Efficacy for Specific Disorders
According to contemporary research standards, there is a paucity of high-quality research assessing efficacy of acupuncture. The data in support of acupuncture are as strong as those for many accepted Western medical therapies.

There is clear evidence that acupuncture is efficacious for adult postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and the nausea of pregnancy.Randomized clinical trials demonstrated the benefits of acupuncture for a range of cancer- induced symptoms, include dyspnea in advanced cancer, post-thoracotomy pain , aromatase inhibitor-associated arthralgia in breast cancer, hot flashes in breast cancer, pain dysfunction and xerostomia after neck dissection. Currently, the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group is running a phase II/III clinical trial comparing acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation with pilocarpine in the treatment of radiationinduced xerostomia.

Acupuncture may have a more general effect on pain.There is evidence of efficacy for postoperative dental pain. Musculoskeletal conditions, such as fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, and tennis elbow, are conditions for which acupuncture may be beneficial. These painful conditions are often treated with, among other things, anti-inflammatory medications (aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.) or with steroid injections. Both medical interventions have a potential for deleterious side effects but are still widely used and are considered acceptable treatments. The evidence supporting these therapies is no better than that for acupuncture.

There are other situations such as addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps,  osteoarthritis, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, in which acupuncture may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be included in a comprehensive management program.

Reference:
1.        Acupuncture, National Institutes of HealthConsensus Development ConferenceStatement,
November 3-5, 1997
2.        http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/acupuncture/healthprofessional