There is a wealth of evidence for the good effect of acupuncture in the treatment of arthritis.
Acupuncture relieves symptoms, improves physical function and improves quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, but appears to have no or very limited anti-inflammatory effect. This suggests that acupuncture should have a role in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis but that some drug therapy may be necessary (though acupuncture may reduce the overall levels of medication required).
Studies show that acupuncture is not just effective, but also cost-effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis. For research summaries follow the link below:
http://www.jcm.co.uk/catalogue.php?catID=692&opener=0-691-692
Whilst it isn't commonly the case, arthritis can have a substantial basis in allergies, and this should be excluded as a cause for your arthritis.