20 Best Acupuncture Books

Giovanni Maciocia introduces traditional Chinese medical concepts, organ functions, diagnostic methods, and patterns of disharmony. The textbook progresses from theoretical foundations toward interpretation and practice, using illustrations and study material for students of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.

Peter Deadman and his colleagues provide an illustrated reference to acupuncture channels and points. Anatomical drawings, traditional commentaries, location guidance, and precautions accompany discussions of point selection, needling methods, and the indications described in Chinese medicine.

Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold introduce the philosophy and practice of traditional Chinese medicine for Western readers. They explain its theories, therapeutic approaches, and constitutional types, presenting the connections this tradition draws between mind, body, and health.

Cheng Xinnong's textbook introduces the theory and practice of Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion. Traditional concepts of yin and yang, qi, organs, channels, and points lead into diagnostic methods, syndrome differentiation, and clinical techniques.

Angela Hicks, John Hicks, and Peter Mole introduce constitutional Five Element acupuncture through its history, theoretical concepts, diagnostic framework, and treatment principles. The text relates the five elements to traditional organ functions and compares this approach with other acupuncture traditions.

Ted Kaptchuk explains the concepts and diagnostic framework of traditional Chinese medicine for Western readers. He explores its emphasis on interconnected patterns of disharmony and contrasts that perspective with Western approaches to understanding illness.

Giovanni Maciocia explains diagnostic interpretation within traditional Chinese medicine, combining observation, questioning, and patterns of signs and symptoms. Illustrations, cross-references, and case histories show how the tradition organizes information into its own framework of diagnosis.

Andrew Ellis, Nigel Wiseman, and Ken Boss present acupuncture principles and techniques through a systematic account of Chinese medical theory. The text brings together classical and modern approaches, using consistent translated terminology to organize concepts for students.

Andrew Ellis, Nigel Wiseman, and Ken Boss examine the meanings of traditional acupuncture point names. Chinese characters, pronunciation, translations, alternate names, and historical explanations connect terminology with the concepts and associations found in Chinese medical literature.

Giovanni Maciocia examines secondary channels and the eight extraordinary vessels within traditional Chinese medicine. The book describes pathways, theoretical relationships, diagnostic interpretations, and clinical examples, organizing material for students and practitioners seeking a more detailed account of channel theory.

Giovanni Maciocia explains applying traditional Chinese medical theory to clinical conditions through acupuncture and herbal treatment. Chapters examine causes, syndrome differentiation, treatment choices, and case studies, alongside summaries of Western differential diagnosis and discussions of prognosis.

Giovanni Maciocia presents tongue examination within traditional Chinese medicine, considering color, shape, coating, and their interpreted relationships to patterns. The third edition includes photographs, case histories, historical discussion, and material connecting tongue observation with other traditional assessments.

Adrian White, Mike Cummings, and Jacqueline Filshie introduce Western medical acupuncture through neurophysiological explanations, research discussions, and clinical principles. The second edition examines proposed mechanisms, evidence, practical decision-making, and risks within a modern medical framework.

Wang Ju-yi and Jason D. Robertson explore relationships between channel and organ theory in Chinese medicine. Developed from apprenticeship discussions, the book combines questions, clinical narratives, case studies, and explanations of Wang's approach to examining channels.

H. B. Kim organizes traditional medical theory, diagnosis, acupuncture, herbs, formulas, and related study material into a reference handbook. Charts and summaries support review across subjects, with sections also addressing Western medical concepts and professional examination topics.

Miriam Lee explains her acupuncture approach, centered on a distinctive combination of five major points. Discussions of qi circulation, five-phase points, and systemic and local conditions connect her clinical experience with theories from traditional Chinese medicine.

Yu-Lin Lian and his colleagues present an illustrated atlas of 409 acupuncture points. Anatomical diagrams, meridian overviews, and photographs of needle placement accompany names, properties, and traditional indications drawn from Chinese sources and the authors' practice.

Angela Hicks introduces acupuncture for readers considering or curious about treatment. She discusses the experience of an appointment, traditional Five Element ideas, the range of uses proposed by practitioners, and questions involved in finding and understanding a practitioner.

Daniel Keown proposes connections between Chinese medicine and Western accounts of the body. Exploring embryology, electrical processes, regeneration, and acupuncture channels, he argues for an integrated understanding of physiology through the two medical traditions.

Deborah Bleecker introduces the locations and traditional functions of more than 400 acupuncture points. Written for readers without professional acupuncture training, the handbook uses plain-language explanations to make point terminology and the author's account of their uses easier to understand.