title: Commentary on the use of acupuncture in chronic pediatric pain.
abstract: The use of acupuncture for pain in pediatrics is a long-standing practice in Eastern cultures. Despite growing interest in the West, there has been relatively little systematic research on acupuncture for chronic pediatric pain. In particular, there is a paucity of randomized clinical trials testing the efficacy of acupuncture for chronic pain problems in pediatric populations. This commentary briefly reviews the history of acupuncture for pain and includes a summary of extant findings regarding potential mechanisms of its analgesic effects. Key areas for future research to advance the application of acupuncture to chronic pediatric pain problems are outlined.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Pain Program, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1752, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waterhouse
authors.forename: Jennie C I
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: Lonnie K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Zeltzer
mesh_terms: D026881:Acupuncture / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010372:Pediatrics; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome