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Pediatric conditions affect hundreds of children every year. Although most children recover from minor conditions through the use of medications, many of them could have been treated without the use of medications through alternative treatments such as acupuncture. The effectiveness of acupuncture has been thoroughly researched, and studies have found that acupuncture is extremely effective for children who suffer from postoperative induced nausea, pain symptoms, asthma, and allergic rhinitis in children among other conditions. Reports have indicated that the chances of side-effects happening from acupuncture are approximately the same, if not lower, than a person who takes medications for the same condition.

If your children are suffering from chronic pain, severe allergies, asthma, or any other ailment, we at Progressive Acupuncture Wellness Center in Chicago would love to sit down and discuss whether or not acupuncture therapy can help your children Call (773) 786-9119 to schedule an appointment today.

In 2008 a study was published on the website for the US National Library of Medicine that examined the “Safety and Efficacy of Acupuncture in Children,” and it found that “Postoperatively, there is far more evidence of acupuncture’s efficacy for pediatrics than for children treated with chemotherapy” (ncbi.nlm.gov, 2008). Additionally, the authors of the study found that acupuncture can be the most effective with helping children overcome postoperative induced nausea (ncbi.nlm.gov, 2008). This also clarifies that pain for adults is different than it is for children, which draws attention to the subject of treatment and why acupuncture works so well with children.

However, a different study published in 2008 by the US National Library of Medicine highlighted the insufficient amount of research available to analyze. “While acupuncture holds great promise as a treatment modality for diverse pediatric conditions, a significant amount of additional research is necessary to establish an empirical basis for the incorporation of acupuncture into standard care” (ncbi.nlm.gov, 2008). Essentially, this means that researchers are still gathering data on how acupuncture therapy can be the most effective for children so they can provide acupuncture as a regular form of treatment to avoid overprescribing or incorrectly prescribing medications.

In 2014, controlled studies of acupuncture for pediatric patients have been performed at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco. The results have found that acupuncture is can be effective in “managing nausea after surgical removal of tonsils and adenoids and following eye surgery to correct strabismus. It has also been shows to help reduce chronic headache pain in children” (Lingaas). UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco has continued their research and has incorporated acupuncture into pediatric care at UCSF. This research supports the initial study reported by NCBI in 2008, and such studies have provided the foundation for petitions in support of healthcare coverage. Currently, many healthcare providers provide partial coverage for acupuncture, while others offer full coverage or none at all.

At Progressive Acupuncture Wellness Center in Chicago, we believe that acupuncture therapy can have effective results for both adults and children, and the research on acupuncture therapy to treat pediatric conditions has only scratched the surface with how people can benefit from acupuncture treatments. As acupuncturists, however, we understand how effective acupuncture therapy can be for adults and children with certain conditions, and we have seen the results first hand.

For more information on how acupuncture therapy can help your children contact Progressive Acupuncture Wellness Center at (773) 786-9119 to schedule an appointment today.

References

Gold, Nicolaou, Belmont, et al. “Pediatric Acupuncture: A review of Clinical Research.” PubMed Central, US National Library of Medicine, and National Institutes of Health. National Center for Biotechnology Information. 10 Jan 2008. Web. 17 May 2016.

Jindal, Vanita, Adeline Ge, and Patrick J. Mansky. "Safety and Efficacy of Acupuncture in Children A Review of the Evidence." Journal of Pediatric Hematology/oncology. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 30 June 2008. Web. 15 June 2017.

Lingaas, Leslie. "Acupuncture Helps Pediatric Patients Manage Pain and Nausea." UC San Francisco. The Regents at the University of California, 30 Apr. 2014. Web. 17 May 2016.