In the minds of most people who are not familiar with holistic medicine, in particular traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), TCM are used only for wellness improvement and rejuvenation, not when you really have diseases. That's certainly not true. Historically, Chinese are pragmatic people, they live with, utilize, and benefit from TCM to treat diseases and save their lives, not just for wellness maintenance and relaxation -- the way we see most spas and beauty products today. The effectiveness for illness, both chronic and acute, was testified already through 3000+ year empirical clinical trials. I'm focusing on chronic conditions more because the limitations of how TCM is practiced here in the US, where conventional medicine take most responsibility and have the capacity for urgent and emergency care.
The NIH Consensus Statement on Acupuncture
In 1997 the U.S. National Institutes of Health published a Consensus Statement on the use and effectiveness of acupuncture for a variety of conditions.
Conditions Treated
In the hands of a well-trained practitioner, acupuncture has much broader applications beyond pain relief. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the use of acupuncture in the treatment of a wide range of common illnesses including:
- Upper Respiratory Tract
- Acute sinusitis
- Acute rhinitis
- Common Cold and Flu
- Acute tonsillitis
- Respiratory System
- Acute bronchitis
- Bronchial asthma (Most effective in children and uncomplicated conditions.)
- Eye Disorders
- Acute conjunctivitis
- Central Retinitis Myopia (in children)
- Cataracts (without complications)
- Mouth Disorders
- Toothache
- Post Extraction Pain
- Gingivitis
- Acute and Chronic Pharyngitis
- Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Spasms of esophagus
- Hiccough
- Gastroptosis
- Acute and Chronic Gastritis
- Gastric Hyperacidity
- Chronic Duodenal Ulcer (pain relief)
- Acute Duodenal Ulcer (without complications)
- Acute and Chronic Colitis
- Acute Bacillary Dysentery
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Paralytic Ileus
- Neurologic and Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Headache and Migraine
- Trigeminal Neuralgias
- Facial Palsy (early stage, i.e., within 3-6 months)
- Pareses Following a Stroke
- Peripheral Neuropathies
- Sequelae of Poliomyelitis (early stage, i.e., within 6 months)
- Meniere's Disease
- Neurogenic Bladder Dysfunction
- Nocturnal Enuresis (bedwetting)
- Intercostal Neuralgia
- Cervicobrachial Syndrome
- Frozen Shoulder
- Tennis Elbow
- Sciatica
- Low Back Pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Back and Knee Pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic Fatigue
- Sports Injuries and Pains
- Reproductive & Gynecological Conditions
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps)
- Spotting and Excessive Bleeding
- Amenorrhea (Loss of Menstrual Period)
- Impotence
- Infertility
- Incontinence
- Prostatis
- Mental & Emotional Problems
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Addictions
- Eating Disorders
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Drugs
The World Health Organization Interregional Seminar compiled the above list of illnesses that may benefit from acupuncture treatment. The list is only a partial list and is based on clinical experience, and not necessarily on controlled clinical research. The inclusion of specific diseases are not meant to indicate the extent of acupuncture's efficacy in treatment, since all conditions may vary in severity and response.
Source: World Health Organization. Viewpoint on Acupuncture. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, 1979.
Women's Health
A woman's body goes through many cycles in the course of a lifetime. From the onset of puberty, to pregnancy, and finally menopause, with years of menstruation in between, a woman's body and hormones are in a constant state of change. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can restore balance at any stage of a woman's life. TCM has been proven to have a positive effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, the body's mechanism that is responsible for keeping the female reproductive system in balance.
Women's health issues respond exceptionally well to TCM. Today, traditional protocols are combined with advances in Western medical science to maximize the success of treatments.
Treatable Conditions
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), acupuncture treatment has proven effective in addressing many common health issues. Our alternative medicine provides pain and stress relief. The following is a partial list of conditions often treated according to ACTCM in San Francisco:
Upper-respiratory: Common Cold, Cough, Asthma, Bronchitis, Influenza
Uro-Genital /Gynecology: Pregnancy Support, Fertility, Irregular Menstruation, PMS, Menopause, OBGYN Disorders, Incontinence, Urinary Dysfunction, Prostate Dysfunction
Gastrointestinal: Diarrhea, Constipation, Ulcers, Acid Reflux, Colitis, Dysentery, Gastritis, Indigestion, IBS, Vomiting, Nausea, Poor Appetite, Gallstones
Cardiovascular: Heart Disease, Hyper-/Hypotension, Tachycardia
Immune Deficiency: Allergies, Chronic Fatigue, Lupus, HIV, Chemotherapy Support, Auto-immune Diseases
Mental / Emotional Health: Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Panic Attacks, Memory Loss, Insomnia, OCD, PTSD, SAD, ADD/ADHD, Stress
Musculo-skeletal: Neck/back Pain, Headaches, Bursitis, Tendonitis, Fibromyalgia, Frozen Shoulder, Migraine, Tennis Elbow, Work/sports Injury, Arthritis, Sciatica, Sprain/strain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Endocrine: Diabetes, Thyroid Disease, Hormonal Imbalances
Eyes, Ear, Nose and Throat: Tinnitus, Sore Throat, Tonsillitis, Canker Sore, Eye Disorders, Dental Pain, Toothache, Gingivitis
Neurology: Neuropathy, Bell’s Palsy, Stroke, Numbness, Pain, Paralysis
Addiction: Smoking Cessation, Chemical Dependency Treatment
One acupuncturist's short answer on What Does Traditional Chinese Medicine Most Commonly Treat at your clinic?
“Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treats a number of issues and approaches treating ailments from a holistic perspective. A variety of symptoms are treatable such as pain, IBS, colitis, infertility, neuropathy, arthritis, insomnia, stress and depression. TCM can treat chronic and/or acute problems as well.”
Source:
http://www.northshoreacupuncture.com/conditions_treated.php
https://www.actcm.edu/clinic/treatable/
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/chinesemed.htm
https://www.forbes.com/sites/margauxlushing/2018/06/18/what-is-traditional-chinese-medicine-and-what-can-it-treat/#5d9b3d6d6e5d
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