Systematic review analysis on the use of acupuncture for pain in youth and adults

Abstract

Oriental traditions in Brazil have been around since the 1960s. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), based on the Taoist cosmology and the theories of Yin and Yang, Five Movements or Elements of Nature, represents a modality of knowledge and therapeutic practice that is more than 3000 thousand years old. One of the techniques that make up TCM is acupuncture. Using specific points on the energetic meridians, the insertion and manipulation of needles promote the circulation of Qi (vital energy) and is one of the most prominent ways to treat or relieve pain. In this study, we aimed to identify what the scientific literature in the last 5 years has pointed out as contributions of acupuncture in relation to pain, especially in young people and adults. We conducted a literature search that analyzed systematic reviews from the PUBMED database. A total of 15 studies were analyzed. After the exclusion process, 12 review articles were analyzed. In the interpretative summaries, we identified that most articles suggest that acupuncture can be a safe and effective form of treatment for pain, in various conditions and pain syndromes. At the same time, the studies point to the need for further research with more elaborate methodologies to increase the quality of the evidence.