Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a holistic system of treatment which addresses your specific needs.  At each appointment any changes that have taken place since your previous visit are monitored.  Pulse analysis, tongue analysis and answering a few specific questions are necessary to ensure appropriate treatment.  Any medication you are taking at the time should also be given on the induction form. 

Needle Information:

Acupuncture needles are sterilised, one use only and individually wrapped.

The needles are solid, thin and made of surgical steel. 

Once used they are disposed of in a sharps container and finally incinerated.

 Physical Conditions:

• chronic back pain

1. acupuncture effective for chronic non-specific lower back pain [1]
2. acupuncture efficient for management of lower back pain [2]
3. acupuncture + surface heat strongly recommended treatments for acute, sub-acute and chronic lower back pain [3]
4. acupuncture has a moderate effect relative to non-acupuncture or sham acupuncture [4]

• neck pain: 

1. long term improvement for non-specific, ,mechanical and radial neck pain, whip lash and arthritis pain [5],
2. acupuncture and conventional treatments in combination better than conventional treatments only [6],
3. effective and safe for persistent head and neck myofacial pain [7]

• shoulder pain:  frozen shoulder/rotator cup/bursitis/ shoulder impingement syndrome: 

1. frozen shoulder - acupuncture or electro-acupuncture with physiotherapy reduced pain and increased functionality [8]
2. rotator cup & bursitis - acupuncture and electro-acupuncture more effective than sham acupuncture [8],
3. shoulder impingement syndrome - acupuncture, kinesis tapping and specific exercises effective for early stages [9]

• elbow pain: 

1. significant short term improvement in pain and functioning [1]
2. acupuncture more effective than sham acupuncture [10]

• knee osteoarthritis

1. reduces pain intensity, improves function, mobility and quality of life [11]
2. acupuncture has total efficiency, short term effectiveness and less adverse reactions than medicines [12]

Headaches & Mental Emotional Conditions:

• stress management

1. effective outcomes, fewer side effects than conventional treatments [13]

• migraines

1. number of migraines per month using prophylactic drugs: 4 days/mth, acupuncture: 3.5 days/mth  [14]
2. the best number of acupuncture treatments:  12 treatments give twice the effectiveness as 16 treatments [15]

• tension headaches

1. acupuncture recommended by international guidelines in UK, Aust & NZ and USA [16]

 Digestive Conditions:

• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

1. more effective than pinaverium, bromide, alosetron, eluzadoline, ramosetron and rifaximin with less side effects  [17]
2. superior to conventional drugs, but not superior to sham acupuncture {random points} [18]

• diarrhoea

1. acupuncture was found to be more effective than drugs with less side effects [17]

• constipation

1. acupuncture was found to be more effective than sham acupuncture [19]

Woman's Conditions:

• labour pains

1.       acupuncture decreases the pain and therefore reducing the pharmacological analgesics [20]

• sleep disorders in Peri & Post Menopausal

1.       acupuncture reduces the menopausal related sleep disturbance [21]

• lower back & pelvic pain in pregnancy

1.     acupuncture showed significant reduction in lower back and pelvic pain in pregnancy [22]

Respiratory Disorders:

• sinusitis/hayfever/allergic rhinitis

1.       Acupuncture is an effective treatment for allergic rhinitis [23],
2.       effective for both seasonal and prennual hayfever [24],
3.       Acupuncture better than sham acupuncture {random points} [25],
4.       moderates mucosal immune response relative to Dust Mites [26],
5.       4 week treatments effective [27],
6.       active acupuncture is more effective then sham acupuncture {random points} [28]

• Oncological Conditions:

• vomiting & nausea as a result of Chemotherapy

1. Reduction of frequency vomiting and nausea but not acute vomiting or delayed symptoms [29]
2. Acupuncture is considered an appropriate referral option [30]

• cancer related pain

1. Acupuncture is effective in relieving cancer-related pain, in particular malignancy-related and surgery-induced pain,                 but not pain induced by chemotherapy, radiotherapy or hormone therapy. [31]

 :

Research:

[1]   "The effectiveness and Safety of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Musculoskeletal Conditions: Technical Report"

        Aug 2019, prepared for Accident Compensation Corporation (N.Z.)

[2].  "Evidence of efficiency of Acupuncture in the Management of Lower Back Pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of

         randomised placebo or sham controlled trials"

        Xiang Y, He JY, Tian HH, Cao BY, Li R

        Acupuncture in Medicine, 2020;38(1), acumen 2017011445

[3]   "Non-Invasive treatments for Acute, Subacute and Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the

         American College of Physicians"  Feb 2017

         Qaseem A, Wilt TJ, McLean RM, Forcie A

         http://annals.org/aim/article/2603228/noninvasive-treatments-acute-subacute-chronic-lower-back-pain-clinical-practice

[4].   "Non-invasive Treatment for Lower Back Pain"  June 2018

         Effective Health Care Program (American Medicare) recommendation

[5]    "Effectiveness and Safety of Acupuncture Intervention for Treatment of Musculoskeletal Conditions"

         International Centre for Allied Health Evidence 2018

         Prepared for Accident Comprehension Corporation (N.Z.)

[6]   "Effectiveness of Acupuncture ad Electro-Acupuncture for Chronic Neck Pain"

        Seo SY, Lee KB, Shin JS, Lee J, Kim MR, Ha IH, et.al. (2017)

        The American Journal of Chinese Medicine 45(8):1-23

[7]   "The Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the management of persistent regional myofacial head and neck pain: A Systematic 

        Review and Meta Analysis"

        Farag AM, Malacarne A, Maloney GE, Pagni SG.  (2020)

        Complementary Therapeutic Medicine 2020; 49:102297

[8]   "Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Treatment of Shoulder Pain: A systematic review of published randomised clinical trials"

        Rubio A, Mansfield M, Lewis J.  (2017)

        Physiotherapy (UK): e141-e2.  Conference Abstracts

[9]   "Treatment of shoulder Impingement Syndrome: a PRISMA systematic review and meta-analysis"

        Dong W, Goost H, Lin XB, Burger C, Paul C, Zang ZL, et. al. (2015)

        Medicine 2015 Mar:94(10):e510

[10]   "Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Lateral Elbow Pain: A systematic review of randomised control trials"

         Gadau M, Yeung WF, Liu H, Zaslawski C, Tan YS, Wang FC, et.al.

         BMC Complementary Alternative Medicine, 14:136

[11]   "Pain Management with Acupuncture in Oestoarthritis: A systematic review and meta analysis"

        Manyanga T, Froese M, Zarychanski R, Abon-Selta A, Friesen C, Tennenhouse M, et.al. (2014)

        BMC Complementary Alternative Medicine, 14:28

[12]   "The Effectiveness and Safety of Acupuncture for Knee Oesteoarthritis: An overview of systematic reviews"

        Li J, Li YX, Luo LJ, Ye J, Zhong DL, Xiao QW, et.al. (2019)

        Medicine, 98:28 (e16301)

[13]   "Acupuncture and Electro-acupuncture for Anxiety Disorder:  A systematic review of clinical research"

        Amorim D, Amado J, Brito I, Fiuza SM, Amorim N, Costeira C, et.al.

        Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2018, 31:31-7

[14]  Linde K, Allais G, Brinkhaus B, Fei Y, Mehring M, Shin BC, Vickers A, White AR (2016)  Cochrane Library (database of Systematic 

       Reviews)

[15]   "Systematic Review of Episodic Migraine Prophylaxis: Efficiency of Conventional Treatments Used in comparison with    

           Acupuncture"

          Linde K, Allais G, Brinkhaus B, Fei Y, Mehring M, Shin BC, Vickers A, from Trinh KV, Diep D, Chen KJQ. (2019)

          Medical Acupuncture 2019;31(2),85-97

[16]  Recommended in:  NICE Guidelines (UK), ANZCAFPM Guidelines (Australian & New Zealand), USVA Evidence Map 2014

        "Evidence of positive effects"

[17]  "Acupuncture for Diarrhoea - predominantly Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Network Meta-analysis"

        Zhu L, Ma Y, Ye S, Shu Z

         Evidence-based Complementary Alternative Medicine, 2018, (no pagination)

[18]  "Comparison Between the Effects of Acupuncture Relative to Other Controls on Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

         A Meta-analyis"

[19]  "Acupuncture and Related Therapies for Obesity: A Network Meta-analysis"

         Zhang Y, Li J, Mo G, Liu J, Yang H, Chen X, et.al.

         Evidence-based Complementary Alternative Medicine, 2018, (no pagination)

[20]  "Acupuncture or Acupressure for Pain Management during Labour"

         Smith CA, Collins CT, Levett KM, Armour M, Dahlan HG, Tan AL, et.al.

         Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2020(2)

[21]  "Acupuncture to Reduce Sleep Disturbance in Peri & Post Menopausal Women"

         Chiu HY, Hsieh YJ, Tsai PS

         Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 2016; 127(3);507-15

[22]  "A Systematic Review investigating the Effectiveness of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for

         Management of Lower Back and/or Pelvic Pain (LBPP) in Pregnancy"

         Close C, Sinclair M, Liddle SD, Madden E, McCullough JE, Hughes C

         Journal of Advanced Nursing 2014;70(8):1702-16

[23]  "Acupuncture for the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis"

         Feng S, Han M, Fan Y, Yang G, Liao Z, et.al. (2015)

        American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy 29(1):57-62

[24]  "Acupuncture and Allergic Rhinitis"

         Taw MB, Reddy WD, Omole FS, Seidman MD.  (2015)

         Current Opinion on Ortolaryngol Head Neck Surgery, 23(3):216-20

[25]  "A Multi-centre, Randomised, Controlled trial testing the Effects of Acupuncture on Allergic Rhinitis"

         Choi SM, Park JE, Li SS, Jung H, Zi M, Kim TH, et.al.

         Allergy 68(3);365-74

[26]  "Effect of Acupuncture on House Dust Mite specific substance P ad Symptoms in persistent Allergic Rhinitis"

         McDonald JL, Smith PK, Smith CA, Xue CC, Golianu B,  Cripps AW.  (2016)

         Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 116(6);497-505

[27]  "Acupuncture for Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis: A randomised controlled trial"

        Xue CC, Zhang AL, Zhang CS, DaCosta C, Story DF, Thien FC.  (2015)

        Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology  115(4),317.24.e1

[28]  "A double-bind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of Acupuncture for the treatment of Childhood

          persistent Allergic Rhinitis".  Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

         Zhang Y, Li J, Mo G, Liu J, Yang H, Chen X, et.al.

         Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2018 (no pagination)

[29]  "Acupuncture and Acupressure for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea & Vomiting"

          McKeon C, Smith CA, Hardy J & Chang E

          Australian Journal of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine 8(1):2-17

[30]   "Acupuncture for Symptom Management in Cancer Care: and update"  (2014)

          Garcia MK, McQuade J, Lee R, Haddad R, Spano M, Cohen L.

          Current Oncology Reports 16(12):418

[31]    "Systematic review and meta-analysis of Acupuncture to reducing Cancer pain"

          Chiu HY, Hsieh YJ, Tsai PS

          European Journal of Cancer Care, 26(2)