Imaging Sheds Light on How Acupuncture Works

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Wow! Damaging tissue upregulates receptors that modulate pain. Holy crap, if only we hadn't know that for decades. Maybe I can treat people by punching them in the face. Guaranteed their fibromyalgia won't bother them so much any more.

J of FL 8:51AM April 08, 2011

I'd like to ask everyone to read the actual study, not the abstract. This can be obtained by taking the abstract to almost any library, where they will get a copy of the article by interlibrary loan.
In the actual study, acupuncture failed to outperform placebo. So regardless of what you've read about this study on the acupuncture websites, it will be interpreted by alopaths as a failure for acupuncture in the treatment of FMS. It will join the three meta-analyses in the literature that have concluded that acupuncture cannot be recommended for FMS.
But that's not what's important here. READ THE STUDY! When the patients were in the control phase, there were different receptor sites that "lit up" in their brain. This study shows that "sham" acupuncture is in fact real, and has real physiological effects, and we need to use studies like this to help refute the growing body of sham-control literature that negates the effects of acupuncture.

John E. Pirog of MN 7:46PM February 13, 2010

Having a foot in both worlds, I will strive to make sense of them both. For me, OM theory illuminates the manifestations of disease processes. Western medicine focus on micro-biotics is alive, dynamic and consequential. However, the recognition of a "Presence" (long before "identifications" according to micro biologic/zoologic/subatomic catagories etc.) existed and were addressed according to synchronicity of the seasons within each living organisim from the smallest to the largest.....
How exciting that advanced, futuristic technology is validating ancient healing practices.

Laura Scheurer of NY 8:23PM February 12, 2010

The Chinese have been using it for anesthesia for a few thousand years as well as general pain control. Would you rather pop a pill that has a list of side effects the length of the Dead Sea Scrolls or find a good acupuncturist and give it a try. Nearly pain free procedure, cost effective and no side effects to worry about.

JDienst of KS 3:09PM January 24, 2010

rate cover heat made newsletter positive figure digital

oakleynuss of 10:07AM November 18, 2009

I believe acupuncture works rather like the keys on a computer. Our unconscious mind reguates the body functions, and thought can affect the outcome positively or negatively. If we adopt the concept that the body/mind is a bio-computer, which contains fioloes of information about the state of the body, and is accessed both by thought and emotional energy, and by stimulating the acupuncture points. It is a vertual world-a holographic world, inside the bio-computer. Certain combinations of points stimulated instruct a responce from the unconscious mind, which works by changing not just the chemical messengers released, but also the autonomic impulses. This model makes perfect sense. Unfortunately research seems to be aimed at proving the effect rather than the mechanism of delivery.

Linda Burke 6:26AM September 07, 2009

Great article..... It's so interesting that the author chose to put into the last sentence
--or may not work--. No matter how many scientific studies are performed to disprove the efficacy of acupuncture, the studies seem to always show that it works. I just hope the AMA doesn't try to absorb this holistic art/science for themselves.

Elizabeth of FL 1:06PM September 03, 2009

Isn’t the body equipped with a defence system that releases endorphins, following injury? Hopefully, to facilitate escape from the danger zone to a place of safety. Is it possible, that acupuncture needles intrude deeply enough into the flesh to simulate a major injury? Thus stimulating the response, without the accompanying traumatic damage.

agtc 9:13AM September 03, 2009

Paradiggums of research methodology are often predicated by non-scientific agendas and prejudice. This is a sweet example of such distorted epistemology. It should read, "Imaging Sheds Light on What is Happening in the Brain in Terms of Molecular Biology as Acupuncture is Working."
The research shed no light whatsoever on how the acupuncture really working. To understand acupuncture you must look at it from the perspective of its own principles, not through your own familiar, comfortable goggles (e.g., molecular biology).
Likewise, interpreting the effects of a western pharmaceutical as 'releases the exterior' and 'mitigates excessive yang' doesn't necessarily lead to greater understanding of the principles by which it works.

laith naayem, acupuncture student of CO 8:56PM September 02, 2009

When all is said and done, I believe the idea that acupuncture affects the flow of Chi will be true. Pain control is easy to talk about. How about how acupuncture can affect digestion, menstrual problems and emotional issues? We are talking about somthing more than brain chemistry. To think that Chinese Medicine is not scientific is odd. Telling your MD you want a drug you seen on TV is the "scientific" route allopathic medicine is on. I have been a Licensed Acupuncturist for over 25 years. A day does not go by that I am not impressed with the power and effectivness of acupuncture and herbs. The body is designed to heal itself. Acupuncture helps compleat the broken down cellular communication that leads to dis-ease. It really is that simple. Take out the gross profits from so called medicine and you will come to the same conclusion. The big money depends on it seeming to be to complicated for the average mind to comprehend. William Goit L.Ac.

William Goit of CA 7:09PM September 02, 2009