An important differentiator between alternative medicine (acupuncture, herbs, yoga, etc.) and Western medicine (drugs, surgery) is how the practitioners view disease. In alternative medicine, disease is seen as something to be avoided. In Western medicine, we see disease as something we must wait for, then cure.
Western Science Proving Eastern Theories
While acupuncture has been around for hundreds of years (and acupressure for thousands of years), it has only recently begun to be validated by western medicine. Many organizations in western medicine have now admitted that acupuncture does offer many benefits to its patients. Although many people think acupuncture is just poking people with needles, its background is much more scientific than that.