Acupuncture can be extremely effective, and the changes that can occur are often astonishing. In fact, many medical professionals, including the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Health, and the National Institute of Health, recognize the value of acupuncture. However, there are some disadvantages to this treatment. Read on to learn more. Acupuncture is not for everyone, so there are some drawbacks that you should consider.
Cost
Acupuncture sessions typically cost between $50 and $125 per session. This price depends on the practitioner’s experience, the city you live in, and your insurance plan. You can also find a local clinic through a service called Thumbtack. According to their data, the average price of acupuncture is $85 per session in San Francisco, California, and about $60 in Austin, Texas. The cost of acupuncture is relatively consistent nationwide, with an average of about $80 per session in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Acupuncture is an excellent treatment for chronic pain, but the cost is not affordable for many people. Because acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine, you should research the cost of acupuncture before choosing a clinic. Some clinics may offer free or reduced-cost services to attract more patients. While these treatments may not be covered by insurance, they can often be affordable. For most people, the cost of acupuncture is less than $50, and they can save a considerable amount of money when they schedule in advance.
Side effects
While there have been few side effects of acupuncture, they do occur. The most common complications arise when the needles are not sterilized or the treatments are not properly delivered. These problems can result in infections, punctured organs, or injuries to the central nervous system. In addition, pregnant women and those with bleeding disorders should avoid acupuncture. The benefits of acupuncture are not always well-known, and the risks of side effects can vary from one person to another.
In one study, acupuncture was effective in decreasing chronic pain in children and preventing migraine headaches. Although this may sound positive, the findings are not yet convincing. The results of this study, published in the journal Pediatrics, suggest that acupuncture may not work for everyone. Although this study was small, it does demonstrate that this form of treatment has a number of side effects. The effects are unclear and the causes may be unrelated to acupuncture.
Access to acupuncture
The Society for Acupuncture Research has convened a stakeholder group to explore the dissemination of acupuncture in the U.S. healthcare system. The group included patients, providers, researchers, payers, philanthropists, and representatives from local, state, and federal governments. The group identified the barriers to acupuncture and discussed possible solutions. Read the article to learn more. This paper outlines a few of those barriers and offers recommendations for further research.
One of the primary barriers to acupuncture access was the cost of services. Participants who underwent treatment felt that the costs were high, which discouraged many from seeking treatment at the clinic. This was especially true of those who received special subsidies or worked for the government. In addition, individuals had little knowledge about acupuncture and were hesitant to seek it. For these reasons, further studies are needed to better understand barriers to acupuncture access.
Effectiveness
The effectiveness of acupuncture is still being debated, as there are no definitive studies that demonstrate its efficacy. However, a Cochrane group of researchers studied the safety and effectiveness of moxibustion for breech presentation. This group examined the criterion for ECV, mortality, and complications during delivery. The study concluded that moxibustion was safe and effective in correcting breech presentation.
The effectives of acupuncture in the treatment of 33 diseases have been examined in systematic reviews. These reviews have a high methodological quality and a consistent consensus between experts. The Cochrane database contains 35 articles on the effectiveness of acupuncture for 33 different diseases. Acupuncture is effective for pain relief, joint diseases, eye diseases, and various psychiatric disorders. The WHO also categorized these studies into four categories and groups.
Safety
Despite its controversial reputation, safety of acupuncture is an important consideration for the practice. The evidence suggests that acupuncture is a safe procedure when performed by a qualified acupuncturist. Although most cases of acupuncture complications are minor, there are rare but serious cases of harm. Read on to learn more about the safest forms of acupuncture. Listed below are some of the most popular types of acupuncture.
Acupuncture has a long history. Several researches have shown that acupuncture produces fewer negative effects than conventional treatments. Multiple animal studies have demonstrated the presence of multiple biological responses after acupuncture treatment. Although the endorphin hypothesis is well established, many mechanisms are not fully understood. Nevertheless, recent clinical and basic acupuncture studies are timely and important. Although acupuncture has a generally sound safety profile, more research is needed to determine the depths at which it can be safely performed.
