[Psychotherapeutic aspects of acupuncture]

Several psychological tests were applied in order to get some information about the spontaneous effect of acupuncture in diseases of the locomotor system and cephalea. No significant therapeutic success was achieved in cases not reporting about remarkable feelings during the session. Acupuncture was more effective in lowering pain if the disorders were relatively homogeneous than with a generally high subjective strain. Further findings revealed besides personality aspects the therapist-patient relationship to be a determinate factor for effectivity of acupuncture. This is interpreted as an evidence for psychotherapeutic elements underlying the therapeutic outcome in addition to neurophysiological stimulation.