Acupuncture Decreases Pain
Acupuncture Doesn't Just Mask Pain — It Targets Its Source
One of the most important things to understand about acupuncture is that it is not simply a distraction from pain. According to a 2024 clinical update published in PAIN Reports (Harvard Medical School / NIH PubMed), acupuncture works through multiple layers of your physiology simultaneously — and critically, it may address the underlying sources that drive pain rather than just managing the symptom.
"Acupuncture does not just manage pain symptoms but may target the sources that drive pain, such as inflammation, partially by modulating autonomic pathways."
— Niruthisard, Ma & Napadow, PAIN Reports, Sept 2024 (NIH PubMed)
That word — autonomic — is key. Your autonomic nervous system regulates inflammation throughout your entire body. When acupuncture stimulates specific points, it sends signals through this system that can quiet an overactive inflammatory response. This is not a small claim. It is backed by neuroimaging studies, randomized controlled trials, and decades of research.
Your Body's Own Painkillers — Released On Demand
When a needle is inserted at an acupuncture point, your central nervous system responds by releasing endogenous opioid peptides — your body's own natural pain-relieving chemicals. This is one of the most well-researched mechanisms in acupuncture science.
A foundational NIH-indexed study on acupuncture and endorphins (PubMed PMID 15135942) found that electroacupuncture at low frequencies (2 Hz) stimulates the release of enkephalin, beta-endorphin, and endomorphin, while higher frequencies (100 Hz) trigger dynorphin release. A combination of both frequencies produces all four opioid peptides simultaneously — resulting in maximal pain relief. This has been verified in patients with chronic low back pain and diabetic neuropathic pain.
Beyond opioids, research confirms that acupuncture also activates mu-opioid receptors and increases serum beta-endorphins — the same feel-good chemicals that produce a runner's high. So when patients tell us they feel calm, clear, and significantly less painful after a session, this is the biochemistry behind it.
✦ Acupuncture has been shown to:
→ Activate mu opioid receptors
→ Increase serum β-endorphins
→ Downregulate IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α
→ Regulate central and peripheral blood flow
— NIH Clinical Trials Research, NCT04906447
What This Means for You — Conditions Where Acupuncture Can Help
If you've been following our newsletters, this next part won't surprise you. The evidence-based list of pain and inflammation conditions that respond well to acupuncture is long — and it keeps growing. Here are some of the most common conditions we treat at Hermes Holistic:
→ Low back pain → Neck pain & stiffness
→ Sciatica → Knee & hip pain
→ Shoulder & rotator cuff → Tennis & golfer's elbow
→ Rheumatoid arthritis → Fibromyalgia
→ Headaches & migraines → Post-surgical pain
→ Nerve pain / neuropathy → Menstrual cramping
→ Carpal tunnel syndrome → Acute sports injuries
In 2017, the American College of Physicians released a landmark recommendation that medical doctors should suggest acupuncture before prescribing medication for back pain — in part to address the opioid crisis. The evidence was strong enough to make it a first-line recommendation. That is not a small deal.
The WHO compiled 255 controlled clinical trials and identified 28 conditions for which acupuncture is proven effective — the majority pain and inflammation related. A further 63 conditions show strong therapeutic benefit.
— WHO, Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials, 2003
References
1. Niruthisard S, Ma Q, Napadow V. Recent advances in acupuncture for pain relief. PAIN Reports. Sept 2024. PubMed
2. Li, Zhang & Zhou. Acupuncture for radicular pain: analgesic mechanisms. Front Mol Neurosci. 2024. PMC11002172
3. Han JS. Acupuncture and endorphins. Neurosci Lett. 2004. PubMed PMID 15135942
4. Role of Neuroimmune Crosstalk in Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Effects of Acupuncture. PMC. 2021. PMC8366064
5. WHO. Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials. 2003. WHO Publication
6. NCCIH / NIH. Acupuncture: Effectiveness and Safety. nccih.nih.gov
This blog is intended for educational purposes. Always consult a licensed provider before integrating new treatments. Feel free to share!