What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an alternative medicine methodology originating in ancient China that treat patients by manipulating thin, solid needles that have been inserted into acupoints (“Tsubo” in Japanese) in the skin.
Acupuncture is a holistic therapy and it can treat a wide range of different conditions that manifest physically, mentally and spiritually and may be acute or chronic.
Much research has been carried out into the effects of acupuncture and the World Health Organization (WHO) lists many conditions that acupuncture can treat (vide infra).
Acupuncture is known to have effects on secretions known as endorphins, which can relieve pain. Subsequent studies have also shown many other beneficial effects of acupuncture such as balancing the autonomic nervous system, immune system and endocrine system.
Conditions that acupuncture can treat
According to a report from the World Health Organization (WHO) 2001,
■ 28 conditions that acupuncture has been proved to treat effectively:
Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
Allergic rhinitis
Bilary colic
Depression
Dysentery
Dysmenorrhea (period pains)
Acute epigastric pain
Facial pain
Headaches
Hypertension
Induction of labor
Knee pain
Low back pain
Malposition of the fetus in pregnancy
Morning sickness
Nausea and vomiting
Neck pain
Pain in dentistry
Post operative pain
Renal colic
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sciatica
Arthritis of the shoulder
Sprains
Stroke
Tennis elbow
■ Some of the 63 conditions where acupuncture has been shown to be effective but further proof is needed:
Abdominal pain
Acute vulgaris
Alcohol dependence
Bronchial asthma
Cancer pain
Cardiac neurosis
‘Competition stress’ syndrome
Non-insulin-dependent diabetes
Earache
Eye pain
Female infertility
Facial spasm
Fibro-myalgia
Gallstones
Gouty arthritis
Herpes zoster (shingles)
Insomnia
Labor pain
Lactation deficiency
Male sexual dysfunction
Meniere’s disease (severe attacks of dizziness and ringing in the ears)
Neurodermatitis
Nosebleeds
Obesity
Opium
Cocaine and heroin dependence
Osteo-arthritis
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Post-operative convalescence
Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)
Prostatitis
Raynaud’s syndrome
Recurrent lower urinary tract infection
Retention of urine
Schizophrenia
Sore throat
Spine pain
Stiff neck
Tobacco dependence
Tourette’s syndrome
Ulcerative colitis (inflammation and ulceration in the large intestine)
Whooping cough