Acupuncture may meaningfully reduce pelvic pain in people with endometriosis, with few reported adverse effects.
The researchers systematically searched major medical and complementary medicine databases for controlled trials of penetrating acupuncture for endometriosis. They included eligible studies, assessed potential bias and confidence in the evidence using established review frameworks, and combined study findings through random-effects meta-analysis to evaluate pain, quality of life, and adverse events.
Across six included studies, acupuncture showed clinically relevant improvement in overall pelvic pain compared with non-specific acupuncture. Individual studies also suggested benefits for menstrual pain, pain severity, quality of life, and health-related quality of life, although certainty varied across outcomes. Reported adverse events were uncommon, supporting acupuncture as a potentially safe treatment option for endometriosis-related pain.
