The practice of inserting needles into specific points on the body with a therapeutic aim, such as to reduce pain or to induce anesthesia without the use of drugs. Traditional Chinese acupuncturists say the practice unblocks the flow of a life force called ch’i; Western researchers believe acupuncture may affect production of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. In 1997, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a consensus state- ment stating that "There is sufficient evidence of acupuncture’s value to expand its use into conven- tional medicine."