Acupuncture has been used for the management of pain throughout the east for millennia, and is increasingly becoming favourable today in the west. In recent times, institutions have been critical of Acupuncture, being quick to label its positive results as placebo. However, science is now appreciating that there are specific physiological mechanisms behind its efficacy.   

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Acupuncture has shown to change blood chemistry, raising Nitric Oxide, a crucial molecule responsible for increasing both blood flow and blood vessel diameter (vasodilation). This is incredibly valuable in the context of pain considering that musculoskeletal pain, and numbers of other pain related conditions can be negatively influenced from the tightness and vasoconstrictive pressure muscles can exert on nerves.  

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Research has also shown that Acupuncture can trigger the release of specific Endorphins, and Serotonin, helping to regulate pain and downregulate inflammation. There are currently eight pain related conditions with strong / high quality evidence to support the effectiveness of Acupuncture, and forty pain dominate conditions with moderate evidence that is also regarded as high quality.   

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If you are suffering with any type of pain and would like to know more, or whether your pain might be helped with Acupuncture, click on the link below and have a look at the: Public Information Series: The Acupuncture Evidence Project and give me a call to chat about how I may be able to help you with your acute or chronic pain, and improve your daily life. 

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References;

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1. https://acupuncture.org.au/resources/publications/the-acupuncture-evidence-project

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