How Acupuncture Works Neurophysically

Regular readers of this blog know that I am a big fan of acupuncture, veterinary as well as human. My dogs have all benefited from it as have my feet. I even wrote an article about veterinary acupuncture for a local magazine. But in all my research, I never truly understood how it worked. Probably because the doctors who were administering the treatment didn't either.

Enter one Narda G. Robinson, DO, DVM, MS, who recently wrote an report on the practice that was published in the August 2009 issue of The Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. "We shouldn't be selling mysticism as medicine," says Robinson who set out to describe, in scientific terms, exactly how acupuncture works.

According to Robinson: "Acupuncture appears to work because it dampens pain transmission in the nervous system, which means it turns down the 'volume' of painful impulses entering the spinal cord and brain, and changes our emotional state and reaction to painful stimuli." In other words, placement of thin needles along key nerve receptors actually interrupt the transmission of painful sensations. We feel better because the pain subsides.

In fact, brain imaging has documented which parts of the brain are responding to acupuncture. There is actual, factual proof that acupuncture does indeed, work.

When it comes to choosing a practitioner, however, Robinson recommends finding one who can explain the science behind the traditional Chinese practice, not one who relies on "mystic" or "spiritual" explanations.

"Gain a feel for what's 'hype' and what's real," she concluded, "Find a practitioner who can explain how the treatments work whether acupuncture, massage, herbs, or dietary supplements, so that you understand, in plain language, and find out the relative risks and benefit of various treatments first."

All of which means that doctors must learn to be better communicators about treatment options, especially if they are dabbling in holistic medicine. And this applies to vets as well as medical doctors or osteopaths.

And the best piece of advice: if you are not comfortable with their explanation, go elsewhere.