Integrative Medicine in Pain Management in Sickle Cell Disease

"Acupuncture treatment will both main and supplementary acupoints. Main points include GB30; ST36; LI11- LI4, GB34-SP6; LR3, SP10, DU24, DU20, Yin Tang, Ear Shen Men which are chosen based on the unique clinical features of sickle pain. The remaining individualized acupoints will be selected and manipulated with manual acupuncture with appropriate needling techniques based on the individual Syndrome (reinforce or reduce or Non reinforce or reduce) that is determined by TCM diagnosis."

Laser acupuncture device VitaLaser 650 (Lhasa OMS, Weymouth, MA or similar) will be positioned 1-2cm over all of the same acupoints used in verum acupuncture treatment above. No palpation is administered prior to positioning the device and there is no physical contact between device and skin.