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Other common name(s):
acupuncture therapy, zhenjiu, electroacupuncture, sonopuncture
Scientific/medical name(s):
none
DESCRIPTION
Acupuncture is a technique in which very thin needles of
varying lengths are inserted through the skin to treat a variety of
conditions. Sonopuncture is an acupuncture technique that uses sound
waves to stimulate the acupuncture sites, or acupoints.
Electroacupuncture uses tiny electrical charges, with or without
needles, to stimulate the same acupoints that are used in traditional
acupuncture. Some acupuncuncturists also use moxibustion, in which
herbs are burned to stimulate acupoints (see Moxibustion).
OVERVIEW
Although available evidence does not suggest acupuncture is
effective as a treatment for cancer, clinical studies have found it may
help treat nausea caused by chemotherapy drugs and surgical anesthesia.
It may also help relieve pain after dental surgery. The technique has
been tested on people who are trying to stop addictive behaviors, such
as smoking or alcoholism, but reports are mixed. It may be useful for
treating headaches, helping in rehabilitation from strokes, and
treating a number of musculoskeletal conditions.
How is it promoted for use?
In China, acupuncture is used as an anesthetic during surgery
and is believed to have the power to cure diseases and relieve symptoms
of illness. The theory and teachings of traditional Chinese medicine
explain that acupoints lie along invisible meridians. These meridians
are said to be channels for the flow of vital energy or life force
called qi (also spelled ch'i or ki, and pronounced "chee" or "kee")
that is present in all living things. Meridians also represent an
internal system of communication that is said to connect specific
organs or networks of organs. There are said to be 12 major meridians
in
the human body. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory,
illness may occur when the energy flow along one or more meridians is
blocked or out of balance. Acupuncture has the goal of restoring health
and balance to the energy flow. There are claims that acupuncture can
be used to treat physical illness, addiction, and mental illness.
Some practitioners in the West reject the traditional
philosophies of Chinese medicine, believing that any relief given by
acupuncture or acupressure (see Acupressure,
Shiatsu,
and Other Asian
Bodywork) is caused by other factors, such as
stimulating
the
production of endorphins in the body. These are natural substances made
by the body which help relieve pain.
What does it involve?
In traditional acupuncture, needles are inserted at specific
locations called acupoints. In order to restore balance and a healthy
energy flow to the body, needles are inserted at acupoints just deep
enough into the skin to keep them from falling out. They are usually
left in place for a few minutes. Skilled acupuncturists cause virtually
no pain. The acupuncturist may twirl the needles, or apply heat or a
weak electrical current to enhance the effects of the therapy.
Acupuncture is sometimes used along with less well-known traditional
healing techniques (see Moxibustion
and Cupping).
Sonopuncture is similar to acupuncture, but an ultrasound
device that transmits sound waves is applied to the body's acupoints.
Needles are not used. Sonopuncture is sometimes combined with tuning
forks and other vibration devices. Proponents claim this approach is
useful to treat many of the same disorders as acupuncture.
Electroacupuncture, considered an enhanced version of
traditional acupuncture, involves applying electrical stimulation, with
or without needles, to the acupoints that are targeted during
traditional acupuncture (see Transcutaneous
Electrical Nerve
Stimulation). Electroacupuncture devices are
sometimes used for diagnosis or
testing.
In acupressure, a popular variation of acupuncture,
therapists press on acupoints with their fingers instead of using
needles. This technique is used by itself or as part of an entire
system of manual healing such as in shiatsu (see Acupressure,
Shiatsu, and Other Asian Bodywork).
In other variations of acupuncture, heat, friction, suction,
magnets, or laser beams are directed to acupoints (see Electromagnetic
Therapy, Cold
Laser Therapy).
What is the history behind it?
Acupuncture began over 2,000 years ago and is an important
part of traditional Chinese medicine (also called Oriental Medicine.)
Originally, 365 acupoints were identified, corresponding to the number
of days in a year, but gradually, the number of acupoints grew to more
than 2,000. Traditional acupuncture needles were made of bone, stone,
or metal, including silver and gold. Modern acupuncture needles are
made of very thin sterile stainless steel and are disposable. In 1996,
the FDA approved the use of acupuncture needles by licensed
practitioners. By law, needles must be labeled for one-time use only to
prevent infection and the transmission of germs.
In China, acupuncture is commonly accepted as a treatment for
many diseases. Acupuncture has also become quite popular in the United
States and Europe, where the technique is mainly used to control pain
and relieve symptoms of disease such as nausea caused by chemotherapy
drugs, but not to cure the disease itself. In 2000, there were an
estimated 11,000 licensed acupuncturists in the United States, with the
number expected to double by 2010. More than 40 states have set up
training standards for licensing or certification to practice
acupuncture. Medicare does not cover acupuncture, but it is covered by
some private health insurance plans and HMOs. There are about 3,000
doctors in the United States who also practice acupuncture.
What is the evidence?
Available scientific evidence does not support claims that
acupuncture is effective
as a treatment for cancer, but it appears it may be useful as a
complementary method for relieving some symptoms related to cancer and
other conditions.
Acupuncture has been the subject of many clinical studies. A
recent analysis of 11 studies looked at the effect of acupuncture in
reducing nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy. The report
suggested that acupuncture may reduce the vomiting that occurs shortly
after chemotherapy is given, even though it had little effect on
nausea. It also didn't seem to help vomiting that happened later
(delayed vomiting.)
A small clinical trial found acupuncture helped reduce the
number of hot flashes men experienced during hormonal therapy for
prostate cancer. There is also some evidence that acupuncture may
lessen the need for pain medicines. A study of headache sufferers
compared acupuncture with standard medical treatment. Those treated
with acupuncture used less pain medicines and missed fewer work days.
However, some recent studies of acupuncture have had mixed or uncertain
results. Part of the problem is that it’s hard to come up with good
control procedures (sham acupuncture) for scientific comparisons.
A number of studies have looked at acupuncture for helping
smokers quit. Experts reviewed studies in which acupuncture was used to
help reduce the withdrawal symptoms from quitting smoking. When the
studies were analyzed as a group, the evidence suggested that sham
acupuncture (placebo) worked as well as real acupuncture for smoking
cessation. Similar results were found when studies of acupuncture for
cocaine withdrawal were analyzed.
Although the scientific evidence is not strong, acupuncture
may prove to be useful by itself or combined with mainstream therapies
to treat headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia,
myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, carpal tunnel
syndrome and asthma, and to help in the rehabilitation of stroke
patients. Further research is needed in these areas.
Controlled clinical studies of electroacupuncture have
suggested that it may help some people with pain after surgery, some of
the nausea related to chemotherapy, and renal colic (pain from kidney
stones.) However, it was found ineffective in a study that compared it
to conventional anesthesia during in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Are there any possible problems
or complications?
When done by a trained professional, acupuncture is generally
considered safe. The number of complications reported have been
relatively few, but there is a risk that a patient may be harmed if the
acupuncturist is not well trained.
Traditional needle acupuncture can
cause dizziness, fainting, local internal bleeding, convulsions,
hepatitis B, dermatitis, nerve damage, and increased pain. Punctured
lungs have happened rarely but have resulted in a few deaths.
Traditional acupuncture also poses risks such as infection from
contaminated needles or improper delivery of treatment. The risk of infection is much lower now that acupuncturists in the United States use sterile needles that are discarded after a single use.
Those who are taking anticoagulants (blood thinners) may have bleeding problems with traditional needle acupuncture. People with cardiac pacemakers, infusion pumps, or other electrical devices should avoid electroacupuncture.
Relying on this type of treatment alone, and avoiding or delaying conventional medical care, may have serious health consequences.
Additional Resources
More Information From Your
American Cancer Society
The following information on complementary and alternative
therapies may also be helpful to you. These materials may be ordered
from our toll-free number (1-800-ACS-2345).
References
Anonymous. United States Acupuncture Laws by State. Available
at: http://www.acupuncture.com/statelaws/statelaw.htm.
Accessed 3/09/07.
American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. Available at
http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/aama_marf/aama_membership.html.
Accessed 3/09/07.
Barrett S. Acupuncture, qigong, and "chinese medicine."
Quackwatch Web site. Available at: http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/acu.html. Accessed
3/09/07.
Dincer F, Linde K. Sham interventions in randomized clinical
trials of acupuncture – a review. Complement Ther Med.
2003 Dec;11(4):235-42.
Ernst E (ed) The Desktop Guide to Complementary and
Alternative Medicine. New York, NY: Mosby 2001.
Ernst G, Strzyz H, Hagmeister H., Incidence of adverse
effects during acupuncture therapy & ndash; a multicentre
survey. Complement Ther Med. 2003 Jun;11(2):93-7.
Gates S, Smithe LA, Foxcroft DR. Auricular acupuncture for cocaine dependence. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006 Jan 25;(1):CD005192
Ezzo JM, Richardson MA, Vickers A., et al. Acupuncture-point stimulation for chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006 Apr 19;(2).
Gejervall AL, Stener-Victorin E, Moller A, Janson PO, Werner
C, Bergh C. Electro-acupuncture versus conventional analgesia: a
comparison of pain levels during oocyte aspiration and patients'
experiences of well-being after surgery. Hum Reprod.
2005 Mar;20(3):728-35. Epub 2004 Dec 17.
Hammar M, Frisk J, Grimas O, Hook M, Spetz AC, Wyon Y.
Acupuncture treatment of vasomotor symptoms in men with prostatic
carcinoma: a pilot study. J Urol. 1999;161:853-856.
He JP, Friedrich M, Ertan AK, Muller K, Schmidt W.
Pain-relief and movement improvement by acupuncture after ablation and
axillary lymphadenectomy in patients with mammary cancer. Clin
Exp Obstet Gynecol. 1999;26:81-84.
Kemper KJ, Sarah R, Silver-Highfield E, et al. On Pins and Needles? Pediatric Pain Patients' Experience With Acupuncture. Pediatrics 2000;105;941-947
National Institutes of Health National Center for
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Clearing House. Acupuncture
Information Package. National Institutes of Health Web site. Available
at: http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/. Accessed 3/09/07.
Sherman KJ, Cherkin DC, Eisenberg DM, et al. The Practice of Acupuncture: Who Are
the Providers and What Do They Do? Ann of Fam Med. 2005; 3 (2) 151-158.
Vickers AJ, Rees RW, Zollman CE, McCarney R, Smith CM, Ellis
N, Fisher P, Van Haselen R. Acupuncture for chronic headache in primary
care: large, pragmatic, randomised trial. BMJ. 2004
Mar 27;328(7442):744. Epub 2004 Mar 15.
White AR, Rampes H, Campbell JL. Acupuncture and related interventions for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006 Jan 25; (1): CD000009.
Note: This information may not
cover all possible claims, uses, actions, precautions, side effects or
interactions. It is not intended as medical advice, and should not be
relied upon as a substitute for consultation with a doctor who is
familiar with your medical situation.
Revised: 5/23/07
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