When Westerners first saw Chinese physicians sticking needles into their meek-faced patients, they thought that a form of Eastern witchcraft was being performed. They were not aware of the fact that they were witnessing a thousand year old form of medical therapy: acupuncture.

Much has changed since the Western world has first encountered acupuncture. Many medical doctors and respected scientists would no longer laugh at acupuncture and dismiss it as a ridiculous superstitious folk medicine that lacks scientific basis. Acupuncture is now seen as a scientifically valid form of medical therapy.

Many scientific studies have been conducted that have proven the efficacy of acupuncture.

Due to numerous scientific findings supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture, the Department of Essential Drugs and Medicine Policy of the World Health Organization (WHO) has published a list of diseases, symptoms, and conditions that acupuncture can treat. Headaches, depression, sprains, strokes, sciatica, and rheumatoid arthritis are among the conditions included in WHO’s 2003 publication.

Most recently, researchers at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center have demonstrated that acupuncture can be an effective therapy for breast cancer patients who are experiencing joint pain and stiffness while undergoing hormonal therapies. The results of the study were published last March, 2010 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Although scientific evidence regarding the efficacy of acupuncture abound, the ancient Chinese therapy has not yet freed itself from criticisms.

In a recently published online commentary in the British Journal of Medicine, Patrick Woo and his colleagues recently pointed last March 19, 2010 that “to prevent infections transmitted by acupuncture, infection control measures should be implemented, such as use of disposable needles, skin disinfection procedures, and aseptic techniques. Stricter regulation and accreditation requirements are also needed.”  

Acupuncture is absolutely safe when performed by a Licensed Acupuncturist. With more than 3,000 credit hours of acupuncture training, the risks that Woo mentioned would be extremely rare with Licensed Acupuncturists. Acupuncture in the hands of a qualified acupuncturist with a hard-earned license is just plain safe!

Patients, however, should avoid seeking acupuncture treatments from non-licensed medical acupuncture practitioners such as medical doctors or chiropractors who only have 300 credit hours of training. These non-licensed practitioners of acupuncture may not have enough experience to ensure the safety of patients. Ask your acupuncturist how much training they had and if they are licensed.

Every form of medicine should be done by a specialist. Western Medicine would not be safe if it is performed by non-licensed doctors. Likewise, acupuncture should only be performed by Licensed Acupuncturists who can offer maximum safety to patients.

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