What problems can be treated by acupuncture/Chinese medicine?
According to the vocabulary of Chinese medicine, treatment is aimed at resolving imbalances of the body’s organ systems and fundamental substances such as qi and blood. However, most people who come to a Chinese medicine practitioner will state their problem in Western medicine terms: “I have a bad back,” “My periods are very painful,” “Can you help me stop smoking?”
Below is a list of conditions which the World Health Organization recognizes as being effectively treated by acupuncture. For most of these conditions, Chinese medicine practitioners would also prescribe Chinese herbs in addition to acupuncture to achieve the maximum effectiveness. In addition to the conditions listed below, Chinese medicine has proven highly effective for weight loss; withdrawal from addictions such as sugar, coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, and cocaine; stress reduction; post-surgical recovery; support for individuals undergoing radiation therapy or chemotherapy; male and female infertility; immune system problems, and many others.
The World Health Organization of the United Nations recognizes acupuncture‘s effectiveness for over 40 common disorders, including:
1) Ear, Nose & Throat Disorders:
Toothaches, earaches, sinusitis, rhinitis, laryngitis
2) Respiratory Disorders:
Common cold, bronchitis, asthma, allergies, emphysema
3) Gastrointestinal Disorders:
Food allergies, nausea, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, ulcers, colitis, Crohn’s disease
4) Circulatory Disorders:
Hypertension, high cholesterol, arteriosclerosis, angina pectoris
5) Urogenital Disorders:
Cystitis, stress incontinence, urinary tract infections, prostatitis, prostatic hypertrophy
6) Gynecological Disorders:
Menstrual irregularities, endometriosis, PMS, infertility, menopausal syndrome
7) Musculoskeletal Disorders:
Low back pain, arthritis/joint pain, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder, TMJ, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia
8) Nervous System & Psychiatric Disorders
Depression, anxiety, insomnia, headache, migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, Bell’s palsy, post-stroke paralysis, dizziness, tinnitus
9) Skin Conditions:
Acne, eczema, herpes/shingles, psoriasis
A ten volume acupuncture manual complied by the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and published in China covers over seven hundred symptoms, conditions and diseases. These conditions and diseases can be treated by acupuncture only or in conjunction with Chinese herbal medicine or conventional western medicine.
