Acupuncture is the practice of inserting very fine needles into the skin to stimulate specific anatomic points in the body (called acupoints or acupuncture points).  "Chinese medicine," often called "Oriental medicine" or "traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)," encompasses a vast array of medical practices, some as old as 5,000 years. It holds that the body's vital energy (chi or qi) circulates through channels, called meridians, which have branches connected to bodily organs and functions.  Illness is attributed to imbalance or interruption of chi. Ancient practices such as acupuncture and the use of various herbs are known to restore balance. Along with the usual method of puncturing the skin with the fine needles, the practitioners of acupuncture also use heat, pressure, friction, suction, or impulses of electromagnetic energy to stimulate the points. The acupoints are stimulated to balance the movement of energy (qi) in the body to restore health. 

Traditional acupuncture involves the insertion of stainless steel needles into various body areas.  A low-frequency current may be applied to the needles to produce greater stimulation. Other procedures used separately or together with acupuncture include: moxibustion (burning of floss or herbs applied to the skin); auriculotherapy (placement of needles in the external ear); and acupressure (use of manual pressure). Treatment is applied to acupuncture points, located throughout the body. Some practitioners place needles at or near the site of disease, whereas others select points on the basis of symptoms. In traditional acupuncture, a combination of points is usually used.

The diagnostic processes used by TCM practitioners include extensive questioning (medical history, lifestyle, physical attributes), observations (skin, tongue color), listening (breathing sounds), and pulse taking. Six pulse aspects said to correlate with body organs or functions are checked on each wrist to determine which meridians are "deficient" in chi.

Some of the vast array of conditions treated with acupuncture include chronic pain (neck and back pain, migraine headaches), acute injury-related pain (strains, muscle and ligament tears), gastrointestinal problems (indigestion, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea), cardiovascular conditions (high and low blood pressure), genitourinary problems (menstrual irregularity, frigidity, impotence), muscle and nerve conditions (paralysis, deafness), and behavioral problems (overeating, drug dependence, smoking).