Acupuncture: Is It Effective?

Dr. Douglas Street

Acupuncture has been a part of traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,500 years and has been purported to be helpful for many conditions. Its practice has been 'exported' to the rest of the world, along with many other aspects of Chinese culture. The practice is controversial, but is it effective?

The practice of acupuncture is based on the belief that there are patterns of energy flow (Qi) throughout the body that maintain health. Being ill is an indication that there is a disruption in this flow and acupuncture is used to correct it. It uses extremely thin needles to puncture the skin at meridian points, specific points along these energy flow lines.

Many studies have been done on acupuncture to assess its effectiveness. It has been shown to be effective in nausea and vomiting which result from surgery and chemotherapy, and post-operative dental pain. It has also been shown as a useful additional treatment for stroke rehabilitation, headache, asthma, tennis elbow, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, menstrual cramps and carpal tunnel syndrome.

So how does it work anyhow? Acupuncture seems to influence the peripheral and central nervous system by stimulating release of certain substances. The body produces certain chemicals that are similar in nature to some very powerful painkillers called opioids (e.g., morphine).

These chemicals seem to be responsible for its pain-relieving effect, and this effect can be blocked by medications that block the effect of opioids. They seem to also have some effect on the release of other chemicals which influence the nervous and immune systems. The fact that other factors such as false acupuncture, rigorous exercise, painful stimulus and relaxation techniques can bring about similar effects adds to the controversy around acupuncture.

There are risks associated with the use of acupuncture. There may be bleeding and soreness around the puncture sites. Also, the needles are not to be reused as serious infections can and have resulted from such practice, for example, hepatitis. In addition, organ damage may occur such as pneumothorax (air leaking into the chest cavity from a punctured lung).

There are some situations where acupuncture should not be used. It should not be used in bleeding disorders or when using 'blood-thinners'. It is also best avoided in pregnancy as early labour may be induced. Persons with a pacemaker should avoid using it if electrical stimulation is used during the acupuncture.