| Acupuncture in Western medicine

In spite of its ancient tradition, acupuncture is a relative newcomer to the West. It has enjoyed the recognition it deserves from the scientific community and the general public for only comparatively short period of time.

The concept of acupuncture first arrived in Europe in the 14th century through the travel logs of Marco Polo. It then took another three hundred years for it to become known among larger circles. This dissemination was due to trading between China and the maritime powers of England, Holland and France. At that time, the Dutchman Jakob de Bondt wrote an extensive and widely recognized work on the natural history and medicine of Asia. However, it did not go beyond theory. In the 18th century, acupuncture was practiced only as a particularly "exotic" form of therapy among the aristocracy. For example, Engelbert Kämpfer, the personal physician of Graf von der Lippe, reported on his successes in using this form of therapy. In the 19th century, acupuncture temporarily disappeared.

It wasn't until the 20th century, following World War II, that acupuncture was really "discovered" in the West. The impetus for its breakthrough was the 4th International Congress for Acupuncture in Paris in 1950. In subsequent years, several organizations were founded, dedicated to the research and expansion of acupuncture. President Nixon's visit to China in 1972 also marked another turning point. This visit called the attention of the international public not only to China's political situation, but also to its highly developed sciences. Television reports on surgeries in which the anesthesiologists worked with acupuncture needles made a lasting impression on the entire world. Since then, intensive research and development activities have led to the continuously increasing acceptance and use of acupuncture.

Today, in Europe, acupuncture is steadily becoming recognized as a complement to orthodox medicine (whereas in the U.S. it is still considered a realm primarily dominated by Chinese immigrants). It is especially used for handling chronic pain, such as migraines and joint aches. However, it is also used for treating psychosomatic disorders, asthma, allergies, chronic gastro-intestinal illnesses, tinnitus, neurodermatitis - and even for psychological problems. It is now a routine form of treatment in many pain clinics.

In the future we hope even more patients will have access to the outstanding benefits of acupuncture. It is now in the hands of policymakers to create a suitable regulatory framework. For up-to-date information on developments in this area, see our Current issues page.