针灸技术在英国的发展

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Health: Acupuncture in the UK 健康：针灸在英国

What is the single largest cause of sick leave in the UK?
The answer is not the common cold or flu, but back pain. Back pain affects one in three British adults, costs the country over £5bn every year and is notoriously difficult to treat.

But now Britain's National Health Service (NHS) will be offering a new solution: acupuncture.

The ancient Chinese needle therapy has been around in the UK for many years, but this is the first time it has been officially endorsed by the NHS's advisory body, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).

Traditionally, doctors in the UK have advised back pain sufferers to stay active, do stretching exercises and take painkillers when necessary. In more serious cases some people are given X-ray treatment or injections with therapeutic substances.

NICE, however, say there is evidence that acupuncture may be more effective than expensive X-rays or injections, so patients who have been suffering for over six weeks should be given a choice.

As an alternative to acupuncture, patients will be able to opt for either a course of spinal manipulation, or a series of special exercise sessions.

In the UK, acupuncture is classed as a complementary therapy, which is the term given to a medical procedure which hasn't been subjected to the strict trials by which scientists prove some treatments work.

While many experts have welcomed the move to make acupuncture available on the NHS, some are still sceptical about its effectiveness.

Research from the US earlier this month found that simulated acupuncture using toothpicks which do not pierce the skin could be as good as using real needles.

So while some are yet to be convinced, back pain sufferers will be hoping that acupuncture helps get them feeling healthy and mobile again. Employers, on the other hand, will be hoping it gets them back to work.

GLOSSARY 词汇表

sick leave病假 

notoriously有名的(形容不好的方面)

National Health Service国家医疗系统

needle therapy针疗

advisory body顾问（咨询）机构

stretching exercises伸展运动

injections注射，打针

spinal manipulation脊椎推拿

strict trials 严格控制的临床实验

simulated模拟

back pain腰疼

treat治疗

acupuncture针灸

officially endorsed正式批准，认可

stay active保持经常运动

painkillers止痛药

therapeutic substances 有益于健康，有疗效的物质

complementary therapy 辅助疗法

sceptical 持怀疑态度

mobile 可以自由移动