How Does Acupuncture Work?

There are many theories that have tried to explain how acupuncture works, some  more compelling than others. The release of the Opioid peptides endomorphine, β-endorphin, enkephalin and dynorphin are one thought. As are the release of Monoamines such as serotonin and norepinephrine.  There are also nervous system and neurophysiological explanations like dermatomal influences, motor & trigger points, diffuse noxious inhibitory control and HPG and HPA axes.  Technologies such as fMRI, EEG and MEG all allow non-invasive monitoring of brain activity in response to acupuncture.  All of these give evidence to changes in the body that occur with acupuncture but none answer the question of why or how.

 

James Oschman in 1993 authored The Biophysical Basis for Acupuncture in which he made 4 basic points:

1. There are major unsolved problems in regulatory biology.

2. Nervous and hormonal systems are relatively new inventions from the evolutionary perspective.  Older and more primitive mechanisms are probably still present and are important in wound healing, defense, and recognition of self and non-self.

3. Within the organism are a large number of cells and subcellular components that are not under the direct influence of the nervous system but that must have some way of being in communication with the rest of the body.

4. Solid state physicists have discovered a number of cooperative or collective phenomena that could provide a basis for very rapid movements of information and energy within living systems.

 

Cellular biologists have discovered that every cell contains a cytoskeleton that is connected across the cell surface, with the extracellular connective tissue matrix.  We refer to this as the connective tissue/cytoskeleton.  Pienta and Coffee call it a “tissue tensegrity matrix system.”

 

Robert Becker developed a regulatory concept that includes the digital nervous system and analog communication system in the perineural cells that surround the neurons, and extracellular fabric, which he regards as a semiconductor.

 

The semiconductor nature of proteins was proposed by Szent-Györgyi in 1941 and has been confirmed.  Virtually all of the molecules in the body are semiconductors.

Western Medicine       vs.       Eastern  Medicine

        Reductionist                               Holistic

        Static                                          Dynamic

        Rational                                      Intuitive

        Objective                                    Subjective

        Quantitative                                Qualitative

 

The Principles and Practice of Medicine

by William Osler  copyright  1892

 

Treatment of Muscular Rheumatism (Myalgia)  

“For Lumbago acupuncture is, in acute

cases, the most efficient treatment.” p. 397

Treatment of Sciatica  

“Acupuncture may also be tried; the needles should be thrust deeply into the most painful spot for a distance of about 2 inches, and left for from fifteen to twenty minutes.”  p. 1040

Treatment of Neuralgia  

“Of local applications, the thermo-cautery is

invaluable, particularly in zona and the more

chronic forms of neuralgia.  Acupuncture may be used.”  p. 1072

What Does Acupuncture Do?

The body is electric with positive and negative poles.  The electricity is called Qi, the positive pole is called Yang and the negative pole is called Yin.  Disorders of the body are caused by an imbalance of the positive and negative poles that can create a stagnation of the electric current.  Acupuncture can effectively re-polarize the imbalance opening up the flow of electric current and restore the imbalance. This can relieve pain, discomfort and a variety of disorders.

 

Does Acupuncture hurt?

Initial needle insertion sometimes feels like a slight pin prick that may last between 5—10 seconds and sometimes nothing is felt at all.

Many patients  feel a gentle numbness, a surging or a heaviness, which could be accompanied by calmness, relaxation, an energetic feeling or a sense of wellbeing. It is not unusual for patients to fall asleep when receiving a treatment, awaking refreshed and often free of pain.

 

Acupuncture needles are quite different from those  used for injections.

Acupuncture needles are solid, thin,

sterile, and single-use—disposed of safely and permanently after each use.  

 

Most practitioners use needle sizes ranging from 44g (0.12mm) - 30g (0.30mm)

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