In the West, acupuncture is most well-known for its ability to relieve
pain so the majority of research thus far has been done in this area.
Acupuncture points are now believed to stimulate the central nervous
system (the brain and spinal cord) to release pain-relieving chemicals
into the muscles, spinal cord and brain. Acupuncture may also stimulate
other chemicals to be released by the brain, including hormones that
influence the self-regulating system of the body.