While acupuncture has been studied and used as a treatment in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 3,000 years recently, in Western Medicine, scientific research and practical necessity have caused acupuncture to gain popularity as a treatment.

Acupuncture is the insertion of very thin, sterile needles to various points on the body believed to correspond with related ailments. These points, called acupuncture points, are believed to be near energy channels in the body, known as “meridians”, which, when energy flows freely through them, the body, and health, are considered to be optimal.

In addition to the needles your acupuncture treatment may include pressure, heat, or electrical stimulation to enhance the effects. There are additional, related therapies that are considered complementary to acupuncture such as massage, moxibustion (Ref *1), and the application of topical herbal medicines.

The bottom line for Western doctors and their patients is this:
“Modern research has demonstrated acupuncture’s effects on the nervous system, endocrine and immune systems, cardiovascular system, and digestive system. By stimulating the body’s various systems, acupuncture can help to resolve pain, and improve sleep, digestive function, and sense of well-being.”(Ref *2)

In fact, acupuncture has proven to be so effective that acupuncture is considered a “medical treatment” and employers and insurers MUST PAY for it if it is deemed medically necessary by the referring physician. (Ref *3)

Studies have shown that acupuncture can be successfully used to treat back pain, neck pain, nausea, migraines, anxiety, depression, insomnia and infertility among many others.

Acupuncture is an effective treatment for a wide range of diseases, symptoms and conditions such as:

• Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever)
• Biliary colic
• Depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke)
• Dysentery, acute bacillary
• Dysmenorrhoea, primary
• Epigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, and gastrospasm)
• Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)
• Headache
• Hypertension, essential
• Hypotension, primary
• Induction of labor
• Knee pain
• Leukopenia
• Low back pain
• Malposition of fetus, correction
• Morning sickness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Neck pain
• Pain in dentistry (including dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction)
• Periarthritis of shoulder
• Postoperative pain
• Renal colic
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sciatica
• Sprain
• Stroke
• Tennis elbow

If you are interested in acupuncture as a treatment, Southern California Sports Rehabilitation offers it at multiple offices around Southern California. For more information feel free to visit our Acupuncture page or call (888) 734-2280 to set up an appointment. You can also use our contact form.

References –
*1: Moxibustion
*2: UC San Diego Medical School
*3: Acupuncture Services 97810 – 97814 Remain Compensable