Acupuncture: new alternative medicine or scam? Acupuncture is an ancient therapeutic practice of Chinese medicine; however, it is becoming more and more prevalent in America every year. Have you ever wondered how sticking tiny needles into someone could actually reduce pain and other illnesses? Acupuncture is, by definition, “A Chinese medical practice or procedure that treats disease or provides local anesthesia by inserting needles into specific points on the body” (“Acupuncture”). It seems crazy that getting poked with needles can actually relieve pain, right? According to an article on the effects of acupuncture on central autonomic regulation, “Acupuncture has clinical efficacy on various nerve-related disorders, such as cardiovascular disease, epilepsy, anxiety and nervousness, circadian rhythm disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and subfertility” (Li et al). The big question when it comes to acupuncture is: does it really work, or do the psychological and therapeutic effects simply make people believe it does? Acupuncture first originated in China, thousands of years ago as part of traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM (Li et al). TCM was built on the Taoist philosophy which states: “people have a dynamic interaction with their environment, in which health and well-being are influenced by the natural environment” (Leake and Broderick). According to an article by Leake and Broderick, “Acupuncture became firmly established as a system of medicine during the Sui dynasty in 589-618 with the founding of the Imperial Medical College.” As part of TCM, acupuncture is believed to “restore the balance between Yin and Yang,” which, in Western medicine terms, translates to: “acupuncture modulates the im...... center of paper ..... .Debate." Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies 5.4 (2012): 141-47. ScienceDirect. Elsevier BV, August 2012. Web. April 2014. Neporent, Liz. "A Closer Look at Acupuncture for pain." ABC News. ABC News Network, April 22, 2014. Web. April 2014. Ng, Siu-Man, and Yan-mun Yiu "Acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome: a blinded, randomized controlled trial. "Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 19.4 (2013): 21-26. ProQuest. 2014 ProQuest LLC, July-August 2013. Web. April 3, 2014." Numerous Benefits of Acupuncture." Numerous Benefits of Acupuncture. Acupuncturecost.org, 2014. Web. April 2014. "Ways to Save Money on Acupuncture Treatment." Ways to Save Money on Acupuncture Treatment. Acupuncturecost.org, 2014. Web. April 2014 Wednesday, Leana. “When a Painkiller Prescription Becomes a Gateway to Addiction.” NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, PUBLIC RADIO, February 15, 2014. Web. April. 2014.