Good pun.

I had acupuncture once a week many years ago for fibromyalgia. It was one of two things I ever found truly useful (the other being ice bags). It sure didn't cure it, and its effects lasted only 3-4 days--but then my muscle pain at that time was quite severe. For that, it really was useful.

I had it again about a year ago for shoulder and upper back tightness when I started swimming again. I did not find it as helpful for this stuff and I stopped it after a couple of months. More helpful was going to PT, doing strengthening exercises, and most of all, learning proper freestyle technique so I could stop insulting my shoulder.

I have never found it painful. I have never found it to be a "for good" cure for the things I had. But it was an effective means of relief for a while. I think it can sometimes interrupt a bad pain process and stop it from spiraling up out of control.