The science behind acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient healing practice that was first documented in China during the Ming Dynasty. Some anthropologists believe there is evidence that a form of primitive acupuncture was used during Neolithic times. Despite, or maybe because of, its ancient roots, the effectiveness of modern-day acupuncture is being supported by scientific research. Intuitive Acupuncture in San Luis Obispo has summarized some of the most recent studies that help explain why acupuncture is effective for helping with so many conditions.

Although acupuncture has been around for a very long time, it only started gaining popularity in the United States following former president, Richard Nixon’s, visit to China in the 1970s. Since then, the practice has become so accepted in the United States to the point it is now covered by many medical insurance plans and by Medicare since January 2020.

Stringent training is required to become a licensed acupuncturist and many licensed acupuncturists are also educated with degrees in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Today, acupuncture is practiced in pain management, dentistry, veterinary medicine, as well as for a wide range of human medical and emotional circumstances.

Two thorough summaries of the science that makes acupuncture a highly-effective science-based treatment for a variety of conditions, recommended by Intuitive Acupuncture San Luis Obispo, are:

• “Exploring the Science of Acupuncture,” a November 2021 article by Catherine Caruso published in the Harvard Medical School News and Research. Caruso reports that a team of Harvard Medical School neuroscientists discovered that acupuncture, especially electro-acupuncture, is especially effective at stimulating the molecular messengers known as cytokines that help regulate inflammatory responses. In studies conducted on the hindlimbs of mice, the team found acupuncture was effective in areas where cytokines respond to inflammation from injury, disease, or infection.

• “Acupuncture: An Overview of Scientific Evidence,” a ground-breaking summary of acupuncture research by Mel Hopper Koppelman, DAc, MSc for the research group Evidence Based Acupuncture, citing a wide range of science-based studies.

The effectiveness of acupuncture has been shown to result from allowing the body to release naturally produced opioid and non-opioid neuropeptides that play a role in cellular function in the limbic and central nervous systems. Research demonstrates that acupuncture can directly initiate a process called purinergic signaling — a primitive signaling system that communicates with and regulates all the tissues and organs in the body. When the release and distribution of neuropeptides and other neurotransmitters become balanced, the limbic and nervous systems, as well as the brain, are able to function at a healthier level.

Serving the Central Coast since 2013, our goal is to help patients recover from chronic pain and health issues that include:

• Back pain and musculoskeletal pain

• Migraines and other headaches

• Gastrointestinal issues

• Stress and anxiety

• Women’s health issues

• Men’s health issues

• Allergies and asthma

• Addictions, including smoking