i have had acupuncture by 3 different practitioners and 2 were really good, the third was basically a waste of money... i don't know how to explain it, ,but when it was good, it was very very good~!

and oh yah, they are wires, not needles, and they DO NOT hurt~! (unless one misses it's mark :P , whereupon they just pluck it out and the hurt is over).

i've had it for back pain (stopped for 2 yrs); stopping smoking (a complete success in 2 treatments); OCD's and Phobias (side effect of the stop smoking treatments~ astonishing!); whiplash agony (got me thru til i could get on pain pills,,, had pill insurance), and weight loss (lost 8 inches around the middle by walking, no weight loss,, but i was happy).

it's worth the try, esp. for stopping smoking~!