The ancient Chinese alternative healing method called Acupuncture is now a popular and widely accepted alternative pain relief method in the United States. An estimated 15 million Americans have tried this unconventional therapy. It is offered in many chronic pain clinics and is covered by some insurers and managed health organizations. The Chinese therapy of acupuncture has been used for millions of years to treat a range of ailments. Now it looks like Western medicine is getting the point. The intent of acupuncture therapy is to promote health and alleviate pain and suffering. The method by which this is accomplished, though it may seem strange and mysterious to many, has been tested over thousands of years and continues to be validated today.
The perspective from which an acupuncturist views health and sickness hinges on concepts of vital energy, energy balance and energy imbalance. Just as the Western medical doctor monitors the blood flowing through blood vessels and the messages traveling via the nervous system, the acupuncturist assesses the flow and distribution of this vital energy within its pathways, known as meridians and channels.
The World Health...