Chronic pain is the most researched area of acupuncture. This review summarises what the clinical evidence actually shows — including landmark Acupuncture Trialists' Collaboration findings.
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Chronic pain is the most researched area of acupuncture. This review summarises what the clinical evidence actually shows — including landmark Acupuncture Trialists' Collaboration findings.
Strong evidence from large meta-analyses supports acupuncture for chronic pain. The Acupuncture Trialists' Collaboration 2018 update — using individual patient data from 39 RCTs involving nearly 21,000 patients — found acupuncture significantly superior to both sham and no-acupuncture for back/neck pain, osteoarthritis, and headache prevention.
Generally safe for chronic pain when performed by a qualified practitioner. Patients on anticoagulants should inform their practitioner. Not recommended directly over active infections, tumours, or recent surgical sites.
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