Acupuncture--a critical evaluation

Acupuncture is a traditional form of Chinese medicine which has been in practice for over 3000 years. It was not accepted in the West mainly due to cultural barriers. However, research during the last decade has established the physiological basis of acupuncture. Although it is mainly used for chronic musculoskeletal pain in the West, it also has a place in the treatment of various non-painful disorders like bronchial asthma, alcohol and nicotine addiction and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Controlled trials published in the literature have many methodological flaws, and these can be rectified by standardisation of acupuncture technique. Since traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine differ in their concepts of anatomy, physiology and systems of diagnosis, it is not possible to reconcile them into a common language. However, it is possible for them to co-exist.