Condition

Acupuncture clinical trials and research

• 18Clinical trials
• 26NIH research projects
• 8Countries

Newest Acupuncture clinical trials

All recruiting trials (18)

• Acupuncture for post-stroke swallowing problems

  This project tests whether different acupuncture approaches improve swallowing in adults with post-stroke dysphagia.

  Recruiting First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine · Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality · NCT07493902

• Stress Reduction With Acupuncture After Breast Cancer Treatment

  This trial tests whether eight weeks of weekly acupuncture can lower psychological distress in breast cancer survivors who recently finished primary treatment, compared with a wait-list control.

  Recruiting at 2 sites University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland · Basel and 2 other locations · NCT07132034

• Acupuncture for pain after total knee replacement

  This project will try acupuncture to reduce short-term pain, opioid use, and inflammation after elective total knee replacement in adults.

  Recruiting Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo di Pavia · Pavia, Pavia · NCT07123805

• Acupuncture versus TENS for pain after upper abdominal surgery

  This will test whether acupuncture or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can reduce pain for adults after upper abdominal surgery.

  Recruiting Cairo University · Al Mansurah · NCT07036393

• Acupuncture-style TENS to reduce pain and stress before and during egg retrieval

  This trial will test whether acupuncture-style transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (acu-TENS) can cut pain by half for women having transvaginal ultrasound-guided egg retrieval.

  Recruiting Chinese University of Hong Kong · Hong Kong · NCT06910540

• Evaluating acupuncture for treating ADHD in children

  This study is testing whether acupuncture, combined with herbal treatment, can help children aged 6-12 with ADHD feel better compared to just herbal treatment alone.

  Recruiting The Third Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine · Beijing, Chaoyang District · NCT06860763

• Acupuncture to reduce chemotherapy-related nerve pain after gynecologic cancer

  This pilot will try acupuncture to see if it reduces chemotherapy-caused nerve pain (peripheral neuropathy) in people treated for gynecological cancers with carboplatin and paclitaxel.

  Recruiting The University of Hong Kong · Hong Kong · NCT06769061

• Evaluating thumbtack needle therapy for improving sleep and recovery after surgery

  This study is testing if thumbtack needle therapy can help women recover better and sleep more soundly after breast cancer surgery.

  Recruiting at 2 sites The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University · Xiamen, Fujian and 1 other locations · NCT06757023

• Acupuncture for pain in sickle cell disease

  This trial will test whether traditional needle acupuncture or non‑needle laser acupuncture can reduce pain and change brain and sensory responses in adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease.

  Recruiting University of Cincinnati · Cincinnati, Ohio · NCT06725550

• Acupuncture treatment for neuropsychiatric symptoms in long COVID patients

  This study is testing if acupuncture can help people with long COVID feel better by reducing their neuropsychiatric symptoms.

  Recruiting Hong Kong Baptist University · Kowloon Tong, Kowloon · NCT06633666

• Combining traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture for treating early puberty in girls

  This study is testing whether a combination of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture can help girls with early puberty feel better and manage their symptoms.

  Recruiting at 2 sites Phase 3 Children's Hospital of Fudan University · Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality and 1 other locations · NCT06510764

• Acupuncture treatment for chronic pelvic pain in women

  This study is testing if a special acupuncture treatment can help women with chronic pelvic pain feel better compared to regular pain management methods.

  Recruiting Mike O'Callaghan Military Hospital · Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada · NCT06388590

• Dry needling for menstrual pain relief

  This study is testing whether dry needling can help young women with painful periods feel better compared to traditional acupuncture and a placebo.

  Recruiting at 2 sites Beijing Hospital · Beijing, Beijing Municipality and 1 other locations · NCT06316583

• Effects of acupuncture on Parkinson's disease patients with chronic appendicitis

  This study is testing if acupuncture can help people with Parkinson's disease who also have chronic appendicitis feel better by easing their symptoms, especially those related to digestion.

  Recruiting The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China · Hefei, Anhui · NCT06304285

• Evaluating head acupuncture after thrombectomy for stroke treatment

  This study is testing if adding head acupuncture to standard treatment after a stroke helps patients recover better than just the standard treatment alone.

  Recruiting Xi'an No.3 Hospital · Xi'an, Shaanxi · NCT05561088

• Electroacupuncture treatment for fibromyalgia pain and quality of life

  This study is testing if electroacupuncture can help people with fibromyalgia feel less pain and improve their quality of life.

  Recruiting University of Crete · Heraklion · NCT05357157

• Acupuncture to Manage Pain After Knee Arthroscopy

  This pilot study tests whether adding fixed-needle acupuncture to usual pain care after knee arthroscopy can lessen pain and reduce pain medicine use while helping patients move sooner.

  Recruiting University Medicine Greifswald · Greifswald, Vorpommern · NCT04134702

• Acupuncture for taste disorders in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

  This study tests if acupuncture can help cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who have taste problems feel better and improve their appetite.

  Recruiting Universität Duisburg-Essen · Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia and 2 other locations · NCT02304913

NIH-funded research (26)

Early-stage science funded by the US National Institutes of Health. Most of these projects don't enroll patients, but they show what is being worked on.

• Immune and nerve signals behind acupuncture relief for sickle cell pain

  This NIH grant explores how acupuncture helps reduce pain and opioid use for people with sickle cell disease.

  NIH research University of Cincinnati · Cincinnati, United States · NIH-11595810

• Acupuncture for psychic and neural symptoms in breast cancer survivors

  A study tests whether acupuncture helps improve joint pain, fatigue, and sleep problems in breast cancer survivors who are on endocrine therapy.

  NIH research University of Illinois at Chicago · Chicago, UNITED STATES · NIH-11445909

• Multi-Site Feasibility Study to Prepare for a Clinical Trial on Battlefield Acupuncture, Battlefield Acupressure, or Sham for Acute Pain

  A team at UC San Diego is testing a non-drug, needle-free and needle-involved acupuncture approach to treat acute postoperative pain and reduce reliance on opioids.

  NIH research University of California, San Diego · La Jolla, United States · NIH-11442963

• Acupuncture to ease symptoms for people with metastatic breast cancer

  A clinical trial will test whether weekly acupuncture for 12 weeks can reduce symptom burden for people with metastatic breast cancer who are on standard therapy.

  NIH research Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · Seattle, United States · NIH-11441799

• Acupuncture for Cognitive Health in Older Prostate Cancer Survivors

  A doctor-in-training will study whether acupuncture can help older prostate cancer survivors feel sharper and manage cognitive issues and related symptoms.

  NIH research Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · New York, United States · NIH-11385022

• Acupuncture for stable angina symptoms in adults

  This study tests whether acupuncture can help reduce chest pain and improve quality of life for adults with stable angina.

  NIH research University of California Los Angeles · Los Angeles, United States · NIH-11377001

• Acupuncture in the Emergency Department for Pain in 5 BraveNet Centers

  A multi-center plan will try acupuncture for acute pain in adults visiting emergency departments to see if it provides better relief than usual care.

  NIH research University of California-Irvine · Irvine, United States · NIH-11359458

• Acupuncture in the Emergency Department to Ease Acute Pain in Two Patient Groups

  A multi-center study tests whether acupuncture in the ED can more effectively reduce pain quickly for adults with acute pain than usual care.

  NIH research Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester · Worcester, United States · NIH-11358565

• Calm Bladder: Acupuncture to ease urinary symptoms during NMIBC treatment

  A multicenter trial will test whether weekly acupuncture before bladder cancer therapy helps reduce urinary symptoms and improve quality of life for adults with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

  NIH research University of Washington · Seattle, United States · NIH-11339979

• Acupuncture for Medicare Beneficiaries with Chronic Low Back Pain

  This project looks at how coverage of acupuncture for chronic low back pain in Medicare beneficiaries affects outcomes, access, and costs.

  NIH research Southern California Univ of Health Scis · Whittier, United States · NIH-11311347

• Exploring acupuncture's effects on chronic low back pain for Medicare patients

  This study is exploring how acupuncture might help older adults on Medicare who have chronic low back pain, looking at how well it works, how safe it is, and whether it's a good option compared to regular pain medications, while also checking how easy it is for them to get acupuncture and what challenges they might fac

  NIH research Southern California Univ of Health Scis · Whittier, United States · NIH-11144531

• Helping Men Prevent Future Strokes with a Self-Management Program

  This project helps high-risk men who have had a stroke or TIA learn to manage their health to prevent future cardiovascular events.

  NIH research University of California Los Angeles · Los Angeles, United States · NIH-11118934

• Acupuncture to ease chemotherapy-related nerve pain

  This project tests whether real acupuncture, compared with sham acupuncture, reduces moderate-to-severe chemotherapy-related nerve pain in cancer survivors.

  NIH research Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · Boston, United States · NIH-11080820

• Using acupuncture to help patients with sepsis

  This study is looking at whether acupuncture can help patients who are at risk for sepsis, a serious illness, by seeing if it can lower the chances of needing intensive care or improve health outcomes, and it’s designed for people who might be facing this condition.

  NIH research Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · New York, United States · NIH-11052495

• Exploring acupuncture as a treatment for chronic pain in older adults

  This study is looking at how acupuncture can help older adults with chronic pain feel better without relying on medications, especially for those who might not have easy access to this kind of care.

  NIH research Michigan State University · East Lansing, United States · NIH-10994778

• Combining mindfulness and acupuncture to improve recovery after spine surgery

  This study is exploring a new way to help people recovering from spine surgery by combining mindfulness exercises from a mobile app with ear acupuncture to see if it can better manage pain and reduce the need for pain medication compared to regular care.

  NIH research Duke University · Durham, United States · NIH-10989952

• Using virtual reality to enhance acupuncture treatment for chronic low back pain

  This study is exploring a new way to help people with chronic low back pain by using virtual reality to create an acupuncture experience in their minds, which might help those who haven't found relief with regular treatments.

  NIH research Massachusetts Neuro Technology, INC. · Weston, United States · NIH-10976167

• Investigating how acupuncture affects symptoms of stable angina.

  This study is looking at how acupuncture might help people with stable angina, which causes chest pain during physical activity or stress, by comparing it to a control treatment over 12 weeks to see if it can improve pain relief and overall well-being.

  NIH research University of California Los Angeles · Los Angeles, United States · NIH-10931331

• Using acupuncture and relaxation techniques to manage chronic pain in sickle cell disease

  This study is looking at how well acupuncture and relaxation techniques can help people with sickle cell disease manage their chronic pain, and it will involve 360 patients to see how these treatments can fit into regular healthcare.

  NIH research University of Illinois at Chicago · Chicago, UNITED STATES · NIH-10920375

• Examining insurance coverage for acupuncture therapy

  This study looks at how insurance coverage influences whether people with chronic low back pain can get acupuncture treatment, aiming to help improve access to this alternative pain relief option.

  NIH research University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, United States · NIH-10911115

• Using acupuncture to improve cognitive health in older prostate cancer survivors

  This study is looking at how acupuncture might help older men who have survived prostate cancer by improving their thinking skills and reducing problems like anxiety and tiredness that often come with it.

  NIH research Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · New York, United States · NIH-10888989

• Using acupuncture to relieve pain in people with Long COVID

  This study is looking at whether acupuncture can help people with Long COVID feel better and improve their daily lives, and it's for anyone dealing with the pain and other tough symptoms of this condition.

  NIH research University of Washington · Seattle, United States · NIH-10789679

• Using acupuncture to treat pain from chemotherapy-induced nerve damage

  This study is looking at whether acupuncture can help relieve the painful nerve issues that some cancer survivors experience after chemotherapy, and it's for those who are dealing with moderate to severe pain from this condition.

  NIH research Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · Boston, United States · NIH-10745311

• Using virtual reality to enhance acupuncture treatment for chronic low back pain

  This study is exploring a new way to help people with chronic low back pain by using virtual reality to create an acupuncture experience in their minds, which might help reduce their pain and improve their daily life.

  NIH research Massachusetts Neuro Technology, INC. · Weston, United States · NIH-10695389

• Using acupuncture in the emergency department to manage pain

  This study is looking at whether acupuncture can help people in the emergency room who are dealing with moderate to severe pain, offering a safer option than opioids for relief.

  NIH research Case Western Reserve University · Cleveland, United States · NIH-10479980

• Testing acupuncture for chronic low back pain in older adults

  This study is looking at how well acupuncture helps older adults with chronic low back pain by comparing a regular treatment to one with extra sessions, to see if it works better than just regular medical care.

  NIH research Kaiser Foundation Research Institute · Oakland, UNITED STATES · NIH-10470916

Related topics

Quick answers

How many Acupuncture clinical trials are recruiting right now?

18, as of November 12, 2026. We update this list each time we refresh our data from ClinicalTrials.gov.

Where are these trials running?

In 8 countries. The most sites are in China (8 trials), Germany (2 trials), Hong Kong (2 trials), United States (2 trials), Italy (1 trial). Each study page lists its sites and which ones are recruiting.

What phases are they in?

Phase 3: 1. Trials with no phase listed are usually device, behavioural or observational studies.

How do I join one?

Open a study, check the "Is this trial a fit for you?" section, then contact the study team listed on the page. They will ask a few screening questions. Asking is free and does not commit you to anything. Talk it over with your doctor first.

Find the studies that fit you

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