acupuncture Alternative medical technique which has gained a level of acceptance in Singapore. Acupuncture is the practice of inserting thin needles through the skin at specific points on the body to control pain and other symptoms. It is perhaps also the best- known form of traditional Chinese medicine, which has been generating much interest in the Western medical community. The World Health Organisation has recognized acupuncture as a valid type of alternative medicine.

Acupuncture has always had a place in Singapore, where the majority of the population is Chinese. But it is only in more recent times that the practice has been accorded more serious official attention. The first Acupuncture Research Clinic was set up by the Ministry of Health in 1995 in the Ang Mo Kio community hospital. A preliminary study found that acupuncture is safe and appears to relieve pain and stiffness— for example in stroke patients— and improves mobility.

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