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Acupuncture: Potential uses, risks and side effects

May 24, 2023 - McMaster University - 4-minutes

In this 4-minute video, Enoch Ho discusses what conditions acupuncture is thought to work for, the potential risks, and other considerations when undergoing acupuncture treatment.

What's the bottom line?

In North America, acupuncture is most commonly used to treat chronic pain.
There are a number of conditions and symptoms that acupuncture has been said to help with, including anxiety and depression, insomnia, menstrual cramps, migraines, multiple sclerosis and cancer treatment. However, larger-scale trials are required to confirm the benefits.
The risks of acupuncture are low when performed by a certified acupuncturist using single-use disposable needles.
Infection is the number one adverse event.
Other common side effects include soreness and minor bleeding or bruising where the needles are inserted.
Not everyone is a good candidate for acupuncture. Complications may occur for those with bleeding disorders or on blood thinners, those with pacemakers or pregnant women.

Learn more about acupuncture, how it is thought to work and its use as a treatment for chronic pain by watching the full-length video.

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Video Post: Acupuncture for joint pain: Does it work?
Blog Post: Painful knees? What about acupuncture?

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Author Details

Anthony Levinson

Dr. Anthony J. Levinson is a Professor at McMaster University and holds the John R. Evans Chair in Health Sciences Educational Research and Instructional Development. One of the co-leaders of the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal, Dr. Levinson is also a psychiatrist with a special interest in medical psychiatry and neuropsychiatry. His area of research interest includes online learning to improve healthcare provider and patient education.

Author Details

Enoch Ho

Enoch Ho received his education and training in Hong Kong. He immigrated to Canada in 1991 and since then he has been practicing both physiotherapy and acupuncture in Ontario. Currently, he is registered member in good standing in both the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario and College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario. He is heavily involved with education, teaching physiotherapy and acupuncture courses at McMaster. He supervises students from the School of Nursing, School of Physiotherapy and Labour Study Department at McMaster University in their research projects or clinical placements. Enoch’s research interests are very diverse, ranging from models of care, patient experiences and engagement, to application of acupuncture in various conditions like stroke, myofascial pain, and inflammatory bowel syndrome. He has authored several chapters in acupuncture textbooks and has presented and published his research findings in national and international conferences and journals. Enoch is practicing acupuncture and physiotherapy in Hamilton, Ontario.

References

McMaster Optimal Aging Portal. Painful knees? What about acupuncture? (2019 May 28). Accessed April 6, 2022. Available from: https://www.mcmasteroptimalaging.org/blog/detail/blog/2019/05/28/painful-knees-what-about-acupuncture
Vickers AJ, Vertosick EA, Lewith G, et al. Acupuncture for chronic pain: Update of an individual patient data meta-analysis. Pain. 2018; 19(5):455-474.
Lin X, Huang K, Zhu G, et al. The effects of acupuncture on chronic knee pain due to osteoarthritis: A meta-analysis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2016; 98(18):1578-1586.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Acupuncture: In Depth. (2016 Jan). Accessed April 6, 2022. Available from: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/acupuncture-in-depth
Patil S, Sen S, Bral M, Reddy S, Bradley KK, Cornett EM, Fox CJ, Kaye AD. The Role of Acupuncture in Pain Management. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2016 Apr;20(4):22.
Manheimer E, Cheng K, Linde K, Lao L, Yoo J, Wieland S, van der Windt DA, Berman BM, Bouter LM. Acupuncture for peripheral joint osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Jan 20;(1):CD001977.
Corbett MS, Rice SJ, Madurasinghe V, et al. Acupuncture and other physical treatments for the relief of pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee: Network meta-analysis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2013;21(9):1290–1298.
Chen N, Wang J, Mucelli A, et al. Electro-acupuncture is beneficial for knee osteoarthritis: the evidence from meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Chin Med. 2017;45(5):965–985.
Woods B, Manca A, Weatherly H, et al. Cost-effectiveness of adjunct non-pharmacological interventions for osteoarthritis of the knee. PLoS One. 2017;12(3):e0172749.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported through the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging and funds provided by the Dean and Vice-President, Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University.

DISCLAIMER: These summaries are provided for informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for advice from your own health care professional. The summaries may be reproduced for not-for-profit educational purposes only. Any other uses must be approved by the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (info@mcmasteroptimalaging.org).

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