5 Medical Conditions You Can Treat With Acupuncture

Acupuncture, a technique based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), involves inserting ultra-thin needles through the skin at specific points of the body to relieve discomfort and pain caused by certain medical conditions. 

Take a look at how this miracle technique can benefit you.  

1. It May Control Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV)

Chemotherapy has a range of side effects —  the most common and distressing is Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV). 

CINV can affect 60-80% of patients with cancer. While there have been substantial advances in pharmacologic antiemetic therapy, additional treatment is often required to control chemotherapy’s side effects.

Several controlled medical trials that tested 1 or 2 acupuncture points indicate that this medical procedure can reduce the number of people experiencing Chemotherapy-Induced Vomiting by alleviating chemotherapy-induced nausea.

Since the clinical relevance of these results is rather limited, more research is required to test the effectiveness of acupuncture for CINV. 

2. It May Relieve Fatigue and Anxiety in Fibromyalgia(FM) Patients

Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain. It usually causes fatigue, anxiety, and sleep, memory, and mood issues. While modern medicine provides some relief, treatments often come with their own list of side effects. 

To tackle the side effects of FM and modern medicine, one can turn to acupuncture. 

A small study conducted by Mayo Clinic tested 50 patients with fibromyalgia. Half were treated with acupuncture and half were given fake treatments. Research established that those given the acupuncture treatments had less fatigue and anxiety than their counterparts who went without them. 

The benefits were said to be more pronounced during the follow-up to 7 months from the time of treatment. 

3. It May Improve the Quality of Life of Arthritic Patients 

58.5 million, or 24%, of all U.S adults were estimated to have arthritis between 2013 and 2015. Despite the large population affected by it, arthritis is a degenerative condition with few non-invasive treatment options. This is why acupuncture is often tapped as a possible method for relieving its painful symptoms.

A 2018 systematic review of 43 different studies investigated the effect of acupuncture on rheumatoid arthritis. The review explored the effects of acupuncture on its own and in combination with other treatments. It found that it may improve the quality of life and functionality of people living with this condition.

Furthermore, a 2022 review found that acupuncture and acupuncture-related treatments (ACNRT) could show a significant reduction in disease activity, inflammatory markers in the blood, self-reported pain, and swollen and tender joints. 

Keep in mind that the meta-analysis was conducted based on 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and larger sample sizes are required to attest to its benefits. 

4. It May Relieve Symptoms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a lung disease that can obstruct the airflow in the lungs, causing breathing-related problems. It is preventable and treatable with the help of multiple treatments, acupuncture being one of them.

A 2016 controlled trial of 72 patients tested dyspnea on exertion and health-related quality of life of patients with COPD. 

The patients were divided into 2 groups. One group received real needling while the other received sham needling, and it was found that the quality of life of the former group was better than the latter. Based on these findings, acupuncture could be used as an adjunctive therapy to treat dyspnea or shortness of breath in patients with COPD. 

5. It May Reduce the Intensity of Period Pain 

During menstruation, the womb’s muscular wall contracts, leading to throbbing, cramping pain in the lower abdomen. 

Around 80% of women experience period pain known as dysmenorrhea and it is classified into two categories: one that allows you to live your life with minor discomfort and another that stems from conditions like endometriosis or uterine fibroids which can seriously impact your overall health and wellness.

Acupuncture can prove to be effective in relieving this pain. 

A 2017 study was peer-reviewed and published in the Plos One medical journal. It examined the effect of manual and electro-acupuncture on 74 adult women with primary dysmenorrhea, whether confirmed or suspected. 

The results showed that women who received acupuncture treatment more frequently experienced decreased period pain and better overall quality of life.

Acupuncture can boost general wellbeing

The acupuncture philosophy holds that the mind and body are inextricable from each other, where thoughts and emotions of the mind can drive physiological responses, impacting emotional and physical health.

1. Reduces inflammation

Acupuncture has been known to reduce inflammation by targeting painful tender points. Furthermore, acupuncture causes the pituitary glands to release cortisol and stimulates the vagus nerve, which in turn encourages vital body mechanisms to activate and reduce inflammation. 

Researchers have successfully mapped neural pathways that demonstrate how acupuncture make a huge difference! 

Some of the medical conditions acupuncture can assist with are: 

• Sepsis 
• Rheumatoid arthritis 
• Osteoarthritis 
• Crohn’s disease 

2. Improves digestion 

Put simply; acupuncture can improve digestive functions, reduce stomach and pancreas inflammation, and nourish related organs. Acupuncture has been proven to be an effective means to treat digestive imbalance that may cause the human body several problems. 

Some of the digestive disorders acupuncture can assist with are: 

• Heartburn 
• Lactose intolerance
• Irritable bowel syndrome 
• Gastrointestinal tract bleeding. 

3. It can help you sleep better.

One of the significant barriers to a sleepless night is emotional and physical pain; acupuncture can help heal this. Different to other conditions, acupuncture targets the root of the problem instead of just treating symptoms. 

It aims to reconstruct your sleeping health by reducing stress and leaving you with a sense of calm and wellbeing, all through restoring systematic balance to your mind-body connection. 

Acupuncture has also been known to treating sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea. 

4. It can prevent future injuries. 

Acupuncture was first known to treat injuries acquired from martial arts; now, acupuncture is used by professional sports teams. This is due to its abilities to effectively treat wounds and prevent future ones from occurring. 

Acupuncture can make a prolonged difference to a person’s general wellbeing by treating deeper muscle tissues in the skin to restore tranquillity to the body. 

Interesting in receiving acupuncture training? The aim of the CPD in medical acupuncture, sports and exercise medicine is to promote the use and enhance your knowledge and understanding of medical acupuncture and dry-needling. Our workshops and online training will instil confidence in acupuncture point selection and dry needling technique and your ability to assess, diagnose and treat a range of musculoskeletal disorder to allow you to be a more successful practitioner.

5. Boosts your immune system.

Finally, acupuncture can help boost your immune system. Through influencing and manipulating your energy flow through reducing blockages, acupuncture restores the necessary yin and yang harmony to your body. Astoundingly, when your energy channels are blocked or impaired, you are more prone to sickness and falling ill. The production of T cells in your brain can be boosted by acupuncture, increasing your white blood cell count when the needles enter your body as they are considered a threat. 

Wrapping Up

Acupuncture can be used to relieve a wide variety of physical issues. In addition to the five health problems in this article, it has also been used to relieve dental pain, headaches, labour pain, sports injuries like tennis elbow, back, muscle, and neck pain, infertility, and irritable bowel syndrome, among other medical conditions.

It’s also relatively cheap, non-invasive, and has no downtime, making it a convenient way to address many ailments that are challenging for western medicine to adequately address.

Are you interested in training in Acupuncture? The CPD in medical acupuncture sports and exercise medicine subscription provides unlimited access to online CPD training in medical acupuncture, dry needling, sports, and exercise medicine for £9.99 p/m.