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Does acupuncture work?
Finding a practitioner
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese healing technique that involves stimulating specific points in the body by inserting fine needles. The Chinese believe that the needles help restore the smooth flow of qi, or energy flow, through the body. Any blockage or imbalance in qi, they believe, can result in pain and even illness. Thus, in Chinese philosophy, the application of acupuncture extends beyond pain relief to the treatment of many other ailments.
Acupuncture points lie along meridians on the body. Each meridian is associated with specific organs. At least 365 points are described in classical Chinese texts with a possible total of more than 2000. Most acupuncturists are trained to use a small number of these points for particular ailments and insert one very fine needle at each location. To enhance the effect, the needles may be twirled, connected to a weak electric current, or heated. Some practitioners place small cones of the herb mugwort (MOXA) on the needle or acupuncture point and then burn it to produce a penetrating heat; this is called moxibustion.
Does acupuncture work?
Studies of acupuncture have shown some promising results. For example, acupuncture seems to work in adults for nausea and vomiting after surgery and from chemotherapy and in also for postoperative dental pain. There are other conditions--such as addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma--in which acupuncture may be useful alone or as a treatment or with traditional treatments, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). A recent NCCAM-funded study showed that acupuncture provides pain relief, improves function for people with osteoarthritis of the knee. Further research is likely to uncover more areas where acupuncture will be useful.
Finding a practitioner
You may want to ask your doctor whether acupuncture might help with a certain condition. Many medical doctors, including neurologists, anesthesiologists, and specialists in physical medicine, are trained in acupuncture.
An acupuncture practitioner who is licensed and credentialed may provide better care than one who is not. About 40 states have established training standards for acupuncture certification, but states have varied requirements for obtaining a license to practice acupuncture. Credentials indicate that the practitioner has met certain standards to treat patients through the use of acupuncture.
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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