Indications according to acupuncturists in the West
According to the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (2004), acupuncture may be considered as a complementary therapy for the conditions in the list below[29]. The conditions labeled with * are also included in the World Health Organization list of acupuncture indications.[30]. These cases, however, are based on clinical experience, and not necessarily on controlled clinical research: furthermore, the inclusion of specific diseases are not meant to indicate the extent of acupuncture's efficacy in treating them.
- Abdominal distention/flatulence*
- Acute and chronic pain control*
- Allergic sinusitis *
- Anesthesia for high-risk patients or patients with previous adverse responses to anesthetics
- Anorexia
- Anxiety, fright, panic*
- Arthritis/arthrosis *
- Atypical chest pain (negative workup)
- Bursitis, tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome*
- Certain functional gastrointestinal disorders (nausea and vomiting, esophageal spasm, hyperacidity, irritable bowel) *
- Cervical and lumbar spine syndromes*
- Constipation, diarrhea *
- Cough with contraindications for narcotics
- Drug detoxification *
- Dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain *
- Frozen shoulder *
- Headache (migraine and tension-type), vertigo (Meniere disease), tinnitus *
- Idiopathic palpitations, sinus tachycardia
- In fractures, assisting in pain control, edema, and enhancing healing process
- Muscle spasms, tremors, tics, contractures*
- Neuralgias (trigeminal, herpes zoster, postherpetic pain, other)
- Paresthesias *
- Persistent hiccups*
- Phantom pain
- Plantar fasciitis*
- Post-traumatic and post-operative ileus *
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Selected dermatoses (urticaria, pruritus, eczema, psoriasis)
- Sequelae of stroke syndrome (aphasia, hemiplegia) *
- Seventh nerve palsy
- Severe hyperthermia
- Sleep disorders
- Sprains and contusions
- Temporo-mandibular joint derangement, bruxism *
- Urinary incontinence, retention (neurogenic, spastic, adverse drug effect) *
Additionally, other sources advocate the use of acupuncture for the following conditions:
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