Acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of fine, sterile needles into specific sites (acupunture points) along the body's meridians to clear energy blockages and encourage the normal flow of qi through the individual. The origins of acupuncture in China can be traced back at least 2000 years, making it one of the oldest and most long standing health care systems in the world. Today, acupuncture is an effective, natural and an increasingly popular form of health care that is being used by people from a wide range of cultural and social backgrounds.