"If the treatment is performed by a licensed acupuncturist who has received professional training, there will be no side effects," Su said.

Lai, the licensed acupuncturist in New York state, said: "You don't become dependent on it (the treatment). Moreover, the needles that we currently use in the US are very tiny and light, so the treatment process is painless. A tinier needle will be more readily accepted by our patients and will reduce the pain on insertion."

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the broad use of acupuncture in the US.

In 1971, The New York Times columnist James Reston opened the door for the treatment in the US. When Reston traveled to China as part of the advance team before US President Richard Nixon's visit the following year, he had an acute attack of appendicitis. While Reston was hospitalized in China, his pain was treated with acupuncture.

He wrote of his experiences with Chinese medicine, and the reports he filed, along with his observations on the effectiveness of acupuncture, helped pave the way for the exploration of alternative medicine in the US.

The Chinese medical treatment has been embraced by patients and doctors in the US as an alternative to the powerful painkillers that are behind the widespread abuse of opioids.

Insurance cover

Last year, Medicare, the largest US federal government insurance program, began covering acupuncture as a treatment for lower back pain due to the nation's opioid crisis. Medicare covers up to 12 sessions in 90 days, with an additional eight sessions for patients with chronic lower back pain who show improvement.

Lai said: "In the US, many people recognize the effect of acupuncture in the treatment of pain, but acupuncture is also very good at treating indigestion, gynecological issues like infertility, and mental issues such as insomnia, anxiety and depression. The good thing is that more people are gaining knowledge of acupuncture."

The cost of acupuncture treatments ranges from $60 to $200, depending on the local market and an acupuncturist's experience.

In the US, an acupuncturist needs to complete an accredited educational program and pass a state licensing exam.

Su, the New York and Connecticut acupuncturist, said: "Some acupuncturists graduated from Chinese medicine universities in China, some of them graduated from colleges of traditional Chinese medicine in the US. As long as you meet the assessments designed by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and the state licensing exam, you can become an acupuncturist."

According to the American Institution of Alternative Medicine, a bachelor's degree in acupuncture is needed to qualify as a practitioner. The degree takes four years to complete if studying full-time.

Acupuncture Today reported that some 50 schools and colleges in the US provide education in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and they receive thousands of students every year.