After investigating the clinical use of acupuncture, The World Health Organization (WHO) drew up a list of diseases that lend themselves to acupuncture treatment. In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) clinics, acupuncture is often used in combination with Chinese Herbal Medicine, so a broader range of diseases is often treated. These days, TCM practitioners are specialists in the use acupuncture and chinese herbs with a background of modern knowledge of the biomedical and pharmacological effects.  In other words, modern day practitioners of TCM not only study the Chinese Medical system but also undertake studies in biomedical sciences such as physiology, pharmacology, endocrinology and neurology etc.

 The effectiveness of TCM has been confirmed in today's clinics and up-to-date research into the physiological effects of acupuncture and the pharmacology of Chinese herbs is shedding new light on why these therapies can be effective for many conditions. After investigating the clinical use of acupuncture, The World Health Organization (WHO) drew up a list of diseases that lend themselves to acupuncture treatment. As with any kind of treatment the efficacy depends on the skills of the acupuncturist, the nature of the problem and the severity, or how chronic the condition is. Clinical experience and training gives the practitioner an indication of the likely outcome of treatment.

The rapid growth of the use of TCM in the west has led to an increasing number of Western doctors adopting some of it's practices such as acupuncture, mainly for the pain-relieving effect of acupuncture, but acupuncture and Chinese herbs can treat so many more conditions when in the hands of properly qualified TCM practitioners. University researchers are confirming that TCM can be effective for conditions that are difficult to treat with conventional drug-treatments, such as IBS, hepatitis, arthritis etc. This would indicate that as time goes by more university research will surely validate what is seen in TCM clinics every day.

  TCM treatment protocols view disease as the loss of homeostasis across systems of the body, which can manifest with patterns of both physical and mental signs and symptoms. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs, when used correctly by a properly qualified TCM practitioner, supports the body's natural ability to heal itself and re-establish equilibrium. The key is removing obstacles to the body's innate ability to restore balance. Health is maintained or lost by factors such as heredity, environmental pathogens, diet and excessive emotional states. Treatment supports general health and resistance, thus  treating the whole person and not just the disease.

  More and more people are finding that TCM not only treats many diseases, but, it can also be highly effective for maintaining good health and preventing illness and is commonly used for physical, psychological and emotional problems.