Researchers analyzed 20 previous studies involving 1,462 people with anxiety to see if manual acupuncture helps reduce anxiety symptoms. They compared real acupuncture to either fake (sham) acupuncture or to usual care/waiting lists. The analysis found that manual acupuncture was better at reducing anxiety than both sham acupuncture and usual care immediately after treatment ended. The benefit compared to sham acupuncture appeared to last into a follow-up period, though the benefit compared to usual care did not remain significant at follow-up.
The studies reported 79 minor side effects, like temporary discomfort, minor bleeding, or pain at the needle site. No severe safety problems were reported, suggesting acupuncture was generally well-tolerated in these trials.
It's important to be cautious about these results for a few reasons. The studies included in this review were quite different from each other, which makes the overall finding less clear. Some studies also had issues with how they were designed, like how participants were assigned to groups. This means we can't be completely sure the results are fully reliable.
This review suggests manual acupuncture is a promising option that appears safe for managing anxiety in the short term. However, because of the limitations in the research, it's too early to say how effective it is in the long run or for everyone. People considering acupuncture for anxiety should discuss it with their healthcare provider as one possible part of a treatment plan.
