Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine are a complete healthcare system that has been used for mare then 2,500 years. This form of medicine as survived the test of time and is now widely accepted by the Western world. In 1997, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) formally recognized acupuncture as a mainstream medicine healing option with a statement documenting the procedure' s safety and efficacy for treating a range of health conditions. Does Acupuncture hurt? Acupuncture needles are the size of a human hair or thread and are flexible. With a skilled acupuncturist these thin needles produce little to no sensation at all. First time patients are usually amazed at how pain-less the procedure is and how comfortable they are during their treatments.