Which Diseases Can be Helped by Acupuncture?
Which Diseases Can be Helped by Acupuncture?
Very few thoroughly completed clinical research trials coupled with poor follow up assessment has resulted in a convoluted and inaccurate success rate of acupuncture treatment for conditions mentioned in the following sections. It is important to note that some conditions respond to acupuncture more than others. It should be understood that acupuncture, like any treatment, does not have a 100% success rate. It is also important to note that some suggestions made to illustrate the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for particular conditions are hypotheses and not empirical data. Acupuncture success rate statistics is not available in some areas, and the data provided is based on the clinical experience of individual practitioners.
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Before utilizing acupuncture as a possible treatment for a condition, it is imperative that a clear and definitive diagnosis is made. With a clear and definitive diagnosis, the acupuncturist can correctly and adequately address the complaint. A clear and objective assessment can then be made regarding the effectiveness of acupuncture for that particular condition. It may be that acupuncture may not be effective or beneficial for that particular condition, and that Western medicine may have a more effective and appropriate alternative to acupuncture. In that case, acupuncture would not be an ideal treatment option for the patient.
Much of the data quoted in the following sections are taken from the results of clinical trials carried out in China. These Chinese clinical trials involve the assessment of a significant number of patients: sometimes up to 10,000. The Chinese also treat their patients for long periods of time. A stroke patient may receive one hundred or two hundred acupuncture treatments before the treatment is declared a success or failure. The success and failure rates of these published assessments are often unclear, and the research is poorly designed.
These factors create difficulty in presenting the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for some conditions. The assessments made in this article are presented in the most objective and empirical manner possible and are used to illustrate the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for some common diseases. Future research work may provide empiric data about the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment option for some conditions. This data may help acupuncture be recognized as a valid and effective form of therapy.