Historical records indicate that Acupuncture was in practice in China as early as 200 B.C. Its use and early application eventually spread to neighboring civilizations via the Arab trade routes.
Acupuncture became popular in the United States in the 1970s. In 1972, President Nixon visited China. James Reston, a reporter for the New York Times, was a member of the visiting team. While in China, Reston underwent an emergency appendectomy and was treated with acupuncture to help relieve pain after the surgery.
Reston was amazed at the effectiveness of acupuncture in relieving his pain; and upon returning to the United States, he wrote an article about his experience. This led to a renewal of interest in this traditional Chinese medical treatment.
In 1977, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States included acupuncture in the list of medical treatments available to the public. At about the same time the NIH also released a description of how safe and effective the procedure was.
These two publications by the NIH are credited to have paved the way for the public's acceptance of Acupuncture as a viable medical treatment in the US.
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