1    One of the most famous Chinese medical treatments is the art of “magic needles”, or Chinese acupuncture (针刺疗法). It was developed long ago, perhaps as early as 2000 BC.

Some of the medical problems that can be treated by acupuncture include severe pains, headaches, injuries, stomach problems and high blood pressure.     2     Some people have also used it to treat smokers, alcoholics and people who are addicted to drugs.

How acupuncture reduces pain is not clear. One theory explaining this phenomenon suggests that acupuncture blocks pain signals from reaching the brain. Another theory relates acupuncture to the production of chemicals in the body which reduce pain. A lot of people now subscribe to these theories.

As a unique contribution of traditional Chinese medicine,     3    它传到了亚洲其他许多国家，such as Japan, as early as the 6th century. It was introduced to the West in the 17th century.     4    Today it has become popular round the world, as have other traditional Chinese medicines. The World Health Organization recommends acupuncture as a good treatment for over forty medical problems. While doubts about its safety have faded away,     5    人们对它的)兴趣在继续增加.