Common Conditions Treated

The most common conditions treated effectively by Acupuncture include:

chronic pain

 •   neck and back pain

 •   migraine headaches

acute injury-related pain

 •   sprains

 •   strains

gastrointestinal problems

 •   indigestion

 •   ulcers

 •   constipation

 •   diarrhea

cardiovascular conditions

 •   high blood pressure

 •   low blood pressure

genitourinary problems

 •   menstrual irregularity

 •   infertility

 •   impotence

muscle and nerve conditions

 •   paralysis

 •   deafness

addictive behaviors

 •   substance abuse

 •   overeating

 •   drug dependence

 •   smoking

surgery

 •   anesthesia

Maryland Patient Survey

The Maryland Acupuncture Society contracted for a patient survey to be conducted in 1999, with the results being published in January, 2000. The Patient Satisfaction Survey - Final Report lists the following thirteen most common conditions for which patients sought treatment from an acupuncturist. Over 80% of the respondants also found these treatments to be very effective or moderately effective.

Thirteen Commonly and Effectively Treated Conditions

 •   Stress/Tension

 •   Depression/Mood

 •   Fatique/Energy

 •   Back Pain

 •   Other Musculoskeletal Pain

 •   Arthritis

 •   Migraine

 •   Other Headaches

 •   Female Concerns

 •   Gastrointestinal

 •   Allergies

 •   Asthma

 •   Health/Wholeness

World Health Organization

A World Health Organization Interregional Seminar on Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Acupuncture Anesthesia was held in Beijing ( Peking ) in June 1979, attended by participants from twelve countries. 

The World Health Organization Interregional Seminar drew up the following provisional list of diseases that lend themselves to acupuncture treatment. The list is based on clinical experience, and not necessarily on controlled clinical research: furthermore, the inclusion of specific diseases are not meant to indicate the extent of acupuncture's efficacy in treating them.

The following is a list of conditions which the World Health Organization determined may respond to acupuncture.

 Upper Respiratory Tract , Respiratory System 

•   Acute sinusitis, rhinitis, tonsilitis, common cold

 •   Acute bronchitis, bronchial asthma

Disorders of the Eye and Mouth

 •   Acute conjunctivitis

 •   Central retinitis

 •   Myopia (in children)

 •   Cataract (without complications)

 •   Toothache, post-extraction pain , gingivitis

 •   Acute and chronic pharyngitis 

Gastro-intestinal Disorders 

 •   Spasms of esophagus and cardia , hiccough

 •   Gastroptosis

 •   Acute and chronic gastritis

 •   Gastric hyperacidity

 •   Chronic duodenal ulcer (pain relief)

 •   Acute duodenal ulcer (without complications)

 •   Acute and chronic colitis

 •   Acute bacillary dysentery

 •   Constipation , diarrhea

 •   Paralytic ileus 

Neurological and Musculo-skeletal Disorders 

 •   Headache and migraine

 •   Trigeminal neuralgia

 •   Facial palsy (early stage, i.e., within 3-6 months)

 •   Pareses following a stroke

 •   Peripheral neuropathies

 •   Sequelae of poliomyelitis ( within six months)

 •   Meniere's disease

 •   Neurogenic bladder dysfunction

 •   Nocturnal enuresis

 •   Intercostal neuralgia

 •   Cervicobrachial syndrome

 •   "Frozen shoulder," "tennis elbow"

 •   Sciatica, Low back pain , Osteoarthritis