What conditions can acupuncture help with?
According to the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, it is indicated for the following conditions:
Respiratory tract disorders
● Acute sinusitis
● Acute rhinitis
● Common cold
● Acute tonsillitis
Gastrointestinal disorders
● Acute bacillary dysentery
● Acute and chronic colitis
● Acute and chronic gastritis
● Chronic duodenal ulcer (pain relief)
● Constipation
● Diarrhea
● Gastroptosis
● Gastric hyperacidity
● Hiccup
● Paralytic ileus
● Spasm of the esophagus
Bronchopulmonary disorders
● Acute bronchitis
● Bronchial asthma (most effective in children and in patients without
complicating diseases)
Neurologic disorders
● Facial palsy (early stage, ie, within 3–6 mo)
● Headache
● Intercostal neuralgia
● Meniere disease
● Migraine
● Neurogenic bladder dysfunction
● Nocturnal enuresis
● Paresis after stroke
● Peripheral neuropathies
● Sequelae of poliomyelitis (early stage, ie, within 6 mo)
● Trigeminal neuralgia
Musculoskeltal disorders
● Cervicobrachial syndrome
● Frozen shoulder
● Low back pain
● Osteoarthritis
● Sciatica
● Tennis elbow
Disorders of the mouth
● Acute and chronic pharyngitis
● Bruxism
● Gingivitis
● Temporomandibular joint derangement
● Toothache, postextraction pain
General
● Abdominal distention/flatulence
● Acute and chronic pain control
● Allergic sinusitis
● Anxiety, fright, panic
● Arthritis/arthrosis
● Bursitis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome
● Certain functional gastrointestinal disorders (nausea and vomiting,
esophageal spasm, hyperacidity, irritable bowel, etc)
● Cervical and lumbar spine syndromes
● Constipation, diarrhea
● Drug detoxification
● Dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain
● Frozen shoulder
● Headache, vertigo (Meniere), tinnitus
● Insomnia
● Muscle spasms, tremors, tics, contractures
● Neuralgias (trigemnial, herpes zoster, postherpetic, other)
● Paresthesias
● Persistent hiccups
● Phantom pain
● Plantar fasciitis
● Selected dermatoses (urticaria, pruritus, eczema, psoriasis)
● Severe hyperthermia
● Sprains and contusions
● Urinary incontinence, retention (neurogenic, spastic,
adverse drug effect)