Dr. Kathleen Albertson, L. Ac, PhD
Dr. Kathleen Albertson, L. Ac, PhD

Renown Acupuncturist Comments on FDA Proposed Approval of Acupuncture and Herbs

Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US., according to the National Society for Addiction Medicine (NSAD). Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illicit drug heroin as well as the licit prescription pain relievers oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl and others. In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids, which is more than enough to give every American adult their own bottle of pills. Acupuncture may be given the green light.

Dana Point, CA, July 08, 2017 --(PR.com)-- The FDA released proposed changes to health care providers recommending that acupuncture therapies might help patients avoid prescription opioids.

According to the National Society for Addiction Medicine (NSAD):

* Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illicit drug heroin as well as the licit prescription pain relievers oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl and others.

* Opioids are chemically related and interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the brain and nervous system to produce pleasurable effects and relieve pain.

* Addiction is a primary, chronic and relapsing brain disease characterized by an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.

* In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids, which is more than enough to give every American adult their own bottle of pills.

* Four in five new heroin users started out misusing prescription painkillers.

*94% of respondents in a 2014 survey of people in treatment for opioid addiction said they chose to use heroin because prescription opioids were far more expensive and harder to obtain.

The FDA Education Blueprint for Health Care Providers Involved in the Management or Support of Patients with Pain listed how to create a treatment plan, the very first consideration urged by the FDA offers is, "non-pharmacological therapies including psychological, physical rehabilitative, surgical approaches and complementary therapies."

Dr. Kathleen Albertson, a California licensed acupuncturist for over 23 years and a Doctor of Holistic Nutrition, comments, "We often see patients taking 4-8 medications daily which ultimately causes liver or kidney malfunctions, as well as addiction in the long term."

She continues, "Pharmaceutical companies have waged a long-standing battle against natural, holistic, and often more effective therapies, for the sake of profit and at the expense of humanity; so this proposal is significant and will positively impact the quality and longevity of many lives, and acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine offers solutions to alleviate both acute and chronic pain, inflammation, and muscle, ligament or joint pain without destroying immune and organ systems."

She states, "Most patients feel relief and realize they don’t need their pain meds... they feel better, and acupuncture improves blood flow, regulates over firing of the pain receptors, restores and strengthens the immune system without the severe side effects of pharmaceutical drugs."

She quickly adds, "If you are feeling better and your body feels stronger you have the will to move more... making way for exercise and other therapies."

"Patients achieve the best results, and elevated quality of life, by integrating both Western and Eastern medicine, and TCM has been undervalued and underutilized for far too long so this, therefore, is a giant step in the right direction," according to her years of clinical practice.

She urges patients to seek alternative care in conjunction with western treatment to best treat the root of the disease, rather than to mask its symptoms.
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Albertson Acupuncture & Herbal Care
Kathleen Albertson
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