acupuncture
a method of Chinese traditional healing involving the insertion of fine needles at various points beneath the skin. The needles are moved by rotation or electric current. The system has been proved to be effective in the relief of symptoms, sometimes being employed as an alternative to ANAESTHESIA .
Acupuncture has been practiced in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years. Acupuncture involves stimulating specific points on the body. This is most often done by inserting thin needles through the skin, to cause a change in the physical functions of the body.
Research has shown that acupuncture reduces nausea and vomiting after surgery and chemotherapy. It can also relieve pain. Researchers don't fully understand how acupuncture works. It might aid the activity of your body's pain-killing chemicals. It also might affect how you release chemicals that regulate blood pressure and flow.
NIH: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
acupuncture