Overview

Traditional & Acupuncture Medicine is an internationally recognized complementary therapeutic modality with thousands of years of clinical practice, formally acknowledged and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Based on the precise insertion of sterile, ultra-fine filiform needles into specific neuro-anatomical and meridional points across the body, acupuncture modulates neuroendocrine pathways, promotes endogenous opioid release, regulates blood microcirculation, and restores autonomic balance. Clinically validated across numerous systematic reviews and clinical trials, acupuncture is highly effective in managing chronic and acute pain syndromes, neuropathies, functional musculoskeletal disorders, neurological conditions, anxiety, and chemotherapy-induced nausea. The Department of Acupuncture is dedicated to academic training, rigorous clinical investigations, and interdisciplinary integrative medicine.

History and Evolution

Following the establishment of the School of Persian and Complementary Medicine at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2010 (1389 SH), the university expanded its academic mandate to encompass globally recognized complementary modalities. In 2023 (1402 SH), the specialized Acupuncture postgraduate program was officially inaugurated within the faculty. This landmark milestone established the Department of Acupuncture as an academic hub dedicated to training certified physicians in the neurophysiological mechanisms, precision techniques, and clinical applications of acupuncture and related neuromodulation therapies.

Academic & Research Scope

The scientific, academic, and clinical programs focus on evidence-based complementary interventions:

• Postgraduate Clinical Education: Specialized academic and hands-on clinical training for medical doctors, covering meridian theory, neuroanatomical trigger point mapping, electroacupuncture, and clinical procedural safety.
• Pain Medicine & Neuro-Rehabilitation: Investigating the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in treating chronic low back pain, migraine and tension headaches, osteoarthritis, neuropathic pain, and post-stroke rehabilitation.
• Neuroendocrine & Autonomic Modulation: Conducting clinical trials to assess the therapeutic impact of acupuncture on anxiety, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal motility disorders, and oncology supportive care (e.g., chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting).
• Integrative Clinical Protocols: Establishing collaborative clinical pathways with conventional medical departments—including neurology, oncology, anesthesiology, and physical medicine—for multimodal patient care.
• Technological & Mechanistic Research: Exploring the physiological mechanisms of electroacupuncture, laser acupuncture, and acupoint stimulation through bio-signal processing and neuroimaging.

Mission and Vision

• Our Mission: To provide comprehensive, evidence-based academic and clinical training in acupuncture for medical professionals; to conduct high-impact clinical trials exploring acupuncture mechanisms and efficacy; to deliver patient-centered integrative pain and rehabilitation care; and to uphold the highest safety standards in complementary medicine.
• Our Vision: To become the leading academic and research authority in acupuncture and energy medicine in the region, recognized for cutting-edge mechanistic research, translational clinical integration, and international collaboration.