Over two thousand years ago, Chinese medical sages discovered that the body's vital energy circulates in clearly defined pathways, which they called meridians or channels. They also discovered certain points along these channels that can influence and redirect the energy to flow in different intensities and directions, affecting the various organs, tissues, and vital substances of the body. The tradition of Acupuncture continues to evolve to this very day, based on an unbroken written and oral tradition dating back to these early times. Today, Acupuncturists use sterile, single-use, disposable needles at these meridian points to treat a wide range of diseases and symptoms by adjusting, balancing, and correcting the flow of energy along these meridians. The practice of acupuncture in the United States is currently regulated in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Although practice requirements vary between states, all but 3 states regulating acupuncturists require passage of the Acupuncture examination given by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), which tests knowledge of acupuncture theory, acupuncture point location, and clean needle technique. The 35 schools nationwide that are accredited by the Accreditation Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine provide a minimum of 1,725 hours of training (705 hours of acupuncture-oriented theory, diagnosis, and treatment; 360 hours of biomedical clinical sciences; and 660 hours of clinical training) taken over a minimum of three years. Additional certification in Chinese herbology is available, and students of Chinese herbology must obtain an additional 450 hours of herbal training. The degree received is normally a professional Masters degree in Oriental Medicine. The World Health Organization lists more than 40 conditions for which acupuncture may be used. The table below lists these conditions.
For the research report defining and outlining the WHO's choices, click here. Note: (This is a PDF file requiring Adobe Acrobat reader. Click here to download a copy.)

Digestive	Emotional
Abdominal pain Constipation Diarrhea Hyperacidity Indigestion	Anxiety Depression Insomnia Nervousness Neurosis
Eye-Ear-Nose-Throat	Gynecological
Cataracts Gingivitis Poor vision Tinnitis Toothache	Infertility Menopausal symptoms Premenstrual syndrome
Miscellaneous	Musculoskeletal
Addiction control Athletic performance Blood pressure regulation Chronic fatigue Immune system tonification Stress reduction	Arthritis Back pain Muscle cramping Muscle pain/weakness Neck pain Sciatica
Neurological	Respiratory
Headaches Migraines Neurogenic bladder dysfunction Parkinson's disease Postoperative pain Stroke	Asthma Bronchitis Common cold Sinusitis Smoking cessation Tonsillitis

Patients who receive Acupuncture report a variety of sensations - tingling and/or heavy sensation around the needle area, a deep sense of relaxation and release, and the sensation of warm currents of energy flowing throughout the body or along the channel where the needles are placed. Acupuncture works naturally by stimulating the body's own healing processes. Sometimes a single Acupuncture treatment is all that is needed to clear up nagging symptoms such as pain, allergies, or headaches. Sometimes, but not always, Acupuncture will take a longer to work than allopathic pharmaceutical drugs. One advantage, however, is that Acupuncture can work with little to no side-effects. Also, because the needles are gently encouraging your body to initiate its own healing process and balance itself, the effects can be more lasting.