| Acupuncture is a technique used to restore health and | | | | Archaeological evidence can show acupuncture was |
| well-being by inserting needles into specific areas of | | | | used as early as the Han Dynasty. Literature on the |
| the body and manipulating them. This method is found | | | | traditional Korean version known as Chimsul and |
| to be extremely helpful in the reduction of pain, and is | | | | Japanese versions known as Kampo are also |
| recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) | | | | available. |
| which has even set definitions of acupuncture points | | | | Differing from traditional medicine by not following |
| and characteristics. | | | | scientific biomedicine, acupuncture treats the human |
| Acupuncture originated in China and is tied closely to | | | | body in systems of function that are associated with |
| the traditional Chinese practice of medicine. Other | | | | individual body organs. Some systems of function, such |
| forms of acupuncture including Korean, Japanese and | | | | as the triple heater (San Jiao), are different as they |
| classical Chinese versions are currently being practiced | | | | are not associated with a physical organ. |
| and taught worldwide. | | | | When body systems work together properly they are |
| Traditional medicine tends to push for scientific proof | | | | in the state of homeostasis, when these lose this state |
| before any method of treatment is used or thought of | | | | they are considered to be in a state of disease. |
| as being effective. Clinical trials and reviews have | | | | Acupuncture is used to treat patterns of disharmony |
| been done and are continuing to be done to determine | | | | by attempting to modify activity of the systems using |
| whether acupuncture is effective or just a passing fad | | | | needles and pressure as well as heat on localized |
| that some are fooled by. | | | | sensitive acupuncture points. |
| These trials have suggested that acupuncture is | | | | Acupuncture points are not necessarily in the same |
| effective for pain, specifically headaches and lower | | | | area of the body as the symptoms or the targeted |
| back pain, as well as for nausea. The evidence is | | | | systems. Acupuncturists, who have been trained in |
| insufficient to determine how effective this method is | | | | Japanese forms of this treatment, as well as some of |
| for other medical conditions. Modern medicine and | | | | the others, depend on palpation for ashi points or |
| traditional medicine alike agree that more research is | | | | tender points that are used for treatment. Their basic |
| needed and that acupuncture is safe as long as the | | | | theory is that relief is given by working through |
| acupuncturist is well-trained. | | | | stimulation of the meridian system to rebalance the yin, |
| The history of this treatment in China goes back as | | | | yang and qi. This theory is not based science; instead |
| far as the first millennium B.C. and perhaps further. | | | | this is based on paradigm. |