MODEL RELEASED. Acupuncture. Acupuncturist inserting a needle into a client's back. This traditional Chinese practice uses needles to restore an energy flow through specific points on the skin. It is used to relieve pain and to treat a wide range of disorders. Here, the needles are being placed in the 'Black-Shu' points along what is called the 'Urinary Bladder Meridian.' It is believed that treatment of this area can have a positive effect on disorders and the internal organs. Modern Western medicine explains the pain- relieving effects by suggesting that the needles stimulate the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers.