Acupuncture Does Work and is Not Just Based on a Mere Placebo Effect!

Abstract

Acupuncture (a treatment method through stimulation with needles of specific treatment points aimed at energy pathways, the meridians, to bring the body back into balance) has been part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for over 2000 years now. Modern medical acupuncturists trained in the West understand and use acupuncture in addition to or even as an alternative to modern therapeutic concepts. In addition to the mother country of China, acupuncture is used by millions of patients in the US and Germany, and for certain indications simply reimbursed by health insurers. So far, no real physiological mechanism explains its action, although an analgesic effect has been proven. In the current age of evidence-based medicine, this leads to controversial discussions that are usually very emotional and where physician-acupuncturists are often portrayed as quacks. Most studies on acupuncture come from China and are mostly published in Chinese and all too often of poor quality. However, there are also good randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture that show significant effects at least in pain and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).