Although available evidence does not suggest acupuncture is effective as a treatment for cancer, clinical studies have found it may help treat nausea caused by chemotherapy and surgical anesthesia (the drugs used to make you sleep and not feel pain during surgery). It may also help relieve pain after dental surgery. The technique has been tested on people who are trying to stop addictive behaviors, such as smoking or alcoholism, but reports are mixed. It may be useful for treating headaches, helping in rehabilitation from strokes, and treating a number of musculoskeletal conditions.

In China, acupuncture is used as an anesthetic during surgery and is believed to have the power to cure diseases and relieve symptoms of illness. The theories and teachings of traditional Chinese medicine explain that acupoints lie along invisible meridians. There are said to be 12 major meridians in the human body. These are thought to be channels for the flow of vital energy or life force called qi (also spelled ch’i or ki, and pronounced “chee” or “kee”) that is present in all living things. Meridians also represent an internal system of communication between specific organs or networks of organs. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, illness may occur when the energy flow along one or more meridians is blocked or out of balance. The goal of acupuncture is to restore health and balance to the energy flow. Supporters claim that acupuncture can be used to treat physical illness, addiction, and mental illness.

Some practitioners in the West reject the traditional philosophies of Chinese medicine, believing that any relief given by acupuncture or acupressure is caused by other factors, such as the stimulation of endorphin production in the body. Endorphins are natural substances made by the body which help relieve pain.

In traditional acupuncture (sometimes called acupuncture therapy), needles are inserted at specific locations called acupoints in order to restore balance and healthy energy flow to the body. Needles are put just deep enough into the skin to keep them from falling out and are usually left in place for a few minutes. Skilled acupuncturists cause virtually no pain. The acupuncturist may twirl the needles or apply heat or a weak electrical current to enhance the effects of the therapy.

Sonopuncture is similar to acupuncture, but needles are not used. Instead, an ultrasound device that transmits sound waves is applied to the body’s acupoints. Sonopuncture is sometimes combined with tuning forks and other vibration devices. Proponents claim this approach is useful to treat many of the same disorders as acupuncture.

Electroacupuncture is considered an enhanced version of traditional acupuncture. It uses tiny electrical charges, with or without needles, to stimulate the same acupoints that are used in traditional acupuncture. Electroacupuncture devices are sometimes promoted for diagnosis or testing.

In acupressure, a popular variation of acupuncture, therapists press on acupoints with their fingers instead of using needles. This technique is used by itself or as part of an entire system of manual healing, such as in shiatsu .In other variations of acupuncture, heat, friction, suction, magnets, or laser beams are directed to acupoints. Acupuncture is sometimes used along with less well-known traditional healing techniques, such as moxibustion. Acupuncture may sometimes be referred to as Zhenjiu, which is the standard Mandarin word for needle.

My own experience suggests that acupuncture and Chinese herbology are effective and present a much more favorable risk to benefit relationship than than surgery, steroids or NSAIDs to treat arthritis. Even for patients who eventually need a joint replacement, acupuncture and Chinese medicinals before and after the surgery can aid in pain relief, speed of rehabilitation, and to correct complications of surgery.

Acupuncture therapy and traditional herbal medicine prepared from different herbs and roots are individualized to each patient’s presentation whether the diagnosis is osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or other forms of arthritis. Other symptoms beyond those of the joints may also be important, as knowing the pattern of the disorder can also help in choosing which form of herbal or Western drug therapy may work the most effectively. Acupuncture and Chinese medicinals may in some situations improve the response to Western drugs at lower dosages, as well as reduce the side effects commonly seen with pharmaceutical drugs.

Treating osteoarthritis with acupuncture should be seen as a long term process, especially if the condition has been present for many years. Often there is considerable muscle weakness or problems with the tendons and ligaments as a result of inability to exercise when pain levels are high. Bones themselves become weak when not stressed, leading to osteopenia or osteoporosis. Rehabilitation may involve improving range of motion as well as strength, and this is a process which cannot be hurried.

Time will prove that traditional methods of treatment like acupuncture, help to reduce the suffering of conditions like arthritis at a reasonable cost and with a minimum of risk and side effects.