**2.3 Acupuncture treatment**

All patients received the same method of AT from one TCM doctor. It was typically performed two times a week and the frequency was increased or decreased as necessary. The sterile acupuncture needles (length: 40 mm and diameter: 0.25 mm, Dondbang Co. Korea) were inserted to a depth of 10 - 30 mm until the patient felt the characteristic needling sensation of soreness, numbness or distension around the acupuncture point. Stimulated acupuncture points included GV14, GV15, GV16, GB20, GB21, BL10, SI4, SI15 and additional local points (TE21, TE22, SI19, GB2, ST7, BL2, LI20, GV20, EX-HN3) as necessary in the prone position, right after the 1st stimulated acupuncture were removed, and the liver tonification formula of Saam acupuncture theory (KI10, LR8, LU8 and LR4) (Yin CS et al., 2007) which were combined with contralateral LI4, LR3, and ST36 in the supine position. The needles were retained at each position for 10 minutes. Most patients were also administered herbal medicine individually to improve their body condition.
