Needles might not sound like the best stress-reducers, but many people have shared that acupuncture helps them to relax and to get rid of chronic stress symptoms. Up until now, it is not exactly clear to scientists how this works, and this lack of research is one of the reasons that makes some Western people doubt acupuncture as a serious treatment option. This is why it’s good news that new research reveals a little bit of how acupuncture tamps down stress. According to a new study from Georgetown University Medical Center and published in the journal of Endocrinology, acupuncture may work by targeting the same pathways that stress travels along: the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA).