What do you know about Baltimore VA doctors try acupuncture to treat veterans' pain?

In order to avoid further contributions to the opioid crisis in Baltimore, doctors at the VA are attempting to use acupuncture as a form of pain management in their patients. Multiple patients at this hospital battle drug and alcohol abuse in order to relieve both mental and physical pain. Doctors are recognizing that they need to try other forms of pain management that can be used as a long term solution, unlike opioids. Patients have been reporting that the acupuncture treatments are making them feel better. This type of treatment represents how healthcare systems in America recognize the harm that opioids have on patients, and are trying new things in order to manage pain. This is more related to #bio.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-veterans-acupuncture-20171226-story.html

https://www.pmr.theclinics.com/article/S1047-9651(04)00018-X/abstract This source further explains the understanding of the role of acupuncture in pain management