TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Acupuncture A1 - Mehta, Darshan A2 - Papadakis, Maxine A. A2 - McPhee, Stephen J. A2 - Rabow, Michael W. A2 - McQuaid, Kenneth R. PY - 2023 T2 - Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2023 AB - Chinese medicine theory describes a vital energy called chi (pronounced "chee") that circulates in the body through 12 pathways called meridians. Disease occurs when the flow of chi in the body is disturbed or unbalanced. Acupuncture uses needles to stimulate anatomic points along the meridians to promote the proper flow of chi and thus treat illness and promote health. Many styles of acupuncture exist and are practiced as part of the thousands-of-years-old medical traditions of China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. Besides describing the structure and function of the organ itself, the naming of each meridian also reflects a broader energetic function in Chinese medicine. It is critical to note that the practice of Chinese medicine includes much more than acupuncture (eg, herbs, cupping, dietary advice, a form of massage called "tui na," etc). However, most published studies investigate acupuncture only. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/10/14 UR - accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1193122686 ER -