How Does Acupuncture REALLY work?

Have you been reading about acupuncture in search of a solution for a medical condition? Have you been confused by the discussions of things like “chi,” “meridians,” and “blocked energy?” These kinds of descriptions are frequently mentioned in trying to explain how acupuncture works to help the conditions that respond to acupuncture treatment. These descriptions are not consistent with the way most people would think about how the body works.

Although those terms are typical in traditional acupuncture training, after I completed my traditional acupuncture training I began to explore how acupuncture REALLY works.

During my training to become a Chiropractic Physician, I spent over 5000 hours studying scientific courses such as Anatomy, Physiology, Organic Chemistry, Pathology, Neurology, etc. I invested 100’s of hours in the human dissection lab dissecting cadavers to learn details about how the body works. I wanted to understand how acupuncture REALLY works in scientific physiological principles.

There has been a lot of scientific research trying to answer that question. One fascinating thing is that at one time researchers asked, “What is the mechanism of action of acupuncture?” This is the same questions asked of drugs being researched.

After a few years of diligent study, researchers began to realize they needed to change their question to, “What ARE the MECHANISMS of action of acupuncture?”

Researchers began to understand that acupuncture actually affects the body in more ways than they had ever anticipated. Not only does acupuncture affect the body in many unexpected ways, it was discovered that acupuncture can successfully address many more conditions than previously imagined.

What is Medical Acupuncture?

I use the term Medical Acupuncture for the type of acupuncture that I use. That is because the application of the treatment is solidly based on newly discovered, yet proven ways that acupuncture interacts with the body’s systems.

Acupuncture is a neurological treatment. The needles stimulate specific nerves that create a signal that is carried through your body’s nerves to the central nervous system.

Modern research has shown that when a point on your body is stimulated with an acupuncture needle, the brain responds instantly. MRI studies have shown that different parts of the brain respond to different types of acupuncture stimulation.

One area of the brain that is very responsive to acupuncture stimulation is the area that interprets pain signals. This has been especially helpful to know as we work with many patients that have suffered for years from chronic pain.

Chronic Pain is Different from Acute Pain

Did you know that your brain processes acute (or recent pain from a new injury) much differently from the way it processed chronic pain (pain that has been present more than a few weeks.)

I have found that to solve chronic pain, it is helpful to have a clear scientific understanding of chronic pain. Likewise, to use Medical Acupuncture to SOLVE chronic pain, it is helpful to more clearly understand how acupuncture impacts the central nervous system in regards to processing chronic pain.

When pain becomes chronic, lasting more than a few weeks, the way your brain works begins to change. It becomes more sensitive to that particular pain. The brain begins to misinterpret normal signals that should communicate pressure, touch, temperature, etc and interpret those signals as pain. This is one reason people with chronic pain have a tougher time getting relief.

Our Medical Acupuncture Can Help Long-standing Pain

In our office, we have seen our Medical Acupuncture successfully help people that have been dealing with chronic pain for more than a decade.

Our Medical Acupuncture helps the body progress through a healing response that can be likened to turning a computer off and on again to reset the software. As patients begin to heal from the chronic pain, it is like the body’s sensitivity to stimulation that causes the pain is turned down, much like you would turn down the flame on a stove.

A few years ago, the wife of a patient joyfully told me, “My husband and I have been together for TEN YEARS. This is the FIRST time since we’ve been together that he has been pain-free. He is off of all his pain medication (narcotic opioids).”

This patient had been referred to me by a medical pain specialist along with hundreds of other patients. He wanted to reduce their narcotics, so he referred these patients to our office for our Medical Acupuncture.

Acupuncture Stimulation Is an Electrical Signal

The acupuncture stimulation also travels through your body’s subtle electrical pathways. Did you know that your body has a network of connective tissue that surrounds and interweaves between every muscle, organ and structure in you body? That connective tissue is called fascia.

Years ago, fascia was thought to simply be a type of connective tissue that more or less compartmentalized the body. Surgeons study the fascia system to make incisions that are less likely to damage tissue or result in scars.

Within the past twenty years, something really remarkable was discovered about this connective tissue. It was discovered that the fascia is electrically conductive! The fascia not only divides your body parts into compartments, it also conducts subtle electrical signals all over the body.

It has been discovered that acupuncture communicates through the body via these fascia electrical pathways.

Acupuncture Is a Chemical Treatment

Acupuncture interacts with your body chemically as well. Acupuncture plays a role in inflammation, reducing chemicals that cause swelling, balancing hormones, neurotransmitters, metabolism and other chemical systems.

These amazing responses to acupuncture are leading to a much greater understanding of how the treatment can be successful in treating so many conditions.

I’ll be watching to learn more as more discoveries are revealed.

Dr. Mark Kestner