What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is ancient, Chinese, and anything but a secret. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an estimated 9-12 million acupuncture treatments are performed each year in the United States. The practice of acupuncture accounts for approximately $500 million in health-care expenditures annually.

How it Works?
Acupuncture is one of several therapies that constitute Traditional Chinese Medicine. The ancient view holds that the basis of good health is the harmonious balance of qi,(pronounced "chee"), or vital energy, in the body. According to this paradigm, energy moves through the body along 14 main pathways called meridians, and when the flow along one or more meridians is obstructed the result may be disease or injury. By stimulating points in the body-most commonly with needles-an acupuncturist seeks to restore balance to the normal energy flow and, consequently, to relieve pain or treat disease. Although acupuncture has been practiced for 5000 years, until recently nearly all the evidence of its effectiveness was anecdotal. In the last decade, however, research has revealed physiologic mechanisms for some of its effects. For example, it is well documented that the stimulation of acupuncture points affects both the central and peripheral nervous systems. It triggers the release of endorphins and enkephalins-chemicals that have pain-relieving properties similar to those of opiates. More recent research suggests that it may also trigger the release of certain neural hormones including serotonin.

What it's Good For?
Acupuncture has been plied against a wide variety of physical ailments. However, only a few of these applications have been tested in a controlled clinical trials - the "gold" standard for evaluating treatments in Western medicine. In many of these studies, patients were randomized to treatment either with acupuncture, or "sham acupuncture", essentially a placebo treatment in which acupuncture needles were inserted in the "wrong" points. Well designed and properly executed studies have demonstrated that acupuncture may be effective in treating the following: Menstrual Cramps, Chronic Low Back Pain, Neck Pain and Substance Abuse.

What to Expect
If you decide to have acupuncture, you can expect your first visit to be something like your initial appointment with a medical doctor. You will fill out a questionnaire on your health history and be interviewed by the practitioner. You are likely to be asked about your digestive system, sensitivity to temperature, eating, sleeping habits, urine color, and stress. Females will be asked about their menstrual cycle. During the interview the acupuncturist will evaluate you're your skin color, body language, tone of voice, and tongue. They will also test your pulses on both wrists. After the acupuncturist decides how to treat you, he/she will dab rubbing alcohol on each point at which a needle will be inserted. Generally, 10-12 surgical steel needles will be used. They are about 2 inches long and as fine as a hair. With a few quick taps the practitioner will insert he needles to a depth of up to an inch. The sensation you experience will depend on the needles' locations, the depth and angle of insertion and your sensitivity threshold. Some people describe a slight tingling or mild electric shock. Others report a vague tugging or aching feeling that lasts no longer than a few minutes. A sense of fullness and heaviness in the muscles or limb is also common. The needles are left in for between 15 and 60 minutes. The acupuncturist may twirl the needles to enhance their effect. Sometimes some of the needles will be connected to a low voltage electrical source to increase the stimulation of certain points. A course of therapy generally requires 10 sessions or more. Treatments are performed over several days or weeks.

Choosing an Acupuncturist
It is recommended to choose an acupuncturist who has completed at least a 2 year course of study through a recognized acupuncture school. They should also be certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists.