Acupuncture may be more effective in treating some chronic pain ailments than previously thought. Researchers in a study published today in the journal Brain concluded that acupuncture helped relieve pain for people with carpal tunnel syndrome. The researchers said the acupuncture helped reduce symptoms by “remapping” the brain.
Full Answer
Is acupuncture effective for pain relief?
For millions of people who live with pain, acupuncture is no longer an exotic curiosity. It's now widely accepted among the medical community. And it's pretty popular with patients as well. A recent survey found almost 3.5 million Americans said they'd had acupuncture in the previous year.
What conditions can acupuncture treat?
Acupuncture is used to treat a number of conditions, including chronic neck, back, and knee pain; musculoskeletal disorders like fibromyalgia; headache; and menstrual cramps.
What is acupuncture and how does it work?
Let’s take a closer look. What is acupuncture? Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medicine-based approach to treating a variety of conditions by triggering specific points on the skin with needles.
Is acupuncture right for You?
If you're deciding if acupuncture is right for you, it's best to be open to its benefits and skeptical of claims it's a magical cure-all. "It should be part of a comprehensive approach to solve problems," Hui says. Acupuncture has long been recognized as an effective treatment for chronic pain.
Why do people use acupuncture?
Some people swear by acupuncture, citing it as a “miracle” to improving their quality of life because it’s said to be able to treat everything from depression and allergies to morning sickness and cramps.
How long does acupuncture last?
The actual treatment portion of acupuncture may last around 30 minutes, though you don’t necessarily have needles in your skin for that long!
What is the certification for acupuncture?
A licensed acupuncturist is required to pass the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) exam or complete the NCCAOM program in the foundations of Oriental medicine, acupuncture, and biomedicine.
What is acupuncture needle?
Paul Kempisty, licensed acupuncturist with a MS in traditional Oriental medicine, explains, “ [Acupuncture is] a minimally invasive method to stimulate nerve-rich areas of the skin surface in order to influence tissues, gland, organs, and various functions of the body. ”. “Each acupuncture needle produces a tiny injury at the insertion site, ...
What is it called when you press a point?
Pressing these points is known as acupressure. Lisa Chan, LAc and certified reflexologist, provided some insight as to which points on your body you can massage on your own. If you’re experiencing menstrual cramps, for example, “hold the hollow of your inner ankle with your thumb, using little or no pressure.”.
Does acupuncture help with cancer?
migraines. Trusted Source. morning sickness. sprains. strokes. Some studies even suggest that acupuncture can help with cancer treatment and multiple sclerosis, however research for these conditions is limited and requires larger studies to confirm the benefits.
Does acupuncture help with mental health?
Thus, acupuncture aims to assist people in achieving balance, or qi, and, as a result, provide relief for many ailments.
What is the goal of acupuncture?
And that's the main goal of acupuncture: self-healing. "Our bodies can do it," says Paul Magarelli, MD, a clinical professor at California's Yo San University. "We are not animals who are dependent on drugs .".
What are the benefits of acupuncture?
Acupuncture has long been recognized as an effective treatment for chronic pain. In 2012, a study found acupuncture was better than no acupuncture or simulated acupuncture for the treatment of four chronic pain conditions: 1 Back and neck pain 2 Osteoarthritis ( your doctor may call it “degenerative joint disease” or “wear and tear arthritis) 3 Chronic headache 4 Shoulder pain
How does acupuncture help women get pregnant?
One study suggests acupuncture can help some women get pregnant by: Alleviating anxiety and stress felt by those having fertility treatment. Promoting blood flow to the uterus.
When did acupuncture start?
Acupuncture -- in which needles, heat, pressure, and other treatments are applied to certain places on the skin -- has come a long way since 1971. That's when the 2,000-year-old Chinese healing art first caught on in the United States, thanks to a story in The New York Times.
Can acupuncture help with neck pain?
Shoulder pain. The National Institutes of Health calls the study " the most rigorous evidence to date that acupuncture may be helpful for chronic pain.”.
Is acupuncture good for chronic pain?
Chronic Pain. Acupuncture has long been recognized as an effective treatment for chronic pain. In 2012, a study found acupuncture was better than no acupuncture or simulated acupuncture for the treatment of four chronic pain conditions: Back and neck pain.
Do I need a license to practice acupuncture?
Most states require a license to practice it. You can get a referral from your doctor. Don't rely on a disease diagnosis you may get from an acupuncture practitioner unless they're also a licensed medical doctor. The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture can provide a referral list of doctors who practice it.
Why is acupuncture so popular?
Acupuncture is widely known for its effectiveness in the treatment of pain. Its unique role in reducing suffering in patients experiencing pain is one of the main reasons it has become so popular around the world. The research is plentiful on the effects of acupuncture on specific painful conditions, as can be seen throughout this website. For acute pain, a systematic review of 13 trials found that acupuncture was more effective than both sham needling and injection with painkillers. 18
Why does pain stop when you have an injury?
It starts suddenly, and when the injury heals, the pain stops. In acute injury, the pain is due to pressure from inflammation in the tissues and nerves at the site of the injury.
Why do nerves send pain signals?
In chronic injury, nerve signals that were active during acute injury continue to send messages that the body is in pain. Although chronic pain is not completely understood, it is potentially due to nerves that have become damaged.
How many people have chronic pain?
Over 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic pain. 1 Nearly one third of American adults experience chronic pain, 2 and almost one in five surveyed Europeans indicated they have moderate or severe chronic pain 3 The three most common sources of chronic pain are low back pain (29%), neck pain (16%), and severe headache or migraine pain (15%). 4
Is acupuncture a referral option?
A meta-analysis of 17,922 patients from randomized trials concluded, “Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic pain and is therefore a reasonable referral option.
Is chronic pain a financial burden?
In addition to the financial burden that comes with chronic pain, the emotional costs to patients and family can be high as well. Chronic pain constitutes a tremendous expense to employers in healthcare and rehabilitation costs, and lost worker productivity.
Is acupuncture better than sham needling?
For acute pain, a systematic review of 13 trials found that acupuncture was more effective than both sham needling and injection with painkillers. 18. %.
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How does it feel?
Acupuncture isn't likely to make you feel like a pincushion. However, the effect it produces, known as deqi—has been difficult to describe. In 2014, researchers at University of California, Los Angeles, evaluated several surveys in which acupuncture patients described what they felt during the procedure. Most common was a dull aching and pressure.
The evidence for acupuncture
Acupuncture is used to treat a number of conditions, including chronic neck, back, and knee pain; musculoskeletal disorders like fibromyalgia; headache; and menstrual cramps.
Disclaimer
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Why do people use acupuncture?
Why People Are Choosing Acupuncture Over Opioids for Pain Relief. The ancient form of alternative medicine is growing in popularity as a viable treatment for a range of conditions. In the midst of the opioid crisis, acupuncture has been growing in popularity in the United States. Primarily used for pain management, ...
What is acupuncture used for?
suggests it can be used to manage certain pain conditions — especially back and neck pain, osteoarthritis pain, and headaches. It’s also been used to treat a range of other conditions. As its popularity has grown, more people in the United States have begun turning to acupuncture when conventional medicine falls short.
How long does ear acupuncture last?
The review concluded that ear acupuncture was linked to an average loss of about 3 pounds. Treatments that lasted longer than six weeks produced the best results. A number of studies are being conducted on the effect of a person’s microbiome — the bacteria inside the body — on weight gain.
What is the NIH trusted source for acupuncture?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Trusted Source. supports research on acupuncture as a treatment for a range of conditions, including hot flashes, pain related to chemotherapy, and tinnitus.
How does a needle work?
The Western explanation: The needle stimulates a nerve, which sends a signal to the brain to release beta-endorphins. These chemicals work as the body’s own opioids, lowering pain thresholds. Another theory. Trusted Source.
Which states have acupuncture?
Rhode Island, Oregon, and Ohio all have programs that extend coverage in part. When Vermont commissioned a small pilot study on acupuncture for chronic pain in its Medicaid population, it concluded that 32 percent of people taking opioids for pain cut back. They were eligible for up to 12 treatments over two months.
When was acupuncture invented?
The first written account of acupuncture, in “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine,” dates to 100 B.C. in China. The theory behind the practice suggests the stimulation of specific spots prompts the body to release a flow of energy, or “qi,” which travels through “meridians.”.