programme, a multi-faceted therapeutic approach that aims to reduce the
health and social problems induced by drug epidemics. In addition, TCM,
including acupuncture and herbal therapy, is found both to be effective in
the prevention of relapse and to cause few side effects, making it useful for
the treatment of opiate addiction.^93
Gastrointestinal disorders
Acupuncture has a long history of use for gastrointestinal disorders,
including dyspepsia, ulcers and inflammatory bowel disease.^94
HIV
Preliminary data from small numbers of participants in a pilot study using
acupuncture for symptomatic relief have shown trends towards improve-
ment in symptoms and quality of life.^95
Insomnia
A systematic review of auricular acupuncture treatment for insomnia found
6 trials involving a total of 402 patients that met the authors’ inclusion
criteria.^96 Auricular acupuncture appeared to be effective for treating
insomnia. However, as the trials were adjudged to be of low quality, it was
concluded that further work involving better design, longer duration of
treatment and longer follow-up should be undertaken.
Nausea and vomiting
For nausea and vomiting the P6 acupoint on the inner wrist is usually used.
In a review of 29 trials in the literature that referred to nausea and vomiting
from all causes, 27 gave positive results.^97
Osteoarthritis
In a review of acupuncture in osteoarthritis, 13 studies were identified, of
which 7 reported a positive and 6 a negative result.^98 However, most of the
positive trials were not placebo controlled so no conclusions could be reliably
drawn. In a trial involving 352 adults aged 50 or more with a clinical diag-
nosis of knee osteoarthritis the addition of acupuncture to a course of advice
and exercise delivered by physiotherapists provided no additional improve-
ment in pain scores (measured on the Western Ontario and McMaster
Universities osteoarthritis index [WOMAC] subscale).^99 This finding agreed
with an earlier trial that compared acupuncture with sham acupuncture
given in addition to exercise in people with knee osteoarthritis.^100 Small bene-
fits in pain intensity and unpleasantness were observed in both acupuncture
groups, making it unlikely that this was due to acupuncture needling effects.
Vas et al. analysed the efficacy of acupuncture as a complementary
therapy to the pharmacological treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee, with
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