Increasing popularity

According to a report by the World Health Organization, acupuncture is the most widely used traditional medicine practice globally.

Between 2002 and 2012, patients receiving acupuncture and the number of licensed acupuncturists grew by 50 percent and 100 percent respectively in the United States, Jing says.

Currently, it is used in 183 countries and regions, and 59 have licensed it legally, according to a development report on acupuncture as a discipline between 2013 and 2020, compiled by the China Association of Acupuncture-Moxibustion.

In clinical practice guides from more than 40 countries and regions, including the US, the United Kingdom and Japan, acupuncture is one of the recommended therapies for certain diseases and for conditions like pain and depression, according to the report.

A report in Time magazine last year said that acupuncture is gaining traction in the US, as more evidence shows that acupuncture is effective, especially in conditions that have become chronic.