The study of pain is complex, in part, because it must rely on people's reports of their subjective experience. Studies of acupuncture are further complicated by the difficulty of finding an appropriate placebo. Despite these challenges, ongoing scientific research is likely to shed further light on acupuncture therapy.



Modern scientists studying how acupuncture works do not approach it as a mystical process. Instead, they make careful observations to learn more about acupuncture's natural, physiological basis. This research is ongoing, but results so far suggest that endorphins — proteins naturally produced by the body — play some role in the process. Endorphins have a chemical structure similar to that of morphine or opium and, like those drugs, are known to block pain. Acupuncture may stimulate the production of these and other compounds that affect how the brain perceives pain.

How Authority Weigh in on Acupuncture？

Why Does Acupuncture Work?

For millions of people who live with pain, acupuncture is no longer an exotic curiosity. It's now widely accepted among the medical community. And it's pretty popular with patients as well. A recent survey found almost 3.5 million Americans said they'd had acupuncture in the previous year.

"In our clinic, we have been in existence for like 22 years," says Ka-Kit Hui, MD, founder and director of the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine. "We have a 4- or 5-month wait for new patients."

Acupuncture -- in which needles, heat, pressure, and other treatments are applied to certain places on the skin -- has come a long way since 1971. That's when the 2,000-year-old Chinese healing art first caught on in the United States, thanks to a story in The New York Times. The piece was written by a reporter who had visited China and wrote about how doctors healed his pain from back surgery using needles.

In 1996, the FDA gave acupuncture its first U.S. seal of approval, when it classified acupuncture needles as medical devices. In the 20 years since, study after study indicates that, yes, acupuncture can work.

"There's nothing magical about acupuncture," Hui says. "Many of these [alternative] techniques, including acupuncture, they all work by activating the body's own self-healing [mechanism]."

And that's the main goal of acupuncture: self-healing.

"Our bodies can do it," says Paul Magarelli, MD, a clinical professor at California's Yo San University. "We are not animals who are dependent on drugs."

If you're deciding if acupuncture is right for you, it's best to be open to its benefits and skeptical of claims it's a magical cure-all.

"It should be part of a comprehensive approach to solve problems," Hui says.

Chronic Pain

Acupuncture has long been recognized as an effective treatment for chronic pain. In 2012, a study found acupuncture was better than no acupuncture or simulated acupuncture for the treatment of four chronic pain conditions:

Back and neck pain

Osteoarthritis (your doctor may call it “degenerative joint disease” or “wear and tear arthritis)

Chronic headache

Shoulder pain

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The National Institutes of Health calls the study "the most rigorous evidence to date that acupuncture may be helpful for chronic pain.”

Now, doctors are eager to find a drug-free approach to pain treatment in light of the dangers of opioids -- the class of powerful pain medications that includes codeine, morphine, OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin. In March, the CDC called deaths from opioid overdoses "an epidemic."

Now, the CDC says doctors should turn to other treatments for chronic pain in cases that don't involve active cancer, palliative care, and end-of-life care.

"Now, you're like, 'OK, well, if we're not using opioids, what should we use?'" says Houman Danesh, MD, director of integrative pain management at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital. That dilemma has many people giving acupuncture a second look when it comes to treating pain.

"If a lot of people recognize the value of acupuncture," Hui says, "it will be one of the components of addressing the prescription drug epidemic that we're talking about in our country right now."

Cancer

Many who get treatment for cancer get acupuncture in addition to standard cancer treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. Acupuncture can help people who have nausea and vomiting during treatment.

"We have many patients come through with cancer," Hui says. He adds his department treats people in all phases of cancer treatment: from those who are newly diagnosed, to those dealing with the discomfort of cancer treatment, to those in the later stages.

Keep in mind, chemo and radiation weaken the body's immune system. So it's important for your acupuncturist to follow strict clean-needle procedures.

Menstrual Cramps

Some women who have extremely painful periods, a condition known as dysmenorrhea, try acupuncture. The science looks promising. Some research suggests acupuncture may help with pain from menstrual cramps. So far, though, that research is limited.

Fertility Treatment

For women trying to get pregnant with expensive and time-consuming fertility treatments, acupuncture can make a big difference. It can improve the success rates of treatments such as in vitro fertilization. One study suggests acupuncture can help some women get pregnant by:

Alleviating anxiety and stress felt by those having fertility treatment

Promoting blood flow to the uterus

"Logic tells me more blood flow, more access to eggs," says Magarelli, who founded Reproductive Medicine & Fertility Centers in Colorado and New Mexico. "More eggs, more embryos, more choice, better chance for a baby."

Do you want to try acupuncture treatment anytime, anywhere?

The principle of action of moxibustion and acupuncture is similar, and the function of moxibustion can replace acupuncture. Moxibustion is a combination of drugs and physics.It improves the flow of Qi, which is the energy in the body, by the heating moxa that causes stimulation in the nerves and releasing endorphins to block pain.

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