Insights into acupuncture

We spoke with Lixing Lao, Ph.D., a licensed acupuncturist and director of traditional Chinese medicine research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine to find out more.

When did acupuncture begin?
It started in China 2,000 to 3,000 years ago. In that ancient time, people knew little about the anatomy of the human body. They believed that people in pain had blocked qi, pronounced "chee," which is energy that flows through channels, or meridians, to different parts of the body. They found that pain would lessen if you used stimulation such as a needle at certain points on these meridians. There are 361 acupuncture points in all, along 14 different meridians. From China, acupuncture spread throughout Asia, then Europe and the U.S. It really took off in the U.S. in the 1970s, when the relationship between China and the U.S. opened up. The columnist James Reston had an appendectomy while in China and wrote a column about how acupuncture relieved his postoperative pain, which helped make it popular.

What does modern science say?
The evidence is pretty clear that acupuncture can stimulate the production of endorphins, natural painkillers from your own brain. It can also send signals along the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, producing glucocorticoids, compounds that suppress inflammation. MRI studies show that acupuncture stimulates brain activity. Our own research has found that acupuncture reduces pain from knee arthritis. In my practice I treat people with back and neck pain, sports injuries, muscle strains, headaches, menstrual cramps, and the nausea and pain associated with cancer and chemotherapy. And don't worry, it doesn't hurt. In the past, we used thick needles that had to be inserted by hand. But now everybody uses very, very thin disposable needles that come with guiding tubes; you just tap them and the needle shoots into the skin. You can hardly feel it. Plan on coming in twice a week for the first two or three weeks, and then less often if you're doing better.

How do I find an acupuncturist?
Look for an experienced practitioner who has a state license or registration as well as certification from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Editor's Note, December 26th: In hindsight, the title of this blog (What does the science say about acupuncture?) does not accurately reflect the blog post itself. Thanks for your comments, and based on them we have changed the title.