Exploring the Potential of Acupuncture in Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine

Abstract

This symposium marks the first time our society has addressed acupuncture and moxibustion in emergency and intensive care medicine, featuring presentations by practitioners working on the front lines. First, Hajime Nakae explained that emergency and intensive care medicine treats a wide range of conditions, emphasizing the importance of utilizing the strengths of various medical systems for the patient's benefit rather than adhering rigidly to a single approach. He highlighted the advantage of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment being able to be administered immediately. He then presented practical application examples, including acute low back pain in the emergency department, and pneumonia, respiratory failure, sepsis, and tetanus in the intensive care unit. He also emphasized the importance of education and awareness activities to promote understanding of acupuncture's usefulness. Masayuki Kashima, speaking from his position as a Chinese Medicine doctor at a hyperacute care hospital where approximately half of inpatients arrive via the emergency center, presented on his collaboration with a full-time acupuncturist. He discussed acupuncture treatment for digestive symptoms, mental/neurological symptoms, musculoskeletal issues, pain, respiratory/cardiovascular problems, decreased physical strength, and fatigue experienced by patients during the recovery phase after overcoming life-threatening conditions. He noted that acupuncture treatment targeting these factors hindering recovery is an effective approach.　Jun Matsumoto-Miyazaki, who has performed acupuncture as a complementary therapy for intensive care patients at an Advanced Critical Care Center, reported that acupuncture showed potential usefulness for the respiratory status of ventilated patients, suggested effects in reducing delirium, and indicated it may contribute to improving the level of consciousness and response in patients with impaired consciousness. Acupuncture treatment is often perceived as primarily targeting chronic conditions. However, this symposium revealed significant implications: acupuncture in emergency and intensive care, when used in conjunction with Western medicine, holds potential to be useful in patient recovery.