Acupuncture is a Chinese therapy that has been used for centuries.
It is based on the theory that there is energy, called chi or qi, flowing
through your body. Chi is thought to flow along energy pathways called
meridians. Acupuncturists believe a blocking or imbalance of the flow of chi at
any point on a pathway may result in illness. Traditional Chinese medicine
practitioners believe acupuncture unblocks and rebalances the flow of chi to
restore health.
People often use acupuncture to relieve pain. Western medical
researchers who have studied acupuncture believe that it may reduce pain
through body chemicals that have calming effects (opioid peptides), or by
affecting glands (such as the
hypothalamus) that produce substances the body
uses.
Traditional Chinese acupuncture usually is done by putting very
thin needles into the skin at certain points on the body to produce energy flow
along the body's meridians. Other types of acupuncture may use heat, pressure,
or mild electrical current to stimulate energy flow along these
meridians.
What is acupuncture used for?
People use acupuncture to relieve pain and treat certain health
conditions. You can use it by itself or as part of a treatment program. Studies
have found promising results for the use of acupuncture in treating nausea and
vomiting related to chemotherapy and postsurgery pain. Acupuncture also may be
useful for:
Stroke rehabilitation, which involves relearning
skills that a person lost because of brain damage from a
stroke.
Headache. A recent study shows
that adding acupuncture to standard treatment leads to significant,
long-lasting relief from chronic headaches, especially
migraines.1
Osteoarthritis,
or the breakdown of the tissue (cartilage) that
protects and cushions joints. A recent study found that acupuncture can reduce
knee pain and increase movement of the knee in people with
osteoarthritis.2
Low back
pain.
Carpal tunnel syndrome, or pressure on
a nerve in the wrist that results in tingling, numbness, weakness, or pain of
the fingers and hand.
Asthma, or
inflammation in the tubes that carry air to the lungs, resulting in periodic
episodes of difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness, and
coughing.
Dental pain.
Reducing labor pain.
Is acupuncture safe?
In general, acupuncture is safe when done by a certified
acupuncturist. A state license ensures that the acupuncturist has a certain
level of training and follows certain practice guidelines. However, acupuncture
is not licensed in a few states.
Complications or adverse events may rarely occur. If the
acupuncturist uses nonsterilized needles, there is a risk of infection;
however, most acupuncturists today dispose of their needles after one use. Make
sure the practitioner you visit uses sterilized or disposable needles. Talk
with your doctor if you have other questions about the safety of
acupuncture.
Acupuncture may be a valuable treatment for certain health
conditions and merits further use and study. Your doctor may recommend it along
with conventional medical treatment for many illnesses.
Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative therapy or
if you are thinking about combining an alternative therapy with your
conventional medical treatment. It may not be safe to forgo your conventional
medical treatment and rely only on an alternative therapy.
Vickers AJ, et al. (2004). Acupuncture for chronic
headache in primary care: Large, pragmatic, randomised trial. BMJ, 328(7442): 744–749.
Berman BM, et al. (2004). Effectiveness of acupuncture
as adjunctive therapy in osteoarthritis of the knee. Annals of
Internal Medicine, 141(12): 901–910.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information. For more information, click here.
