‘New research by Korean doctors of Oriental Medicine suggested that an acupuncture method could reduce acute lower back pain faster and more effectively than conventional drug injections.’

This blog presents a link to a report (Acupuncture Today July, 2013, Vol. 14, Issue 07) about the effectiveness of acupuncture for acute low back pain. I found the study interesting because it was conducted at a hospital in Korea by Korean trained doctors of Oriental medicine.

Many people feel that China has the highest standard of acupuncture education and practice in the world. It was certainly promoted as such when I studied in China a few years ago. But here is an interesting fact- in China, a student of Chinese medicine needs to have graduated high school in the top 20% of graduates nationally to be accepted into university to study Chinese medicine. By comparison, a student in Korea must be in the top 1% of graduates nationally to be considered for a placement at a Oriental medicine university. Korean friends of mine have confirmed that Oriental medicine doctors are highly respected in Korean society, toping the list of desirable professions (and even the list of many singles seeking a life partner, I’m told).

Though it’s not my intention to cast dispersions about the quality of Chinese research, I present this article because the evidence suggests that traditional Oriental medicine as practiced and research in Korea is in a category of it’s own. The internationally respected PAIN journal appears to agree with me, as this article is the first study of Oriental Medicine for pain relief it has featured. I hope you enjoy the discussion.