The benefits of acupuncture have been documented in a series of acupuncture trials that were completed in Germany in 2005. Initial results from this study, which is the largest and most expensive to date world wide, indicate a higher success rate for acupuncture over standard therapies in easing back pain, headaches, and arthritis of the hip or knee—and with very few adverse effects. In fact, acupuncture treatment allowed patients to reduce their medications.
Don’t Fear the Needles
In movies, acupuncture comes across with a certain occult glamour, seemingly extreme. In fact the treatment is soothing and meditative––more like a trip to the spa than the doctor’s office. The needles are thin as hairs, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and never reused. Patients typically report very little to no pain and indicate the sensation is more odd than uncomfortable. With the needles in place, you lie still for twenty to sixty minutes, relaxing until the doctor returns to remove them. Afterwards, the endorphins inside triggered, you may find it hard not to feel good.
Learn More
Visit the National Institute of Health for more on acupuncture.
Read the NIH Consensus Statement on Acupuncture. This report, issued in 1997, summarizes the first ever series of expert findings by scientists, rather than acupuncturists, in the United States.
