Air Force to Use 'Battlefield Acupuncture' for Pain Relief

Here are a couple interesting stories about acupuncture: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,164071,00.html andhttp://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/12/air-force-turns.html

Using tiny needles that barely penetrate the skin of a patient's ear, Air Force doctors say they can interrupt pain signals going to the brain ... reliev[ing] even unbearable pain for days at a time....

"This is one of the fastest pain attenuators in existence -- the pain can be gone in five minutes," said Col. Richard Niemtzow, a physician, acupuncturist and senior adviser to the Air Force surgeon general.

Those of you who know Serene Impulse might find the following statement very interesting:

Col. Richard Niemtzow, an oncologist, also sees acupuncture as a way to treat macular degeneration. Niemtzow says this protocol is difficult and the placement of the needles in the orbital area of the eye is technically challenging. The entire [procedure] has to be performed precisely.

It would be interesting to know exactly which acupoints Niemtzow is using and what his treatment protocol is.