THE SCIENCE BEHIND ACUPUNCTURE: CONDITIONS TREATED, BENEFITS, RISKS AND MORE

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Sony Sherpa (MBBS) 

Acupuncture uses tiny needles that are inserted under the skin at strategic body points. This is a crucial component of traditional Chinese medicine and is frequently used to relieve pain. Also, it is used more frequently for overall wellness, which includes stress relief.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is a technique for controlling the flow of chi or qi (chee), which is believed to travel via meridian routes in your body.

Acupuncture involves inserting needles at precise locations on meridians. According to acupuncture practitioners or acupuncturists, this can bring your body's energy back into balance

On the contrary, many Western practitioners consider acupuncture points to be sites where connective tissue, muscles, and nerves can be stimulated. Research suggests that acupuncture may stimulate the body's production of natural painkillers.

How Common Is Acupuncture?

According to the World Health Organization report, 103 of the 129 nations that submitted data also utilize acupuncture. In addition, according to data from the National Health Interview Survey, the number of Americans using acupuncture increased by 50% between 2002 and 2012.

In 2012, the most recent year for which data is available, 6.4% of American adults reported having used acupuncture, and 1.7% said they had done so during the previous 12 months.

What Are The Conditions Treated By Acupuncture?

Acupuncturists apply acupuncture to relieve discomfort from the following conditions:

• Arthritis
• Knee pain
• Headaches, including migraines and chronic tension-type headaches
• Back pain, neck pain, or muscle pain
• Sports injuries
• Dental pain
• Menstrual cramps

Other conditions where acupuncture may be helpful include:

• Problems with the Immune system
• Cancer and side-effects from the treatment
• Post-operative pain
• Nausea
• Repetitive strain disorders and overuse syndrome
• Menopause and hot flashes
• Infertility
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Face pain and other nerve discomforts
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Fatigue
• Pregnancy discomforts and labor pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Tendinopathy
• Tennis elbow
• Respiratory disorders, such as allergic rhinitis

How Does Acupuncture Work?

The energy that runs through the body is referred to as qi in Chinese medicine. Practitioners of Chinese medicine focus on restoring balance to the body's energy, qi, as they believe its imbalances contribute to illness.

Various acupuncture techniques use needles to prick acupuncture points (also known as acupoints) on different body parts to restore qi equilibrium. The body has hundreds of acupoints located along 14 major meridians, often known as energy pathways.

The needles stimulate the body's natural mechanisms to:

• Reset the body's balance
• Respond to a disease or symptom
• Release natural chemicals, including endorphins, the body's natural painkillers and neurotransmitters, which regulate nerve impulses.

The Science Behind Acupuncture

Evidence suggests that acupuncture may have nonspecific (placebo) effects and impacts on other body tissues, the neurological system, and other organs. Acupuncture may affect how the nervous system functions, according to research done on both humans and animals, including trials that employed imaging techniques to see what was happening in the brain.

The tissues where the needles are put may directly experience the benefits of acupuncture. Connective tissue has shown this kind of effect.

Acupuncture's effects are nonspecific (effects brought on by a treatment's incidental components rather than its primary mode of action). For example, nonspecific side effects could be brought about by the patient's faith in the therapy, the doctor-patient dynamic, or other variables unrelated to using needles.

The benefit of acupuncture has frequently been found to be more significant when compared to no therapy than sham (simulated or phony) acupuncture procedures, such as using a device that pokes the skin but does not pierce it. These results imply that nonspecific effects help acupuncture positively impact pain or other symptoms.

A nonspecific impact was recently demonstrated unconventionally: Patients who previously had pain alleviation with acupuncture were given a video of that session and instructed to picture the treatment taking place once more. This video-guided imaging method effectively reduced discomfort.

Benefits Of Acupuncture

Acupuncture has the following benefits:

Acupuncture can be a one-stop solution for managing multiple health concerns simultaneously

• Acupuncture and other therapies can be successfully used together 
• It can effectively treat headaches, migraines, and chronic pain
• Acupuncture generally has a good safety profile, with minimal side effects

Risks Associated With Acupuncture

When performed by a qualified professional with sterile needles, acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment with minimal risks. Acupuncture needles are subject to FDA regulation in the United States.

All needles must be made of steel, sterile, solid, nontoxic, and appropriately labeled, according to the organization. In addition, acupuncture needles may only be used by licensed experts. Practitioners discard the needles after one use.

It can be hazardous to receive acupuncture from unqualified professionals. Infections, damage to the central nervous system, and organ punctures can all be brought on by inexperienced medical personnel or those who use needles that are not sterile.

Slight bleeding, soreness, or bruises where the needles were placed are typical side effects. However, as single-use, disposable needles are now the norm, there is little chance of infection.

Rarely, some persons have minor discomfort like temporary soreness at the needle insertion points, drowsiness, feeling ill, dizziness or fainting, and worsening of pre-existing symptoms.

Acupuncture is not appropriate for everyone. Make sure to inform the acupuncturist if you have the following conditions before beginning treatment:

A bleeding condition: People taking blood thinners or with bleeding disorders might experience a higher risk of bleeding or bruising from acupuncture needles

A pacemaker: Acupuncture that uses light electrical pulses on the needles may affect how a pacemaker functions.

Pregnancy: Certain acupuncture points may induce labor, which could lead to premature delivery.

What To Expect

Acupuncturists tailor their approach to your individual needs. They may combine different techniques from Eastern and Western schools of medicine, and discuss your symptoms, habits, and lifestyle to create a personalized treatment plan.

They would usually pay attention to the following:

• The areas of your body that hurt
• The color of your face
• The texture, coating, color, and shape of your tongue
• The intensity, timing, and nature of your pulse

An acupuncture session can typically last up to 60 minutes, although some may be shorter. For a specific condition, a typical treatment plan involves one or two sessions per week. The number of sessions needed depends on the severity and type of condition. On average, six to eight treatments are common, but this can vary.

Here is a breakdown of what you can expect during and after an acupuncture session:

During the Procedure

There are acupuncture points all across the body. The right places, however, might only sometimes be close to the area of pain. Your acupuncturist will let you know where the treatment will take place and whether you need to undress. A towel, gown, or sheet will be available. You will receive treatment while lying on a cushioned table.

The treatment involves:

(1) Inserting the needles:

Acupuncture needles are inserted at various depths of the body at strategic points. Since the needles are very thin, insertion usually does not cause much discomfort.

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