Kansas City Hospital Using Acupuncture To Help Kids In the ER

The Emergency Room is a stressful place to be. The uncertainty of not knowing what’s next, and the close proximity to others in distress and pain—not to mention the pain or discomfort that brought one there in the first place—add up to create an environment in which it can be difficult to relax.

We have previously covered how acupuncture is being used in emergency rooms across the country, and why its use should become commonplace. Particularly, now that we know more about the addictive and destructive powers of opioid pain medication, it is high time that caretakers use alternative methods of reducing pain, inflammation, and discomfort.

And if we know that treatments like acupuncture are not only effective but much, much safer than taking high-powered medication, wouldn’t we want to do the same for our children if, unfortunately, they found themselves in the ER?

Thankfully, Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri appears to be on the forefront, showing how acupuncture can be used to ease pain and reduce stress for youngsters who are being treated in the hospital.

The hospital is beginning by offering children, usually aged 10 and up into the teens, a few types of acupuncture treatments—Battlefield Acupuncture, which consists of small insertions in the ear that can stay inserted for a few days, as well as “4 Gates” acupuncture which inserts a needle in each hand and foot for a period of about 20-30 minutes. Both can be effective at reducing pain and inflammation, and helping relax the body and mind and thus lowering stress.

“Parents want what’s best for their kids, and sometimes that might not always be a pill. Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for pain. It’s well tolerated by most children and teenagers,” said pediatrician Dr. Jennifer Dilts to KCTV News.

And acupuncture’s benefits for children don’t only exist in a hospital. Many pains or discomfort children are experiencing can be treated safely and effectively with acupuncture. Don’t make the mistake of thinking acupuncture is only for adults.

Why Acupuncture Should be Offered in the ER

Chances are that, unfortunately, either you or someone you know has visited the emergency room recently. Visits to the ER have become incredibly common and are continuing to rise. A study released last year showed that in 2014, ER visits spiked to 141 million in the United States, a record-high. And the University of Maryland School of Medicine estimates that nearly half of all medical care in the country is delivered by emergency room departments. That number is even higher for women and minorities.

The stark fact is that ER visits are all too common. And there are a few things that are just about consistent across all emergency rooms—the use of NSAIDs and painkillers, and a lack of choice for patients. Slowly but surely, a welcoming change may be on the horizon.

For 4 years, Adam Reinstein, LAc, has been administering acupuncture in the ER of Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. Five days a week, Reinstein operates in the busy, hectic environment that doesn’t seem well suited for acupuncture. But Reinstein, who used to practice communcity acupuncture, has adapted by offering shorter sessions (15-20 minutes), focusing on points in the hands, arms, ears, head, feet, and lower legs, and sees patients only once. The ER can be a stressful place, and Reinstein often focuses on helping patients to feel more comfortable.

"By and large, patients get some relaxation and decrease of anxiety or discomfort. Others get some pain relief or nausea relief...What I do just fits in with everything else that is going on [in the ER],” Reinstein said. “One talks a lot about patient-centered care but usually patients have little or no choice.”

We wholeheartedly agree with Reinstein, and would love to see more emergency departments offer acupuncture to their patients. In addition from it being a better treatment for pain, anxiety, and nausea than medication, acupuncture could also help patients recover more quickly, which allows ER staffs to work more efficiently and cut down wait times.

Acupuncture in the ER? It’s a win-win.