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Wall Street Journal Article Details Scientific Evidence for How Acupuncture Works

On March 22, 2010, the WSJ published an article about the science of acupuncture, which highlights how scientists are documenting the effects of acupuncture using neuroimaging, Doppler ultrasound and thermal imaging. A 2007 survey is referenced stating that 3.2 million Americans had undergone acupuncture in the previous year – up from 2.1 million in 2001 – according to the government’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

The article also notes some of the integrative medicine settings using acupuncture, including the U.S. Navy, Air Force and Army, whose doctors are using acupuncture to treat musculoskeletal problems, pain and stress in stateside hospitals and combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. Major medical centers – from M.D. Anderson in Houston to Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York – use acupuncture to counteract the side effects of chemotherapy. As well, delegations from Acupuncturists Without Borders are holding communal ear-needling sessions to reduce stress among earthquake victims in Haiti.

The full article, Decoding an Ancient Therapy , can be accessed at the Wall Street Journal’s website and can be accessed for a limited time here.