Q. I am also interested in how those six conditions (any kinds of neuralgia, cervicobrachial syndrome, frozen shoulder, rheumatism (mainly rheumatoid arthritis), chronic low back pain, and aftereffect of cervical sprain (mainly whiplash) see the previous article) came to be accepted for coverage in your national healthcare system.
A. In year 1950, there was a movement to exclude acupuncture from national healthcare system. After 9 years of a long battle, acupuncturists managed to convince the government. At the time, 2 conditions (neuralgia & rheumatism) were accepted.
I do not know the detail of how these 2 conditions got accepted; but considering this happened only 5 years after GHQ tried to terminate medical use of acupuncture in Japan, I could imagine that acupuncturists at the time had to use more scientific approaches to prove acupuncture as a safe and effective medical tool.
By year 1967, some chronic pain conditions similar to these 2 conditions (namely cervicobrachial syndrome, frozen shoulder, lower back pain, and after effect of cervical sprain) were added.
But in order to get accepted for coverage, these conditions must be;
- chronic
- treated by mainstream medical institutions first for certain period of time and
- with poor prognosis by mainstream methods.
Q. Do you also have income statistics for Acupuncturists?
A. 2005 Survey shows these figures;
Under 3 million yen 46.7％
Between 3 million to 5 million 24.2％
Between 5 million to 8 million 15.0％
Average 2800000 yen
Another study shows the similar average;
2250000～3500000 yen
Q. What do you believe is behind the public’s feelings of losing interest in acupuncture?
A. I think the public’s feelings of losing interest in acupuncture had already began a little more than 100 years ago when Japan decided to take on a definitive route to modernization, or Westernization after the Meiji Restoration. Medicine = Western Medicine
After two or three generations, this kind of mind is well set in general public. So, I agree that some people see it as old fashioned.
However, I feel that younger generations are getting interests in more natural approaches toward their own health now days. I personally feel easier to convince people in their 30's than people in their 70's to get acupuncture. Unfortunately, the decline in the quality of acupuncturists I mentioned before is braking this movement.
A lack of understanding is a key here in Japan as well. "Re"-education is necessary.
