Acupuncture is one of the oldest time-tested forms of medical treatment in the world. It has been a major part of primary healthcare in China for the last 5,000 years. Acupuncture is used for a variety of medical needs, ranging from the prevention and treatment of disease to pain relief and anesthetizing patients for surgery or dentistry.

As in many oriental medicine practices, one emphasis of acupuncture is on prevention, and on treating problems before they reach serious stages. In traditional Chinese medicine, the highest form of acupuncture treatment was given to enable people to live long and healthy lives.

Acupuncture literally means needle piercing, the practice of inserting very fine needles into the skin to stimulate specific anatomic points in the body (called acupoints) for therapeutic purposes.

Practitioners may also use heat, pressure, friction, suction, or electrical impulses to stimulate the points. The acupoints are stimulated to balance the movement of energy (qi) in the body to restore health.

There are different styles of acupuncture practiced throughout China today. Although acupuncture began in China, Korea, Tibet and Japan each have developed their own unique styles and approaches to acupuncture.