Acupuncture is effective! Athletes, dancers, and many other people in demanding professions have turned to the San Francisco Acupuncture Clinic of Dr. Xiang for treatment and assistance. The ailments that have been successfully treated by acupuncture in United States are as follows: painful disorders of the musculoskeletal system, low back pain, cervical pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, torticullis, wrist and knee pain. Acupuncture is most effective in the disorders associated with skeletal muscle spasm, and with visceral muscle spasm such as dysmenorrhea and diarrhea. Acupuncture treatment is usually carried out by inserting very fine sterilized needles into acupuncture points. They may be quite a distance from the part of the body being treated. New electronic devices may also be used in conjunction with the needles. Other conditions frequently alleviated by or improved by treatment are these: headaches (both migraine and and tension), arthritis (particularly osteoarthritis), trigeminal neuralgia, hypertension, hypotension, chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, withdrawal symptons in drug addicts, insomnia, constipation, dysmenorrhea, paralysis following cardiovascular accidents, disorders with a significant functional component, and post herpetic neuralgia. Also, new techniques are said to be effective in helping people reduce weight and stop smoking.