Based on rigorous, systematic theory, your acupuncturist first identifies your unique patterns of imbalance. Then, through customized treatments uniquely designed for you, acupuncture accesses your innate healing ability and gently guides your system back to a state of health and harmony.
While the mechanism of how acupuncture works makes sense according to the ancient theories of Chinese medicine, the physiological basis for how acupuncture works has been the subject of much research over the past few decades.
According to the 1997 National Institute of Health (NIH) Consensus on Acupuncture, “studies have demonstrated that acupuncture can cause multiple biological responses, mediated mainly by sensory neurons, to many structures within the central nervous system. This can lead to activation of pathways, affecting various physiological systems in the brain, as well as in the periphery.” (Click here to access the NIH Consensus on Acupuncture)
The same report also suggests that acupuncture “may activate the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, resulting in a broad spectrum of systemic effects. Alteration in the secretion of neurotransmitters and neurohormones, and the changes in the regulation of blood flow, both centrally and peripherally, have been documented. There is also evidence of alteration in immune functions produced by acupuncture.”
Current theories hypothesize that acupuncture works by:
- Gate Control Theory: “gating out pain” via the effect on the nervous system
- Neurotransmitter Theory: stimulating the secretion of neurotransmitters in the brain
- Autonomic Nervous System Theory: stimulating the release of natural opioids in the brain and normalizing the autonomic nervous system
- Vascular-Interstitial Theory: adjusting the electrical system of the body, facilitating a more efficient transfer of substances between normal and injured tissue
- Blood Chemistry Theory: regulating the body and encouraging homeostasis by affecting blood chemistry—such as concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides
