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Background: Acupuncture has been increasingly used as a complementary therapy in pain management. At Singapore General Hospital pain management center, approximately 40% of patients are referred for adjunctive onsite acupuncture. This number is increasing as acupuncture becomes a more readily accepted adjunct to conventional pain therapies. Materials and Methods: We conducted a two-part survey to look at patients’ perspectives before their acupuncture treatment regimen and the efficacy and effects of acupuncture after 5–10 sessions in the multidisciplinary management for their pain conditions. Results: A total of 80 people participated in the survey over 4 months. Sixty-one participants completed the two-part survey. 57.6% of participants had pain related to spine degeneration, of which 68.9% and 77% reported being affected in their sleep and mood, respectively. Follow-up survey after acupuncture sessions showed statistically significant improvement in pain scores. 79.5% reported improvements in mood and 90.9% in mobility. 93.2% said they would recommend acupuncture in the follow-up survey. Conclusion: Acupuncture was shown to have statistically significant effects on pain scores based on our pilot survey results. Majority of patients also reported improved mood and mobility which are part of the multidimensional effects of chronic pain that affect quality of life.

This study aims to explore the potential use of ultrasound in locating the second posterior sacral foramen acupuncture point, quantifying depth of insertion and describing surrounding anatomical structures. We performed acupuncture needle insertion on a study team member. There were four steps in our experiment. First, the acupuncturist located the acupuncture point by palpation. Second, we used an ultrasound machine to visualize the structures surrounding the location of the acupuncture point and measure the depth required for needle insertion. Third, the acupuncturist inserted the acupuncture needle into the acupuncture point at an angle of 30°. Fourth, we performed another ultrasound scan to ensure that the needle was in the desired location. Results suggested that ultrasound could be used to locate the acupuncture point and estimate the depth of needle insertion. The needle was inserted to a depth of 4.0 cm to reach the surface of the sacral foramen. Based on Pythagoras theorem, taking a needle insertion angle of 30° and a needle insertion depth of 4.0 cm, the estimated perpendicular depth is 1.8 cm. An ultrasound scan corroborated the depth of 1.85 cm. The use of an ultrasound-guided technique for needle insertion in acupuncture practice could help standardize the treatment. Clinicians and students would be able to visualize and measure the depth of the sacral foramen acupuncture point, to guide the depth of needle insertion. This methodological guide could also be used to create a standard treatment protocol for research. A similar mathematical guide could also be created for other acupuncture points in future.