Treatment Efficacy Of Acupuncture

Abstract

A growing body of scientific literature provides strong evidence for the treatment efficacy of acupuncture for several medical conditions. Although it is premature to conclude that these findings are beyond question, the quality and consistency of the research is such that it can no longer be ignored by mainstream medicine. Acupuncture holds the promise of being able to treat certain patients with chronic disease or otherwise difficult-to-treat conditions and to achieve immediate palliative effects with virtually no side effects. Results of randomized controlled trials have found acupuncture to be effective in the treatment of pain, asthma, post-operative nausea, dysmennorhea, and motor dysfunction from stroke. Suggestive evidence is documented for treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea, substance abuse, carpal tunnel syndrome, and cerebal palsy. Recent studies have also elucidated potential physiological pathways of the treatment effect. In recognition of the increasing legitimacy of acupuncture, the Federal Drug Administration removed acupuncture needles from the category of “experimental medical devices” in 1996, and now regulates their use.