Acupuncture involves putting special needles into different parts of the body in order to improve the flow of energy in and around the body. From a Western point of view, an acupuncture needle could be considered an electrode because of its magnetic properties. By placing the electrodes (needles) at selected points in the body--along the meridians, or channels in which energy flows in the body--the acupuncturist attempts to reestablish a balance in the flow of energy so that the disordered structures and functions will become healthy again.
Will acupuncture treatment work for all diseases and symptoms and for all people? Like any other treatment, obviously not. Important variables in the success of treatment include the skill of the operator, the length of time symptoms have been untreated, the degree of structural changes involved, the emotional attitude of the patient, etc. The nature of acupuncture demands that all patients be treated as unique individuals whose disorders are the result of their unique personal history. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to predict with certainty the outcome of any one case. Until such time as the Western scientific method has gathered and analyzed enough data to assess the likelihood of acupuncture being successful in any particular case, practitioners usually approach treatment from a practical standpoint: let's see if it works... Individuals with problems that resist diagnosis and treatment under the Western model of medicine are especially good candidates for the Oriental medical approach.Studies published by the author support that approximately 80% of patients presenting themselves to a medical acupuncturist are helped. If they are going to be helped generally they will know they have been helped within two to three treatments.