Common Conditions
Evidence Based Research into Acupuncture for Common Conditions
Headaches
According to the Cochrane reviews (2009) acupuncture for migraines and tension type headaches is effective and was recommended by NICE guidelines in 2012. In 2016, Cochrane reviews found that acupuncture reduces migraine frequency and is as effective as prophylactic drugs. Since 2005, 80+ NHS publications have recommended acupuncture for tension headaches and migraines. (BAcC, 2018)
Sports Injuries/Pain
Lower back pain is the single most common presenting condition for acupuncturists and many parts of the NHS continue to endorse it for back pain. (BAcC, 2018)Â
Yin (2017) also found increasing evidence to support acupuncture for chronic pain including back, neck, shoulder and knee pain whether from injury or other sources.
Emotional Health
Yang (2016) found acupuncture to be effective for post natal depression. According to Smith (2018), acupuncture is highly effective as an add-on to medication for depression.
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Auricular acupuncture is often used for patients experiencing exam or work related stress and anxiety. Kurebayashi (2017) found that it reduced anxiety significantly for work related stress experienced by nurses.
Digestive Issues
The British Acupuncture Council (2018) state that research from multi-centre trials in China (Lin, 2016, Zheng 2018) found acupuncture to be effective at controlling chronic constipation.Â
Acupuncture can help with IBS and chronic diarrhoea (Zheng, 2016, Deng, 2017).Â
Zheng (2018) supports electro-acupuncture as an effective therapy for dyspepsia.
Arthritis
According to a recent meta-analysis, acupuncture was ranked 2nd out of 21 therapies for osteo-arthritic knee pain. 50+ NHS publications since 2005 recommend acupuncture for osteo-arthritis (Birch et al, 2018).
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Acupuncture also treats symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and gout.
(BAcC, 2018)
Other Conditions
Here are some other conditions that acupuncture can treat:
Acne, allergic rhinitis, arrythmias and heart failure, Bell's palsy, cancer care, carpal tunnel, chronic fatigue, colds and flu, COPD, coronary heart disease, cystitis, dementia, eczema, facial pain, fibromyalgia, gout, hypertension, insomnnia, kidney stones, menopausal symptoms, multiple sclerosis, nausea and vomiting, obesity, post-operative pain, PTSD, raynaud's, sciatica, sinusitis,stroke, substance misuse, thyroid disease, tinnitus, type 2 diabetes, urinary incontinence, vertigo.
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