How Does Acupuncture Work?

How Does Work?
By Jerry Hall

Acupuncture is a complex intervention that may vary for
different patients with similar chief complaints. The number and
length of treatments and the specific points used may vary among
individuals and during the course of treatment. Given this
reality, it is perhaps encouraging that there exist a number of
studies of sufficient quality to assess the efficacy of
acupuncture for certain conditions.

As with other types of interventions, some individuals are poor
responders to specific protocols. Both animal and
human laboratory and clinical experience suggest that the
majority of subjects respond to acupuncture, with a minority not
responding. Some of the clinical research outcomes, however,
suggest that a larger percentage may not respond. The reason for
this paradox is unclear and may reflect the current state of the
research.

Assessing the usefulness of a medical intervention in practice
differs from assessing formal efficacy. In conventional
practice, clinicians make decisions based on the characteristics
of the patient, clinical experience, potential for harm, and
information from colleagues and the medical literature. In
addition, when more than one treatment is possible, the
clinician may make the choice taking into account the patient's
preferences. While it is often thought that there is substantial
research evidence to support conventional medical practices,
this is frequently not the case. This does not mean that these
treatments are ineffective. The data in support of acupuncture
are as strong as those for many accepted Western medical
therapies.

One of the advantages of is that the incidence of
adverse effects is substantially lower

than that of many drugs
or other accepted medical procedures used for the same
conditions. As an example, musculoskeletal conditions, such as
fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, and tennis elbow, or
epicondylitis, are conditions for which may be
beneficial. These painful conditions are often treated with,
among other things, anti-inflammatory medications (aspirin,
ibuprofen, etc.) or with steroid injections. Both medical
interventions have a potential for deleterious side effects but
are still widely used and are considered acceptable treatments.
The evidence supporting these therapies is no better than that
for acupuncture.

In addition, ample clinical experience, supported by some
research data, suggests that may be a reasonable
option for a number of clinical conditions. Examples are
postoperative pain and myofascial and low back pain. Examples of
disorders for which the research evidence is less convincing but
for which there are some positive clinical trials include
addiction, stroke rehabilitation, carpal tunnel syndrome,
osteoarthritis, and headache. 

Acupuncture treatment for many conditions such as asthma or
addiction should be part of a comprehensive management program.

About the Author: originated in China more than
2,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest and most commonly
used medical procedures in the world. Does it Really Work? Find
out at http://AcupuncturePoint.smartreviewguide.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com

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