Acupuncture promotes natural healing process in the body by stimulating acupuncture points with a thin acupuncture needle. According to research, acupuncture has measurable physiological effects. When a needle is inserted into acupuncture points, it not only increases the regional blood flow but also stimulates afferent nerve pathways. These stimulations induce the release of endogenous opioids, such as beta-endorphins, met-enkephalins and dynorphin, which helps decrease pain perception in the body. The therapeutic effects of acupuncture is not limited to pain control, but also influences the immune system, gastrointestinal system and metabolism in the body. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), acupuncture has been proved, through clinical trials, to be effective in the following diseases, symptoms or conditions:
- Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
- Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever)
- Biliary colic
- Depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke)
- Dysentery, acute bacillary
- Dysmenorrhea, primary
- Epigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, and gastrospasm)
- Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)
- Headache
- Hypertension, essential
- Hypotension, primary
- Induction of labour
- Leukopenia
- Low back pain
- Malposition of fetus, correction of
- Morning sickness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Neck pain
- Pain in dentistry (including dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction)
- Periarthritis of shoulder
- Postoperative pain