Despite the widespread use of acupuncture treatment around the world, its therapeutic benefits have remained controversial. At the heart of this controversy is the blurred distinction between specific and non-specific effects of acupuncture. Previous studies have suggested that many of the factors categorised as contributing to the non-specific effects of acupuncture are also associated with the specific effects, making it difficult to apply randomised controlled trial (RCT) designs to acupuncture studies, which typically looks at the difference in the effect of the verum group to the effect of the placebo control group as the effect size. In my presentation, I will divide the factors that contribute to the specific effects of acupuncture treatment into needling details and treatment schedules and look at the factors that fall under each category: though debatable, needling details look at needling depth, number of needles (i.e., acupoints), retention time, and the types and methods of acupuncture stimulation; similarly, treatment schedule includes treatment frequency, number of sessions, and treatment period. Through this overview, I hope to suggest a research direction for both specific and non-specific effects of acupuncture treatment.