Abstract
Acupuncture as a medical procedure has been growing in popularity over time. Its inception is believed to have occurred over 6000 years ago; however, it was not until 200 BC when acupuncture practices that mirror present-day practices were described. Acupuncture has been used for many different medical ailments including chronic pain disorders, sexual dysfunction, pregnancy related physiologic changes, and cancer treatment related side effects. It was originally believed that acupuncture's effectiveness was due to its ability to manipulate qi, the energy of life. Studies examining acupuncture's effects on chronic pain have demonstrated three primary locations of action, peripheral, spinal, and supraspinal. The use of acupuncture for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome has been growing in acceptance among urologists. Early studies were originally flawed with many methodological shortcomings; however, more recent studies are showing the effectiveness of the technique under more rigorous standards. There are over 3500 physician and 12,000 non-physician acupuncturists in the United States, and these practitioners are able to create a regimented treatment plan that has been shown to effectively manage pain in an otherwise complex and difficult-to-treat condition.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Urological and Gynaecological Chronic Pelvic Pain |
Subtitle of host publication | Current Therapies |
Publisher | Springer International Publishing |
Pages | 85-93 |
Number of pages | 9 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9783319484648 |
ISBN (Print) | 9783319484624 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 3 2017 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Acupuncture points
- Acupuncture therapy - Prostatitis/methods
- Adult
- Affect/physiology
- Chronic pain/therapy
- Humans
- Leukocyte count
- Pelvic pain/blood
- Pelvic pain/immunology
- Pelvic pain/therapy
- Prostatitis/blood
- Prostatitis/immunology
- Prostatitis/therapy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine