detoxifying with TCM

Ward Off Allergy Attacks with TCM

Making the Common Cold Less Common with TCM