EHCB 7(2) - Acupuncture

Acupuncture Bulletin on the effectiveness of health service interventions for decision makers NHS CENTRE FOR REVIEWS AND DISSEMINATION NOVEMBER 2001 VOLUME 7 NUMBER 2 ISSN: 0965-0288 Effective Health Care a73 Acupuncture involves the stimulation of specific points (acupoints) on the skin, usually by the insertion of needles. It is widely used in both private and NHS settings. It has been estimated that one million acupuncture treatments are given on the NHS and two million in the private sector in England

each year. a73 In the West, acupuncture is most commonly used for the treatment of chronic pain, particularly musculoskeletal complaints. Whilst there are many RCTs evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture, the majority are of poor quality, and provide conflicting evidence. a73 Acupuncture appears to be effective for postoperative nausea and vomiting in adults, chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting and for postoperative dental pain. a73 Current evidence suggests that acupuncture is unlikely to be of benefit for obesity, smoking cessation and tinnitus. For most other conditions, the available evidence is insufficient to guide clinical decisions. a73 Acupuncture appears a relatively safe treatment in the hands of suitably qualified practitioners, with serious adverse events being extremely rare. This bulletin summarises the research evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture. NOVEMBER 20012 EFFECTIVE HEALTH CARE Acupuncture A. Background In the UK, acupuncture is widely used in both private and National Health Service settings. In surveys of complementary medicine use, acupuncture is consistently cited amongst the most commonly used. 1 Approximately 7% of the adult population in England have received acupuncture. 2 Most acupuncture sessions are provided by specialist practitioners without other medical qualifications, of whom there are over 2,200 in the UK. 3 In addition,...

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