When one thinks of acupuncture, what are some of the images that typically come to mind? Instantly, though, a picture of a black kettle pot with a bunch of concoctions and needles should come to mind. On the other hand, acupuncture therapy does not have to concoct such awful images in one's head. However, if you have ever thought about the possibility that acupuncture may be able to replace Western medicine you are sorely mistaken. On the other hand, there are some important distinctions between the two fundamental ideas of medicine, and in this article the idea of acupuncture will go head to head in an effort to compete against Western medicine.

The basic idea behind Western medicine is the knowledge and science behind every treatment that we can see. Acupuncture, though, is not considered one of those treatments. Consider for a moment all the monumental effects that taking one prescription medication can have on the body. Many advocates of Western medicine continue to say that the United States has the best idea of medicine throughout all the world, but is it really true? Even though the affects of prescription drugs are so great on the body and mind, do we truly know everything that the treatment does to individuals, or is there a whole laundry list of side effects that could go wrong?

Even though there are great benefits to both the acupuncture method and treatments of Western medicine, one thing that we should consider is the downfalls of both approaches since there are probably less of them to consider. For Western medicine, though, an idea right off the bat that is undesirable is the fact that many patients and individuals get used to the medicine that they're given. They're bodies get used to it and they are left desensitized to being treated. In addition, many people have to take prescription medications their whole lives in order to keep some disorders at bay, such as Depression.