ACUPUNCTURE—PAIN RELIEF OR QUACKERY Acupuncture is a procedure that involves inserting very thin needles into the skin at precise points on your body. The insertion spots are chosen based on a complex network of energy lines called meridians, which are thought to encircle the body. Acupuncture is a key component of traditional Chinese medicine that clears these energy channels to restore and maintain health. In contrast, Western medicine often considers acupuncture as pseudoscience because its practices are not based on scientific knowledge and is sometimes considered quackery. Scientific evidence has been mixed, partly because it is difficult to devise a...