For some people the insertion is hardly noticeable, for others there is a small pinch, sometimes followed by a sensation of numbness, tingling, warmth heaviness or relaxation. There is a fast growing body of research supporting the benefits of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. There are an estimated nine to twelve million patient visits per year to acupuncturists in the United States alone. Most of these are for treatment of pain symptoms after patients have found unsatisfactory results form Western medicine. There are between nine and ten thousand practitioners of acupuncture, including about three thousand physicians who have received training in continuing education programs through American medical schools.
Chinese medicine includes acupunctures, herbal medicine and a philosophy of the body as a whole.
If this energy is flowing freely and balanced, then the body automatically heals itself. If this energy is blocked or out of balance then physical, emotional and other health problems will arise. This philosophy is strange to us in the West, so choosing an acupuncturist can be a confusing if not an outright intimidating task. Even without completely understanding the philosophy behind this 3000 year old art there are important things to know in choosing an acupuncturist. There are 35 schools of Chinese medicine in the United States with programs lasting between 3-4 years.