A recent study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has provided the most rigorous evidence to date that acupuncture may be helpful for chronic pain. The study provides robust evidence of the effects of acupuncture on pain management. The modern scientific theory behind acupuncture’s effectiveness is that the needles stimulate the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord and brain, which may influence the body’s own regulatory system. The acupuncture needle does not pierce tissue; it only separates it. The result is little to no pain and bleeding. The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture in the treatment of a wide range of medical problems including: