Acupuncture is one of the oldest medical sciences applied in the world. This medical science, dating back to 5000 years ago, is increasing its popularity in the world day by day and is accepted as a respected treatment method. The book, “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine”, which was written by Huangdi Neijing 4700 years ago, is known as the oldest book in the field of medicine. It is said that this book was written even earlier than those written by Shen Nung, who is today venerated as the Father of Chinese medicine in the field of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy (heat therapy).

According to Shen Nung, it is said that there is an energy in the body and this energy circulates throughout the body. In China, this energy is called Qi = Chi. Qi is considered as the spiritual, emotional=attitude, behavior, mental=mind and physical activity of the body. According to this belief in China, it is under the influence of universal forces in the sense of Chi = energy, YIN = negative and YANG = positive. According to this belief in China, any shortage, imbalance or interruption of body energy (Chi) causes the balance between Yin and Yang to deteriorate, and this causes people to become ill. According to Chinese medicine, Qi = Energy is carried and circulates in the body through some special meridians and channels. 12 of these meridians are in pairs, on both sides of the body. There are also 2 extra meridians running from the front and back of the body. These meridians circulate vertically up and down subcutaneously. There are also acupuncture points on these meridians. Any blockage, deficiency or imbalance in the energy flow along the meridian will disrupt the balance between Yin and Yang, so diseases occur. Acupuncture is done by inserting needles into special acupuncture points on the meridian to provide this balance.

Thus, sessions (15–45 minutes) are carried out at certain intervals to overcome the disease. Yin and Yang have become the most important theory (Tao philosophy) used in acupuncture therapy.

Thus, sessions (15–45 minutes) are carried out at certain intervals to overcome the disease. Yin and Yang have become the most important theory (Tao philosophy) used in acupuncture therapy.
According to the TAO philosophy

TAO filozofisi:

YIN symbolizes negativity, woman, night, darkness, passivity, cold, humidity, electron and some.

YANG, on the other hand, represents positivity, masculinity, daytime, luminosity, activity, warmth, dryness, proton and acid.

Notice that there is a link between these two items as follows:

According to this belief in China, these elements are always in balance in healthy bodies. Yin meridians are located in the inner parts of the body (inner parts of the arms and legs), which need more protection, while Yang is located in the outer and posterior parts of the body and limbs (legs and arms). As seen here, the inner parts (areas less hairy) represent Yin, which is feminine and in need of protection. The front and outer parts of the legs and arms (the hairy part) represent Yang, which is more resistant to impacts and masculine.

The oldest therapeutic needles used in acupuncture treatment were made of hard stones called BIAN 550 years ago. Also, in the hieroglyphic writings in ancient Egypt (2500 years ago), the Egyptians used acupuncture needles to cauterize a certain area of the ear in the treatment of sciatica. After the end of the monarchy period in China in 1911, China became more open to the world and the popularity of acupuncture gradually increased. This popularity gained momentum especially after 1944, when Chairman Mao Zedong gave importance to this issue. Acupuncture was first introduced in an international hospital in China in 1945. Since 1948, acupuncture training has been started to be given officially.

It has been approved and supported by WHO (World Health Organization) since 1970. In 1998, the NIH (National Institute of Health) in the USA declared that acupuncture is very effective in the treatment of many diseases.

The American president visited China for the first time in 1972. In fact, the painless application of appendicitis surgery for one of the American journalists under acupuncture anesthesia -without any general anesthesia- caused American scientists to be more interested in acupuncture and to receive training.

Among european countries, the first country interested in acupuncture was France during the Second World War (1945). Acupuncture, which was defined as alternative medicine before this period, is now defined as complementary medicine. Acupuncture methods are applied in countries such as Germany, France, Switzerland, the USA and England, and the treatment centers that apply these methods are supported and encouraged by universities and foundations. Health Insurance companies in America, Switzerland and Germany have included acupuncture treatment in their insurance coverage. With the increasing popularity of acupuncture, acupuncture polyclinics have started to be opened in universities in our country.

Today, Acupuncture is applied in almost half of the applied hospitals of the Medical Faculties in Turkey. In addition, the Ministry developed and finalized the Acupuncture regulation on September 17, 2002.

Acupuncture, which has been widely applied in almost all medical faculties and universities in the world for 30 years, was officially accepted as a scientific treatment method, not an alternative, by the Ministry of Health on 29 May 1991 in Turkey.