I just read an article on acupuncture from the Northern Territory news website, which comes out of Australia.  The author quotes Dr. Robyn Parker, who uses acupuncture to treat patient's at North Melbourne Hospital.  Dr. Parker has proposed that acupuncture be offered at area emergency rooms, which is a notion that's catching on slowly but surely as integrated medicine becomes more popular.  However, what's newsworthy here in my opinion is that she also proposes that people be trained to give themselves acupuncture.  I love this idea!  And I haven't heard it before from any source, let alone a medical doctor.  Self-treatment could be really beneficial especially in acute pain.  I think we're a long way from this in the U.S., but tiny seeds eventually become flowers and I think it would be cool if I were around to see this idea blossom.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/06/29/62271_ntnews.html

I just came across an unusual blog, written by Amitabh Mitra, a physician poet who lives and works in South Africa but hails from central India.  In his recent entry "Ramblings of a Bone Setter," he talks about the history of bone setting and the different traditions which seem to come from all corners of the globe.  Among his varied travels, he studied acupuncture in Sri Lanka.  But what really interests me is his comment about traditional South African healers, the Sangomas, who treat "low back pain with blade pricks."  Wikipedia says, "Sangomas far outnumber western-style doctors in Southern Africa, and are consulted first (or exclusively) by approximately 80% of the indigenous population."  I'm curious about these Sangomas and their blade pricks and how they might correspond to acupuncture points! 

http://poetsprintery.book.co.za/blog/

http://www.amitabhmitra.com/

This may not help you very much, but the latest acupuncture news from the Guardian is good news for anyone with back pain in the UK.  The National Health Service (NHS), which is the publicly funded health care system, is expected to adopt new guidelines for treating low back pain this week.  Primary care doctors will be able to "recommend... up to nine sessions with an osteopath, chiropractor or physiotherapist who is trained in manipulation, or an acupuncturist."  How civilized!  Maybe it'll catch on and they'll recommend it for treating other common ailments too. 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/may/24/back-pain-sufferers-acupuncture-nhs

Hot off the presses - Obama endorses the use of acupuncture as one of the alternative modalities in his new health care plan.  “We should do what works,” President Obama said. “I think it is pretty well documented through scientific studies that acupuncture, for example, can be very helpful in relieving certain things like migraines and other ailments – or at least as effective as more intrusive interventions.”  Wow - what a breath of fresh air!

http://www.npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=23910&zoneid=2

Acupuncture is in the news again as St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter is trying it, to kick the chewing tobacco habit.  According to St. Louis Today, Carpenter has been using chewing tobacco since high school, which looks like it was over 20 years ago.  Since the patches and gum haven't worked, he's seeing if acupuncture can mitigate his cravings enough to finally kick the habit.  Acupuncture can't make you want to quit, but it can help to mitigate the symptoms of physical withdrawal from the nicotine, which takes two weeks to leave the system.  After these initial weeks, it's up to the client to maintain the willpower necessary to stay clean.  Acupuncture can continue to help with stress reduction during this time though, which is often necessary to consolidate the new behavior of not using.  Good luck, Chris!

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/A12A308460A2DA54862575A500026DC2?OpenDocument

I love the internet.  I stumbled across "The Stokes Family" blog today and saw pictures of 4 year old Owen getting acupuncture treatments, successfully, for his sinus problems.  Owen makes acupuncture look adorable.  And kudos the Stokes parents for thinking outside the medical establishment!

http://www.noahanddanika.com/2009/03/acupuncture-for-4-year-old.html