The diseases or disorders for which acupuncture therapy has been tested in controlled clinical trials reported in the recent literature can be classified into four categories as shown below.
1. Diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proved-through controlled trials-to be an effective treatment:
Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapAllergic rhinitis (including hay fever)Biliary colicDepression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke)Dysentery, acute bacillaryDysmenorrhoea, primaryEpigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, and gastrospasm)Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)HeadacheHypertension, essentialHypotension, primaryInduction of labourKnee painLeukopeniaLow back painMalposition of fetus, correction ofMorning sicknessNausea and vomitingNeck painPain in dentistry (including dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction)Periarthritis of shoulderPostoperative painRenal colicRheumatoid arthritisSciaticaSprainStrokeTennis elbow
Abdominal pain (in acute gastroenteritis or due to gastrointestinal spasmAcne vulgarisAlcohol dependence and detoxificationBell’s palsyBronchial asthmaCancer painCardiac neurosisCholecystitis, chronic, with acute exacerbationCholelithiasisCompetition stress syndromeCraniocerebral injury, closedDiabetes mellitus, non-insulin-dependentEaracheEpidemic haemorrhagic feverEpistaxis, simple (without generalized or local disease)Eye pain due to subconjunctival injectionFemale infertilityFacial spasmFemale urethral syndromeFibromyalgia and fasciitisGastrokinetic disturbanceGouty arthritisHepatitis B virus carrier statusHerpes zoster (human (alpha) herpesvirus 3)HyperlipaemiaHypo-ovarianismInsomniaLabour painLactation, deficiencyMale sexual dysfunction, non-organicMénière diseaseNeuralgia, post-herpeticNeurodermatitisObesityOpium, cocaine and heroin dependenceOsteoarthritisPain due to endoscopic examinationPain in thromboangiitis obliteransPolycystic ovary syndrome (Stein-Leventhal syndrome)Postextubation in childrenPostoperative convalescencePremenstrual syndromeProstatitis, chronicPruritusRadicular and pseudoradicular pain syndromeRaynaud syndrome, primaryRecurrent lower urinary-tract infectionReflex sympathetic dystrophyRetention of urine, traumaticSchizophreniaSialism, drug-inducedSjögren syndromeSore throat (including tonsillitis)Spine pain, acuteStiff neckTemporomandibular joint dysfunctionTietze syndromeTobacco dependenceTourette syndromeUlcerative colitis, chronicUrolithiasisVascular dementiaWhooping cough (pertussis)
ChloasmChoroidopathy, central serousColour blindnessDeafnessHypophreniaIrritable colon syndromeNeuropathic bladder in spinal cord injuryPulmonary heart disease, chronicSmall airway obstruction
Breathlessness in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseasComaConvulsions in infantsCoronary heart disease (angina pectoris)Diarrhoea in infants and young childrenEncephalitis, viral, in children, late stageParalysis, progressive bulbar and pseudobulbar