Managing Pain Without Medications: An Integrative Approach to Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain-Session Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

During a session focused on managing chronic musculoskeletal pain without medications, three speakers presented an integrative approach involving acupuncture, osteopathic manipulative treatment, and lifestyle modifications. The introduction set the stage, emphasizing the increasing disability due to musculoskeletal pain and the need for non-pharmacologic treatments, as supported by various clinical guidelines.<br /><br />The first speaker explored acupuncture, discussing its roots in traditional Chinese medicine, theories like yin-yang, and the five elements, as well as its mechanism involving Qi and meridians. The speaker highlighted specific application techniques, differences from dry needling, its effectiveness for conditions like chronic low back pain and knee osteoarthritis, and the supportive studies that influenced Medicare to cover acupuncture for chronic low back pain.<br /><br />The second speaker, Jack Anunziato, shared insights on osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), outlining its history, types of techniques (direct vs. indirect), and applications in chronic pain management. He emphasized the importance of proper training and accurately diagnosing before choosing the treatment technique.<br /><br />The final speaker, Solani Sharma, delved into lifestyle medicine, focusing especially on nutrition and its impact on pain and inflammation. She advocated for the Mediterranean diet, highlighted the role of the gut microbiome, and discussed the broader health benefits of exercise and stress management techniques.<br /><br />Throughout the session, each speaker underscored the value of non-drug approaches in pain management, aiming for a holistic, patient-centered care model that integrates various therapies to enhance overall wellbeing and reduce reliance on medications.

Keywords

chronic musculoskeletal pain

non-pharmacologic treatments

acupuncture

osteopathic manipulative treatment

lifestyle modifications

yin-yang

Qi and meridians

chronic low back pain

Mediterranean diet

gut microbiome

holistic care