| AcupunctureAs complementary therapies go, | | | | problems, and also Korean and Japanese acupuncture |
| acupuncture is one of the most well respected and | | | | which are similar to TCM but with slightly different |
| researched. Consequently it enjoys wide acceptance | | | | theoretical underpinnings.How does it work?The theory |
| in conventional medicine circles and is now routinely | | | | of Chinese medicine is based around Qi, the life-force |
| recommended by all manner of doctors, nurses and | | | | that flows through all things. Imbalances in bodily |
| other health professionals. A recent WHO report | | | | systems cause a disruption to this flow, which can be |
| found it effective for a wide range of symptoms and | | | | remedied by insertion of tiny metal needles into specific |
| diseases, such as insomnia, depression, acne, lower | | | | parts of the body. Acupuncturists use a highly details |
| back pain and sciatica, along with many others.While | | | | method of diagnosis in order to understand the health |
| the theories and language of Traditional Chinese | | | | of the whole person and thus calculate the site and |
| Medicine may not be accepted by Western doctors, | | | | type of Qi disharmony.History of |
| there is little doubt that acupuncture works and | | | | AcupunctureAcupuncture has a long but uncertain |
| practitioners are relatively easy to find. There are 2 | | | | history. It was developed in ancient China at least 2000 |
| main types of acupuncture generally practiced in the | | | | years ago, possibly much earlier than that. Certainly, by |
| West today, with subdivisions in each. These are the | | | | the 1st or 2nd century BCE Chinese medicine was well |
| Traditional Schools and the so called Medical | | | | developed - the classic text on the subject the nei jing |
| Acupuncture. The 1st is the holistic, oriental therapy that | | | | was written around this time - a book which is still |
| comes from China, the 2nd is a Westernised version | | | | consulted by practitioners today. Acupuncture |
| used purely on a physical level. Medical acupuncture is | | | | continued to develop over thousands of years until the |
| normally practiced by Western medical practitioners | | | | late 19th and early 20th centuries when China was in a |
| such as GPs, physiotherapists or nurses. It is used | | | | period of turmoil. An influx of Western ideas into China, |
| mainly for pain relief and practitioners have only the | | | | and the cultural and political changes initiated by |
| bare minimum of training. This is in contrast with the | | | | Chairman Mao lead to traditional medicine becoming |
| Traditional approach which takes years of training and | | | | almost extinct. After the 2nd World War, however, |
| follows the Chinese medical system, and works on | | | | China faced a massive health problem and traditional |
| physical, mental and emotional levels.Traditional | | | | medicine, including acupuncture, was revived. From the |
| acupuncture is subdivided into a number of schools. | | | | 1950s, Western interest in this traditional healing method |
| The most popular is TCM (Traditional Chinese | | | | grew hugely, fueled by astounding reports of |
| Medicine) which follows the way acupuncture is | | | | operations performed with only acupuncture |
| practiced in China. Other schools include 5-elements | | | | anesthesia. |
| which is said to focus more on psychology and spiritual | | | | |