What is acupuncture good for?

Acupuncture is one of the main components of traditional Chinese medicine.

There are texts describing acupuncture that are over two thousand years old. It is also one of the alternative practices that is becoming accepted by mainstream medicine, particularly to manage pain. According to the AAOM, the American Association of Oriental Medicine, an acupuncturist membership organization, some 15 million Americans have tried acupuncture. There was an NIH Consensus Conference in November 1998 on acupuncture. Their conclusion was that acupuncture was found effective for postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting, nausea of pregnancy and postoperative dental pain. It also added that acupuncture may be effective as a adjunct therapy for several other conditions, including addiction, headache, low back pain, asthma and carpal tunnel syndrome. Other positive presentations were on acupuncture for the treatment of osteoarthritis, musculoskeletal pain, neurological rehabilitation, gastrointestinal disorders, for the induction of ovulation, and the protective effect of acupuncture on immunosuppresion. The World Health Organization lists 45 different diagnosis and diagnostic categories for which they recommend acupuncture.

A study done by Diehl, DL and others from the Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine in 1997, indicated that the top 11 conditions treated by medical acupuncturists were pain related. The most frequent complaint was low back pain. Other successfully treated problems, are headaches, of all types form migraine to muscle tension to allergic headaches, neck problems, arthritis, bursitis, tennis elbow carpal tunnel, sports injury and other strains or sprains. Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, connective tissue disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma have also been treated. I have great success with neuropathy and shingles pain. All forms of upper respiratory illnesses, sinus, allergies, URIÕs, asthma and smoking have all been remedied. Many forms of gastrointestinal problems from difficulty swallowing, reflux esophagitis, irritable bowel, colitis, constipation hemorrhoids and digestion problems have been resolved. Urinary difficulties form incontinence to urgency to prostate problems have been treated. I have been successfully treating gynecological problems such as PMS, infertility, dysmenorhea, and fibroid tumors and dysfunctional bleeding. Ear nose and throat problems such as vertigo, MeniereÕs, acute loss of hearing, ringing in the ears, dizziness TMJ facial pain, Tic Doloreux, trigeminal neuralgia.

I have extensive experience in treating stroke and brain injury. There has been research in many countries including the US on acupuncture helping people recover some of their disability from strokes. I have won an international research award and have published an article in the AAMA journal on acupuncture in the treatment of dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) following stroke. With acupuncture people are able to walk better, talk and take over their own activities again.