An excellent source on acupuncture research is the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicince (NCCAM).  www.nccam.nih.gov/

Acupuncturists are required to pass a national board exam, administered by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.  www.nccaom.org/

Ohio Acupuncturists are licensed by the Ohio State Medical Board, the same organization that licenses physicians.  www.med.ohio.gov/

Acupuncture Research

Low Back Pain/Sciatica

Meta-Analysis: Acupuncture for Low Back Pain.Manheimer E, White AW, Berman B, Forys K, Ernst E. Annals Internal Medicine.  2006 April 19; 142 (8):651-663.
For the primary outcome of short-term relief of chronic pain, the meta-analysis showed that acupuncture is significantly more effective than sham treatment and no additional treament. complete abstract

Randomised controlled trial of a short course of traditional acupuncture compared with usual care for persistent non-specific low back pain.Thomas KJ, MacPherson H, Thorpe L, Brazier J, Fitter M, Campbell MJ, Roman M, Walters SJ, Nicholl J.British Medical Journal. 2006 Sep 23;333(7569):British RCT with 240 patients found acupuncture to be of moderate benefit for persistent low back pain. complete abstract

Acupuncture Treatments Improve Outcomes Compared to Usual Care for Low Back Pain

Hot Flash Research

Randomized, controlled trial, Published in Menopause: May/June 2009 - Volume 16 - Issue 3 - pp 484-493
Borud, Einar Kristian MD, MPH; et al Twelve week trial with series of 10 treatments plus self care advice for patients.  Researchers concluded that acupuncture plus self care can significantly reduce hot flashes and increase quality of life in postmenopausal women.

Integrative Oncology with Acupuncture

Integrative Oncology is the combination of "mainstream" care and evidenced-based complimentary therapies to control cancer-related pain and symptoms (source: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Integrative Medicine).  Complementary therapies, while not given the attention more traditional cancer therapies may receive, are perhaps equally important while undergoing treatment for certain types of cancer, including malignant mesothelioma.  For more information about the benefits of alternative therapies for mesothelioma, please visit www.mesothelioma.com/

Acupuncture for Osteoarthritis of the Knee Study Results

A landmark study has shown that acupuncture provides pain relief and improves function for people with osteoarthritis of the knee and serves as an effective complement to standard care. The study, the largest Phase III clinical trial of acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis, was funded by NCCAM and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, both components of the National Institutes of Health.

Acupuncture for Headaches/Migraines

A recent review of 33 separate medical studies involving nearly 7,000 patients looked at the benefits of acupuncture in the treatment of headaches. Cochrane Review, Centre for Complementary Medicine Research, Technical University, Munich, Germany, Klaus Linde.

After eight weeks of treatment, patients who had acupuncture and no painkillers had fewer headaches compared with those who were given only painkillers.

"This review confirms that acupuncture is as good for headaches as the best available conventional treatments, if not better," says Dr Mike Cummings, medical director of the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS), an organisation of doctors and other regulated health professionals who practise acupuncture

Acupuncture for chronic headache in primary care: large, pragmatic, randomised trial Vickers A, Rees R, Zollman C, McCarney R, Smith C, Ellis N ,Fisher P, and Van Haselen British Medical Journal. 2004 March 27; 328(7442): 744. Acupuncture led to persistent benefits (up to six months after treatment) in primary care patients with chronic headache, predominantly migraine. for full article

Effectiveness and tolerability of acupuncture compared with metoprolol in migraine prophylaxis. Streng A, Linde K, Hoppe A, Pfaffenrath V, Hammes M, Wagenpfeil S, Weidenhammer W, Melchart D.  Headache. 2006 Nov-Dec;46(1492-502. Acupuncture compared favorably with metoprolol in the prevention of  migraine headache, with fewer side effects in the acupuncture treated group. complete abstract 

Research on Neck Disorders

Acupuncture for Neck Disorders.  A systemic review of randomize trialsTrinh K, Graham N, Gross A, Goldsmith C, Wang E, Cameron I, Kay T Spine 2007 Jan 15;32(2):236-243

Ten randomized controlled trials from 2006 on acupuncture for neck pain are reviewed.  Overall there is moderate evidence that acupuncture is benefical for neck pain with and without radicular symptoms. for complete abstract

Acupuncture for patients with chronic neck pain.

Pain.2006 Nov;125(1-2):98-106.Treatment with acupuncture added to routine care in patients with chronic neck pain was associated with improvements in neck pain and disability compared to treatment with routine care alone. complete abstract

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for chronic uncomplicated neck pain: a randomized controlled study.VasJ, Perea-Milla E, Mendez C, Sanchez-Navarro C, Leon Rubio JM, Brioso M, Garcia Obrero I. Pain. 2006 Dec 15:126(1-3):245-55.Acupuncture was compared to a TENS placebo in the treatment of chronic uncomplicated neck pain with favorable results. 

He D, Hostmark AT, Veiersted KB, Medbo JI 

Acupunct Med. 2005 Jun;23(2):52-61. Shows a positive effect of acupuncture treatment for neck pain on work, social and psychological variables up to three years after treatment. complete abstract 

Acupuncture Shows Promise in
Improving Rates of Pregnancy Following IVF

A review of seven clinical trials of acupuncture given with embryo transfer in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) suggests that acupuncture may improve rates of pregnancy.