Clinical experience, but not necessarily controlled clinical trials, suggests that acupuncture treatment is effective in a range of diseases and conditions. An authoritative list of what conditions can effectively be treated by acupuncture can only be drawn up after each claim of efficacy has been examined and either verified or rejected. There is, so far, no such agreed list, although research aimed at establishing clinical indications for acupuncture is being pursued in institutions around the world.

In any event, it should be borne in mind that the indications for acupuncture, and the contraindications to it, will vary with the level of training and the length of experience of the practitioner. For an acupuncturist who has a profound knowledge of the subject, the range of conditions for which such treatment may safely be used is greater than for someone of more limited ability. An important element of the training of practitioners is to help them grasp fully their own limitations and those of acupuncture.