We’ve seen this question around local forums a lot lately. Here’s a great blog post from the experts at Open Circle Acupuncture to answer this question!
TOP 10 CONDITIONS TREATED SUCCESSFULLY WITH ACUPUNCTURE
One of the most commonly asked questions we get when educating about acupuncture is, “What Can It Treat?” This is not always an easy question to answer because in theory acupuncture can help most anything since it has an overall balancing, pain relieving, calming and anti-inflammatory effect on the entire body. But, of course we do see many different conditions at the clinic and have success in seeing certain conditions in particular. So below is our top 10 list for conditions we treat successfully here at Open Circle Acupuncture! Hope you enjoy it and please as always reach out to us if you have questions or would like more information!
The World Health Organization released a report, Acupuncture: Review of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials, which endorses the use of acupuncture for over 200 symptoms and diseases (low back pain, headache, nausea/vomiting, allergic rhinitis, depression/anxiety, side effects of chemotherapy and induction of labor to name a few) and the US National Institutes of Health issued a consensus statement proposing acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention for complementary medicine. Below are the top 10 conditions we see and treat with a high level of success in our clinic.
A 2012 meta-analysis combining data from roughly 18,000 individual patients in 23 high-quality randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for common pain conditions conclusively demonstrated that acupuncture is superior to sham for low back pain, headache, and osteoarthritis, and improvements seen were similar to that of other widely used non-opiate pain relievers.
- Pain: Both Chronic and Acute: Acupuncture is widely known as an effective treatment for low back pain, and for pain in general. We receive a lot of referrals from doctors for the treatment of musculoskeletal pain, and we find that many of our patients are able to reduce or eliminate pain medications and sometimes even avoid surgery when they’ve been treated with acupuncture regularly over the course of a few months.
- Stress, Anxiety & Depression: So many people are in a constant state of stress, that even if they are coming in for the treatment of pain or something else, they most immediately notice that acupuncture is helping them to feel calmer. Recent research suggests that acupuncture stimulates the release of oxytocin, a hormone and signaling substance that regulates the parasympathetic nervous system. It also sends a signal through the nervous system to the brain, where chemicals such as endorphins are released. When the body receives these feel-good and pain-relieving hormones, then the calming effect can go even deeper.
- Headaches & Migraines: Just as with other pain conditions, headaches and migraines tend to get very good results in the clinic. With these conditions it is especially important to identify the underlying causes of the symptom to truly resolve the issue. For some, it’s hormonally related, for others it’s caused by stress or jaw & neck tightness and for some it’s all-of-the-above. Working with lifestyle modifications can deepen the results and help them to last long-term.
- Digestive Disorders & Weight Loss Support: Using acupuncture for digestive problems works by nourishing related organs, reducing inflammation of the stomach and pancreas and improving digestive functions. Because acupuncture addresses the underlying causes of the digestive issue and not just the symptoms, we can often get lasting change, especially if the patient is proactive in making healthy lifestyle changes to diet and stress levels.
- Hormonal Imbalances: i.e. menstrual cycle irregularities, fertility issues and peri-menopause: Acupuncture can help with hormonal balance by stimulating areas of the brain that regulate the HPA axis (Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis). This can help balance hormones such as the thyroid, adrenal glands and estrogen/progesterone). This along with improving blood flow to the reproductive organs and decreasing stress and inflammation can lead to great results with hormonal balance in all different health areas.
- Allergies & Immune Support: Treating allergies, colds/flus and boosting the immune system is one of the things that acupuncture treats with great success. Acupuncture needles stimulate the skin and sensory nerves which are intimately connected to our lungs and our first line of defense. TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) has a longstanding history of enhancing the immune system that is now being supported by modern bio-medical research. Several studies have shown acupuncture to have a positive impact on immune function and infections by increasing white blood cell count and raising antibody formation. This can be very beneficial in the treatment of acute infections, especially in the early stages.
- Sleep Issues: A recent study found that in patients with anxiety, acupuncture increased nighttime melatonin production and total sleep time. The patients who received acupuncture also fell asleep faster, were less aroused at night, and were less stressed. The researchers concluded that, “Acupuncture treatment may be of value for some categories of anxious patients with insomnia.” Another way that acupuncture can help sleep is through its support in relieving pain and in balancing hormone levels, two of the main reasons that people suffer from restless sleep.
- High Blood Pressure: Acupuncture can improve circulation and reduce inflammation. It also relieves stress, all of which have a detrimental effect on blood pressure levels. Some of the current research is promising in suggesting that acupuncture may benefit patients with high blood pressure and lower their risk for stroke and heart disease.
- Detoxication from Addiction (opioids, alcohol, smoking, food addiction): Because acupuncture addresses energy flow and movement within the body, it affects how toxins are moved in and out of our systems. For example, a sluggish liver and intestinal tract allows toxins to hang out in your body longer than they should. Acupuncture can target this weakness and encourage things to get moving. Thus, acupuncture can be used to focus on and support those body systems that aren’t pulling their weight in the detoxification process. It can also support the anxiety, cravings and withdrawal symptoms that are usually associated with healing from an addiction.
- Pretty much anything ending in -itis: If it ends in -itis then that means there is inflammation involved and since reducing inflammation is one of the known benefits of acupuncture then that means we can help! So, whether it’s tendinitis, arthritis or colitis, there’s a good chance they will respond positively to acupuncture treatment.