Acupuncture PDF Print E-mail

Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese medicine involving the insertion of solid filiform acupuncture needles into the skin at specific points on the body to achieve a therapeutic effect. No drug is injected. The needles alone create the beneficial effects of acupuncture. 

Acupuncture is used to encourage natural healing, improve mood and energy, reduce or relieve pain and improve function of affected areas of the body. It is safe and effective and is often successfully used as an alternative to medications or even surgery. Relief is often obtained with acupuncture when traditional medical therapy has failed. 

Acupuncture needles are solid, usually stainless steel (they may also be gold or silver), and measure from 13-70 mm, although longer reusable ones up to about 150 mm in length can be purchased. The needles are very fine, flexible and rounded but sharp at the tip. They are ‘atraumatic’, meaning that they do not have a cutting edge like a hypodermic needle, which slices through tissue. Their design allows acupuncture needles to slide smoothly through tissues and makes them unlikely to cause bleeding or damage to underlying structures.  

Conditions it can help

The conditions for which one can say that there is the highest level of evidence that acupuncture is effective include: 

  • Low back pain 26,27 
  • Acute vomiting induced by chemotherapy 28
  • Post-operative nausea and vomiting 29
  • Neck disorders 30
  • Recurrent headache 31 and Idiopathic headache 32 

References 

26. Manheimer E, White A, Berman B, Forys K, Ernst E. Meta-analysis: acupuncture for low back pain.Ann Intern Med. 2005 Apr 19;142(8):651-63. Review. Erratum in: Ann Intern Med. 2005 Jun 7;142(11):950-1. PMID: 15838072 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

27. Furlan AD, van Tulder MW, Cherkin DC, Tsukayama H, Lao L, Koes BW, Berman BM. Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD001351. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001351.pub2

28. Ezzo JM, Richardson MA, Vickers A, Allen C, Dibble SL, Issell BF, Lao L, Pearl M, Ramirez G, Roscoe JA, Shen J, Shivnan JC, Streitberger K, Treish I, Zhang G. Acupuncture-point stimulation for chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD002285. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002285.pub2

29. Lee A, Done ML. Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point P6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD003281. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003281.pub2

30. Trinh KV, Graham N, Gross AR, Goldsmith CH, Wang E, Cameron ID, Kay T, Cervical Overview Group. Acupuncture for neck disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD004870. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004870.pub3

31. Melchart D, Linde K, Fischer P, White A, Allais G, Vickers A, Berman B. Acupuncture for recurrent headaches: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Cephalalgia. 1999 Nov;19(9):779-86; discussion 765. Erratum in: Cephalalgia 2000 Oct;20(8):762-3. PMID: 10595286 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

32. Melchart D, Linde K, Berman B, White A, Vickers A, Allais G, Brinkhaus B. Acupuncture for idiopathic headache. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2001, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD001218. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001218