Acupuncture has a long history of being used to treat many conditions; however, research into its effectiveness and cost effectiveness is in its relative infancy. The first significant attempt to identify the evidence validating the role of acupuncture was undertaken by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1979 (1). WHO conducted a Delphi-like symposium in Beijing in 1979 where physicians from around the world identified 43 diseases which they believed Acupuncture may benefit (1). The 1979 report was criticised because it was not based on clinical trials, rather the clinical experience of the participants (1).
The 2016 Acupuncture Evidence project is an Australian literature review which reviewed the published meta-analysis and systematic reviews of 122 conditions. It identified 47 conditions, 8 with strong evidence and 38 with moderate evidence, supporting the use of Acupuncture (1). So here are the findings;