A different way to take the pain

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Nicholas Benroth
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFNS) --  Acupuncture has long been a form of medical care, originating in ancient China and moving west through the world. It has only recently started to gain momentum during the last few decades in the U.S.

Recently, military medical officials have begun investigating a type of acupuncture and its benefits in combat and inclinics.

"The type of acupuncture that we learn to use is called battlefield acupuncture, which is applied to the ears," said Capt. Trevor Ambron, an 822nd Base Defense Group physician's assistant. "The reason we place these in the ear is because during a combat situation, one of the easiest spots to get to while wearing battle armor is the ear."

The technique was coined by Col. Richard Niemtzow, a full-time acupuncture physician at Malcolm Grow Medical Center, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

Colonel Niemtzow developed the protocol that uses five auriculotherapy (ear) acupoints that can deliver a significant decrease in pain almost immediately.

"Nobody actually knows how acupuncture works, but modern science suggests that acupuncture stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals, which, in turn, alters  the experience of pain," Captain Ambron said. "The BA method is thought to alter the processing of pain in certain areas."

The technique involves using semi-permanent needles that can be repeated several times and remain in the ears for three or four days before falling out on their own.

The sterilized needles are small enough to carry in a pocket and can be applied easily to someone wearing full combat gear. In the right combat situation, this technique could replace the need for a narcotic.

"The situation may arrive where a member is needed to help return fire," Captain Ambron said. "If a member is injured, the use of narcotics risks taking the servicemember completely out of the fight and would also require the medic to pay closer attention to that person due to the nature of narcotics."

Using acupuncture can provide rapid, safe and effective pain control keeping the member in the fight, giving them the chance to return fire for as long as they are able.

"Most applications of this technique are, fortunately, not needed in the battlefield and are used in the clinic," Captain Ambron said. "I try to use needles on the patients before giving them narcotics because using that method might cause them to be taken off duty."

This reduces the number of down days and enables full-mission capability.

"Although acupuncture is a positive supplement for narcotics, it is not always 100 percent effective," Captain Ambron said. "Everyone takes to it differently; it can work for some people but not for others."

"Most people don't believe in acupuncture because they can't understand it, which is how I was at first," he said. "I was at a military conference in 2009 and was reading the list of courses and  they offered battlefield acupuncture.

"At first acupuncture seemed like kind of a joke, but after the course and seeing it actually work on people, it changed my thoughts completely," he said. "You never know if something might work or not unless you try it out; acupuncture is one of those things."'