conditions benefitting from acupuncture

new studies proving the efficacy of acupuncture are published regularly. if the condition or health concern for which you are seeking treatment does not appear here, this does not mean that acupuncture and traditional chinese medicine will not benefit you.

if you have any questions about how acupuncture can benefit your health please feel free to contact bloom acupuncture for assistance or to set up an appointment for a treatment or a free consultation.

the world health organization (who) recognizes acupuncture and traditional chinese medicine as effective in treating a wide range of common illnesses including, but not limited to:

addiction & dependence disorders

alcohol
drugs (cocaine, heroin, opium)
food
nicotine & tobacco

bone, muscle, joint & nervous system disorders

bell’s palsy
carpal tunnel syndrome
chronic fatigue syndrome
dental pain
dizziness
facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)
facial spasm
fasciitis
fibromyalgia
frozen shoulder
gouty arthritis
headache & migraine
insomnia
knee pain
low back pain
meniere’s disease
neck pain
neurogenic bladder dysfunction
nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting)
pareses (following a stroke)
periarthritis of shoulder
peripheral neuropathies
postoperative pain
radicular & pseudoradicular pain syndrome
rheumatoid arthritis
sciatica
shoulder pain
spine pain
sprains
stiff neck
temporomendibular joint dysfunction
tennis elbow
trigeminal neuralgias

circulatory & blood disorders

anemia
angina pectoris
arteriosclerosis
hyperlipidemia
hypertension (high blood pressure)
hypotension (low blood pressure)

dermatological disorders

acne vulbaris
neurodermatitis
pruritis

emotional & psychological disorders

anxiety
depression
insomnia
schizophrenia
stress

endocrine disorders

diabetes mellitus, non-insulin-dependent
obesity

eye, ear, mouth & throat disorders

acute conjunctivitis
cataracts
dry eyes
earache
tinnitus

gastrointestinal disorders

abdominal pain
acute bacillary dysentery
acute chronic gastritis
acute duodenal ulcer (without complications)
biliary colic
cholecystitis, chronic, with acute exacerbation
cholelithiasis
chronic duodenal ulcer (pain relief)
constipation
diarrhea
gastric hyperacidity (acid reflux)
gastrokinetic disturbance
hiccough
irritable bowel syndrome (ibs)
morning sickness
nausea & vomiting
peptic ulcer (pain relief)
ulcerative colitis

gynecological disorders

amenorrhea (loss of menstrual period)
dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps & pain)
induction of labor
infertility
labor pain
lactation (deficiency)
malposition of fetus (correction of)
polycystic ovary syndrome
premenstrual syndrome (pms)
spotting & excessive menstrual bleeding

respiratory disorders

acute bronchitis
acute rhinitis
acute sinusitis
allergic rhinitis (including hay fever)
bronchial asthma (most effective in children and uncomplicated conditions)
common cold
emphysema
influenza
sore throat (including tonsillitis)
upper respiratory tract infection

uro-genital disorders

female urethral syndrome
impotence
incontinence
infertility (male & female)
prostatitis
retention of urine
sexual dysfunction
urinary tract infections
urolithiasis

other disorders

adverse reactions to radiotherapy &/or chemotherapy
cancer pain
herpes zoster (shingles)
neuralgia (pain after shingles or other herpes infection)
postoperative convalescence
raynaud syndrome
renal colic
sjogren syndrome
tourette syndrome

a world health organization interregional seminar on acupuncture, moxibustion, and acupuncture anesthesia was held in beijing, china in june 1979. in 1996, a further who consultation on acupuncture was held in cervia, italy.

the participants in these world health organization seminars drew up the above list of diseases that lend themselves to acupuncture treatment. the list is based on clinical experience, and not necessarily on controlled clinical research. the inclusion of specific diseases is not meant to indicate the extent of acupuncture’s efficacy in treatment, since all conditions may vary in severity and response.

if you have any questions about how acupuncture can benefit your health please feel free to contact bloom acupuncture for assistance or to set up an appointment for a treatment or a free consultation.

sources:
world health organization. viewpoint on acupuncture, 1979.
world health organization. acupuncture: review and analysis of reports on controlled clinical trials, 1996.