What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture, which originated in China more than 2000 years ago, is the procedure of inserting needles into various points on the body. The needles are then manipulated by hand or via electrical stimulation. The intent is to relieve pain, treat illness and promote wellbeing.

What is acupuncture good for?

According to the Cochrane Collaboration, acupuncture is an effective treatment for:

• Osteoarthritis;
• Tension type headaches;
• Migraine; and
• Chronic low back pain.

The Australian Medical Association has reported that acupuncture may relieve the symptoms of inflammatory nasal allergies and that there is limited evidence that acupuncture is a useful treatment for anxiety.

"In the United States," says the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, "acupuncture has its greatest success and acceptance in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain." 

This list of proven success stories may not be exhaustive. The Cochrane Collaboration asserts that there is, as yet, insufficient or insufficiently rigorous research about the impact of acupuncture on many other health conditions.

The Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association suggests (but does not scientifically substantiate) that the benefits of acupuncture include:

• Natural healing;
• Drug-free pain relief;
• Effective treatment for a wide range of acute and chronic ailments;
• Treating the underlying cause of disease and illness as well as the symptoms;
• A holistic approach to the treatment of disease and illness, linking body, mind and emotions;
• Prevention of disease and illness; and
• Maintenance of general wellbeing.

How does it work?

Researchers and practitioners disagree about how acupuncture works, and the short answer is that we’re just not sure.

Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine believe that qi (or life energy) flows through invisible channels in the body called meridians. According to the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association, “If the flow of qi in the meridians becomes blocked or there is an inadequate supply of qi, then the body fails to maintain harmony, balance and order, and disease or illness follows.” Acupuncture clears energy blockages and encourages “the normal flow of qi through the individual”.

This is not an explanation that sits well with Western scientific rationalism.

In May 2010, Maiken Nedergaard, a neuroscientist at the University of Rochester Medical Centre in New York, told the Guardian that “The view that acunpuncture doesn’t have much benefit beyond the placebo effect has really hampered research into the technique.”  

Nedergaard and his team of researchers offer a less mystical explanation for the pain-relieving qualities of acupuncture.

“I believe we’ve found the main mechanism by which acupuncture relieves pain,” Nedergaard said. “Adenosine [an anti-inflammatory and painkilling chemical that acupuncture needles stimulate cells to produce] is a very potent anti-inflammatory compound and most chronic pain is caused by inflammation.”

Other scientists have hypothesised that the analgesic (pain relieving) affects of acupuncture may be a result of endorphins released in the brain, or of increases to local blood circulation.

Is it safe?

There is general agreement that acupuncture is safe when administered by well-trained practitioners using sterile needles.

According to America’s National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, “Relatively few complications have been reported from the use of acupuncture. However, acupuncture can cause potentially serious side effects if not delivered properly by a qualified practitioner.”

In Australia, Chinese medicine will become a nationally registered profession from 1 July, 2012. According to Judy James, CEO of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association Ltd, “Australia has very high standards for infection control applicable to health settings, including acupuncture practices.”

However, “National registration cannot arrive too soon. AACMA represents over 80% of qualified practitioners of acupuncture nationally.  We can only regulate those persons who are members of AACMA.

“Without national registration, AACMA is unable to prevent unqualified, unsafe or unethical practitioners of acupuncture from offering their services to the community. Registration can only be good for the public health. It will provide a mechanism to remove unsafe, unethical and incompetent persons from the profession.”