-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 that are recommended by  Intuitive Acupuncture San Luis Obispo are:

• “Exploring the Science of Acupuncture,” a November 2021 article by Catherine Caruso that was published in the Harvard Medical School News and Research. Caruso reports that a team of Harvard Medical School neuroscientists have discovered that acupuncture, especially electro-acupuncture, is especially effective at stimulating the molecular messengers known as cytokines that help regulate inflammatory responses. Cytokines are part of the immune system and also regulate the body’s response to disease and infection by communicating with receptors on certain cells. In studies conducted on the hindlimbs of mice, the team discovered that acupuncture was effective in areas where cytokines are present and responding to inflammation from injury, disease, or infection.
• “Acupuncture: An Overview of Scientific Evidence,” a ground-breaking summary of scientific research of acupuncture by Mel Hopper Koppelman, DAc, MSc for the research group, Evidence Based Acupuncture. Koppelman’s report summarizes and cites a wide range of science-based research studies.

The effectiveness of acupuncture has been shown to be the result of allowing the body to release naturally produced opioid neuropeptides along with 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 in the body that communicates with and regulates all the tissues and organs in the body. Purinergic signaling plays a central role in headaches, including migraines, inflammation, most diseases including cancer, autism, Alzheimer’s and even the development of the embryo. When the release and distribution of neuropeptides and other neurotransmitters become balanced, the limbic and nervous systems as well as the brain, become able to function at a healthier level.

Serving the Central Coast since 2013, their goal is to help their 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.

Intuitive Acupuncture
1025 Pacific St
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 459-6561