Alternative medicines, such as acupuncture, are becoming a significant piece of the medical industry, prompting revenues well into the billions and thousands of clinical visits. Though practiced for centuries, the technique of healing and detoxification through acupuncture is relatively new to U.S. patients but gaining popularity quickly.

Recent medical research on the benefits of acupuncture reveals its success for battling substance abuse and the side effects of withdrawal, encouraging physicians and patients to take a new look at the practice.

Surprisingly, in 1993, the New England Journal of Medicine reported unconventional medical treatments to be a $10.3 billion industry and stated that the industry captured more American patient visits than visits to primary care doctors. Some U.S. drug detoxification centers regularly use acupuncture in their treatment regimens, and it is even being included in court-ordered rehabilitation programs for drug abusers.

An ancient form of Chinese medicine, the practice encourages relaxation by placing needles into meridians, or circulation routes beneath the skin that resemble veins. The goal is to stimulate the Qi (“chee”), a type of energy that keeps the body in balance.

Based on the premise that illness is caused by an interruption in the ability of the Qi to move freely, the needles open up the meridians and allow the Qi to travel uninhibited. In cases of substance dependence, it may create a calm that reduces addictive behaviors with no negative side effects.

Medical research is beginning to correspond with the ancient theories behind acupuncture. Western research indicates acupuncture may actually increase the production of endorphins, reducing pain and creating a sense of overall well-being that can help drug addicts make better choices.

In 1955, Paul Nogier, a French physician, discovered that a puncture on the skin at an acupuncture position related to a separate point on the ear, thus making ear acupuncture one of the most frequently used types of acupuncture today. In a drug rehabilitation setting, this type of acupuncture can be done out in the open on several patients simultaneously.

In the U.S., the Lincoln Clinic, located in New York, is the primary center using acupuncture for detoxification treatments. The Clinic has developed a wide spread protocol for procedures and recorded lower relapse rates for patients who undergo the treatments. Clinic physicians say the rapid relief of drug withdrawal symptoms is one of the most outstanding benefits of acupuncture.

In 1989, the Lancet, a British journal, called acupuncture successful in working with patients with alcoholism, stating that patients who were not exposed to acupuncture experienced a relapse rate nearly twice that of patients who underwent the practice.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that having no formally known tool for demonstrating its benefits in a clinical setting may keep acupuncture from official acknowledgement. However, the Institute stated in 1991 that ear treatments corresponding to five distinct acupuncture points could help create uniformity when working with drug abuse patients.

Acupuncture remains an “experimental” practice as recognized by the Food and Drug Administration, but new studies to solidify its benefits are underway. Though precise research on its outcomes in a drug detoxification setting is limited, the practice shows promising outcomes, can be less expensive than jail time for drug offenders, and continues to see more widespread use in treatment centers.