Expert: Tamsen Staniford, L.Ac. - 7/2/2010

Question
Hello, I am a physio just embarking on acupuncture.  I am very interested in using it for pain relief (and promoting healing) while the wrist is still in a cast, using the other hand and foot.  I would love to hear of any articles and/or papers on this subject, as well as your personal thoughts and some advice on the best points to use.  Unfortunately I will most often see people only once the cast is off, which may be too late to stop some of the pain getting a grip - but I'd love some evidence to show the powers that be so that I could try to get in there with acupuncture a bit sooner.  I'm sure that your advice would also be useful for all manner of other wrist problems.

I should note that I am interested in TCM as well as western approaches.

Many thanks for any help you can give me.

Margaret

Answer
Thanks for your question!  
This question brings up a passion of mine which is acupuncture training and certification.  I wholeheartedly encourage you to pursue education in Traditional Chinese Medicine including acupuncture (I assume when you say you are "just embarking" that you have not yet graduated from a school of TCM).  
TCM is an amazing system of treating disorders that can provide amazing pain relief and enhance the body's ability to heal.  There are two routes to really getting a good education in TCM and acupuncture: go to a nationally accredited Oriental Medical school, or apprentice under a Licensed Acupuncturist.  Licensing and certification laws vary by state so you may need to look into those to find out what qualifications local acupuncturists have, and what kind of training you will need to practice.  Specific training that would be useful to you would be the Balance Method used by Dr. Tan, any style of Korean hand acupuncture, Japanese Meridian Therapy, and even ear acupuncture.
If physios in your area are allowed to perform acupuncture without the same level of training required for Licensed Acupuncturists then I can not in good conscience provide you with information on what points you should use to treat patients.  With quality training it will be readily apparent which points to work with based on what kind of pain the person is experiencing, which meridians the injury is effecting, and the overall pattern of imbalance the patient is exhibiting.
As for evidence and studies, the PubMed website database is THE source for all sorts of studies promoting and denying the effects of acupuncture for almost any condition you can imagine.  I use this website all the time to keep up on new research and for filing away studies to show peers and colleagues.  BBC health news often has articles about acupuncture that are more layman friendly for showing "powers that be" how much more your patients would benefit from getting acupuncture before the cast even comes off.
I wish you the best on your journey into the elegant and intriguing world of TCM!