Acupuncture Studies

The Integrative Medicine and Health Research Program at Mayo Clinic investigates the effectiveness of acupuncture treatments to treat pain and improve well-being.

Acupuncture is a key component of Chinese medicine, and involves the insertion of extremely thin needles through the skin at strategic points on the body.

Clinical trials

Clinical trials on acupuncture in the Integrative Medicine and Health Research Program at Mayo Clinic include:

  • Acupuncture for muscle soreness and well-being in teenage athletes. Led by Edward R. Laskowski, M.D., researchers in the Integrative Medicine and Health Research Program are testing the feasibility of administering acupuncture treatments to adolescent football players in a warm-weather, high-intensity training environment. The trial also uses surveys given before and after treatment to measure how participants perceive the effects of acupuncture on muscle soreness and overall well-being. Learn more or enroll.
  • Massage therapy alone and with acupuncture for patients with breast cancer. Led by Christina A. Dilaveri, M.D., researchers are investigating whether massage therapy combined with acupuncture in patients recovering from autologous tissue reconstruction is more effective than massage therapy alone. Learn more or enroll.