World health organization review about Acupuncture clinical trials

The World Health Organization (WHO) published in 2003 a review and analysis of Acupuncture reports on controlled clinical trials.

Already in the year 2003 (!!) Did you know that?

In this review Acupuncture treatment has been proved through controlled trials to be an effective treatment in a list of more than 60 medical conditions, diseases and symptoms.

Do you want to know which medical condition acupuncture has been proved through controlled trials to be an effective treatment?

The review entitled, Acupuncture: review and analysis of reports on controlled clinical trials was classified into 4 categories as shown below:

1. Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proved through controlled trials to be an effective treatment.
2. Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which the therapeutic effect of acupuncture has been shown but for which further proof is needed.
3. Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which there are only individual controlled trials reporting some therapeutic effects, but for which acupuncture is worth trying because treatment by conventional and other therapies is difficult.
4. Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture may be tried provided the practitioner has special modern medical knowledge and adequate monitoring equipment.
   

This is the full categorized list of Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proved through controlled trials to be an effective treatment:

allergies:

Allergic rhinitis including hay fever.

Digestive:

Biliary colic

Dysentery

Epigastralgia

Nausea and vomiting.

Pain related conditions:

Tennis elbow

Sciatica

Low back pain

Facial pain

Knee pain

Neck pain

Postoperative Pain

Rheumatoid arthritis

Periarteritis of shoulder.

Gynecology:

Menstrual cramps (primary dysmenorrhea)

Morning sickness

Induction of labour

Malposition of fetus.

Head:

headache

Pain in dentistry.

internal complaints:

Hypertension

Hypotension

Adverse reactions to radiotherapy or chemotherapy

Depression

Leukopenia.

** It is important to mention that the second category of this report in which the therapeutic effect of acupuncture has been shown but for which further proof is needed, has more than 100 medical conditions. Moreover, since 2003 research in acupuncture has enhances significantly and the list was updates and more condition were included.