This short summary of the available evidence strongly suggests that acupuncture is having a fundamental physiological effect on the human body. The reason for including this section is that the scientific investigation of acupuncture is an integral part of the modern Chinese approach to acupuncture; this brief review just summarizes some of the current ideas in this field and more detailed information, dealing with these and other concepts, is available in many Western scientific journals (particularly the journal Pain). The effect of acupuncture on the body is attracting a great deal of scientific interest, both in China and the West. The field is changing fast and progressively more of the empirical findings of the ancient Chinese are being scientifically validated.

References

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