NOTES by SB:
THIS SECTION IS PRETTY MUCH FINISHED…..
I need to finish checking and inputting data for, Portugal, Croatia, Israel….IF I can find stuff to input…..
Text in red relates to older recommendations…which I will probably remove since they are likely out of date.
Labels in green indicate countries where I have finished checking
Examples of European Health Department and Medical expert group statements about acupuncture:
Collaborative European and International Medical expert groups:
Papers published by European or international specialist medical groups (2006-2012 and 2014-2021) have recommended acupuncture for the following symptoms:
Chronic pain, back pain, tension headache, migraine, osteoarthritis of the knee, Fibromyalgia, chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis pain, pelvic floor pain, , pregnancy related back and pelvic pain, labour pain, chronic prostate pain, interstitial cystitis or bladder pain syndrome, vulvodynia, chronic pancreatitis pain, haemophilia related pain, pain in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis, post-surgery pain, pain in the elderly, HIV peripheral neuropathy
post-surgery nausea and vomiting, allergic rhinitis, pruritis (severe itchiness), menopausal hot flashes, stroke related dysphasia, stop smoking, premature ejaculation, obesity in menopause, pelvic floor dysfunction, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
cancer pain, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, aromatase inhibitor arthralgia, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, radiation induced nausea and vomiting, radiation induced dry mouth (xerostomia), cancer treatment related hot flashes, menopausal problems, cancer related depression, anxiety, sleep problems, fatigue, cancer related constipation, diarrhoea, lymphoedema, leucopenia, improving quality of life in cancer patients, increased relaxation in cancer patients
Recommendations by Country
UK experts NICE has published a number of guidelines that mention acupuncture and currently recommends acupuncture for: tension headache, migraine, chronic headaches, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, chronic non-specific musculoskeletal pain problems such as back pain, neck pain, chronic pelvic pain, chronic abdominal pain, complex regional pain syndrome, facial pain, temporomandibular disorder pain, chronic primary visceral pain such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic bladder pain syndrome (interstitial cystitis), Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting,
The Scottish group SIGN (2008-2019) recommends acupuncture for: chronic pain such as low back pain, osteoarthritis of the knee, osteoarthritis, recurrent urinary tract infection, + migraine, cancer pain, post-surgery nausea and vomiting,
UK Health Department Over the years the NHS national website has published a new page every year about acupuncture. In 2024 the NHS webpage on acupuncture [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/acupuncture/] stated that acupuncture is good for:
chronic pain, chronic tension headaches, migraine, joint pain, muscle pain, jaw pain, prostatitis symptoms, hiccups, nausea and vomiting after surgery, cancer symptoms such as pain, side effects of cancer such as related to chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting.
Regional NHS groups also publish statements about the uses of acupuncture. For example the Scottish NHS website (www.nhsinform.scot/) in July 2024 recommended acupuncture in various publications for:
Migraine, fibromyalgia, labour pain, rheumatoid arthritis, phantom limb pain, pre-surgical anxiety,
cancer pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, cancer related anxiety, cancer related menopausal symptoms, improving mood and well-being in cancer patients, breathlessness in palliative care, dry mouth in palliative care, emotional stress in palliative care,
There are many local and regional NHS groups, hospitals, centres and clinics some of them also recommend acupuncture. In the section discussing treatment of children, you can find a list of recommendations from Manchester’s Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Many symptoms are mentioned for treatment by acupuncture among the many NHS local and regional related webpages.
German experts the AWMF has published dozens of guidelines that mention acupuncture. Among these are recommendations (2007-2011 and 2014-2023) to use acupuncture for:
Chronic pain, back pain, subacute disc hernia radiating pain, chronic disc hernia radiating pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis of the knee, osteoarthritis if the hip, migraine, tension headache, sinus headache, radiating pain from disc hernia (subacute and chronic), thoracic-lumbar spine injury pain, phantom limb pain, pain of endometriosis, labour pain, interstitial cystitis (also known as chronic bladder pain syndrome), pain of ulcerative colitis, pain of Crohn’s disease, post-surgery pain,
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional bodily disorders, sleep problems, stroke rehabilitation, stroke related arm paralysis, stroke related spasticity, stroke related depression, allergic rhinitis, to help with dental procedure anxiety, dyspnoea, PONV,
The German Cancer Society (DKG) recommends acupuncture (2018-2021) for the following symptoms in cancer and palliative care patients:
Cancer pain, post-surgical pain, aromatase inhibitor arthralgia, chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy
Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, hot flashes, depression, anxiety, stress, sleep problems, fatigue, cognitive problems, dry mouth (xerostomia), radiation induced dry mouth (xerostomia), post-surgical intestine problems (post-op ileus), improved quality of life
The German Breast Cancer group, Mamma Commission from the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynakologische Onkologie (AGO) recommends acupuncture (2023) for the following symptoms in breast cancer survivors (https://www.ago-online.de/):
Post-surgical pain, post-surgical anxiety, post-surgical nausea and vomiting, cancer pain, aromatase inhibitor arthralgia, chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy, chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, menopausal problems such as hot flashes and sleep problems, depression, anxiety, fatigue, cognitive problems, lymphoedema
French experts (www.has-sante.fr/; www.cnrd.fr/; www.15-20.fr) recommend (2000-2007, 2017-2021) acupuncture for: Chronic pain, Back pain, migraine, tension headache, rheumatoid arthritis, eye pain, pain from Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome, Ehler’s Danlos related headaches, improved quality of life in patients with pain from endometriosis
The cancer group Association Francophone des Soins Oncologiques de Support, (https://www.afsos.org/) recommended acupuncture in 2018 for:
Cancer pain, aromatase inhibitor arthralgia, chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy
Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, hot flashes, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep problems, radiation induced xerostomia, leucopenia, post-surgical intestine problems (post-op ileus)
Dutch experts(e.g. https://www.nvk.nl/; www.dutchpainsociety.nl/ Federatie Medisch Specialisten- https://richtlijnendatabase.nl; www.pallialine.nl/; http://www.verenso.nl/) (2007-2013 + 2014-2023) recommend acupuncture for: back pain in the elderly, tension headache, cancer pain, post-surgical nausea and vomiting, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, migraine, neck pain, osteoarthritis pain, myofascial pain, menopausal hot flashes, achilles tendinopathy, dysmenorrhea, hiccups in palliative care
The Stichting Kanker.nl, a national Dutch Cancer Foundation (www.kanker.nl) recommends acupuncture in 2024 for cancer patients and patients in palliative care for the following symptoms: Cancer pain, chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, hot flashes and heavy sweating in patients undergoing hormone therapy, xerostomia, fatigue. Sleep problems, mood and stress-tension problems.
Belgian experts (https://kce.fgov.be/; https://ebpnet.be/; https://doclib.uhasselt.be/; https://www.bcfi.be/) recommend acupuncture (2012 & 2014-2024)for: Back pain, osteoarthritis pain, temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain, depression, speech problems (dysarthria) after stroke,, migraine, pregnancy related back-pelvic pain
Danish experts (www.sundhedsstyrelsen.dk; https://www.sst.dk/; https://www.cancer.dk) recommend acupuncture for: chronic back pain, acute back pain, chronic neck pain, acute neck pain, tension headache, migraine, osteoarthritis of the knee, fibromyalgia
pregnancy related back pain
Cancer pain, cancer related neuropathic pain, chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, radiation induced nausea and vomiting, cancer treatment related hot flashes, improved quality of life in cancer patients
Pain in palliative care, Dyspnoea in palliative care, myoclonus in palliative care, pruritis in palliative care, Hiccups in palliative care
Swedish experts (www.socialstyrelsen.se; http://www.sbu.se/) recommend acupuncture for: neck pain, temporo-mandibular disorder, osteoarthritis pain, pregnancy related back pain
Norwegian experts (https://helsedirektoratet.no/; : https://kreftforeningen.no; https://nordlandssykehuset.no/) recommend acupuncture for: morning sickness, temporo-mandibular disorder, cancer pain, low back pain & problems with breastfeeding such as pain, engorgement, hot flashes in cancer treatment ask TERJE Has & IBS
Irish experts and Health Department(https://www.hse.ie/; https://www.cancer.ie/) recommend acupuncture (2017-2020) for: chronic back pain, migraine, headache, osteoarthritis of the knee, pain and discomfort during oocyte retrieval (a procedure used during IVF), pregnancy related back-pelvic pain, labour pain, dental pain, pain and discomfort during gastrointestinal endoscopy, nausea and vomiting after surgery, morning sickness, menopausal symptoms, cancer pain, cancer related neuropathic pain, chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, cancer related hot flashes, menopausal symptoms, anxiety, sleep problems, fatigue, breathlessness, dry mouth (xerostomia), improved quality of life, increased relaxation
Austrian experts(https://aihta.at/) (2014-2020) recommend acupuncture for: Back pain, neck pain, tension headache, migraine, osteoarthritis, shoulder pain, chronic pain, , menstrual pain, labour pain, pregnancy related back-pelvic pain, , chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
Italian experts (e.g. www.regione.toscana.it/) recommend acupuncture for: Back pain, Neck pain, migraine, tension headache, cancer related dry mouth (xerostomia)
Swiss experts (https://www.swissneuro.ch/; www.headache.ch; https://www.palliative.ch/) recommend acupuncture for: Migraine, tension headache, Trigeminal Neuralgia,symptoms in palliative care: nausea, dyspnoea, fatigue, osteoarthritis of the knee,
Finnish experts (www.kaypahoito.fi; https://www.ebm-guidelines.com/) recommend acupuncture for: low back pain, osteoarthritis of the knee, tennis elbow, temporo-mandibular disorder, female urinary incontinence, +????? (Need assistance accessing their publications due to policy changes on their website)
Romanian experts (www.medichub.ro/; http://www.asociatiapavel.ro/) recommend acupuncture for: cancer pain, aromatase inhibitor arthralgia, cancer related fatigue
Polish experts (https://ptbb.pl/; www.niebolsi.pl; Polskiego Towarzystwa Badania Bólu i Towarzystwa Neurologicznego) recommend acupuncture for: Back pain, osteoarthritis of the knee, menstrual pain, chronic pain, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, post herpetic neuropathy, radiation induced xerostomia
Spanish experts (www.quironsalud.com) (2014-2016) recommend acupuncture for: pregnancy related back-pelvic pain, cancer pain, sleep problems,
Portuguese experts (2009-2012) recommend acupuncture for: back pain, neck pain, tension headache
Croatian experts (2007-2012) recommend acupuncture for: migraine, tension headache, cancer related xerostomia (dry mouth)?????
Israeli experts (…..) recommends (2013 – acupuncture for: fibromyalgia
If your symptom is not mentioned above you can call the local Toyohari practitioner near you (LINK to website page for this) to see if and how that practitioner may be able to help you.