The last two decades have seen "unprecedented advances" in the use of acupuncture to treat pain conditions, with a "rapid rise" in the number and quality of related published studies, according to a physician who is an experienced acupuncture practitioner.
"Right now, we have a pretty solid foundation for the efficacy of acupuncture" for headache, osteoarthritis (OA), and musculoskeletal conditions, said Farshad M. Ahadian, MD, clinical professor of anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego.
"I think it's fair to say that acupuncture is here to stay. It's going to be a permanent addition to our tool box."
Photo by Shutterstock 232755100. Image of acupuncture sourced from Shutterstock. Available here.