Acupuncture has been around for at least 4,000 years in the East—but only widely known in the West for less than 50. Below are five facts about acupuncture you probably didn’t know.
1. A NYT Reporter Let the West Know About It. During a trip to China in 1971, a New York Times reporter underwent an emergency appendectomy. Afterward, doctors used acupuncture to relieve discomfort in his abdomen. He wrote about the experience upon his return to the United States. This sparked interest in the practice in the United States, and subsequently, the Western world.
