It's not unreasonable to think that an acupuncturist simply inserts needles into acupuncture points, and that is the breadth of the possible treatment options. In reality, a degree-level acupuncture course teaches students to use many different treatment modalities that can act as an adjunct or as an alternative to needling. This can include massage, cupping, moxa, gua sha, and dietary and lifestyle advice, electro acupuncture.
There has been lots of research into acupuncture, but it can be quite hard to unpick and get further than the 'headline', which is often not representative of the full story
