Acupuncture: Alternative medicine or a legitimate medical practice?

I heard one hospital is offering acupuncture treatments for certain neurological conditions...

The poll is flawed. It misses the actual answer, which is that acupuncture is part of an UNBROKEN, millennial tradition of Chinese medicine spanning over 5,000 years.
So, yeah, there’s a system that predates modern Western medicine—which really only started gaining traction in the 13th century because, I guess, it was pretty much banned during the Middle Ages.

Chinese medicine

Out of all the treatment methods used globally, acupuncture probably faced the most ridicule from mainstream medical circles. The whole idea of a "vital force" flowing through "meridians" being manipulated by tiny needles? Seemed totally nonsensical to them. But when prominent American doctors—the ones Mao Zedong personally invited to witness acupuncture firsthand—returned home to the US, they had to awkwardly admit they were actually impressed: it worked. Today, it isn't just in America; universities, research institutes, and hospitals all over the world study and practice acupuncture and other Chinese therapies. You can even find it used in several hospitals across the United States.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized how effective acupuncture is for numerous conditions, such as:

spondylosis,
spondylitis,
shoulder periarthritis,
sports injuries
dislocations,
sciatica,
herniated discs,
joint contractures and ankylosis,
headaches,
hiccups,
rheumatoid arthritis,
tenosynovitis
neuralgia,
neuroses,
psychoses,
traumatic paraplegia
peripheral nerve injuries,
apoplexy,
hypertension and hypotension,
coronary heart disease,
bronchitis,
asthma,
digestive issues,
ulcers,
chronic nephritis,
infertility,
irregular menstruation,
gout,
hiatal hernia,
dysmenorrhea and related issues,
fetal malposition
mastitis,
uterine prolapse,
rhinitis,
tinnitus,
various skin diseases,
cosmetic treatments,
anti-aging,
hypogalactia,
stress,
chronic fatigue,
multiple sclerosis,
kidney and gallstones,
diabetes and hypoglycemia,
hemorrhoids,

In children:

nocturnal enuresis,
malnutrition,
hyperactivity,
convulsions,
diaper rash,
diarrhea,
cerebral palsy,
and others...

It’s well known that acupuncture is also extremely effective for complications following surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.

"Acupuncture can be applied as a standalone therapy, in combination with other treatments, or as a supportive therapy. Its range of indications is massive, and results are seen in 70-80% of cases."

(Traditional medicine and health care coverage, WHO, Geneva 1983).

👍
Sandra Hayes88, I’m signing my name to every single word of that!

Acupuncture was officially recognized by scientific communities as a legitimate treatment method back in 1979.

Sandra Hayes88 said:So, there's this idea that Western medicine is newer than people think, supposedly starting to develop in the 13th century because it was banned during the Middle Ages.
[

Where did you get that from? 😈

Have you ever heard of monastic medicine?
For instance, back in the late 9th century, a medical school led by Benedictines was established in Salerno. Even earlier, in the 6th century, a man named Cassiodorus founded a scriptorium at the Vivarium monastery that focused heavily on copying medical texts.
Then, throughout the 11th and 12th centuries, numerous medical works were produced that laid the groundwork for anatomy, surgery, and ophthalmology—things like the anonymous *De aegritudinum curatione*, Plautius's *Practica-e braevis*, *De mulierum passionubus*, and *Practica ocularum*.
You also overlooked Arabic medicine, which served as a cornerstone for classical medicine and acted as the bridge between ancient practices and the medicine used in Europe during the Middle Ages. By the way, that wasn't "banned" at any point. 🙂

Pharmacy, wound care, and general healing have been part of the human experience since we first stood up on two legs.

nimbleskipper13 said:Where on earth did you get that from? 😈

How does she think 5,000 years is somehow more than 1,500? 🙂

Kimberly Davis52 said:Where on earth did she get the idea that it’s 5,000 years more than 1,500?🙂

Don't twist my words!!!
I am not questioning how old Chinese medicine is—I haven't said a single word about that. I was commenting on the sheer stupidity of the claim that medicine in Europe didn't exist during the Middle Ages and only started developing in the 13th century.

If you really want to be the person who corrects everyone, maybe try actually understanding what's being said first.😈

nimbleskipper13 said:Don't twist my words!!!
I’m not questioning how old Chinese medicine is—I haven't said a single word about that. I was commenting on the sheer stupidity of claiming that medicine in Europe didn't exist during the Middle Ages and only started developing in the 13th century.

If you really want to be the expert on everything, maybe try actually looking at what's being discussed first. 😈

Fine, you're right. I messed up.
What I meant, I guess, was that there was a period where Western medicine just stagnated or was totally neglected—like from 400-800 A.D.—unlike what was happening in China. 👋

nimbleskipper13 said:Don't you dare twist my words!!!

I was messing around. I actually went through the effort of subtracting 6 from 21. Show some respect. 😁

Acupuncture is backed by actual medical science, provided you go to a trained professional.
It even has supporters among top-tier physicians, much like Dr. Kerus.

So...
👍

Hannah Scott69 said:Acupuncture actually has medical legitimacy, provided it’s handled by a professional.
Even some top-tier doctors, like Professor Kerus, are big fans of it.

So there you have it...
👍

Yeah, you're right—it's all valid once some high-profile figurehead gets involved. 😉
What does "professional" even mean to you? Is it someone holding a piece of paper, or just someone who actually gets results? 😕

I've lost count of how many times I've seen "certified experts" dismiss people without degrees, even when those outsiders were clearly more effective; I remember seeing examples of this kind of arrogance on shows like Dr. Phil, and honestly, it's just tragic how much ego some of these people carry. 👎

Of course, Taylor Swift is the absolute gold standard when it comes to pure expertise and sheer brilliance... 🙄