Conditions benefiting from acupuncture
Acupuncture can provide relief for wide range of health problems. Depending on the condition, this therapy can be used as treatment, preventive care, or complementary care in conjunction with other approaches.
My practice integrates traditional medical practices with current medical advances. The scientific community is now regularly producing research on its effectiveness for various conditions. To find out more about the state of research in the field, visit my section Science and Acupuncture.
On this page, you will find a non-exhaustive list of symptoms and health conditions that can be improved by acupuncture. This list is based on those held by the Association of Acupuncturists of Quebec (2019), and the Acupuncture Evidence Project (2017). An icon presents on the right of each condition presents the level of scientific evidence for the treatment (see legend), as assessed by the Acupuncture Evidence Project (2017).
List of Conditions
Categories
General Health | Pain | Musculosqueletal System | Psychological Health | Addictions | Digestion | Respiratory System | Urogenital System | Pregnancy, Childbirth, Post-Partum | Reproductive System – male and female | Health and Wellness | Vision and Hearing | Side Effects | Circulatory System | Skin | Endocrine System | Rehabilitation | Oncology
General Health
Pain
Muscular or articular:
- inflammation
- neck pain ✰✰
- sciatica ✰✰
- epicondylis ✰✰
- knee osteoartritis ✰✰✰
- shoulder pain ✰✰
- shoulder impingement syndrome ✰✰
- sprain ✰
- bursitis ✾
- cramps ✾
- sport performance ✾
Other:
- headache ✰✰✰
- migraine ✰✰✰
Musculo-squeletal and nervous Systems
- stroke after-effects ✰✰
- post-stroke spasticity ✰✰
- restless legs syndrom ✰✰
- Bell’s palsy ✰
- Parkinson ✰
- Multiple sclerosis ✰
- tremors ✾
- loss of balance ✾
- dizziness ✾
- nervous tics ✾
- stiffness ✾
- cramps ✾
Psychological Health
- anxiety ✰✰
- depression ✰✰
- concentration ✰✰
- Post traumatic stress disorder ✰✰
- Alzheimers ✰
- mood swings ✾
- chronic fatigue ✰
- insomnia ✰✰
Digestion
- irritable bowel syndrome ✰✰
- bloating ✾
- diarrhea ✾
- constipation ✰✰
- colitis ✾
- nausea ✰✰✰
- hemorroids ✾
- gastric pain / reflux ✰
- appetite loss ✾
- obesity ✰✰
- dyspepsia in diabetes ✰
Skin
- psoriasis ✰
- eczema ✾
- shingles ✾
- dermatosis ✾
- acne ✾
- urticaria ✾
Addictions
- tobacco ✰✰
- certain drugs ✰✰
- certain medication ✰✰
Respiratory System
- allergic rhinitis (seasonal or aperiodic) ✰✰✰
- COPD ✰
- asthma (adult) ✰✰
- asthma (child) ✰
- persistent cough ✾
- sinusitis ✾
Circulatory System
- hypertension ✰✰
- numbness ✾
- cold limbs ✾
- chills ✾
- edema ✾
- swelling ✾
Urogenital System
- involuntary urine loss ✰
- recurrent urine infections ✾
- recurrent vaginitis ✾
Pregnancy, Childbirth, Post-partum
- nausea during pregnancy ✾
- fatigue ✾
- breastfeeding✾
- childbirth induction ✰
- childbirth pain ✰✰
- post childbirth recovery ✾
- post-partum blues ✾
- post-surgery recovery ✰✰
- pelvic floor tonus ✾
Reproductive System ♂ ♀
- pre-menstrual syndrome ✰
- painful, excessive or irregular menstruation ✾
- absence of menstruation✾
- fibroma ✰
- menopause hot flashes ✰✰
- menopause insomnia ✰✰
- andropause ✾
- libido disorders ✾
- impotence ✰
- low quality sperm ✰
- polycystic ovarian syndrome ✰
Hormonal System
- menopause hot flashes ✰✰
- menopause insomnia ✰✰
- excessive transpiration ✾
- hot flashes ✾
- hypothyroidism ✾
- hyperthyroidism ✾
Rehabilitation
- post stroke rehabilitation ✰✰
- post-stroke spasticity ✰✰
- post-surgery rehabilitation ✰✰
- hemiplegia ✾
- Bell’s palsy ✰
Oncology
Reduced side effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, such as: :
- nausea ✰✰✰
- fatigue ✰✰
- insomnia ✰✰
- neuropathy ✰✰
- dryness of the mouth ✾
- digestive issues ✾
- stress ✾
Vision and Hearing
- dry eyes ✰✰
- glare in sight ✾
- reccurent conjonctivitis ✾
- certain vision changes ✾
- tinnitus ✰
- recurrent otitis ✾
- Ménière’s Syndrom ✰
Side Effects
Reduced the side effects of certain medications and treatments, such as:
- chimiotherapy ✰✰
- surgery ✰✰
Health, Wellness, Prevention
- relaxation ✾
- stress ✾
- seasonal change ✾
- jet lag ✾
Additional Information
Scale of scientific evidence for the use of acupuncture in treating the condition
| ✰✰✰ Good scientific evidence of a positive effect of on this health condition The evidence is strong, positive, consistent, based on good quality and sufficient quantity of research. Reference: Acupuncture Evidence Project, 2017 |
| ✰✰ Scientific evidence of a potential positive effect Scientific evidence is positive, significant but is not sufficient in quality or quantity. More studies are required. Reference: Acupuncture Evidence Project, 2017 |
| ✰ Scientific evidence is insufficient or contradictory Scientific evidence demonstrating a positive effect are of low quality or there are contradicting results. More studies are required. Reference: Acupuncture Evidence Project, 2017 |
| ✾ Acupuncture is traditionally used for this condition. The treatment is based on traditional knowledge. There is no (or very little) scientific evidence. |
References for this page:
McDonald and Janz, 2017, the Acupuncture Evidence Project, A comparative literature review, Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association. Available online.
Association of Acupuncturists of Quebec, 2019, Les troubles traités par l’acupuncture, Available online.
Kathleen McMeekin, Acupuncture 