Acupuncture and the disorders treated
Acupuncture and the disorders treated
What is acupuncture
The exercise of acupuncture constitutes any act of stimulation, generally by means of needles, of certain determined sites of the skin, mucous membranes or subcutaneous tissues of the human body with the aim of improving health or relieving pain (1)
It should be noted that the Ordre des acupuncteurs du Québec and its registered members are governed by the Quebec Professional Code.
During the first meeting, the acupuncturist proceeds, according to the traditional oriental method, to a clinical examination of thestate dit énergétique of somebody. Ideally, any acupuncturist would like to offer only preventive acupuncture sessions, spread out as needed, over the course of a year. However, when there is a more serious health problem, a treatment plan is proposed to the patient, which ranges from 2 or 3 meetings to more, depending on the seriousness and/or chronicity of the situation, as well as depending on the level overall health or energy balance of the individual.
Disorders treated (accumulation of evidence)
Thus, acupuncture can be considered on the preventive, curative or even complementary levels. Significant efforts have recently been made to collect evidence and its level of evidence (from meta-analyses and high-level systematic reviews), in order to identify and justify health conditions that meet well with acupuncture. The Association des acupuncteurs du Québec (AAQ) mentions 46 conditions, established in 2017, including the following 8 which would have obtained a very high level of proof (2):
Allergies: seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis
Headaches: chronic tension headache or chronic episodic headache
Migraines: crisis prevention
Chronic lower back pain
Post-operative pain
Postoperative nausea and vomiting
Chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting (with antiemetics)
Osteoarthritis of the knee
Consult the AAQ website for the list of 36 other conditions identified, which range from various pains, to gastrointestinal disorders, to disorders associated with menopause, asthma in adults, obesity, insomnia and restless leg syndrome (2).
Given the current importance of scientific evidence, it is to be hoped that additional research will be funded in order to better demonstrate the action of acupuncture and its health benefits.
Sophie Laverdiere, Needle.
Kinesis Center 450-672-4114
cell. 514-704-1730
or Gorendezvous Kinesis
(1): Acupuncture Act: https//legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/ShowDoc/cs/A-5.1?langCont=fr
(2) References: website of the Association of Acupuncturists of Quebec Section What is acupuncture: https://www.acupuncture-quebec.com/decouvrir-acupuncture/acupuncture.html Section Disorders treated by acupuncture acupuncture: https://www.acupuncture-quebec.com/decouvrir-acupuncture/troubles-traites.html
