How Acupuncture Works, Its Effectiveness, What To Expect And Complications

Before you begin using acupuncture for treating any of your ailments, we thought it is important for you to have a better understanding of this traditional healing art.

How acupuncture works

Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine believe that Qi (气) flows through the body along pathways known as meridians. These meridians are linked to specific “organs” in the body, which are in turn interlinked to one another. [1, 2, 3]

Blockages or imbalances in the flow of Qi are then believed to be the cause of illnesses. Subsequently, acupuncture is used to remove the blockages, correct imbalances in the flow of Qi and restore health. Acupuncture points (or acupoints) are chosen based on the combination of symptoms presented by the patient. [1, 2, 3]

For those who seek a more scientific explanation for acupuncture, much research has been carried out in this area.

Research on acupuncture points (also known as acupoints) and meridians have found evidences supporting their existence. For example, since the 1950s, it was found that acupoints tended to have higher electrical conductance than non-acupoints. In the 1970s, under a grant from the National Institutes of Health, Robert O. Becker, M.D., and biophysicist Maria Reichmanis found that electrical currents did indeed flow along the meridians. [3].

Evidences obtained by researchers such as Pierre de Vernejoul (who made use of radioactive isotopes), and Professor Kim Bong Han and team (who made use of microdissection techniques) have also shown that the meridians and acupoints comprise a system of separate pathways from the blood and lymphatic system in the body [3].

Nonetheless, research on the science of how exactly acupuncture works is still in progress.

For example, some scientists in China have documented increase blood flow to the brain during acupuncture sessions, while some scientists in Japan have observed how acupuncture regulates the production of stress hormones. [1]

In Europe, some researchers have found that acupuncture produces changes to brain receptor sites for opiates and endorphins (chemicals that elevate mood). According to David Eisenberg, M.D., Clinical Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School, there is evidence that acupuncture influences the production and distribution of neurotransmitters (substances involved in the transmission of nerve impulses) and neuromodulators (substances produced by neurons that affect neurotransmitters). [3]

One hypothesis, known as the neurotransmitter theory, suggests that acupuncture inhibits the action of spinal cord nerve cells, and releases beta-endorphins and other substances that have natural painkilling properties, as such conferring on acupuncture its ability to relieve pain. According to this theory, acupuncture also stimulates anti-inflammatory cell activity, increases skin temperature and stimulates the flow of blood, as such promoting the body’s natural ability to heal itself. [4]

Effectiveness of acupuncture for treating health conditions

Even though the mechanism for acupuncture’s effects is still not well understood, the effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of ailments has been well-recognized.

For example, in 1997, the credibility of acupuncture as a viable medical treatment was elevated when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reclassified acupuncture needles as “medical” instead of “experimental” devices. Today, acupuncture-related content is also now being taught as part of a required course in nearly a third of all conventional medical schools in the U.S. [3]

In 1997, the National Institutes of Health also released an efficacy statement endorsing acupuncture for the treatment of a variety of conditions. [3]

Acupuncture is also widely used globally. In America alone, it was estimated by FDA in a 1993 report that there were at least 9-12 million visits to acupuncturists annually, and Americans were spending as much as $500 million on acupuncture for the treatment of various illnesses every year. [3]

What to expect with acupuncture

There is a large variety of treatment methods, approaches, techniques, styles and theoretical frameworks when it comes to acupuncture. Differences in forms of acupuncture are often cultural – for example, the system of acupuncture practiced in Japan is different from that in China. [2]

Also, while most acupuncturists practice a more traditional form based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), others have adopted more modern styles. [2]

If your acupuncturist’s training is based mainly in Traditional Chinese Medicine, here’s what you can expect when using acupuncture for treating your health condition.

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