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Indications of acupuncture according to WHO and the NIH PDF Print E-mail

Below are two tables in which diseases and conditions, where acupuncture has a proved efficacy, are listed.  The first one of them corresponds to the conditions in which the NIH of the USA approves acupuncture use, while the second table refers to the conditions in which the OMS reccomends its use. It must be made clear that these lists are not exhaustive nor exclude other traditional indications of acupuncture that do not appear in them.

 

Table 1. Conditions in which Acupuncture is indicated

According to the NIH of USA and the American Society of Acupuncture
Control of chronic and acute pain Artritis y artrosis
Postoperatory or postraumatic ileo Bursitis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome
Muscular spasms, trembling, tics, contractures Menstrual cramps and pelvic pain
Parestesias Insomnia
Anxiety, panic attacks Anorexia
Desintoxication for drug abuse Idiopathic palpitations, sinus tachicardia
Neuralgias (of the trigeminal, Herpes Zoster, postherpethic, others) Allergic sinusitis and rhinitis
Facial paralysis and stroke sequels (afasia, hemiplegia)
 Persistent hiccups
Digestive functional disorders such as nausea, vomiting, esofagic spasm, gastric hyperacidity, nervous colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, among others Dermatosis such as urticary, frost-itch, eczema, psoriasis
Cluster headache, migraine, vertigo (including Meniere disease), tinnitus Dhiarrea and constipation, abdominal distension and flatulence
Neuropathic pain Severe hyperthermia
Frozen shoulder
 Coughs with the contraindication of taking narcotic drugs
Plantar Fasciitis
 Surgical acupunctural analgesia for high-risk patients or with contraindications of anesthetics

 

Table 2

Conditions in which Acupuncture is indicated according to the WHO

Respiratory

Acute Sinusitis
Acute Rinitis
Common Cold
Acute Amigdalitis

Bronchiopulmonary diseases

Bronchial Asma
Acute Bronchiti

Gastroenterologíy

Esophagic Spasm (including cardias spasm)
Hiccups
Gastroptosis
Acute and chronic colitis and gastritis Gastric Hyperacidity
Chronical duodenic ulcera
Acute bacterial dysentery
Constipation, dhiarrea
Paralythic Ileum

Oftalmology

Acute Conjuntivitis
Cataracts (without complications)
Shortsightedness
Retinitis

Neurology

Cefalea, migraine
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Facial Paralysis
Stroke sequelae 
Peripheric Neuropathy
Poliomielitis (paralysis caused by)
Meniere's Syndrome
Neurogenic bladder
Nocturnal Enuresis
Intercostal Neuralgia

Stomatology

Dental pain
Pain after surgery or dental extraction

Gingivitis
Faringitis

Orthopedics

Periartritis humeroescapularis
Tennis player' elbow
Siatica

Lumbalgy, dorsalgy
Rheumatoid  artritis