Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine have been used in China for over 3000 years; it is now practiced and accepted worldwide as a viable form of treatment for many disorders. Acupuncture is based on the theory of yin/yang and the meridians (pathways). Meridians are a group of pathways that contain energy and are responsible for the movement of energy (Qi) throughout our whole body (inside and out). Along these meridians are specific acupoints that correlated to certain organs and functions throughout the body. Acupoints are selected based on the patient’s current state of health and exhibiting symptoms. These points are then inserted with fine needles, (sometimes in conjunction with electrical stimulus) or massaged, laser therapy or heat therapy. This then directly influences the physiologic functioning of the body. Acupuncture is used to balance the body’s energy flows to promote healing, improve health and alleviate pain.

A major nod of approval for acupuncture came in 1997 from a NIH (National Institutes of Health) consensus panel claiming its efficacy to treat a variety of things: ‘…including nausea from chemotherapy, surgery and pregnancy, and pain after surgery…effective also in adjunct therapy for stroke rehabilitation, relieving additions, headaches, menstrual cramps, a variety of muscle pains, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, low back pain, osteoarthritis and asthma.’ NIH furthered its approval by stating ‘…acupuncture has substantially low incidence of adverse side effects and should be integrated in to standard medical practice and be covered by Medicare and Medicaid and private insurance companies.’