How does Acupuncture treat Pain?

The time honored art of acupuncture as a modality for treating pain has recently attained a more modern, evidence-based understanding for its efficacy through current research. By definition, acupuncture is the insertion of thin, fine needles at the location of acupuncture points throughout the body. These acu-points, made of up nerve endings, mast cells and blood vessels, are bioelectrically active areas known to have specific physiological effects on the human body. Researchers studying the effects of acupuncture have identified several key responses beginning with activation within the central nervous system (CNS). Following insertion, neurotransmitters including serotonin, norepinephrine and endogenous opioids (endorphins) are released in a chemical cascade that induce analgesia or pain relief which can also spur positive mood changes. Moreover, the release of these neurotransmitters reduce inflammatory markers by acting on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Acupuncture also helps down-regulate the HPA axis which can help secondary conditions related to pain such as insomnia and depression.

Another way to think about it is that acupuncture needle insertion creates a micro trauma in the tissue which elicits an immune response much like a bee sting or a splinter.  These tiny injuries stimulate the release of mast cells, macrophages and neutrophils among other immune modulators which mount a response to foreign invaders. In the case of acupuncture, the immune system is triggered by the directive of the needles stimulating pain and anti-inflammatory effects on the body as a whole. Acupuncture also has regulatory effects on multiple systems of the body creating a truly holistic approach to both acute and chronic pain relief. Locally, acupuncture needles induce vasodilation or increased blood flow at the site of insertion which assists in the healing process of skin lesions  and soft tissue injuries. Systemically it assists in the down-regulation of the stress hormone cortisol which is intrinsically tied to the “fight or flight” response. Simultaneously this action promotes the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system or the “rest and digest” function of the body. Regular acupuncture treatment can actually lead to a nervous system reset which programs the body to automatically release nervous tension, adjusting the way the body responds to stress over time. All of this is to say that scientific research has now helped to explain the beneficial effect of acupuncture on pain, confirming what Traditional Chinese Medicine has been touting for centuries.