|
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. There are a number of different acupuncture techniques,
including some that use sound waves, tiny electrical charges, and that
may or not use actual needles.
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. According to the theories and teachings of traditional
Chinese medicine explain that acupoints lie along invisible meridians.
There are purported to be twelve major meridians in the human body,
which are thought 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 between specific organs or networks
of organs. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, illness
may occur when the energy flow along one or more meridians is blocked
or out of balance. The goal of acupuncture is to restore health and
balance to the energy flow. Supporters claim 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 the stimulation of endorphin production in the body. Endorphins are
natural substances made by the body which help relieve pain.
What does it involve?
In traditional acupuncture (sometimes called acupuncture
therapy), needles are inserted at specific locations called acupoints
in order to restore balance and healthy energy flow to the body.
Needles are inserted just deep enough into the skin to keep them from
falling out and 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 (see Moxibustion
and Cupping).
Sonopuncture is similar to acupuncture, but needles are not
used. Instead, an ultrasound device that transmits sound waves is
applied to the body's acupoints. 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 is considered an enhanced version of
traditional acupuncture. Electroacupuncture uses tiny electrical
charges, with or without needles, to stimulate the same acupoints that
are used in traditional acupuncture (see Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve
Stimulation). Electroacupuncture devices are
sometimes promoted 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. Acupuncture is
sometimes used along with less well-known traditional healing
techniques, such as moxibustion (see Moxibustion)
and cupping (see Cupping).
Acupuncture may sometimes be referred to as Zhenjiu, which is the
standard Mandarin word for needle (see Electromagnetic Therapy,
Cold Laser Therapy).
What is the history behind it?
Acupuncture began more than 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 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (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 did not seem to help with delayed vomiting.
A small clinical trial found that 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 medicine. 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 can be difficult to come up
with good control procedures—one that convincingly mimics
acupuncture—for scientific comparisons.
A number of studies have looked at the effectiveness of
acupuncture in helping smokers quit. Experts reviewed studies in which
acupuncture was used to help reduce 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 when 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 pain from kidney stones.
However, it was found ineffective in a study that compared it to
conventional anesthesia during in vitro fertilization.
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. Rarely, punctured lungs have happened,
resulting 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, single-use needles.
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 for cancer, 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 found on
our Web site (www.cancer.org)
or ordered from our toll-free number (1-800-ACS-2345).
References
Anonymous. United States Acupuncture Laws by State. Accessed
at: http://www.acupuncture.com/statelaws/statelaw.htm on June 3, 2008.
American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. Accessed at:
http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/aama_marf/aama_membership.html on
June 3,2008.
Barrett S. Acupuncture, qigong, and "chinese medicine."
Accessed at: http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/acu.html
on May 30, 2008.
Dincer F, Linde K. Sham interventions in randomized clinical
trials of acupuncture--a review. Complement
Ther Med. 2003;11:235-242.
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-a multicentre survey. Complement Ther Med.
2003;11:93-97.
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).
Gates S, Smithe LA, Foxcroft DR. Auricular acupuncture for
cocaine dependence. Cochrane
Database Syst Rev. 2006 Jan 25;(1):CD005192.
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;20:728-735.
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. An introduction to acupuncture.
Accessed at: http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/ on March 9, 2007.
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;3:151-158.
Vickers AJ, Rees RW, Zollman CE, McCarney R, Smith CM, Ellis N
et al. Acupuncture for chronic headache in primary care: large,
pragmatic, randomised trial. BMJ.
2004;328:744.
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 your doctor, who is
familiar with your medical situation.
Last Medical Review: 11/01/2008
Last Revised: 11/01/2008
|
