Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. It is a key component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
Traditional Chinese medicine explains acupuncture as a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force — known as qi or chi — believed to flow through pathways 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, and cause the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. The resulting biochemical changes influence the body’s homeostatic mechanisms, boost your body’s natural painkillers and increase blood flow, thus promoting physical and emotional well-being.