Acupuncture

Chinese medicine is based on ancient information written 2,000 years ago, from the second century BC. This information was condensed and systemised in the beginning of the 20th Century, at the time of China’s Cultural Revolution. The four – year undergraduate course in acupuncture in the 21st Century contains the same basic information from 2,000 years ago, using the same main reference materials.

Acupuncture was first approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a method for treating pain in 1979 and today it is endorsed by health services worldwide. In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) offers acupuncture, and in the U.S., it is recognised by the National Institute for Health (NIH), the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research.

Understanding Acupuncture through Western Medicine 

Western medicine addresses the complex multiple system effects of acupuncture on the body. There are studies ranging from effective noticeable brain changes under MRI scans, nerve pathway theories, hormone release changes (opioid systems activated in the brain), blood flow changes and even placebo effects, although there are many demonstrated physiological responses.55

The most recent study, a meta-analysis of 17,922 patients published in September 2012, showed significant differences between true and sham acupuncture trials. The study concluded that acupuncture is more than just a placebo, effective for the treatment of chronic pain and therefore a reasonable referral option for doctors.66 Another study conducted by the University of York, UK, investigated the economic value afforded by acupuncture for the treatment of lower back pain, neck pain, dysmenorrhea, migraines, arthritis, and headaches, concluding it to be a cost-effective intervention.77

There are many studies available and there are many in-progress that suggest a range of effects, with a 2007 German pain trial finding acupuncture reduces lower back pain twice as much as conventional therapy (compared to drugs, physical therapy and exercise).88 In 2005, a RMIT trial examined the effect of acupuncture for pain relief on more than 1,000 patients at the Emergency Department of the Northern Hospital in Melbourne, and it was shown to be a potentially effective therapy for acute pain management.

This led to a three-year NHMRC-funded project to treat acute migraine, back pain and ankle injuries currently underway, led by Professor Marc Cohen and Professor Charlie Xue.99,110 Research into acupuncture is continuing in Australia, particularly through the University of Western Sydney and the University of Sydney, as well as the RMIT in Melbourne.

Understanding Acupuncture through Eastern Medicine

The Eastern medicine understanding is based around the concept of energy. Good health is understood to be the smooth flow of energy through meridians or pathways in the body. Pain is stated as being energy that is stuck and the use of acupuncture needles inserted in the body moves this stuck energy and helps the body heal itself.