Acupuncture is one of the oldest healing practices in the world, and today it's still used to treat a wide array of disorders. The practice is based on the concept that disease comes from the disruption in the flow of Qi (pronounced "chee") and imbalance in the forces of yin and yang.
Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners believe that acupuncture helps to relieve pain and treat diseases by restoring the normal flow of energy through the body. A typical acupuncture treatment involves a practitioner inserting hair-thin needles into specific points on the body to evoke a healing response. The needles used are so thin that most people feel nothing more than a slight tingling sensation when they're inserted.
Acupuncture can regulate heartbeat, body temperature, blood pressure and respiration; relieve muscle spasm and numbness; treat disorders of exocrine and endocrine secretions; and promote secretion of the glands.
