The program, the first of its kind in Maryland, has recently been approved for Montgomery County, just outside of Washington D.C. The county council recently voted to launch the program with a $20,000 measure to help addicts in county jails and treatment facilities.

The Maryland program will be modeled after one that has already shown posi­tive results in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Here, Auricular (ear) Acupuncture is offered as an important portion of the program. Auricular Acupuncture has been shown to provide help to persons who suffer from various chemical or drug addic­tions. The specific procedure that will be followed by trained acupuncturists in Maryland has been developed by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association of Vancouver, Wash.

Acupuncture plays a very important role in the first stages of a program that can take as long as year to complete. The primary concern in the first 12-15 days of the program is detoxification, and Acupuncture helps addicts deal with their cravings for drugs during this time period.

Once the cravings are under control, the patients can then move forward to learning more about how to control their cravings. Acupuncture is often continued during this stage on an individual basis. When this period of stabilization is com­pleted, the participants then move on to more education and also to a course of vocational training.

Successful completion of the program has several advantages for the people involved. In addition to being clean and having a good chance to stay off harmful drugs, they will also have their criminal records expunged or sealed. This gives them an extra head start on a new, drug-free lifestyle.

Thirty acupuncturists from the area are being trained to deliver the Acupuncture techniques that will be an important part of the program.

Source: Acupuncture Today. “Acupuncture Offered to Addicts as Alternative to Jail.” April 2008.

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=31696

Fibromyalgia is a disorder that is characterized by chronic aches and tenderness in the muscles, fatigue and sleep problems. Pain usually occurs in the neck, shoulders, back, hands and pelvis. While there is no permanent damage to the joints or muscles associated with it, the pain it brings can be quite intense and difficult to live with. It is estimated that between 3 to 6 million people in the United States suffer from it each year. Statistics show that more women than men are affected, typically starting in early-to-middle adulthood.

It is interesting to note from the FDA commentary on Lyrica that while some test patients experi­enced a lessening of pain, not all experienced relief from the product. According to Steven Galson, M.D., the director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, “Consumers should understand that some patients did not experience benefit in clinical trials. We still have more progress to make for treatment of this disorder.”

Also interesting is that it was approved even though the maker of the drug, Pfizer Inc., and the FDA were not able to provide detailed information of just how it works. According to the FDA, “Individuals with Fibromyalgia have been shown to experience pain differently from other people. Studies have shown that such patients have decreased pain after taking Lyrica, but the mechanism by which Lyrica produces such an effect is unknown.”

Finally, the FDA included the following warning to people using Lyrica: “The most common side effects of Lyrica include mild-to-moderate dizziness and sleepiness. Blurred vision, weight gain, dry mouth, and swelling of the hands and feet also were reported in clinical trials. The side effects appeared to be dose-related. Lyrica can impair motor function and cause problems with concentration and atten­tion. FDA advises that patients talk to their doctor or other healthcare professional about whether use of Lyrica may impair their ability to drive.”

Also interesting is that the FDA made no mention of possible alternative methods for treating Fibromyalgia symptoms. These would include a healthy diet, adequate rest, exercise, stretching of affect­ed areas, physical therapy, Chiropractic adjustments or Acupuncture treatments. It’s also noteworthy that this drug was originally targeted toward handling nerve pain associated with diabetes. When its approval was declined, it was retargeted toward Fibromyalgia pain and thus received FDA approval.

Persons suffering from the symptoms of Fibromyalgia should be thoroughly examined by a chiro­practor and/or an acupuncturist given healthy treatment options. This should be done long before consid­ering a drug that showed marginal test results and requires a slew of FDA warnings to consumers.

Source: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, June 2007. http://www.fda.govibbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01656.html and http://www.fda.goviconsumer/updates/fibromyalgia062107.html