How Does Acupuncture Work? Discover the Remarkable Science

Today I am going to answer the most common question people ask me, does acupuncture work? Of course, as an acupuncturist I am biased, so today I will discuss not just my opinion, but the scientific research that has emerged in recent years to answer this question. If you’re considering getting acupuncture, if you are a healthcare professional, a wellness enthusiast, or simply curious, this article is for you!

According to the NIH, as of 2012, more than 6 percent of people in the US had used acupuncture (1) In the past 20 years the number of studies has increased dramatically. There have been over 13,000 studies and hundreds of meta-analyses reviewing showing that acupuncture does work (2). As of 2017 acupuncture has proven to be beneficial for 117 conditions (3).

Hopefully, this answers the question does acupuncture work, so now let’s consider “How does acupuncture work”. My short answer is that acupuncture activates the body’s ability to heal itself. But the studies have found multiple ways that acupuncture works to help us heal.

Acupuncture activates the release of natural biochemicals
It normalizes function of the nervous system both locally and in the brain
Acupuncture improves circulation to the area
Inflammation is reduced after acupuncture
Many people also experience lowered levels of stress, depression and anxiety

There are other mechanisms of action with acupuncture, but for now I will focus on these broad effects. Let’s delve a little bit deeper into each of these topics.

Acupuncture Activates the Release of Natural Biochemicals

For over 60 years, scientists have studied how acupuncture helps relieve pain. When acupuncture is performed, the puncture causes the body to release multiple biochemicals which promote healing including natural painkillers like endorphins and enkephalins. Other important chemicals involved are serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, which help regulate both pain and our emotions. Another important way that acupuncture works is through something called purinergic signaling. This signaling is important for many health issues, like migraines, inflammation, cancer, and heart disease (2).

Acupuncture Normalizes the Nervous System

Chronic pain can cause the structure of the brain to actually change. Eventually the experience of chronic pain comes from both the local nerves and their corresponding section of the brain. A recent study using acupuncture to treat carpel tunnel syndrome (CTS) used Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and nerve conduction tests before and after 16 acupuncture treatments. This objectively measured the effect of acupuncture both locally and in the brain. They found that after acupuncture treatments both the local nerves and the structure of the corresponding part of the brain improved (4). If you want to know more check out this video where they discuss the science in detail.

Acupuncture Improves Circulation

Not only does acupuncture improve nerve function, but it also increases blood flow to the area that is needled. One study examined the effects of both needling just under the skin and deeper into the muscle. They found that both increased local blood flow, but deeper needling resulted in a larger increase of blood flow to the area (5). Other studies have identified that acupuncture down-regulates powerful vasodilators called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) which also reduce inflammation (3).

Acupuncture Reduces Inflammation

Several studies have shown that acupuncture reduces inflammation through multiple pathways beyond what I have already covered. These include regulation of immunoglobulin E (IgE) which is relevant for people with allergic rhinitis or seasonal allergies. It also regulates vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) which is helpful for people with irritable bowel syndrome. It also regulates transient receptor potential vanilloid 1(TRPV1) which is helpful in post-surgical recovery, migraines, osteoarthritis and other inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions (3).

Acupuncture Reduces Anxiety and Depression

I already mentioned that acupuncture affects serotonin and dopamine which can positively affect our mood. Acupuncture also affects our emotions by decreasing activity in the limbic system the area of our brain where we experience stress. It also balances hormones and reduces stress by improving the regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. This is the area of the brain that regulates most hormone production of the body. Additionally, acupuncture modulates parasympathetic nervous system activity, the branch of the nervous system associated with rest, relaxation, digestion and tissue healing. This all comes together to reduce anxiety, depression and insomnia (2, 6).

Conclusion

“Over a 27-year period, they found 2189 positive recommendations for acupuncture for 204 health problems, mainly in guidelines published in North America, Europe and Australasia.4 These official recommendations indicate that acupuncture’s evidence is now acknowledged by medical experts and that acupuncture is no longer ‘alternative.’ Indeed, this new data illustrates that acupuncture is one of the most widely recommended treatments in modern medicine.” (Hopper Koppelman, M., 2023)

As I mentioned, science has unraveled many other mechanisms of action for acupuncture. The ones covered in this article are just a few of the ways that acupuncture helps to heal the body. Not only are there numerous mechanisms of action, but a review of 20 studies with a long-term follow-up found that most conditions continued to have improvement for a year after the end of treatment (1)

Interested in learning more about acupuncture?

Check out our related blog posts

Does Acupuncture Work for Headaches & Migraines?
Is Acupuncture Really Good for Neck Pain? A Scientific Review
Does Acupuncture Work for Back & Sciatic Pain?
Acupuncture for Anxiety: A Deep Dive into the Science

Upcoming Topics

Does Acupuncture Work for Stomach Pain & Digestive Conditions?
Does Acupuncture Work for Fertility?
Does Acupuncture Work for Shoulder & Elbow Pain?
Does Acupuncture Work for Wrist & Hand Pain?
Does Acupuncture Work for Hip & Knee Pain?
Does Acupuncture Work for Allergies & Respiratory Conditions?

Potential Topics

If you are interested in any of these topics, please tell us in the comments section and we will move them to the top of the list!

What is Acupuncture?
What is acupuncture used for?
Is acupuncture safe?
What does acupuncture feel like?
Is acupuncture safe during pregnancy?
Is acupuncture safe after an operation?
What does acupuncture feel like?
What does research show about the effectiveness of acupuncture for pain?
Who are candidates for acupuncture?
What does research show about acupuncture for conditions other than pain?
What is auricular acupuncture good for?
Is acupuncture covered by health insurance?
Do acupuncturists need to be licensed?
Is acupuncture an anti-aging treatment?
What is the difference between acupuncture and Botox?
What is the difference between acupuncture and dry needling?
Is acupuncture a placebo?
What is electroacupuncture or e-stim?

By Dr. Heather Wisely, DAcCHM, L.Ac.

Doctor of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (DAcCHM), Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.), Yoga Teacher, Herbalist

Heather practices acupuncture and Chinese medicine in Draper, Utah. She has studied traditional and alternative medicine for 20 years. Her primary focus is on Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has administered 20,000 treatments and taught 5,000 hours of yoga. Helping relieve chronic pain is a passion of Heather’s, and she has studied techniques in acupuncture, yoga, herbal remedies, and essential oils. In pursuit of sharing her knowledge she is creating an online wellness course where she will share safe and effective remedies for alleviating pain naturally. You can find more information at www.WiselyLiving.media

Looking for an acupuncturist?

Look for a Master of Science or Doctorate in Acupuncture or Chinese Medicine.

Locate an acupuncturists:

https://www.acufinder.com/Find+Acupuncturist

https://www.nccaom.org/find-a-practitioner-directory

Disclaimer:

The information provided in this post is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this post. The opinions expressed in this post are those of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect the views of Neighborhood Acupuncture

References

Video References

Rewiring the primary somatosensory cortex in carpal tunnel syndrome with acupuncture. https://youtu.be/mCuYFnh9Muw?si=kczor6VFhLFlPa6B

Data on Acupuncture’s Efficacy and Effectiveness https://youtu.be/8dhh9BgrH4Q?si=VnIRdV1BD2BFaU0X

Stanford’s Sean Mackey, MD, PhD on “Pain and the Brain” https://youtu.be/otUVzK4hToM?si=LzPOyGoOvlLgD54l

Scientific Studies References:

(1)U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Acupuncture: What you need to know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/acupuncture-what-you-need-to-know

(2) Hopper Koppelman, M. (2023, November 10). Acupuncture: An overview of scientific evidence: EBA. Evidence Based Acupuncture. https://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/acupuncture-scientific-evidence/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2KsjXQIaWfRtGKuFaG1v6VzjbfnKo6amtti3CVoq4vQJ-yk3MBPinIGOE_aem_9E6bZIrrp8Fis0MBWXxSNA

(3) McDonald, J., & Janz, S. (2017, January). (PDF) The Acupuncture Evidence Project: A Comparative Literature Review. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321085966_The_Acupuncture_Evidence_Project_A_Comparative_Literature_Review

(4) Maeda, Y., Kim, H., Kettner, N., Kim, J., Cina, S., Malatesta, C., Gerber, J., McManus, C., Ong-Sutherland, R., Mezzacappa, P., Libby, A., Mawla, I., Morse, L. R., Kaptchuk, T. J., Audette, J., & Napadow, V. (2017). Rewiring the primary somatosensory cortex in carpal tunnel syndrome with acupuncture. Brain : a journal of neurology, 140(4), 914–927. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awx015

(5) Sandberg, M., Lindberg, L. G., & Gerdle, B. (2004). Peripheral effects of needle stimulation (acupuncture) on skin and muscle blood flow in fibromyalgia. European journal of pain (London, England), 8(2), 163–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1090-3801(03)00090-9

(6) Armour, M., Smith, C. A., Wang, L. Q., Naidoo, D., Yang, G. Y., MacPherson, H., Lee, M. S., & Hay, P. (2019). Acupuncture for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of clinical medicine, 8(8), 1140. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm8081140