Advocates claim that acupuncture can be effectively used to treat emotional problems such as anxiety and depression as well as a host of physical ailments including headaches, ulcers, digestive disorders, arthritis, sciatica, psoriasis, asthma, bronchitis, etc. It is reported that Chinese hospitals routinely use acupuncture as the only pain-killer during major surgery.
Anesthetic acupuncture is actually only the newest of several applications.
The treatment is usually temporary and is not intended to cure the disorder itself. The use of needles instead of or as an aid to traditional anesthesia during surgery or dental work is called Anesthetic Acupuncture. Acupuncture was first introduced in Europe about 200 years ago by Jesuit priests who served as Catholic missionaries in the East. The Nei-ching , which is to this day the classic text of acupuncture theory and practice, is based on Eastern religious theories concerning the nature of the universe. The key to spiritual, mental, and physical well-being, according to this Taoist dualism, is to balance the positive and negative aspects of this energy.