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Rheumatology Advance Access originally published online on May 6, 2008
Rheumatology 2008 47(8):1132-1136; doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ken161
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

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Demystifying acupuncture

D. Pyne1 and N. G. Shenker2

1Department of Rheumatology, Barts and The Royal London Hospitals NHS Trust (Mile End site), Stepney Green, London and 2Department of Rheumatology, Box 204 Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK.

Correspondence to: D. Pyne, Department of Rheumatology, Barts and The Royal London Hospitals NHS Trust (Mile End site), Bancroft Road Stepney Green. London E1 4DG, UK. E-mail: dev.pyne{at}bartsandthelondon.nhs.uk


  Abstract

Acupuncture refers to the insertion of fine needles into the body at specific points for a therapeutic effect. The term comes from the Latin words ‘acus’ (needle) and ‘punctura’ (to puncture). The technique has been practiced in the Far East for at least 3000 yrs but it is only in the last 30 yrs that interest has developed in the West underpinned by increasing scientific research. One of the main uses of acupuncture has been to treat musculoskeletal pain and this article will review the evidence base and outline the main theories of mechanisms of action.

KEY WORDS: Acupuncture, Complementary medicine, Systemic review, Pain, Management, Physiology

Submitted 29 November 2007; revised version accepted 31 March 2008.
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