Acupuncture zhēn cì · 针刺

Fine, single-use sterile needles are inserted through the skin at selected points and usually retained for 15-30 minutes. Sensation is typically a dull ache, heaviness or a spreading warmth rather than sharp pain.

Serious adverse events are rare but not zero — the main risks are pneumothorax from needling the chest wall, and infection when sterile technique is not followed. Regulation varies enormously; in the United States most states require a licence and in many countries the title is protected.