Acupuncture is the insertion of hair-thin needles into specific points on the body to prevent or treat illness. It's one component of Traditional Chinese Medicine, an integrated system that's been used in china for more than 2000 years.



Which points are selected is important, but so is the angle and depth of the needle insertion; in fact, differences in these factors may cause opposite effects at the same point. Acupressure (pressing on acupuncture points with the fingers) can be substituted for needles, as can electrical stimulation of the points, or placing smoldering cones of the herb moxa (Artemisia vulgaris, or mugwort) on them. Needles sometimes twirled to maximize their effect.



The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is finally considering taking acupuncture needles off of investigational status, where they've languished for years. This would open the way for acupuncture to be covered by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance.



That's good news, because acupuncture is effective for a variety of conditions, and it can be used in situations where Western medicine has limitations (stroke rehabilitation, for example, or treatment of addictions) or where Western medicine would be dangerous (to anesthetize someone who can't tolerate normal anesthetic drugs, for example). There's a great deal of potential for the incorporation of acupuncture into our medical care system.



The scientific literature on acupuncture (in English) is quite sparse, and many ailments that are commonly, successfully treated with acupuncture have not been well studied. More controlled trials should be done on pain and addiction, inflammatory bowl disease, depression, infertility and neurological diseases.









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