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Acupuncture
Acupuncture

Acupuncture and pain
Alternative Names:
Pain relief by acupuncture; Hypnosis and pain; Alternative medicine - pain relief

Information:

Can acupuncture and hypnosis relieve pain?

Answer:
Some research has shown that acute pain is relieved by acupuncture in as many as 50 percent of back pain patients and as many as 70 percent of headache patients. Long term control of these problems, however, is less certain. How the process of pain relief is accomplished through acupuncture is not clear-cut, but there are many theories based on scientific principles. For many people acupuncture is an effective means of relieving pain.

Scientific evidence is even more scarce about the effectiveness of hypnosis as a pain reliever. Hypnosis is a focused state of concentration. Self-hypnosis (in which you repeat a positive statement over and over) or guided imagery (a technique to create images in the mind) may be simple but effective ways to reduce pain for many people. Biofeedback, a related technique, may also be helpful in controlling pain.
Review Date: 1/29/2002
Reviewed By: Victoria Kennedy, RN, A.D.A.M. editorial. (1/29/2002). Previous review: J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director; RxRemedy. (2/9/2000).
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