Advantages and Disadvantages of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the oldest techniques used for therapeutic purposes. In acupuncture, specific points or acupoints of the human body are stimulated by using various techniques such as inserting and manipulating thin metallic needles of diameter 0.18 mm to 0.51 mm. Handling of needles can be done either by hand or by electrical stimulation.

Acupuncture has been practiced in China, Japan, Korea and other Asian countries. In US, acupuncture is mostly done for treatment of musculoskeletal pain. According to a survey conducted in 2002, it is estimated that more than 8 million Americans used acupuncture. The US practices acupuncture by including ideas from various practices of the world.

Advantages of Acupuncture

The WHO (World Health Organization) has reported that acupuncture is an effective treatment for therapeutic purposes. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the main idea behind acupuncture is to restore and maintain health by working on vital energy (Qi) points of the body. It is widely used by acupuncturists, dentists, physicians and other health practitioners for relieving pain and several other health related problems. Let’s see the advantages of acupuncture.

One of the most important advantages of acupuncture is that there are no side effects, if carried out by a registered and well-trained practitioner. The NIH (National Institutes of Health) has reported that acupuncture has lower adverse effects compared to the prescribed medications and other medical procedures followed for treatment of the similar conditions.

Acupuncture can be performed in any age group such as children, adults and elderly persons. Usually it does not hurt and is done without disturbing other treatments and medications. Even people who have a compromised immune system can benefit from acupuncture treatment.

Studies have found out that acupuncture can be used to treat both physical and mental illnesses. It is also useful for treatment of chronic diseases. It helps in improving memory, boosting immune system, and in regulating hormones. Many people have reported that they get relief from headache, back pain, joint pain, insomnia, stress and fatigue after completing prescribed acupuncture sessions. It restores energy and increases overall stamina of the body.

It has been suggested that acupuncture is used for effective treatment of osteoarthritis, hearing loss, dental pain, asthma, diabetes, infertility, migraine, tennis elbow, allergies, hypertension and several other diseases. However, more researches need to be done to identify various acupoints of the body and understand the effects of acupuncture on brain during treatment.

Disadvantages of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is safe as far as the procedure is followed by a licensed acupuncturist (practitioner) and the needles used are sterile and nontoxic. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set certain standards for acupuncture needles. It has been recommended that needles should be labeled and properly sealed.

Some of the points to be noted while performing acupuncture techniques are - The practitioner should swab the treatment sites with disinfectants such as alcohol before inserting needles. Needles should be used only once (for one patient) and after completion, needles should be disposed properly.

Every person responds differently to acupuncture and hence, effectiveness of this technique varies for every patient. Some may require doing more than 10 sessions in order to have long lasting benefits. There can be mild soreness in the treatment sites after treatment.

Very rare cases of complications are reported from use of acupuncture. However, certain problems of infection and organ rupture are observed if not delivered properly. Always make sure that the acupuncturist is registered and qualified enough to perform acupuncture, otherwise there may be chances of improper needle placement that can lead to bleeding, swelling and pain in the treatment site.