Current Status and Prospects of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment

Acupuncture and moxibustion are currently in the spotlight as a new medical treatment in Europe and the United States and around the world. Data shows that one in ten doctors in Germany uses acupuncture in their treatments, and in Japan, acupuncture is also used to treat symptoms such as back pain and knee pain. In the United States, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a statement in 1997 partially acknowledging the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment, and clinical trials have begun to be conducted at great expense. Even now, research on acupuncture and moxibustion is continuing at Harvard Medical School, a world-renowned university, and many studies are being conducted to scientifically prove the effectiveness of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment. Acupuncture and moxibustion is a medical treatment with a long history, having originated in China and then spread to Japan via the Korean Peninsula. The reasons why acupuncture and moxibustion medicine has been accepted throughout such a long history include its immediate effect and simplicity, but the biggest factor is the idea that the mind and body are inseparable. In modern society, where mental disorders caused by stress are considered to have a negative effect on the body, the demand for acupuncture and moxibustion, which improves both physical and mental health through minor stimulation of the surface of the body, is expected to continue to increase. In addition to modern medicine, a new style of medicine that actively introduces various treatments collectively known as “alternative medicine” (aromatherapy, supplements, traditional medicine, etc.) is called “integrative medicine.” In Europe and the United States, the number of medical institutions practicing this type of medicine is increasing, and the global integrative medicine market is expected to reach 33.3 billion dollars by 2025. In Japan, too, there is a tendency for an increasing number of medical institutions to use acupuncture and moxibustion treatment to relieve pain in cancer patients and treat chronic diseases, and expectations for acupuncture and moxibustion in the age of integrative medicine are becoming ever greater.