Acupuncture is a brand of traditional Chinese medicine which has been practiced in the Far East for thousands of years. It involves inserting very fine, sterile needles into specific points on the body to stimulate the nervous system and restore the body’s energetic balance. It can be used to help with pain relief, stress, headaches, digestive issues and a wide range of other conditions.

In China during the early part of the twentieth century, traditional medicine fell out of fashion as symptomatic healthcare treatments were imported from the West along with other cultural influences. Traditional Chinese medicine remained in the shadow of western medicine until the Long March of 1934-5. Without drugs, anaesthetics or surgery, vast numbers of sick and wounded soldiers faced death until doctors of traditional Chinese medicine achieved amazing results using acupuncture and other traditional methods of treatment.

From this point on, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and western medicine were practiced side by side in China. By 1978, whole hospitals and research departments were devoted to the practice of TCM.