Basically I would say that acupuncture and Asian Medicine could potentially treat ANY disorder, disease or illness.
I am not saying it is a panacea, but Chinese medicine has been worked out over the last 2000 years on billions of people and, as a comprehensive health system inspired by medical geniuses, sages, yogis and healers of the highest calibre, Chinese medicine can treat many conditions andit is certainly not limited to the treatment of pain.
Scientific evidence has been gathered for its effectiveness in the following conditions listed below, but it is important to remember that these reflect what Western trained researchers are interested in testing, which are biased towards musculoskeletal pain conditions.
It is hard for a Western researcher to get funding and approval to run studies showing that acupuncture and Asian medicine could help cancer, heart disease, internal medicine disorders or emergency room presentations, as it is easier to get approval for a study of knee pain. This reflects the difficulty of intruding upon areas of Western medical practice which are economic ‘territories’. I would argue that acupuncturists can help greatly in all these conditions and many more, but the scientific research literature currently points to the following…
According to the Acupuncture Board of California, acupuncture may be effective in the following conditions:
- allergies/asthma
- anxiety/depression
- arthritis/joint problems
- back pain
- bladder/kidney problems
- constipation/diarrhea
- colds/influenza
- cough/bronchitis
- dizziness
- drug/alcohol/smoking
- addiction
- fatigue
- gastrointestinal disorders
- gynecological disorders
- headache/migraine
- heart problems/palpitations
- high blood pressure
- immune system deficiency
- knee pain
- menopausal discomfort
- musculoskeletal injuries
- pre-menstrual syndrome
- paralysis/numbness
- rhinitis
- sciatica
- sexual dysfunction
- side effects of chemotherapy
- sinusitis
- skin problems
- stress/tension
- stroke rehabilitation
- tendonitis
How effective the treatment is depends on the severity and nature of the condition being treated. Acupuncturists are trained to identify conditions that may require referral to a specialist, so it is important for you to provide detailed information about your condition to me so that important medical problems are not overlooked.