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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. A key component of Traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain.

Traditional Chinese medicine explains acupuncture as a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force — known as qi or chi (CHEE) — believed to flow through pathways (meridians) in your body. By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will re-balance.

In contrast, many Western practitioners view the acupuncture points as places to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. This stimulation appears to boost the activity of your body's natural painkillers and increase blood flow.

Why it's done
References
  1. Acupuncture for pain. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/acupuncture-for-pain.htm. Accessed Nov. 21, 2011.
  2. Acupuncture. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011.
  3. Ahn AC. Acupuncture. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 21, 2011.
  4. Bauer BA. Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2007:106.
  5. Mao JJ, et al. Acupuncture in primary Care. Primary Care Clinics in Office Practice. 2010;37:105.
  6. Barrows K. Acupuncture. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2010. 50th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=1. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011.
  7. Acupuncture. North American Spine Society. http://www.knowyourback.org/Pages/Treatments/AlternativeMedicine/Acupuncture.aspx. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011.
  8. AskMayoExpert. What happens during an acupuncture session? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2011.
  9. Martin DP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 5, 2011.
MY00946 Jan. 25, 2012

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