Acupuncture has been around for hundreds of years, with the Chinese developing the practice as a way to relieve pain by inserting tiny needles into the skin at specific points on the body.
Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) or auricular acupuncture is a specialized form of temporary needle insertion in five locations in the ear to relieve a variety of pains.
This form of acupuncture was developed by a retired Air Force colonel on the battlefield as a quick treatment for acute pain so patients could be treated before they went to the hospital, and for many years it has been used to help veterans and their chronic pain. I’ve adapted.
Wilmington VA Medical Center began using BFA as an alternative for pain management in 2019 when Brett Hollis, a nurse at Wilmington VA Medical Center, trained at the Philadelphia VA.
The premise of BFA, Hollis says, is that all of these meridians that run through the body converge at the outer part of the ear, like a big chunk of spaghetti. This process is performed by inserting a small needle into the ear, which releases microscopic barbs into the ear. These temporary needles have gold studs dotted in one or both ears and last for three to five days, allowing for continuous treatment. The studs will fall out on their own.
We’re dealing with endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers, and we’re trying to stimulate the nodes to release endorphins, which travel along the spaghetti path and end up everywhere in the body. , Hollis said. It doesn’t target any specific area. If a veteran has knee, back, or other chronic pain, it can help relieve all areas.
Hollis said veterans often find that other pains may be alleviated as well, and one patient whose left leg was completely paralyzed went back to the hospital after an initial visit and was unable to use his foot for the first time in years. Hollis said he noticed that he could feel the sensation of . I told them that these are unintended consequences that are part of the results of his BFA, and that BFA tends to fix other problems, but the truth is that the effects from person to person are unknown. not.
This process takes only a few minutes to complete, and some people may notice a sudden, strong reaction immediately, while others may experience gradual relief of symptoms. This process does not work for everyone, with some stating that they did not experience any pain, relief, or effects.
In addition to quick results, Hollis said some patients are able to stop taking painkillers completely or reduce the amount of painkillers they take, while others are able to continue taking painkillers. said. So, while it’s always great to do anything we can do to prevent, reduce, or eliminate pain medication use, it’s also great if we can reduce pain by a few notches for those who continue to take the medication.
Sami Hausman, an Air Force veteran, said she was unable to go up and down stairs due to a sciatica attack, but thanks to BFA, she is now able to do so and has started to stop taking her medication. “I had sciatica and rheumatoid arthritis in both knees, but in about six months I was able to go up and down the stairs. It really helped me.”
People interested in BFA should contact their care manager to determine if BFA may help with their condition. If so, talk to your BFA provider. Currently, he is one of only two health care providers at the medical center managing her BFA. An open clinic is held every Wednesday night from 4pm to 6pm at the Medical Center, and every Friday from 10am to 12pm, an after-hours open clinic is held where trained medical personnel see patients. It is written. The medical center has just trained 10 of her other health care providers who will soon be able to administer BFA.
For more information
Wilmington VA Medical Center provides medical services to approximately 35,000 veterans through its main medical center and five CBOCs located in Delaware and southern New Jersey. For more information, visit https://www.va.gov/wilmington-health-care/.
