Pinning down the effectiveness of acupuncture

by Mary Calvagna, MS

resbrief.gifMore than 2,000 years ago, the ancient Chinese health practice of acupuncture

Desktop 1 HTML

This information may seem incompatible with what you may have heard from friends or family, or even from your own experience. Americans are spending more than $500 million a year on acupuncture treatments, and many feel that they are getting the results they desire.

So, why are the majority of the trials inconclusive? A lot of the problems lie in the methodologies of the studies. Many trials had too small a sample size, poorly defined illnesses, imprecise outcomes, high drop-out rates, and inadequate follow-up

As this study shows, acupunctures efficacy in numerous treatment areas has not been substantiated scientifically. But, acupuncture has produced a plethora of positive anecdotal evidence. If you decide to try acupuncture, discuss it with your doctor. Your doctor may be able to refer you to an acupuncturist. In addition, always check the practitioners credentials. To find information about locating a licensed acupuncturist, visit the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine at www.nccam.nih.gov.

"Acupuncture: theory, efficacy, and practice," by TJ Kaptchuk. Annals of Internal Medicine, March 2002, Volume 136, Number 5, pp. 374-83.