Study sheds light on how acupuncture eases pain

A new study that suggests the needle pricking technique involved in acupuncture alleviates pain by stimulating the release of the bodies' own natural pain killers may tip the scales in favor of the practice.

Identifying the physical mechanism that relieves pain, scientists found that adenosine, a natural compound with painkilling and anti-inflammatory properties, is produced in tissues where needles are inserted.

Lead author of the study, Dr Maiken Nedergaard, co-director of the University of Rochester’s Center for Translational Neuromedicine stated, “Acupuncture has been a mainstay of medical treatment in certain parts of the world for 4,000 years, but because it has not been understood completely, many people have remained skeptical.

"In this work, we provide information about one physical mechanism through which acupuncture reduces pain in the body.”

Post treatment, the researchers noted that acupuncture dramatically reduced signs of discomfort. They found that the adenosine levels in tissues punctured by needles were 24 times higher than usual and the pain was reduced by two-thirds.

Experiment on mice
In order to determine whether adenosine was involved in the pain-relieving effects of acupuncture, the researchers performed the procedure on a group of mice who had “discomfort” in one paw.

As per the standard treatment with people, very fine needles were inserted into the pressure point near the knee. The needles were rotated gently every five minutes for half an hour.

Post treatment, the researchers noted that acupuncture dramatically reduced signs of discomfort. They found that the adenosine levels in tissues punctured by needles were 24 times higher than usual and the pain was reduced by two-thirds.

In contrast, the mice which had been genetically engineered to lack the key adenosine function did not show the same response after acupuncture.

Deoxycoformycin added to treatment
The researchers also found that the effectiveness of acupuncture is further enhanced by elevating the levels of adenosine.

To prove this aspect, the scientists added deoxycoformycin to the treatment procedure. Deoxycoformycin is a drug that increases the body’s production of adenosine.

The combination of the two treatment methods almost tripled the amount of adenosine around the puncture marks and provided a lot of relief from pain.

"I believe we've found the main mechanism by which acupuncture relieves pain. Adenosine is a very potent anti-inflammatory compound and most chronic pain is caused by inflammation," Nedergaard said.

The study was funded by the New York State Spinal Cord Injury Program and the U.S. National Institutes of Health. It has been published in the 'Nature Neuroscience' journal.

A little about acupuncture
Acupuncture originated in China more than 2,000 years ago. It is a simple form of treatment, which has no side effects or risk of addiction.

This technique involves insertion of very fine needles, (sometimes in conjunction with electrical stimulus), on the body's surface, in order to influence physiological functioning of the body.

This therapy is known to reduce nausea and vomiting after surgery and chemotherapy. It can also alleviate pain and suffering.

There are different theories to explain how acupuncture works; one is that the needles block the pain impulse as it moves through the central nervous system and prevent it from reaching the brain.

Another is that the needles stimulate the release our bodies' own natural pain killers.