In addition to the prescription of medicines, acupuncture is another frequently used tool of treatment in Chinese medicine. Its history antedates written Chinese language, but acupuncture was not fully developed until after the Han Dynasty. Its theoretical base is the adjustment of c'hi, or the flow of life energy. C'hi flows through the body via the system of "main and collateral channels"(ching luo) of the body. At certain points along these channels, acupuncture needles may be inserted or Chinese mugwort(ai ts'ao) burned in moxibustion, to adjust imbalances in the flow of c'hi and concentrate the body's self-healing powers in the points where needed. In 1980, the World Health Organization released a list of 43 types of pathologies which can be effectively treated with acupuncture. The use of acupuncture as anesthesia during surgery or for painless childbirth is no longer "news." Acupuncture is simple to administer, has few side effects and has broad applications. It has opened up a whole new "hot" field of scientific and medical research.
   The increasing popularity of acupuncture outside of China has made it nearly synonymous for many Westerns with all traditional Chinese medicine. Not meant as a cure for everything, acupuncture has nonetheless enjoyed renewed interest in recent decades and is especially effective in controlling pain.
    The practice of acupuncture is based on a theory of channels or meridians by which " influences" flow through the body. The flow of positive influences through the body is maintaining health. Unhealthy symptoms are in fact, manifestations of improper qi. The Huang Dineijing describes 365 sensitive points used in acupuncture, in addition to 12 main conduits in the human body. Executed properly, acupuncture should be relatively painless.
    There is also a system of ear acupuncture, performed withou needles. Small, round seed kernels are stuck onto certain points of the ear and massaged by the patient every so often. This method is not only very successful in the treatment of pain, but is also said to relieve some allergies such as hay fever.
    An acupuncture clinic often smells similar to a pharmacy. This is the typical smell of the moxa herb, or mugwort. It is considered especially helpful in the treatment of illnesses that, in Chinese medical terminology, are classified as a cold"; for example, stomach and digestive complaints without fever, certain rheumatic illnesses, chronic pains in the back and cramped shoulders and neck. The mugwort is formed into small cones and placed on slices of fresh ginger, then it is allowed to grow slowly. The plant is then placed onto the acupuncture point.