Acupuncture is one of the most commonly used healing practices in the world. The term 'acupuncture' describes a family of procedures involving the stimulation of anatomical points on the body using a variety of techniques. The acupuncture technique that has been most often studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation. The word acupuncture comes from the Latin acus, "needle", and pungere, "to prick".