Acupuncture is the procedure of inserting and manipulating needles into various points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes. In China, the practice of acupuncture can perhaps be traced as far back as the Stone Age. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the body is treated as a whole that is composed of several "systems of function" known as the zang-fu. These systems are named after specific organs, though the systems and organs are not directly associated. The acupuncturist decides which points to treat by observing and questioning the patient in order to make a diagnosis according to the tradition which he or she utilizes. In TCM, there are four diagnostic methods: inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiring, and palpation.
Toggle Description Text Open / Closed