Acupuncture is one of the oldest, most commonly used medical procedures in the world. Originating in China more than 5,000 years ago, acupuncture is getting more and more popular in the United States. Acupuncture is a medical procedure involving stimulation of anatomical points (called acupoints) on the body by a variety of techniques. The acupuncture technique that has been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic, hair-size needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation. Zhang uses the standard Traditional Chinese acupuncture technique in his practice.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners in 1996. The FDA requires that sterile, nontoxic needles be used and that they be labeled for single use by qualified practitioners only. Very few complications from the use of acupuncture have been reported to the FDA Practitioners swab treatment sites with alcohol or another disinfectant before inserting needles. Only sterile disposable needles are used in Zhang's practice.

Only sterilized, individually packaged, disposable needles are allowed to use by licensed acupuncturists according to FDA requirement and it is followed here. This eliminates the possibility of transmitting a communicable disease by a contaminated needle.

Since we are following a classical approach only one needle will be used normally.only for few chronic diseases it’ll be two which is very occasional.

Acupuncture needles are metallic, solid, and hair-thin. People experience acupuncture differently, most feel no or minimal pain as the needles are inserted. Some people are energized by treatment, while others feel relaxed. Improper needle placement, movement of the patient, or a defect in the needle can cause soreness and pain during treatment. This is why it is important to seek treatment from a qualified experienced acupuncture practitioner.

Practitioners of Chinese medicine seek to promote or restore health by diagnosing and treating "disharmonies" or "imbalances" in the qi, or vital energy of the body. In the Chinese Medicine system, the body is seen as a delicate balance of two opposing and inseparable forces yin and yang. Yin represents the cold, slow, or passive principle, while yang represents the hot, excited, or active principle. Among the major assumptions in TCM are that health is achieved by maintaining the body in a "balanced slate and that disease is due to an internal imbalance of yin and yang. This imbalance leads to blockage in the flow qi (vital energy) along pathways known as meridian. It is believed that there are 12 main meridians and 8 secondary meridians and that there are more than 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body that connect with them.

Acupuncture produces as effects through regulating the nervous system, thus aiding the activity of pain-killing biochemicals such as endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites in the body. In addition, studies have shown that acupuncture may alter brain chemistry by changing the release of neurotransmitters and neurohormones and, thus, affecting the parts of the central nervous system related to sensation and involuntary body functions, such as immune reactions and processes that regulate a person's blood pressure, blood flow, and body temperature.

The number of treatments necessary depends on a whole host of factors relating to the specific individual. For example, the duration of the illness, general state of energy, constitution, life style, are all taken into consideration. Generally speaking the more acute the disease the sooner it will respond, although there are instances where acupuncture has brought quick ref to many chronic problems. The initial treatments will usually be twice a week and their frequency will be decreased as the person progresses, to once a week, twice a month etc, until there is only a need for an occasional preventative check-up.