Acupuncture as a means for relieving pain has been a controversial subject in the field of medicine. A few years ago, acupuncture was found to help relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia. Additional studies explored the subject further, with some claiming acupuncture does not help as much as presumed.
A recent study adds to the current discourse about acupuncture and fibromyalgia, finding evidence that the Chinese healing practice is indeed effective in relieving pain.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University Hospital in Essen, Germany, captured images of the brain, finding that the brain reacts differently when experiencing pain stimuli while undergoing acupuncture.
Science Daily discusses how the study was conducted:
In the study, conducted in close collaboration with the Department of Complementary and Integrative Medicine at University of Duisburg-Essen, 18 healthy volunteers underwent fMRI while an electrical pain stimulus was attached to the left ankle. Acupuncture needles were then placed at three places on the right side, including between the toes, below the knee, and near the thumb.
With the needles in place, fMRI was repeated while electrical currents were again directed at the left ankle. The researchers then compared the images and data obtained from the fMRI sessions with no acupuncture to those of the fMRI sessions with acupuncture.
