Practiced for more than 2,000 years, acupuncture was once restricted to the realm of alternative medicine. It was thought to be based on mythical elements and not easily understood by those in the scientific community. Acupuncture: An Anatomical Approach, Second Edition dispels these notions and brings this once backroom therapy into the forefront―explaining it in terms that can be easily comprehended by all medical professionals.

Presenting a scientific, anatomical approach to acupuncture, this volume discusses:

• The basics of the nervous system
• Acupuncture points located in the head and face, formed by the cranial nerves
• The cervical plexus, which forms acupuncture points in the neck region
• Acupuncture points formed by the brachial plexus in the upper limbs, spinal nerves in the body trunk, and the lumbar–sacral plexuses in the lower limbs
• The anesthesia effect of biochemical substances in the nervous system
• The measurement and quantification of pain
• Applications of acupuncture in clinical practice, from cases easy to treat to those more challenging
• Theories on the future of acupuncture

The treatment of pain, in general, is controversial, as many therapies have unintended consequences and side effects. Acupuncture provides a therapy that is quick, easy to perform, and requires no medications. This volume enables physicians, osteopaths, pain specialists, chiropractors, and other health professionals to perform this effective treatment for their patients who experience both chronic and acute pain.