as i understand, it supposedly works along your energy lines and whatnot. which i guess can be plausible. surely your nerves do meet up at some point and travel together towards your spine. if sticking need into them will make any difference, i wont bet money on.
wonder how much of a placebo effect there is involved?
A quote from a fun little fact paper by Harriet Hall M.D.:
"There were originally 360 acupuncture points (based on the number of
days of the year rather than on anatomy). Currently more than 2000
acupuncture points have been ‘discovered,’ leading one wag to com-
ment that there was no skin left that was not an acupuncture point.
There were either 9, 10, or 11 meridians—take your pick. Any number
is as good as another, because no research has ever been able to docu-
ment the existence of acupuncture points or meridians or chi. Acupunc-
ture has been shown to ‘work’ to relieve pain, nausea, and other subjective
symptoms, but it has never been shown to alter the natural history or course
of any disease. Studies have shown that acupuncture releases natural opioid pain
relievers in the brain: endorphins. Veterinarians have pointed out that loading a horse into a trailer or throw-
ing a stick for a dog also releases endorphins. Probably hitting yourself on the thumb with a hammer would
release endorphins too, and it would take your mind off your headache."