Health Benefits of Acupuncture

RECENT STUDIES ON ACUPUNCTURE

Also visit our page on Health Benefits: Acupuncture for Specific Conditions

Acupuncture is both a specific and a holistic treatment. As such it can treat a wide variety of conditions. We practice acupuncture both as a stand alone medical system, and in conjunction with treatments you may be receiving from other practitioners and Medical Doctors.

On this page we will make note of recent studies that have shown the effectiveness of acupuncture for specific conditions. These studies are helpful in showing the value of acupuncture in treating patients, but the studies referenced below are by no means the only studies that have been carried out, nor do they limit the types of conditions that we successfully treat everyday.

A SAMPLING OF RECENT STUDIES OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture Found Effective for Back Pain: Study finds it superior to usual care. -- Read the Review in Acupuncture Today | Click Here

The two studies review are:

Archives of Internal Medicine, May 2009
A randomized trial comparing acupuncture, simulated acupuncture , and usual care for chonic low back pain
This new study showed that acupuncture treatment for chronic low back pain was more effective than standard treatments. It is recommended that acupuncture be used for treatment, alone or in conjunction with physical therapy.
(Cherkin DC, Sherman KJ, Avins AL, et al. A randomized trial comparing acupuncture, simulated acupuncture , and usual care for chonic low back pain. Arch Intern Med. 2009 May 11; 169(9):858-66)
See also: (Yuan J. Purepon N, Kerr DP, et al. Efectiveness of acupuncture for low back pain: a systematic review. Spine. 2008 Nov 1; 33(23):E887-900.)

British Medical Journal, February 2008
Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis
Seven trials with 1366 women undergoing in vitro fertilisation were included in the meta-analyses. There was little clinical heterogeneity. Trials with sham acupuncture and no adjuvant treatment as controls were pooled for the primary analysis. Complementing the embryo transfer process with acupuncture was associated with significant and clinically relevant improvements in clinical pregnancy.
(BMJ, doi:10.1136/bmj.39471.430451.BE (published 7 February 2008) Read the Full Article | Click Here

ACUPUNCTURE FOR POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Michael Hollifield, Nityamo Sinclair-Lian, Teddy D. Warner, and Richard Hammerschlag, "Acupuncture for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial." The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, June 2007. For more information | Click Here
A pilot study shows that acupuncture may help people with posttraumatic stress disorder. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.

ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVES SYMPTOMS OF FIBROMYALGIA
A recent investigation into the effectiveness of acupuncture for fibromyalgia was conducted by researchers at the Mayo Clinic. Acupuncture provided significant improvements in a variety of symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, with the effects of care often lasting several months. "Our study was performed on patients with moderate to severe fibromylagia. It's my speculation that if acupuncture works for these patients with recalcitrant fibromyalgia -- where previous treatments had not provided satisfactory relief -- it would likely work for many of the millions of fibromyalgia patients," said Dr. David Martin, the study's lead investigator. reference: Martin DP, Sletten CD, Williams BA, et al. Acupuncture Improves Symptoms of Fibromyalgia: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Abstract#1260-P120. Presented at the 11th World Congress on Pain, Sydney, Australia, 2005. Available http://iasp-pain.org See also link at http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/GeneralRheumatology/tb/3564

PATIENTS WITH TENSION HEADACHES BENEFIT FROM ACUPUNCTURE
A large scale study published in the Aug. 13, 2005 issue of the British Medical Journal found significant benefit of acupuncture for the treatment of tension headaches. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) this is the most common type of headache suffered by patients in the US. Treatment by both 'standard' acupuncture practice, and 'minimal' acupuncture treatment provided at least several months relief to patients. Specific acupuncture protocols were tested, giving practitioners a basis for reliable treatment. While acupuncture has long been used to successfully treat migraine type headaches, this study is an important test of acupuncture treatment of the less debilitating, but more chronic and common tension type headache.

References:
Melchar D, Streng A, Hoppe A, et al. Acupuncture in Patients with tension-type headache: randomized controlled trial. British Medical Journal. Aug. 13, 2005; 331:376-382.
Tension Headache <www.nlm.nih.gov/melineplus/ency/article/000797.htm>
Tension Headaches <http://my.webmd.com/hw/migraines/rt1024.asp>

HARMONY POINT ACUPUNCTURE & ORIENTAL MEDICINE
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