Acupuncture for 100 Health Conditions
Explore the Research. Discover the Possibilities.
From back pain and headaches to digestive concerns and other complex health conditions, acupuncture has been the subject of decades of clinical research.
At NaturalMED Therapies in Seminole, FL, we take time to understand your symptoms, medical history, and individual goals — and help you explore whether acupuncture may be an appropriate part of your care.
Three evidence categories
Three evidence categories from the historical WHO review, presented with 100 entries in total.
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First research category
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Further evidence needed
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Limited preliminary trials
More Than 100 Conditions Explored in Acupuncture Research
In 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) published Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials, examining research on acupuncture for a broad range of diseases, symptoms, and health conditions.
The review classified conditions according to the evidence available at that time, distinguishing between findings supported by controlled trials, promising results requiring further investigation, and more preliminary observations.
The directory below presents 100 entries from three of the report’s four historical categories.
What Does This Mean for Patients Today?
Research has continued to develop since the WHO report. More recent evidence suggests that acupuncture may be helpful for certain pain conditions, including chronic low back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis-related pain, and some types of headache. Evidence for many other conditions remains limited, uncertain, or inconsistent.
Being included in the historical WHO review does not mean acupuncture is proven effective or currently recommended for every listed condition. Your symptoms deserve thoughtful attention, even when the scientific evidence is still developing.
Explore the conditions below, then contact our practice to discuss whether acupuncture may be appropriate for you.
Research sources:
WHO report ↗
Full historical report (PDF) ↗
NIH: Effectiveness and Safety ↗
Conditions Investigated in the WHO Acupuncture Review
The following lists reflect the WHO’s historical grouping of controlled-trial reports.
Category 1: Controlled-Trial Findings – 28 Conditions
The 2002 review placed these conditions in its strongest historical evidence category.
- Adverse reactions to radiotherapy or chemotherapy
- Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever)
- Biliary colic
- Depression (including depression following stroke)
- Acute bacillary dysentery
- Primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain)
- Acute epigastric pain (including peptic ulcer, gastritis, and gastrospasm)
- Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)
- Headache
- Essential hypertension
- Primary hypotension
- Induction of labor
- Knee pain
- Leukopenia
- Low back pain
- Fetal malposition (attempted correction)
- Morning sickness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Neck pain
- Dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction
- Shoulder periarthritis
- Postoperative pain
- Renal colic
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sciatica
- Sprain
- Stroke
- Tennis elbow
Category 3: Preliminary Individual Trials – 9 Conditions
Isolated controlled trials reported possible benefits for these conditions in the WHO review:
- Chloasma (melasma)
- Central serous choroidopathy
- Color blindness
- Deafness
- Hypophrenia (historical terminology)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (historically called irritable colon syndrome)
- Neurogenic bladder associated with spinal cord injury
- Chronic pulmonary heart disease
- Small airway obstruction
Your Condition. Your History. Your Care.
No two patients arrive with exactly the same symptoms, concerns, or treatment goals. Machelle Perkins, AP, Dipl. Ac., brings more than 25 years of clinical experience to a thoughtful, individualized approach to acupuncture.
During your visit, she listens to what you are experiencing, considers your health history and current medical care, and discusses realistic options. When appropriate, acupuncture can be considered alongside – not instead of – conventional diagnosis and treatment.
A condition appearing in a research list does not automatically mean acupuncture is appropriate for you. Together, we can explore whether it fits your needs.
Patient Experiences
Real Experiences. Personal Stories.
Every patient’s situation is different. These patients have shared their individual experiences with acupuncture and personalized care at NaturalMED Therapies.
Individual testimonials are not clinical proof or a prediction of outcomes.
Could Acupuncture Be Right for You?
Whether your concern appears in the research above or you have questions about another condition, we welcome the opportunity to learn about your health goals and discuss appropriate next steps.