Acupuncture – is there any point?

Acupuncture has been around for centuries and is used to treat conditions such as migraines and arthritis; but what health benefits does it bring? According to experts, elderly people should see some hope in this ancient Chinese practice.

Clinicians say acupuncture, which is known to release pain, is particularly helpful to elderly people because they often have a problem taking painkillers which may interact with other drugs they have been prescribed.

Acupuncture is when a therapist inserts needles into various pressure points on the body to relieve particular symptoms such as pain.

According to traditional Chinese philosophy, our health is dependent on the body’s motivating energy, known as Qi, moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of meridians (channels) beneath the skin; when Qi becomes unbalanced, illness results.

By inserting fine needles into the channels of energy, an acupuncturist can stimulate the body’s own healing response and help restore its natural balance.

Numerous studies have found acupuncture to be an effective form of treatment for lower back pain, dental pain, migraines and preventing nausea and vomiting in post-operative adults. However, researchers have not found enough positive results for osteoarthritis and neck pain, and its effectiveness in the treatment of tension headaches is still unclear.

Dr David Peters, clinical director of the School of Integrated Health at the University of Westminster in London, has been using acupuncture for some time.

As a former GP and now primarily an osteopath, he has given a great deal of thought to when alternative approaches should be brought into play.

“We should begin looking for alternatives when conventional treatments are not working, or need to be enhanced or replaced if they have unpleasant side-effects,” Dr Peter says.

However, he maintains acupuncture is very effective for persistent or chronic pain, especially if it is stress-related.

“It helps others with skin conditions and allergies. Patients with these problems, who have tried the usual medications, diet and relaxation therapies without success, should consider acupuncture,” he says.

According to Dr Peters, acupuncture works well for conditions that tend to relapse, such as women’s health problems including hormonal disorders, migraine and odd digestive difficulties.

“Like a lot of complementary medicine, it seems to work well where doctors are struggling to come up with a strong conventional diagnosis,” he says.

Have you ever tried acupuncture? If so, did you see any health benefits to this ancient Chinese practice?