Q: Some of my friends have been getting acupuncture treatments. Why would someone go to an acupuncturist?
A: Acupuncture is an ancient healing tradition that falls under the category of traditional Chinese medicine and has been practiced around the world for thousands of years. Acupuncture has become more popular in the United States in the last several decades as people in general have become more interested in complementary and alternative medicine treatments.
The treatments of acupuncture are based on a theory that there are patterns of energy flow through the body. This energy is referred to as Qi or Chi. Practitioners of acupuncture believe that when the energy flow in the body is disrupted, it can cause illness. Acupuncture needles are used to stimulate various points of energy flow in the body in order to restore balance in the body, relieve suffering, and improve health.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) suggests that acupuncture can be helpful in treating a variety of medical conditions. A National Institutes of Health Consensus statement on acupuncture reports that acupuncture can be particularly helpful for the following conditions:
- Relieving nausea and vomiting that may occur after surgery
- Relieving nausea and vomiting that may occur with chemotherapy treatments
- Relieving pain associated with dental surgery
There is some emerging research that suggests that acupuncture may also be effective in helping to treat chronic pain, headaches, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, menstrual cramps, asthma and others. There are ongoing studies of acupuncture and its effectiveness in helping to treat other conditions as well. Two large, separate clinical trials are currently looking at the effect of acupuncture as a treatment for hot flashes (due to menopause). Another study is looking at the effect of acupuncture in helping relieve pain associated with pancreatic cancer.
Acupuncture is probably most effective when it is used in addition to conventional treatments rather than as a substitute. And individual responses vary. In other words, one person might find acupuncture very helpful for a particular condition and another may not.
Always inform your healthcare practitioners if you are thinking about or using a complementary medicine treatment, such as acupuncture. In addition, make sure that the acupuncturist you're seeing has the proper training and credentials and has met licensing standards for your state.
For more information, contact the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. |
