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The benefits of acupuncture: 6 evidence-based arguments
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Research by scientists suggests that acupuncture may be an effective method for treating headaches and even obesity.
Alternative medicine does not inspire confidence in "traditional" doctors. However, a new study, a study published in the American journal "Archives of Internal Medicine", may change this opinion.
Experts analyzed data from nearly 18,000 people who participated in a study aimed at studying the effectiveness of acupuncture and found that, indeed, acupuncture can treat arthritis and other chronic diseases.
Back pain
British scientists have found that acupuncture combined with traditional treatments provides long-term therapeutic effects for lower back pain. Two years after acupuncture sessions, patients were pain-free.
[ Improving the effectiveness of drugs
Brazilian scientists have found that acupuncture sessions can relieve heartburn and indigestion in pregnant women. One group of pregnant women underwent acupuncture therapy in combination with medications, while the other group followed a diet prescribed by doctors and took medications as needed. During the study, 75% of women in the first group felt better and the troubling problems subsided. In the second group, the same effect was observed in only 44%.
Constant headaches
An analysis of 22 studies involving patients with persistent, severe headaches found that regular acupuncture treatment reduced spasms and, in some cases, eliminated migraines altogether.
Depression
People who suffer from depression are usually treated with antidepressants, experiencing all their side effects. In fact, an alternative to psychotropic drugs can be acupuncture, which will relieve depression and will not harm the body. According to a report by the World Health Organization, the effectiveness of treating depression with acupuncture is comparable to the results of conventional treatment for depression. In addition to the fact that acupuncture sessions relieve a person from depression, they also improve overall health.
Obesity
The effects of acupuncture on obesity treatment are not as well studied, but there is every reason to believe that acupuncture sessions do help to get rid of extra pounds. Researchers from Korea analyzed 31 studies, which involved a total of 3,013 people. They found that acupuncture therapy led to greater weight loss than taking weight-loss drugs and changing your lifestyle. Experts believe that when combined with a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition and physical activity, acupuncture can bring good results.