1.A deficiency or an excess of the Yin and/or Yang energy of the body.
2.An invasion by an external pathogenic ,factor, which may remain superficially on the outside of the body or penetrate more deeply into the interior of the body.
3.A problem at the level of the channels or the collaterals, or affecting the functioning of the internal Zangfu system of the body.
4.Heat or Cold associated with the disharmony.

The diagnosis of the patient's disharmony in terms of the Eight-Principle patterns leads to an understanding of what the treatment seeks to achieve. Acupuncture works by addressing the identified treatment principles. Thus, For example, when a pattern of deficiency is identified,acupuncture is used to tonify the appropriate energy system of the body. Since Chinese medicine sees all illness as a process of energetic disharmony - which acupuncture can help to reestablish - there are no disorders for which this form of treatment is inappropriate. The conditions that acupuncture can help, and how, are summarized in the following table. There are very few situations where acupuncture is contraindicated. The following are the most common:

1.Where the patient has a hemophilic condition.
2.Where the patient is pregnant (certain points and needle manipulations are contraindicated in pregnancy).
3.Where the patient has a severe psychotic condition or has recently taken drugs or alcohol. Although acupuncture would generally be contraindicated in these circumstances, it should be stressed that it can be very helpful in drug and alcohol rehabilitation regimes.

There are no contraindications for the use of acupuncture in the treatment of patients with HIV-related disorders, although rigorous hygiene protocols must be adhered to. Given the energetic nature of most HIV-related disorders, acupuncture can be very helpful to patients suffering from Aids since it can address a particular disharmony in a very specific manner- often more effectively than drugs. Acupuncture cannot offer a cure for Aids, but it can be most helpful in supporting the management of a variety of symptoms connected with it.

There are some conditions - psoriasis and eczema, for example - where acupuncture may have limited success on its own, but for these it can be effective alongside other treatments, especially herbal remedies.

In the West, the problem for many practitioners of acupuncture is that most people they see have long-term chronic conditions. For these patients acupuncture is very often a last resort, and in such situations progress is likely to be slow, with a large number of treatments being required. This, of course, is not always the case; sometimes acupuncture can produce rapid and dramatic results. Also, as Chinese medicine becomes more established in the West, a growing number of patients are choosing this as their first option for healthcare, and the range of conditions being successfully treated with acupuncture is growing all the time.

The rule of thumb for patients considering acupuncture is to assume that it will be able to help their condition - whatever it is. Thereafter, provided they consult an appropriately trained and experienced practitioner, they will be able to discuss in detail what acupuncture can do for their specific problem.