Acupuncture and Pain Management

By Aifei Wang, LAc, MAc

Anyone living in a metropolitan area knows traffic congestion. In our area, Routes 270, 495 or 66 are good examples of traffic jams and what it feels like to be inching along for miles on end, hitting one's brakes, changing lanes when possible, creeping along at a pace that raises anxiety. When a lane opens up, or traffic starts to flow at a reasonable or fast pace, we feel relief and excitement to be on our way again to our desired destination.

Using this metaphor, we can see that in Chinese medicine, this kind of congestion correlates to the systems of the body many intricate routes under our skin that pushes our blood and energy through various systems and organs. When congestion occurs in one or more places in the body, “traffic jam” can lead to pain, discomfort, listlessness or loss of energy, or a number of other conditions.

Chinese medicine recognizes 14 major pathways that traverse the body from the top of the head to the tips of our fingers and toes. A skilled acupuncturist can ascertain blockages by assessing a patient's situation and accurately inserting acupuncture needles to the sites where a pathway or gate can be opened up to improve circulation and energy. Indeed, stimulation of specific points along these pathways exerts powerful influence upon the equilibrium of the body in its entirety.

In certain patients, for example, it may be determined that the cohesion expected between Spirit and Qi has been disturbed; acupuncture can successfully restore the bond between psyche and soma, bringing the patient back to a sense of well-being, peace and harmony.

Acupuncture stimulates the release of endorphins in the brain, which in turn produces a sense of well-being that helps some patients cope with pain. Research has found that acupuncture-assisted surgery inhibits pain and also directly affects peripheral microcirculation, rhythm and stroke volume of the heart, blood pressure, production of red and white blood cells, and more.

Perhaps through activation of the homeostatic function of the autonomic nervous system, acupuncture seems to adjust all the physiological processes of the body.

There is no overall cure for all types of pain; however, acupuncture is a safe and effective way for many patients to cope with chronic or acute pain. If you or anyone you know could be helped by pain relief, consider acupuncture.