nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/#work
For More Information Any decision you make about your health care is important--including deci ding whether to use acupuncture. The National Center for Complementary a nd Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has developed this fact sheet to provide you with information on acupuncture. It includes frequently asked quest ions, issues to consider, and a list of sources for further information. Terms that are underlined are defined at the end of this fact sheet. Key Points * Acupuncture originated in China more than 2,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest and most commonly used medical procedures in the world. Ask about the treatment procedures that will be used and their likelihood of success for your condition or disease. Also check with your insurer to see if the services will be covered.
Acupuncture is one of the oldest, most commonly used medical procedures i n the world. Originating in China more than 2,000 years ago, acupuncture began to become better known in the United States in 1971, when New Yor k Times reporter James Reston wrote about how doctors in China used need les to ease his pain after surgery. The term acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving stimulati on of anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques. American practices of acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China, Jap an, Korea, and other countries. The acupuncture technique that has been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, sol id, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.
Top How widely is acupuncture used in the United States In the past two decades, acupuncture has grown in popularity in the Unite d States. The report from a Consensus Development Conference on Acupunct ure held at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1997 stated that acupuncture is being "widely" practiced--by thousands of physicians, den tists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners--for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions.
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by Ame rican adults to date--an estimated 82 million US adults had ever used acupuncture, and an estimated 21 million US adults had used acupunct ure in the previous year.
People experience acupuncture differently, but most feel no or minimal pain as the needle s are inserted. Some people are energized by treatment, while others fee l relaxed.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners in 1996. The FDA requires that sterile , nontoxic needles be used and that they be labeled for single use by qu alified practitioners only.
Still, complications have resulte d from inadequate sterilization of needles and from improper delivery of treatments. Practitioners should use a new set of disposable needles ta ken from a sealed package for each patient and should swab treatment sit es with alcohol or another disinfectant before inserting needles. When n ot delivered properly, acupuncture can cause serious adverse effects, in cluding infections and punctured organs.
Ho wever, promising results have emerged, showing efficacy of acupuncture, for example, in adult postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and in postoperative dental pain.
fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, car pal tunnel syndrome, and asthma--in which acupuncture may be useful as a n adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be included in a com prehensive management program. An NCCAM-funded study recently showed tha t acupuncture provides pain relief, improves function for people with os teoarthritis of the knee, and serves as an effective complement to stand ard care.
traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) In the TCM system of medicine, the body is seen as a delicate balance of two opposing and inseparable forces: yin and y ang. Yin represents the cold, slow, or passive principle, while yang rep resents the hot, excited, or active principle. Among the major assumptio ns in TCM are that health is achieved by maintaining the body in a "bala nced state" and that disease is due to an internal imbalance of yin and yang.
It is believed that there are 12 main meridians and 8 secondary meridians and that there are more tha n 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body that connect with them.
Preclinical studies have documented acupuncture's effects, but they h ave not been able to fully explain how acupuncture works within the fram ework of the Western system of medicine that is commonly practiced in th e United States.
In addition, studies have shown that acupu ncture may alter brain chemistry by changing the release of neurotransmi tters and neurohormones and, thus, affecting the parts of the central ne rvous system related to sensation and involuntary body functions, such a s immune reactions and processes that regulate a person's blood pressure , blood flow, and body temperature.
Health care practitioners can be a resource for referral to acupuncturist s More medical doctors, including neurologists, anesthesiologists, and specialists in physical medicine, are becoming trained in acupuncture, T CM, and other CAM therapies. In addition, national acupuncture organizat ions (which can be found through libraries or Web search engines) may pr ovide referrals to acupuncturists. 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.
A practitioner should inform you about the estimated number of treatments needed and how much each will cost. Treatment may take place over a few days or for several we eks or more. Physician acupuncturists may charge more than nonphysician practitioners.
Acupuncture is one of the CAM therapies that are more commonly covered by insurance. However, you should check with your insurer before you start treatment to see whether acupuncture will be covered for your condition and, if so, to what extent. Some insurance plans require preauthorizati on for acupuncture.
During your first office visit, the practitioner may ask you at length ab out your health condition, lifestyle, and behavior. The practitioner wil l want to obtain a complete picture of your treatment needs and behavior s that may contribute to your condition. Inform the acupuncturist about all treatments or medications you are taking and all medical conditions you have.
Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, and alternative me dicine is used in place of conventional medicine. Some health care provi ders practice both CAM and conventional medicine. Conventional medicine: A whole medical system practiced by holders of MD . Other terms for conventional medicine include all opathy; Fibromyalgia: A complex chronic condition having multiple symptoms, inclu ding muscle pain, fatigue, and tenderness in precise, localized areas, p articularly in the neck, spine, shoulders, and hips. People with this sy ndrome may also experience sleep disturbances, morning stiffness, irrita ble bowel syndrome, anxiety, and other symptoms. Meridian: A traditional Chinese medicine term for each of the 20 pathways throughout the body for the flow of qi, or vital energy, accessed throu gh acupuncture points. Placebo: An inactive pill or sham procedure given to a participant in a r esearch study as part of a test of the effects of another substance or t reatment. Scientists use placebos to get a true picture of how the subst ance or treatment under investigation affects participants. In recent ye ars, the definition of placebo has been expanded to include such things as aspects of interactions between patients and their health care provid ers that may affect their expectations and the study's outcomes. Preclinical study: A study done to obtain information about a treatment's safety and side effects when given at different doses to animals or to cells grown in the laboratory. In traditional Chinese medicine, qi (pronounced "chee") is believed to ...
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