Top 3 Reasons Americans Use Acupuncture

According to a new study people use acupuncture as a complementary and alternative approach to conventional treatment as well as a preventive modality to promote general health.

The top three reasons given for going to an acupuncturist were for:

  • A specific health problem (87.1%)
  • Medical treatment did not help (47.0%)
  • Family and friends recommended (45.1%) or health care provider recommended (27.3%).

The findings showed that acupuncture was also used for general wellness (42.3%), enhanced energy (24.0%), and improved immune function (21.7%). About 10% of recent visits were because of medical treatment being too expensive.

Safety, effectiveness, and doctors’ negative opinions did not affect people’s decision of whether or not to use acupuncture.

What’s your reason?