Research:
Acupuncture is in an interesting stage as it is slowly but surely bridging the East - West medical divide. To be able to do this it must be able to stand up to rigorous western trials. This process is well underway (see NCCAM) however acupuncture has its own unique concepts and views of the human condition. For example it works on an individual basis, meaning that the treatment for one person's headache may not be the same as anothers. This makes it difficult to undertake randomised controlled trials. Given this acupuncture has preformed well in some areas such as pain relief and headaches, most trials however will cite difficulties in the study design. The one consistant outcome is that acupuncture is found to be a safe treatment with very few side effects when undertaken by a qualified practitioner (See British Acupuncture Council below).
National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Reviews and funds studies into acupuncture, lists areas where acupuncture treatment may be beneficial. Inc. osteoarthritis of the knee, addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma
Read the NIH Consensus Statement on Acupuncture, to learn what scientific experts have said about the use and effectiveness of acupuncture for a variety of conditions.
British Acupuncture Council
The BAcC encourages all forms of valid research into any aspect of acupuncture treatment. Research aimed at improving the evidence base and demonstrating the value of traditional acupuncture within the context of health care as provided in the United Kingdom.
http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/content/Library/documents.asp
Journal Of Chinese Medicine
The Journal of Chinese Medicine is recognised as the foremost English language journal on all aspects of Chinese medicine.
http://www.jcm.co.uk/
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