Acupuncture Relieves Chronic Pain

Some think the benefits of acupuncture are only imaginary; but a new analysis shows that it may really help soothe chronic headaches, aching backs and joints.

In a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed 29 previous studies on 18,000 adults and concluded that this ancient healing practice works better than other conventional pain treatments.

“Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic pain and is therefore a reasonable referral option,” wrote the researchers. They determined that “the specific effects of needling are important contributors to the therapeutic effects of acupuncture.”