The origins of acupuncture date back to China, more than 2,000 years ago. Acupuncture has been recognized as one of the oldest practices to date, in the world.

Chinese medicine has historically looked at four distinct practices, known as the Four Examinations:

• Observation. This involves looking at a patients general complexion, his or her gait, eyes, nails, general openness, physical appearance and emotional demeanor.
• Listening and smelling. This hones in on the breathing and voice sounds. Also looks at any bodily odors.
• Questioning. The practitioner investigates a patients health history, what complaints were in the past. Appetite, digestion, movement of bowels, pain, sweat, sleeping patterns, history of family health, living habits, work, physical environment and general emotional wellbeing.
• Palpation. Practitioners make contact with the patients body to find pain, sensitivity, heart beat, moisture or temperature or Chinese pulse taking involves resting three fingers on each of the patients wrists so that a total of 12 pulses, associated with each of the body's meridians, can be recorded. The maximum of 14 different types of pulse characteristic are compared with each of the patients pulses. Ideas on which organs are not functioning at their best are then gained.

The ultimate aim of these four examinations is to re-establish the Yin/Yang balance of the person. A number of therapies are used to do this:

• Herbal remedies.
• Massage.
• Exercise.
• Diet.
• Acupuncture.

Practitioners of the art say that evidence exists showing that acupuncture helps alleviate sickness and nausea. Commonly the practice is used to treat body pains. Back and neck pains are apparently very effectively treated by acupuncture, with a success rate of around 80%.

More scientific theories as to the effectiveness of acupuncture as a useful health tool exist. The release of chemicals in the body like lymphokines, hormones, neurotransmitters and endorphins are believed to be linked strongly to our central nervous systems. Often these chemicals are released in tiny quantities and for very limited periods of time. Acupuncture is believed to produce more pronounced/ longer lasting effects such as these. Acupuncture in some way influences peoples internal pharmacy. An obvious benefit is that chemicals need no be placed into a patient, the acupuncture may simply bring them out to some extent.

The acupuncture needle varies in length, has a material of some description wound around the opposite end to that which enters the body. The thickness of the needle tends not to be more than just bigger than the thickness of a single hair. Needles can be constructed from a variety of metals, e.g. iron, silver and gold. Today one-use throwaway needles are the standard that should be used.

Methods of insertion are:

• Insertion using the right thumb and left hands index finger. Suitable method for long needles, puncturing the GB 30 and UB 54 body locations.