The History of Acupuncture in the United States

The practice of acupuncture is one that is thousands of years old and originated in Asia. Although primarily practiced in China, acupuncture was also popular in other countries such as Egypt. This therapy uses the insertion of strategically placed needles to treat a variety of different ailments. The history of acupuncture in the United States begins in the 1970s, when a New York Times journalist received the treatment as an anesthetic during an emergency appendectomy while in China. Suddenly, this practice spread to the Western world and is now practiced all over the United States and Europe.

These days, you can find acupuncture practitioners all over the world. There is a large interest in holistic medicine and a number of schools focusing on this type of healing. Many Western doctors with degrees in traditional medicine are expanding their repertoire to include alternative therapies such as acupuncture. Many believe that a prudent combination of Western and Eastern therapies can provide patients with the maximum benefit. A practitioner does not have to be a medical doctor to offer acupuncture, but must be certified and licensed to do so by an accredited educational facility.

Acupuncture is so widespread at this point, there is currently a bill being considered by Congress that allows patients to pay for acupuncture with their Medicare benefits. The NIH, or National Institute of Health, has even formed a department devoted to alternative medicine and is currently addressing the need for funding in this area. So how exactly does acupuncture work? Hair thin, rounded tip needles are gently inserted into specific areas of the body for a certain purpose. There are 360 areas that can be stimulated via acupuncture. The needles are left in for an average of 30 to 45 minutes, then removed. Acupuncture is not considered painful and is used for everything from weight loss to detoxification and much more.

Now that you know a little more about the history of acupuncture in the United States and how this therapy is used, you may want to try it out for yourself. It's likely you've got at least one qualified practitioner in your area. Or maybe you want to heal others with acupuncture. If so, there are a variety of schools around the nation and the world which can provide you with the education you need.

Copyright 2007 James D. Sterling - All Rights Reserved

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