Acupuncture is what type of medicine

Hundreds of clinical studies on the benefits of acupuncture show that it successfully treats conditions ranging from musculoskeletal problems back pain, neck pain, and others to nausea, migraine headache, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and infertility.

Case-controlled clinical studies have shown that acupuncture has been an effective treatment for the following diseases, symptoms or conditions:. The following diseases, symptoms or conditions have limited but probable evidence to support the therapeutic use of acupuncture:. Acupuncturist licensure is regulated on the state level. All of our acupuncturists are licensed by the State of California Acupuncture Board and have years of clinical experience in the field.

The best way to discover if acupuncture is right for you is to schedule a visit at the most convenient location -- Scripps Ranch, La Jolla, or Hillcrest. Acupuncture is covered by many health insurance plans, but not all. If your plan covers acupuncture, our staff will bill your insurance company for the service and you will be responsible for any co-payments required.

If your plan does not cover acupuncture, you may still receive the service for a cash fee. Cash, checks and all major credit cards are accepted. Please inquire for more details at It is mainly used to musculoskeletal pain relief especially the neck, shoulder and back.

It is also effective for postoperative pain, migraine headache, anxiety and depression, menopausal problems, nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. Its activity in these different problems and complications suggests that acupuncture does not have a single mode of action and there is a range of effects on various modalities which increases the complexity of both understanding and researching acupuncture 1 - 4. Some western medical acupuncturists believe that acupuncture is as effective as or more effective than standard conventional care 2 - 5 but; when WMA is compared to sham needling, it often shows only a small positive trend.

Western medical acupuncture practitioners explain this contradiction that may be expected since such studies are comparing two forms of sensory stimulation 2 , 4. It seems that western medical acupuncture practice acts like a form of treatment based on neurophysiological principles and for this reason, they consider their practice as a conventional medical method and they claimed WMA is a treatment that can relieve symptoms of some physical and psychological conditions and encourage the body to heal and repair itself, besides, some investigations show that acupuncture is superior to sham needling for specific problems 2 - 5 but in fact; they need more physiological and pathophysiological shreds of evidence for propounding itself as a routine conventional medical practice.

One of the authors is participating in western medical acupuncture WMA training program, but there is no any kind of financial interest. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Caspian J Intern Med. Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer. Key Words: Western medical acupuncture, alternative medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine. Copyright notice. Dear Editor, Traditional Chinese medicine is a practical medicine built on experience. Ask the practitioner about the estimated number of treatments needed and how much each treatment will cost.

Some insurance companies may cover the costs of acupuncture, while others may not. Help your health care providers give you better coordinated and safe care by telling them about all the health approaches you use.

Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. For More Information. Toll-free in the U. Key References. Acupuncture for chronic low back pain. N ew England Journal of Medicine. A randomized trial comparing acupuncture, simulated acupuncture, and usual care for chronic low back pain. Archives of Internal Medicine. Diagnosis and treatment of low back pain: a joint clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society.

Annals of Internal Medicine. Cummings M. Acupuncture in Medicine. Acupuncture for chronic knee pain. A randomized clinical trial. Acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Accessed at www.

Acupuncture for tension-type headache. Acupuncture for peripheral joint osteoarthritis. Acupuncture for chronic pain: individual patient data meta-analysis. Vickers AJ, Linde K. Acupuncture for chronic pain. Acupuncture for patients with chronic neck pain. Effectiveness of acupuncture for low back pain: a systematic review. Other References. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Acupuncture for tension-type headache: a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials. Journal of Pain. Randomized, controlled trial of acupuncture for the treatment of hot flashes in breast cancer patients.

J ournal of Clinical Oncology. Ernst E. Some studies have concluded that acupuncture offers similar benefits to a patient as a placebo, but others have indicated that there are some real benefits. Research carried out in Germany has shown that acupuncture may help relieve tension headaches and migraines. They list additional disorders that may benefit from acupuncture, but which require further scientific confirmation. In , the World Health Organization WHO listed a number of conditions in which they say acupuncture has been proven effective.

Other conditions for which the WHO say that acupuncture may help but more evidence is needed include :. The WHO also suggest that it may help treat a number of infections, including some urinary tract infections and epidemic hemorrhagic fever. The NCCIH advise people not to use acupuncture instead of seeing a conventional health care provider. According to traditional Chinese medical theory, acupuncture points are located on meridians, through which vital energy runs.

An acupuncturist will examine the patient and assess their condition, insert one or more thin, sterile needles, and offer advice on self-care or other complementary therapies, such as Chinese herbs. The patient will be asked to lie down on their back, front, or one side, depending on where the needles are to be inserted. The acupuncturist should use single-use, disposable, sterile needles. As each needle is inserted, the patient may feel a very brief stinging or tingling sensation.

After the needle is inserted, there is occasionally a dull ache at the base of the needle that then subsides.

Acupuncture is usually relatively painless. Sometimes the needles are heated or stimulated with electricity after insertion. The needles will stay in place for between 5 and 30 minutes.