Acupuncture in the Treatment of Pain

The book delineates the potentials and limits of acupuncture in the treatment of pain in the context of a modern bio-psycho-social concept of pain therapy. This is realized by an integration of western and traditional Chinese medicine, with the aim to meet the respective other medicine system on the one hand and critical distance on the other.
The book consists of two parts. The first part (chapter 2-8) gives the background for both traditional Chinese concepts to pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of pain and basics of the conventional, western approach to pain treatment. The second part (chapter 9-17) gives detailed information for the integrative treatment of all common painful conditions. For every single indication conventional and traditional Chinese treatment options (including Chinese phytotherapy) are shown and the value of acupuncture, scientific data about its efficacy and its possible mode of action (in western-physiological terms) are discussed.

PART I: Basics of Western und Traditional Chinese Approach to Pain Therapy

1 Introduction

2 Pain from the western perspective

2.1 Basics and background (bio-psycho-social concept of chronic pain)
2.2 Diagnosis
2.3 Treatment guidelines
2.4 Conventional treatment modalities in pain therapy
2.5 Western naturopathic treatment modalities in pain therapy

3 Pain from the traditional Chinese perspective

3.1 Basics of traditional Chinese medicine theory
3.2 Concepts for the pathogenesis of pain
3.3 Bi-Syndrome
3.4 Prevention

4 Diagnosis in TCM

4.1 Comparison of the perspectives in East and West
4.2 Anamnesis
4.3 Special aspects of physical examination (Tongue and Pulse Diagnosis)
4.4 Differentiation of the syndrome pattern
4.5 Correlation between western diagnosis and traditional Chinese syndrome patterns
4.6 Relevance of syndrome diagnosis for clinical practice

5 Guidelines for the treatment of pain in TCM

5.1 Formulation of the therapeutic principle
5.2 Therapeutic strategies

6 Acupuncture

6.1 Definition
6.2 Neurobiological mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of pain
6.3 Indications
6.4 Contraindications
6.5 Side effects
6.6 Technique and practical performance
6.7 Treatment principles
6.8 Moxibustion
6.9 Related Techniques (Dry needling, EA, Ear Acupuncture, Scalp A., Laser, TENS, Neuraltherapy)

7 Channels and important acupoints

7.1 Channels and points
7.2 Acupoints and channels from a western perspective

8 Further treatment modalities in TCM

8.1 Traditional Chinese Phytotherapy
8.2 TCM Dietetics
8.3 Tuina
8.4 Gua Sha
8.5 Qi Gong

PART II: Treatment of painful conditions

9 Head- and facial pain

9.1 General guidelines
9.2 Migraine
9.3 Tension type headache
9.4 Cervicogenic headache
9.5 Temporomandibular dysfunction
9.10 Trigeminal neuralgia
9.11 Atypical facial pain
9.12 Symptomatic facial pain (sinsusitis, dental pain, parainfectious headache)

10 Pain in the locomotor system

10.1 General guidelines
10.2 Cervicocephal Syndrome
10.3 Neck pain
10.4 Shoulder pain (Bursitis subacromialis, Tendinitis calcarea, Impingement S.)
10.5 Epicondylitis humeroradialis
10.6 Tendovagintis and Tendinopathies
10.10 Spondylogenic thoracical pain
10.11 Chronic low back pain
10.12 Ischialgia
10.13 Failed back surgery Syndrome
10.14 Piriformis Syndrome
10.15 Osteoarthritis of knee and hip
10.16 Achillodynia
10.17 Osteoporosis
10.18 Rheumatoid Arthritis

11 Fibromyalgia

12 Visceral pain

12.1 General guidelines
12.2 Angina pectoris
12.3 Thoracic pain of non-cardiac origign
12.4 Gastritis
12.5 Functional dyspepsia
12.6 Irritable bowel Syndrome
12.7 Chronic pelvic pain

13 Neuropathic pain

13.1 General guidelines
13.2 Carpal tunnel Syndrome
13.3 Meralgia paresthetica
13.4 (Post)herpetic pain
13.5 Polyneuropathy
13.6 Complex regional pain Syndrome (CRPS)
13.7 Central pain (post-stroke pain, paraplegia)
13.8 Phantom-limb pain

14 Vascular pain

14.1 General guidelines
14.2 Raynaud Syndrome
14.3 Peripheral arterial occlusive disease

15 Acupuncture in palliative care

15.1 Introduction
15.2 Definitions
15.3 Clinical aspects
15.4 Summary

16 Psycho-vegetative disorders

16.1 General guidelines
16.2 Burn out/ exhaustion/ muscular weakness
16.3 Weakness of the immune system (Recurrent infections)
16.4 Insomnia
16.5 Increased Irritability
16.6 Unspecific vertigo
16.7 Tinnitus
16.8 Depression
16.9 Neuropsychological deficits

17 Psychosomatic aspects in pain therapy

18 The Future