How does acupuncture work? | RMIT University

RMIT University academic Dr Zhen Zheng explains how acupuncture works.

Relevant links with further information about the research on acupuncture:

[SpaceGuerrilla]

Hello everyone. I have been suffering from anxiety the majority of my life. Lately, it's been extremely bad. Panic / anxiety attacks are becoming common place. I decided I'm ready to try whatever it takes to stop it. Pills aren't always the answer. Yesterday I had my first acupuncture treatment. All I can say is that by the time I was done, my mind was as clear as its been in a very long time. I felt at peace. I felt balanced. I will be continuing my treatments. I think it works.

[SPOOKSTR]

I broke my back, left shoulder and left ankle 6 months ago in a high speed  race crash at Phillip Island.  Had constant pain since that day. I finally gave in to pressure and tried Acupuncture. 24 hours later, im in almost no pain. Im totally blown away by the results. Physiotherapy did help, but nowhere near as much as Acupuncture. View crash at ''Fast Highside at Phillip Island.''  If you're hurtin' give it a shot folks.

[EmperorsCollege]

What a wonderful way to explain acupuncture to those who are not familiar with it. Great job, RMIT University!

[rodleb]

What skeptics fail to realize is that there is now converging evidence from fascia experts on the role of connective tissue in chronic pain and in the mechanisms of acupuncture, manual and movement based therapies. Dr. Helene Langevin's research along with other world renown researchers like Dr. Robert Schleip at University of Ulm show that mechanical tissue stimulation during tissue stretch and acupuncture causes dynamic cellular responses in connective tissue.

[rmit]

Thanks for your comments.

Acupuncture has a strong scientific base. Over 40 years, 3, 975 papers have been published in peer-reviewed journals. Many studies have identified biomedical mechanisms that can explain the effect of acupuncture. It is now accepted for non-specific low back pain by the NHS in the UK, & is recommended for pain after operations by the National Health & Medical Research Council in Australia.

[MicrobeGarden]

Excellent video. I've never understood the aims of acupuncture and this video is an excellent illustration that explains how acupuncture may effect change. As a microbiologist I also appreciate that this is now performed by qualified personnel that must comply with infection control standards.

[anthonylorenzo]

Cure is a strong word. Acupuncture can re-align your Chi flow and this usually causes symptoms of insomnia to melt away. Is that effect permanent? Probably not, considering something in your lifestyle threw you out of balance in the first place. But there are many different causes even in Chinese medicine to insomnia... some require some lifestyle change in order to "cure" it.

[AndresGlzArnau]

I like the simplicity of how it is explained, of course there is much more regarding the therapeutic effect, but for mainly managing pain this is good explanation through the eyes of TCM, of course by Western medicine would be different, REGARDING THE RELEASE OF ENDORPHINS, MACROPHAGES, OPIOID PEPTIDES, etc. that mitigate pain, have anti inflammation properties, etc I did my masters thesis regarding this. Thanks for the visual add I will post it in my website too

[anthonylorenzo]

Thank you for sharing your EXPERIENCE here, as I doubt any of these haters and skeptics that claim they are scientific thinkers have actually had one.

[gisabluesky]

This is a great video for our patients(include prospective patients) who don't know acupuncture well.
We should make Japanese version.

[ChesterTheCat]

Had it done for the first time today in china town in it hurt. It was for lower back pain...quadratus lumborum actually....

[acupunctureperthwa]

Many studies in animals and humans have demonstrated that acupuncture can cause multiple biological responses. These responses can occur locally, i.e., at or close to the site of application, or at a distance, mediated mainly by sensory neurons to many structures within the central nervous system.

[rmit]

We have had some requests for these references. We have listed 2 good sites in the video's description which outline some of the research behind acupuncture.

[anthonylorenzo]

This forum doesn't allow web addresses to be published. Try google.com. enter: acupuncture + research. It's pretty simple.

[EthicalpracticeNet]

Fantastic explanation. Simple and dynamic. Nice work guys

[thatsrightjack]

The video describes the body as a city full of traffic. And then goes on to explain how to fix the traffic. But is the analogy correct? Any evidence for this mechanism?

[SeanTalksTooMuch]

"Can "chi" be measured or defined? The peer-reviewed literature is abundant with studies showing acupuncture as being no more effective than placebo. Could you point me in the direction of peer reviewed studies that support acupuncture as an effective treatment?
I am very skeptical of a treatment that has no clearly defined causal mechanism, holds a potential risk of infection and nerve damage, and to my knowledge has never been shown to be more effective than placebo treatment."
-Posted 12/2011

[AndresGlzArnau]

Actually we dont use gloves in the US or any part of the world to introduce needles since the needeles themselves are sterile. And of course you need to receive anatamic education so as not too puncture dangerous areas, in order to prevent damaging the tissues, it is an art performig acupuncture not just a kids game and their imagination.

[anthonylorenzo]

Right... cause higher education systems shouldn't evaluate anything outside of what is already accepted? I'm not sure you really understand what scientific thought means.... the absence of proof is not the proof of absence.

[SeanTalksTooMuch]

Can "chi" be measured or defined? The peer-reviewed literature is abundant with studies that show acupuncture as being no more effective than placebo. Could you point me in the direction of peer reviewed studies that support acupuncture as an effective treatment?
I am just very skeptical of a treatment that has no clearly defined causal mechanism, holds a potential risk of infection and nerve damage, and to my knowledge has never been shown to be more effective than placebo treatment.