What Problems Can Acupuncture Help?

Acupuncture is the oldest continuously practiced medical system in the world and is used by one-third of the world's population as a primary healthcare system. It is likely that more people have been treated by Chinese medicine throughout history than by any other formalized system of medicine. Because of its relatively low cost and its noninvasive nature, acupuncture has become a highly popular form of complementary healthcare in the United States. Traditionally, acupuncture has been used to treat a wide range of disorders, but its primary use in the United States has been to relieve chronic pain – caused by such ailments as arthritis, headaches, PMS, and back pain – and to assist withdrawal from addictions such as drug and alcohol dependency. Today, both conventional and alternative practitioners are exploring more innovative applications for acupuncture, including its use as an analgesic to reduce pain during surgery. In 1997, an advisory panel for the National Institutes of ...