Authors' objectives:

This bulletin aims to summarise the available evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture.

Authors' recommendations: - 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. - 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. - Acupuncture appears to be effective for postoperative nausea and vomiting in adults, chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting and for postoperative dental pain. - 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. - Acupuncture appears a relatively safe treatment in the hands of suitably qualified practitioners, with serious adverse events being extremely rare.

Authors' methods: Systematic review

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/ehcb.htm

Year Published: 2001

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: England

Organisation Name: University of York

Contact Address: University of York, York, Y01 5DD, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1904 321040, Fax: +44 1904 321041,

Contact Name: crd@york.ac.uk

Contact Email: crd@york.ac.uk

Copyright: Centre for Reviews and Dissemination