Prickly business. The finer points of acupuncture

Acupuncture, which is gaining credibility among the Western medical establishment, is just one element of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) being used to treat fatigue, nausea, insomnia, diarrhea, menstrual problems, and HIV-related peripheral neuropathy. Acupuncture is often used in combination with exercise massage, meditation, and herbal therapy. Special combinations of Chinese herbs are used to treat HIV-conditions, promote digestion, increase energy, and fight fungal infections. "Enhance", "Resist", and "Combination A", are three such formulas. Another benefit of acupuncture and Chinese herbs is their ability to decrease side effects associated with Western medicine. The growing medical interest in acupuncture is evidenced in the progress of CPCRA 022, a phase II/III trial to study acupuncture alone or in combination with amitriptyline, an anti-depressant, as a treatment for peripheral neuropathy. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently awarded the Bastyr University in Seattle, with funds to study alternative therapies. Regardless of outcomes, these studies may encourage other organizations to pursue acupuncture trials.