“It has been estimated that there is a 17-year time lag in translating clinical research into clinical practice[i]. During this time patients are being deprived of the benefit of a proven therapy. Health policy makers now have eight clear conditions associated with a significant burden of disease where acupuncture should be integrated into current clinical guidelines without further delay” [ii].
J.McDonald and S.Janz
What conditions can acupuncture effectively treat?
In 2017 “The Acupuncture Evidence Project” was commissioned by AACMA. Conducted by J. Mcdonald and S.Janz by AACMA, to date it is the most thorough review of acupuncture that exists.
Strong evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture for
- Post-operative pain
- Post-operative nausea and vomiting
- Chronic lower back pain
- Knee osteoarthritis pain
- Tension headaches
- Migraines
- Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV)
- Allergic rhinitis
Moderate evidence supporting acupuncture for
- Acute low back pain
- Acute stroke
- Ambulatory anaesthesia
- Anxiety
- Aromatase-inhibitor-induced arthralgia
- Asthma in adults
- Back or pelvic pain during pregnancy
- Cancer pain
- Cancer-related fatigue
- Constipation
- Craniotomy anaesthesia
- Depression (with antidepressants)
- Dry eye
- Hypertension (with medication)
- Insomnia
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Labour pain
- Lateral elbow pain
- Menopausal hot flushes
- Modulating sensory perception thresholds
- Neck pain (NAD, not WAD)
- Obesity
- Perimenopausal & postmenopausal insomnia
- Plantar heel pain
- Post-stroke insomnia
- Post-stroke shoulder pain
- Post-stroke spasticity
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Prostatitis pain/chronic pelvic pain syndrome
- Recovery after colorectal cancer resection
- Restless leg syndrome
- Schizophrenia (with antipsychotics)
- Sciatica
- Shoulder impingement syndrome (early stage) (with exercise)
- Shoulder pain
- Smoking cessation (up to 3 months)
- Stroke rehabilitation
- Temporomandibular pain
For a quick summary about the Acupuncture Evidence Project click here
For further reading on acupuncture research click here
Deakin Acupuncture &
Oriental Medicine Centre
level 1, Suite 22 "Deakin Court"
27 Hopetoun Cct, Deakin ACT 2600
ph 0419 998 574
AACMA member 1474
