The so-called ultrasound acupuncture is a therapeutic approach for clinical problems and health care by app-lying the ultrasound energy to the acupoints of the human body directly or indirectly.It has been applied in clinic for about 30 years since 1980 s.In the present paper

the authors review the development of both experimental and clinical researches in the past 30 years.Its clinical application includes allergic rhinitis

local pain

mastitis

angina pectoris of coronary heart disease

stroke

etc.Regarding the researches on the underlying mechanism of ultrasound and ultrasound acupuncture

the authors make a summary from 1) bioeffects(thermal and nonthermal effects) of ultrasound intervention;2) cell lysis and nonlysis effects of ultrasound intervention;and 3) effects of ultrasound acupuncture on the degranulation of mast cells.Based on the idea that "inflammatory reaction caused by mast cell degranulation is one of the initial factors of acupuncture for inducing therapeutic effects"

bioeffects including cellular changes

especially mast cell degranulation caused by ultrasound stimulation

are thought to be the main possible mechanisms underlying the favorable efficacy of ultrasound acupuncture intervention.However

the ultrasound metrology and the specific superiority of ultrasound acupuncture remain unknown up to now.