Disclosures: Aaron B. Turk, MD Candidate: Nothing to disclose

Objective: To discuss the historical evolution, theory and practice, medical evidence (or lack thereof), and potential adverse outcomes of acupuncture.

Design: Systematic review of nonhomogeneous Level-I studies.

Setting: not applicable.

Participants: not applicable.

Interventions: not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures: not applicable.

Results: not applicable.

Conclusions: While many practitioners and patients firmly believe in the efficacy of acupuncture as a treatment for many different medical conditions, a review of available studies suggests that acupuncture has minimal (if any) efficacy. Moreover, the placebo effect may be responsible for much of acupuncture’s perceived efficacy in treating various medical conditions, given the similarity in efficacy of acupuncture and sham acupuncture in various clinical trials. Additional research is needed in order to establish the efficacy of acupuncture in treatment of various medical conditions. Given the existence of certain risks of acupuncture and its potential lack of efficacy, this author believes that physicians should have open discussions with their patients who are interested in seeking acupuncture treatment about the lack of medical evidence and the potential for complications from acupuncture, before recommending acupuncture to their patients.

Level of Evidence: Level II

« Back to AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2019

PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/acupuncture-a-critical-examination/