Tag Archive for: how acupuncture works

Acupuncture points FMRI

How does acupuncture work

At a recent social gathering, I had a fascinating conversation with an orthopedic surgeon who was outspokenly skeptical of acupuncture’s effectiveness. “Does acupuncture work” – he said. I told him there were numerous studies to show it did, and as an example mentioned a new study published in the current issue of Nature magazine. It showed how acupuncture helped save the lives of mice! with sepsis, a deadly condition caused by whole-body inflammation.

“Of forty mice with induced sepsis, all 20, who received acupuncture lived. Another 20 received fake acupuncture and half of them died” – I said.

“I don’t believe this” – he said. “Sepsis! How could acupuncture ever touch sepsis ?”

“It’s all legit, published in the current issue of Nature magazine” – I fired back.

“I don’t believe this” – he insisted.

I pulled out my smartphone to show him the study.

“Well, it’s just one study. I don’t believe this. Maybe, I’d believe it, if a recommendation came from the World Health Organisation or NHI”.

I put my phone to good use again and a minute later, I’m on WHO website with the list of condition acupuncture has been shown to work for.

“I still don’t believe it works!”

At that point, I made a joke “if you were a real doctor, but not an orthopedic surgeon, you would have more appreciation for the studies” , I teased him. Then I changed the subject. It was not my business to convince him. It was just a chat at a party.  He asked, I answered kind of thing.

As I pondered how to convince skeptics like him, I realised the power of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain scans. These scans can visually show increased activity in various centers of the brain by measuring blood flow. Numerous studies have been published in peer-reviewed magazines on acupuncture, and the specificity of various acupuncture points can be seen in the fMRI images.

For example, an image in one study showed different areas of the brain getting activated depending on the acupuncture pointsref 1 being used, with the visual cortex being activated in response to treatment of an acupuncture point associated with visual healingref 2. This image provides a split-second explanation of the power of acupuncture and its impact on the brain.

acupuncture fmri

While some may remain skeptical, the evidence supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture continues to grow. And with continued research, who knows what other fascinating discoveries may be made about this ancient practice.

Acupuncture pain anesthesia

Acupuncture anesthesia for open heart surgery

The use of acupuncture anaesthesia for open heart surgery was introduced in China four decades ago.  Although the use of it has declined in recent years, there is a renewed interest for it in China. The main reason is the escalating medical costs associated with open heart surgery.

This study designed by scientists from China and USA (Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Shu Guang Hospital and George Washington University, Washington, USA) has shed some light on a combined approach of acupuncture plus local anaesthesia in patients undergoing open heart operation under cardiopulmonary bypass.

Compared with the general anaesthesia patients, the acupuncture and local anaesthesia patients used less narcotic drugs. Additionally, they stayed shorter in the intensive care unit.  Surprisingly, they also had less postoperative pulmonary infection. Using acupuncture to aid with open heart surgery reduced cost of the treatment significantly.

The results of the study were published in the current issue of International Journal of Cardiology.

PCOS main cause

How acupuncture heals the root cause of PCOS

Acupuncture PCOSThe precise cause of polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS remains undetermined by the scientific community. However, a compelling new hypothesis has recently emerged regarding its pathogenesis.

In addition to the well-established factors of insulin resistance and hormonal imbalance, another process has been identified in women with PCOS: elevated sympathetic nerve activity. Research indicates that this heightened activity is present in PCOS patients.

The sympathetic nervous system innervates and regulates nearly all internal organs, including hormone glands and ovaries. Intriguingly, scientists now suspect that sympathetic hyperactivity might develop prior to hormonal imbalances, potentially serving as the root cause of PCOS.

This information is particularly relevant to my blog, as acupuncture has been studied for its ability to normalise the sympathetic nervous system. It has been shown to restore regular ovulation, particularly in patients with a less androgenic hormonal profile and less pronounced metabolic disturbances.

If you’re seeking assistance with PCOS, it’s crucial to consult an acupuncturist well-versed in these studies and knowledgeable about electro-acupuncture. Improper frequency of stimulation can inadvertently exacerbate sympathetic nervous system activation, which could be detrimental to PCOS patients.

It’s worth noting that sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system dysfunction might also play a role in the pathophysiology of other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome.

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