Acupuncture is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world. It was developed in China more than 2,000 years ago, but has only been used widely in the U.S. for the past few decades.
Millions of Americans have experienced acupuncture first hand, and many of them report a reduction in pain or even cure for a painful condition. Millions more consider acupuncture quackery or worse. What is the truth? Is acupuncture medically useful or is it to be avoided?
Acupuncture is usually practiced by inserting very thin needles into
certain points on the body. Acupuncture needles are metallic, solid, and
hair-thin. People experience acupuncture differently, but most feel little
or no pain as the needles are inserted. Some people are energized by treatment,
while others feel relaxed. Improper needle placement, movement of the
patient, or a defect in the needle can cause soreness and pain during
treatment. This is why it is important to seek treatment from a qualified
acupuncture practitioner.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
Chinese medicine practitioners believe that there are more than 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body, and that these connect with 12 main and eight secondary pathways called meridians. These meridians conduct energy, or qi (pronounced "chee"), throughout the body.
 Qi is believed to regulate spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance and to be influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang. According to traditional Chinese medicine, when yin and yang are balanced, they work together with the natural flow of qi to help the body achieve and maintain health. Acupuncture is believed to balance yin and yang, keep the normal flow of energy unblocked, and maintain or restore health to the body and mind.
Several processes have been proposed to explain acupuncture's effects, primarily those on pain. Acupuncture points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to release chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals either change the experience of pain or release other chemicals, such as hormones, that influence the body's self-regulating systems. The biochemical changes may stimulate the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well being
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institutes of Health, has published extensive research and consensus materials on acupuncture.
NIH Consensus Statement on Acupuncture
Acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention is widely practiced in the United States. While there have been many studies of its potential usefulness, many of these studies provide equivocal results because of design, sample size, and other factors. The issue is further complicated by inherent difficulties in the use of appropriate controls, such as placebos and sham acupuncture groups. However:
- Promising results have emerged, for example, showing efficacy of acupuncture in adult postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and in postoperative dental pain.
- There are other situations such as addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, in which acupuncture may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be included in a comprehensive management program.
Further research is likely to uncover additional areas where acupuncture interventions will be useful.
Risks
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners. The FDA requires manufacturers of acupuncture needles to label them for single use only. Relatively few complications from the use of acupuncture have been reported to the FDA.
Still, complications have resulted from inadequate sterilization of needles and from improper delivery of treatments. When not delivered properly, acupuncture can cause serious adverse effects, including infections and punctured organs.
The Bottom Line
Acupuncture is an ancient procedure for treating a variety of illnesses. It has been shown to help reduce or eliminate pain and discomfort for many people. Acupuncture is not for everybody, but if you are interested and if other treatments have not been effective for you, talk with your doctor about trying acupuncture.
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