Although Western science has neither proven nor accepted the notion of Qi, a large body of evidence is accumulating, indicating that acupuncture leads to real physiologic changes in the body. Numerous studies have shown, for example, that inserting needles into the skin stimulates nerves in the underlying muscles. This stimulation, researchers feel, sends impulses up the spinal cord to a relatively primitive part of the brain known as the limbic system, as well as to the midbrain and the pituitary gland. Somehow, that signal leads to the release of endorphins and monoamines, chemicals that block pain signals in the spinal chord and brain. Researchers using brain scans discovered that acupuncture could alter blood circulation within the brain, increasing the blood flow to the thalamus, the area of the brain that relays pain and other sensory messages.
Different people experience different sensations from acupuncture.
Most find the sessions relaxing, and many fall asleep during or immediately after treatment. While scores of illnesses have traditionally been treated by acupuncture in Asia, its primary use in the United States has been to relieve chronic pain, caused by such ailments as arthritis, headache, PMS, and back pain, and to assist withdrawal from addictions such as drug and alcohol dependency. Today, more innovative applications for acupuncture are being explored by both conventional and alternative practitioners, including its use as an analgesic to reduce pain during surgery. The NIH panel also called acupuncture a useful adjunct treatment for a variety of conditions, including fibromyalgia, asthma, stroke rehabilitation, and carpal tunnel syndrome. There are an estimated 13,000 licensed and certified acupuncturists in this country.