Many people with HIV manage their symptoms and any side effects of medications with complementary and alternative medicine therapies. In particular, acupuncture, the practice of inserting very thin needles into specific points on the body, may alleviate certain types of chronic pain. While there haven’t been studies specifically demonstrating that acupuncture stimulates immune function in people with HIV, research has shown that acupuncture increases CD4 cells in people with cancer, according to CATIE, a Canadian resource for HIV information.It’s important for your acupuncturist to use sterile, disposable needles. More information about the effects of acupuncture, as well as different approaches and resources for finding an acupuncturist, are available through the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.