Exploring the fine points of acupuncture

FDA Consumer, May-June, 2004 by John Henkel

It's been around more than 2,000 years, but it didn't become well known in this country until 1971 when The New York Times rail an article about how doctors in China had used the technique to ease abdominal pain after surgery. Acupuncture is now "widely" practiced by thousands of American doctors, dentists, and other practitioners, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Want to learn more? The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine's acupuncture Web site is loaded with authoritative information about all aspects of this practice of treating various conditions by using long, thin needles to stimulate "acupuncture points" on the body.

At http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/, the site explains the theory behind acupuncture, how the practice is regulated, and tips on how to find an acupuncturist.

John Henkel is a member of the FDA's Website Management Staff.