Acupuncture may offer a safe, practical adjunct for addiction care by supporting the body’s natural opioid regulation and reducing reliance on pain medicines.
This narrative review examined the biological rationale for acupuncture in addiction medicine, focusing on its effects on the body’s endogenous opioid system. It synthesised basic science evidence, clinical research on substance-use and opioid-use disorders, and experience with the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association treatment protocol, while also considering acupuncture’s role in pain management.
The review found broadly positive evidence supporting acupuncture as a feasible complementary treatment for substance-use disorders, particularly where access to conventional addiction treatment is limited. It also argued that wider use of acupuncture for acute and chronic pain could help reduce exposure to opioid medicines and potentially lessen progression toward substance use disorders.
