The therapeutic use of traditional Acupuncture began in China about 2500 years ago. By the 16th Century, acupuncture made its way into Europe and within the past four decades, acupuncture has become a valued and reliable form of health care worldwide. In the U.S, Acupuncture has moved from being considered “fringe” medicine in the 1970s toward mainstream medicine more recently.
A 1997 NIH statement offers the following perspective:
There is sufficient evidence of acupuncture’s value to expand its use into conventional medicine and to encourage further studies into its physiology and clinical value”. Patients and Western Health Practitioners alike are beginning to trust and understand how Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine will benefit them; Acupuncture simply operates within a different paradigm to Western Medicine yet its foundation is fundamentally clinical efficacy and empiricism, the very same hallmarks of western medical science.
The following is a list composed by the World Health Organization of Indications for which acupuncture has been proved, through Clinical trials, to be Effective;
Conditions for acupuncture efficacy
Updated: Includes the list of Conditions presented to the US FDA in 1994 “Acupuncture Efficacy” (Peer-reviewed literature)
Pain
Facial area, Head (ache), Knee, Low Back, Neck, Dental, TMJ, Periarthritits of the Shoulder, Postoperative, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sciatica, Tennis Elbow, Sprain, Cervicobrachial syndrome, Myofascial, Osteoarthritis (pain), RSD, Fibromyalgia
G.I.
Peptic Ulcer, Acute and Chronic Gastritis, Gastro-Esophageal spasm, Dysentery, Biliary Colic, Hiccough, Acute and Chronic Duodenal ulcer (pain), Gastric Hyperacidity, Acute, and Chronic Colitis, Constipation, Diarrhea
General Medicine
Allergic Rhinitis, Adverse Reaction to Chemotherapy or Radiation, Depression, Leukopenia, Morning Sickness, Nausea/Vomiting, Renal Colic, Acute Tonsilitis, Acute Sinusitis, Acute Bronchitis, Common Cold, Cataract, Gingivitis, Trigeminal Neuralgia, (early) Facial Palsy, Peripheral Neuropathies, Paresis following Stroke, Intercostal Neuralgia, Substance Dependence, Bladder Instabilities
Cardio
Cerebrovascular Stroke, Hypertension, Hypotension
OB/Gyn
Dysmenorrhea, Induction of Labor, Correction of Malposition of the fetus (Breech)
The therapeutic effect of acupuncture indications
The following is the W.H.O list of indications for which ‘a therapeutic effect of Acupuncture has been shown;
Pain
Abdominal, Cancer-Related, Ear, Radicular, Spinal (Cervical – Thoracic- Lumbar )
Neurological
Bell’s Palsy, Facial Spasm, Fibro-myalgia, Meuralgia, RSD, Dementia, Raynaud’s Syndrome
General
Alcohol, Drug, Tobacco Dependence, Stress Syndrome, Diabetes (NID) Obesity, Insomnia, Osteoarthritis, Post-operative, Convalescence, TMJD, Schizophrenia, Tourette syndrome, Asthma, Male Sexual Dysfunction, Retention of Urine, Prostatitis, Urolithiasis
Dermatological
Acne Vulgaris, Pruritis, Neurodermatitis
Ear, Nose, Throat
Eye Pain, Nose Bleeds, Herpes Zoster, Menuires
G.I
Ulcerative Colitis, Cholecystitis, Cholelithiasis
OB-Gyn
Female Infertility, PMS, recurrent UTI, PCOS, Labor pain, Urethral Syndrome *See Women’s Health page
Pain Conditions which the British Medical Acupuncture Society and the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (UK) list “as suitable for Acupuncture treatment”;
Muscular-skeletal pain, Back pain, Shoulder pain, Leg pain, Chronic Muscle Strain, Sports Injury, Arthritic & Rheumatic pain, Acute Injury, Whiplash, Chronic Injuries, Joint pain, Headache, Migraine.