What is acupuncture?

     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.   Acupuncture began to become better known in the United States in 1971, when New York Times reporter James Reston wrote about how doctors in China used needles to ease his pain after surgery.

     The term acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques. American practices of acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. Acupuncture involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

 Most people feel minimal or no pain with treatment.  Acupuncture needles are metallic, solid, and hair-thin. People experience acupuncture differently; some people are energized by treatment, while others feel relaxed.  The sensation patients report with an acupuncture needle is much different than what is felt with an injection by a hypodermic needle.  There is no sharp/stabbing sensation with acupuncture.  Patients will often describe an ache, tingle, pressure, or warm sensation with acupuncture.  This sensation is quite mild and comes and goes during the treatment.

     The U.S. 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 qualified practitioners only.

     Relatively few complications from the use of acupuncture have been reported to the FDA in light of the millions of people treated each year and the number of acupuncture needles used. Most complications are a result of inadequate sterilization of needles and from improper delivery of treatments. Practitioners should use a new set of disposable needles taken from a sealed package for each patient and should swab treatment sites with alcohol or another disinfectant before inserting needles. When not delivered properly, acupuncture can cause serious adverse effects, including infections and punctured organs.  This is why it is important to seek treatment from a qualified practitioner. 

     The most common side effects of acupuncture are moderate bruising and/or residual soreness at the needle insertion site.  Bruising is typically quite minor and resolves in a day or two.  Soreness typically lasts an hour or two following the treatment and is also quite minor.  While bruising and soreness are not always experienced by patients it is not uncommon to experience this during the course of your treatment.

What Conditions Can Acupuncture Help?

    In numerous clinical trials acupuncture and Chinese medicine has been scientifically proven to treat the following conditions:

            Low Back Pain                     Neck Pain                                          Sciatica

            Tennis Elbow                       Knee Pain                                          Shoulder Periarthritis

            Sprains                               Morning Sickness                                Nausea & Vomiting

            Postoperative Pain               Facial Pain                                          Headache / Migraines

            Dental Pain                         TMJ Dysfunction                                  Epigastralgia

            Peptic Ulcer                        Gastritis                                              Stroke Recovery

            Renal Colic                         Rheumatoid Arthritis                             Induction of Labor

            Breech Presentation            Reactions to Chemotherapy                  Reactions to Radiation

            Hypertension                       Hypotension                                        Leucopenia

     Conclusive scientific data has proven the effectiveness of acupuncture and Chinese medicine in the fore mentioned conditions.  In a report, Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials, the World Health Organization (WHO) describes three other categories of conditions for which acupuncture should or may be utilized. 

1. Diseases, symptoms and conditions for which the therapeutic effects of acupuncture has been shown, but further proof is needed (68 conditions).  These conditions are effectively treated as in the first category; it's just that more trials are necessary to establish the proof scientifically.
2. Diseases, symptoms and conditions reporting some therapeutic effects for which acupuncture is worth trying (nine conditions).
3. Diseases, symptoms and conditions in which acupuncture may be attemped provided the practioner has additional medical training . (8 conditions)