Top 10 Benefits of Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years, but in the last four decades, it has found new popularity in the United States for treating a variety of ailments. Fourteen million Americans have tried acupuncture as a treatment technique.

Although best known for easing pain, acupuncture has been shown to effectively treat a variety of symptoms, conditions and diseases, including these 10:

1. Nausea during chemotherapy—Several studies have shown that acupuncture is more effective than medications at reducing nausea during chemotherapy.
2. Respiratory diseases, i.e. allergies, colds, tonsillitis, bronchitis and asthma—Some research suggests that because acupuncture can reduce inflammation, it can help with respiratory illnesses.
3. Orthopedic disorders—Some studies showed that people with arthritis experienced less pain with acupuncture.
4. Gastrointestinal disorders, such as hiccups, constipation, diarrhea, gastritis and colitis—A variety of pilot studies demonstrated that acupuncture effectively treats a variety of stomach problems.
5. Neurologic disorders, including migraines—A 2017 study in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that acupuncture was effective for long-term reduction of migraines.
6. Emotional disorders, including depression and anxiety—Studies indicate that acupuncture reduces stress and provides benefits similar to cognitive behavior therapy.
7. Tinnitus—It can be difficult to find effective treatment for tinnitus, but acupuncture is effective in reducing the loudness and severity of tinnitus.
8. Insomnia—The National Sleep Foundation says that acupuncture can help manage sleep apnea and can increase relaxation, making it easier to fall asleep.
9. Addiction – According to the National Institutes of Health, several studies have shown that acupuncture is effective in treating opiate addictions.
10. Quitting smoking—Acupuncture can help reduce the symptoms of withdrawal, suppressing cravings and engaging a relaxation response, making it easier to avoid smoking.

Acupuncture also is known for relieving dental pain, labor pain and menstrual cramps. In addition, it can help with chronic or debilitating conditions that haven’t responded to other treatments.

The research on the benefits of acupuncture continues as doctors and scientists explore the applications of this treatment. In the meantime, most doctors and patients agree—acupuncture can provide a variety of health advantages while causing few side effects, and effectively be used in conjunction with other medical treatments.