The oldest medical book, which was written in China 4000 years ago, describes the use of acupuncture to treat medical problems. The use of the treatment has spread to many countries in the world. In the United States, acupuncture has been used for about 200 years. Research on acupuncture began in the United States in 1976. Twenty years later, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the acupuncture needle as a medical device. Many illnesses are treated with acupuncture.