Acupuncture and spinal cord medicine.
BACKGROUND
The National Institutes of Health has concluded that the potential value of acupuncture justifies expanding its use into conventional medicine and studying it further.


METHODS
Literature review of acupuncture as it pertains to spinal cord medicine.


RESULTS
Acupuncture has been used to treat a number of spinal cord injury (SCI)-related conditions, including motor deficits, pain, spasticity, and syringomyelia.


CONCLUSIONS
Acupuncture shows promise as an intervention in the treatment of SCI-related conditions. Further research, carried out in careful and systematic fashion by qualified practitioners of acupuncture in concert with spinal cord medicine specialists, is needed.
Paola
Frederick Adolf
FA
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Ethics and Humanities, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida 33612-4799, USA. fpaola@hsc.usf.edu
Arnold
Michael
M
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D006801:Humans; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*