A medical art estimated to be over 5,000 years old from the Orient, acupuncture began receiving recognition in the U.S. following then-President Nixon's 1973 trip to China.  James Reston, a journalist with The New York Times, underwent an emergency appendectomy while in China.  Following the procedure, he experienced severe post-operative pain, for which he was treated with acupuncture.  His pain "magically" disappeared and when Reston returned home, he published an article about his experience with acupuncture.  The result has been a steady increase in the interest and acceptance of acupuncture as a viable form of treatment.

Currently, over 10,000 acupuncturists are registered in the U.S.  Some insurance companies are beginning to cover acupuncture treatments and some HMO's have begun to spring up, touting acupuncture benefits.

Acupuncture has been used successfully for a variety of conditions stemming from all types of pain to migraine headaches to gynecological disorders to gastro-intestinal disorders to respiratory difficulties and neurological disorders.  The World Health Organization (WHO) lists over 80 illnesses for which acupuncture is considered a valid therapy.

In China, it is frequently performed as anesthesia for surgical procedures.  It's not uncommon to have brain surgery, abdominal surgery, or even open-heart surgery with only acupuncture anesthesia.  On my last trip to the dentist, I just took a few needles with me and passed on using the Novacaine.  The effect was simple and quick and I didn't have to walk around with numb lips for the rest of the day!

Making a "Point" about acupuncture
A powerful source of healing
What is acupuncture?
There are many theories about how acupuncture works...