A Brief Overview of Medical Acupuncture — Richard Lebert Registered Massage Therapy

Acknowledging that traditional narratives are outdated, medical acupuncture is an approach that is based upon a theory that is in line with current scientific understanding of how the body works. The clinical response to acupuncture are multifactorial and outcomes may be attributed to specific effects (affective touch, mechanical factors, and neurological factors), contextual effects (patient-therapist relationship, set and setting), and non-specific effects (natural history, regression toward the mean) that help modulate the experience of pain.

References and Sources

Andrews, B. (2014). The making of modern Chinese medicine 1850–1960. UBC Press.

Bäumler, P., Zhang, W., Stübinger, T., & Irnich, D. (2021). Acupuncture-related adverse events: systematic review and meta-analyses of prospective clinical studies. BMJ open, 11(9), e045961. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045961

Ben-Arye, E., Hausner, D., Samuels, N., Gamus, D., Lavie, O., Tadmor, T., Gressel, O., Agbarya, A., Attias, S., David, A., & Schiff, E. (2022). Impact of acupuncture and integrative therapies on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: A multicentered, randomized controlled trial. Cancer, 128(20), 3641–3652. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.34422

Bivins R. (2001). The needle and the lancet: acupuncture in Britain, 1683-2000. Acupuncture in medicine: journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, 19(1), 2–14. https://doi.org/10.1136/aim.19.1.2

Birch, S., Lee, M. S., Kim, T. H., & Alraek, T. (2022). On defining acupuncture and its techniques: A commentary on the problem of sham. Integrative medicine research, 11(2), 100834. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2022.100834

Birch, S., Lee, M. S., Kim, T. H., & Alraek, T. (2022). Historical perspectives on using sham acupuncture in acupuncture clinical trials. Integrative medicine research, 11(1), 100725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2021.100725

Busse, J. W., Craigie, S., Juurlink, D. N., Buckley, D. N., Wang, L., Couban, R. J.,… Guyatt, G. H. (2017). Guideline for opioid therapy and chronic noncancer pain. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l’Association medicale canadienne, 189(18), E659–E666. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.170363

Busse, J. W., Casassus, R., Carrasco-Labra, A., Durham, J., Mock, D., Zakrzewska, J. M., Palmer, C., Samer, C. F., Coen, M., Guevremont, B., Hoppe, T., Guyatt, G. H., Crandon, H. N., Yao, L., Sadeghirad, B., Vandvik, P. O., Siemieniuk, R. A. C., Lytvyn, L., Hunskaar, B. S., & Agoritsas, T. (2023). Management of chronic pain associated with temporomandibular disorders: a clinical practice guideline. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 383, e076227. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-076227

Bussières, A., Cancelliere, C., Ammendolia, C., Comer, C. M., Zoubi, F. A., Châtillon, C. E., … Ornelas, J. (2021). Non-Surgical Interventions for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Leading To Neurogenic Claudication: A Clinical Practice Guideline. The journal of pain, 22(9), 1015–1039. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2021.03.147

Carrubba, R. W., & Bowers, J. Z. (1974). The Western World’s first detailed treatise on acupuncture: Willem Ten Rhijne’s De acupunctura. Journal of the history of medicine and allied sciences, 29(4), 371–398. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhmas/xxix.4.371

Chen, L., Li, M., Fan, L., Zhu, X., Liu, J., Li, H., Xu, Z., Chen, J., Liang, Z., Liu, Z., Feng, L., Chen, X., He, Q., Chen, X., Ou, A., He, J., Ma, R., Ning, B., Jiang, L., Li, S., … Fu, W. (2021). Optimized acupuncture treatment (acupuncture and intradermal needling) for cervical spondylosis-related neck pain: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Pain, 162(3), 728–739. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002071

Cook, H. (2020). Translation at Work: Chinese Medicine in the First Global Age. Brill Rodopi.

Cui, X., Liu, K., Gao, X., & Zhu, B. (2022). Advancing the Understanding of Acupoint Sensitization and Plasticity Through Cutaneous C-Nociceptors. Frontiers in neuroscience, 16, 822436. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.822436

Dowell, D., Ragan, K. R., Jones, C. M., Baldwin, G. T., & Chou, R. (2022). CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain – United States, 2022. MMWR. Recommendations and reports : Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Recommendations and reports, 71(3), 1–95. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr7103a1

Fan, A. Y., & He, H. (2016). Dry needling is acupuncture. Acupuncture in medicine: journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, 34(3), 241. https://doi.org/10.1136/acupmed-2015-011010

Franco, J. V., Turk, T., Jung, J. H., Xiao, Y. T., Iakhno, S., Garrote, V., & Vietto, V. (2018). Non-pharmacological interventions for treating chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 5(5), CD012551. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012551.pub3

Gang, W. J., Xiu, W. C., Shi, L. J., Zhou, Q., Jiao, R. M., Yang, J. W., Shi, X. S., Sun, X. Y., Zeng, Z., Witt, C. M., Thabane, L., Song, P., Yang, L. H., Guyatt, G., Jing, X. H., Zhang, Y. Q., & FAMOUS Group (2022). Factors Associated with the Magnitude Of acUpuncture treatment effectS (FAMOUS): a meta-epidemiological study of acupuncture randomised controlled trials. BMJ open, 12(8), e060237. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-060237

Gupta, A., Henry, N. L., & Loprinzi, C. L. (2020). Management of Aromatase Inhibitor-Induced Musculoskeletal Symptoms. JCO oncology practice, 16(11), 733–739. https://doi.org/10.1200/OP.20.00113

He, Y., Guo, X., May, B. H., Zhang, A. L., Liu, Y., Lu, C., Mao, J. J., Xue, C. C., & Zhang, H. (2020). Clinical Evidence for Association of Acupuncture and Acupressure With Improved Cancer Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA oncology, 6(2), 271–278. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2019.5233

Hershman, D. L., Unger, J. M., Greenlee, H., Capodice, J., Lew, D. L., Darke, A., Minasian, L. M., Fisch, M. J., Henry, N. L., & Crew, K. D. (2022). Comparison of Acupuncture vs Sham Acupuncture or Waiting List Control in the Treatment of Aromatase Inhibitor-Related Joint Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA network open, 5(11), e2241720. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.41720

Höxtermann, M. D., Haller, H., Aboudamaah, S., Bachemir, A., Dobos, G., Cramer, H., & Voiss, P. (2022). Safety of acupuncture in oncology: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Cancer, 128(11), 2159–2173. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.34165

Intriago, V., Reina, M. A., Boezaart, A. P., Tubbs, R. S., Montaña, A. V., Pérez-Rodríguez, F. J., & Sanroman-Junquera, M. (2022). Microscopy of structures surrounding typical acupoints used in clinical practice and electron microscopic evaluation of acupuncture needles. Clinical anatomy (New York, N.Y.), 35(3), 392–403. https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.23845

Kaptchuk, T. J. (2002). Acupuncture: theory, efficacy, and practice. Annals of internal medicine, 136(5), 374–383. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-136-5-200203050-00010

Kellgren, J. H. (1938). Referred Pains from Muscle. British medical journal, 1(4023), 325–327. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.4023.325

Kobayashi, A., Uefuji, M., & Yasumo, W. (2010). History and progress of Japanese acupuncture. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 7(3), 359–365. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nem155

Lee, S., Lee, I. S., & Chae, Y. (2022). Similarities between Ashi acupoints and myofascial trigger points: Exploring the relationship between body surface treatment points. Frontiers in neuroscience, 16, 947884. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.947884

Lo, V., Stanley-Baker, M., & Yang, D. (2022). Routledge Handbook of Chinese Medicine (1st ed.). Routledge.

Lu, L., Zhang, Y., Ge, S., Wen, H., Tang, X., Zeng, J. C., … Xu, N. G. (2022). Evidence mapping and overview of systematic reviews of the effects of acupuncture therapies. BMJ open, 12(6), e056803. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056803

Ma, Q. (2022). Somatotopic organization of autonomic reflexes by acupuncture. Current opinion in neurobiology, 76, 102602. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2022.102602

Macdonald, A. J. R. (1993). A Brief Review of the History of Electrotherapy and Its Union with Acupuncture. Acupuncture in Medicine, 11(2), 66–75. https://doi.org/10.1136/aim.11.2.66

Mann, F. (1992). Reinventing acupuncture: a new concept of ancient medicine. Butterworth-Heinemann.

Mao, J. J., Liou, K. T., Baser, R. E., Bao, T., Panageas, K. S., Romero, S., Li, Q. S., Gallagher, R. M., & Kantoff, P. W. (2021). Effectiveness of Electroacupuncture or Auricular Acupuncture vs Usual Care for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Among Cancer Survivors: The PEACE Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA oncology, 7(5), 720–727. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2021.0310

Mao, J. J., Ismaila, N., Bao, T., Barton, D., Ben-Arye, E., Garland, E. L., Greenlee, H., Leblanc, T., Lee, R. T., Lopez, A. M., Loprinzi, C., Lyman, G. H., MacLeod, J., Master, V. A., Ramchandran, K., Wagner, L. I., Walker, E. M., Bruner, D. W., Witt, C. M., & Bruera, E. (2022). Integrative Medicine for Pain Management in Oncology: Society for Integrative Oncology-ASCO Guideline. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 40(34), 3998–4024. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.22.01357

Melzack, R., Stillwell, D. M., & Fox, E. J. (1977). Trigger points and acupuncture points for pain: correlations and implications. Pain, 3(1), 3–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3959(77)90032-X

Niruthisard, S., Ma, Q., & Napadow, V. (2024). Recent advances in acupuncture for pain relief. Pain reports, 9(5), e1188. https://doi.org/10.1097/PR9.0000000000001188

Shaw, V., Diogo, R., & Winder, I. C. (2022). Hiding in Plain Sight-ancient Chinese anatomy. Anatomical record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007), 305(5), 1201–1214. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.24503

Singh, R., VanderPluym, J. H., Morrow, A. S., Urtecho, M., Nayfeh, T., Roldan, V., Farah, M. H., Hasan, B., Saadi, S., Shah, S., Abd-Rabu, R., Daraz, L., Prokop, L. J., Murad, M. H., & Wang, Z. (2020). Acute Treatments for Episodic Migraine. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US). https://doi.org/10.23970/AHRQEPCCER239

Sun, Y., Liu, Y., Liu, B., Zhou, K., Yue, Z., Zhang, W., Fu, W., Yang, J., Li, N., He, L., Zang, Z., Su, T., Fang, J., Ding, Y., Qin, Z., Song, H., Hu, H., Zhao, H., Mo, Q., Zhou, J., … Liu, Z. (2021). Efficacy of Acupuncture for Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome : A Randomized Trial. Annals of internal medicine, 174(10), 1357–1366. https://doi.org/10.7326/M21-1814

Tu, J. F., Shi, G. X., Yan, S. Y., Ni, G. X., Yu, F. T., Cai, G. W., Liu, Z. S., Ma, C. Y., Wang, L. Q., Yang, J. W., Zhou, X. Q., Meng, X. L., Fu, H. Y., Li, J., Wan, W. J., Sun, T. H., Wang, X. Z., & Liu, C. Z. (2024). Acupuncture vs Sham Acupuncture for Chronic Sciatica From Herniated Disk: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA internal medicine, 10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.5463. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.5463

Vickers, A. J., Vertosick, E. A., Lewith, G., MacPherson, H., Foster, N. E., Sherman, K. J., Irnich, D., Witt, C. M., Linde, K., & Acupuncture Trialists’ Collaboration (2018). Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis. The journal of pain, 19(5), 455–474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2017.11.005

White, A., & Ernst, E. (2004). A brief history of acupuncture. Rheumatology (Oxford, England), 43(5), 662–663. https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keg005

White, A., & Editorial Board of Acupuncture in Medicine (2009). Western medical acupuncture: a definition. Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, 27(1), 33–35. https://doi.org/10.1136/aim.2008.000372

Xu, S., Yu, L., Luo, X., Wang, M., Chen, G., Zhang, Q., … Wang, W. (2020). Manual acupuncture versus sham acupuncture and usual care for prophylaxis of episodic migraine without aura: multicentre, randomised clinical trial. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 368, m697. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m697

Yu, H., Wang, D., Verville, L., Southerst, D., Bussières, A., Gross, D. P., Pereira, P., Mior, S., Tricco, A. C., Cedraschi, C., Brunton, G., Nordin, M., Shearer, H. M., Wong, J. J., Connell, G., Myrtos, D., da Silva-Oolup, S., Young, J. J., Funabashi, M., Romanelli, A., … Cancelliere, C. (2023). Systematic Review to Inform a World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Practice Guideline: Benefits and Harms of Needling Therapies for Chronic Primary Low Back Pain in Adults. Journal of occupational rehabilitation, 33(4), 661–672. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-023-10125-3

Zhang, N., Houle, T., Hindiyeh, N., & Aurora, S. K. (2020). Systematic Review: Acupuncture vs Standard Pharmacological Therapy for Migraine Prevention. Headache, 60(2), 309–317. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.13723

Zhao, L., Chen, J., Li, Y., Sun, X., Chang, X., Zheng, H., Gong, B., Huang, Y., Yang, M., Wu, X., Li, X., & Liang, F. (2017). The Long-term Effect of Acupuncture for Migraine Prophylaxis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA internal medicine, 177(4), 508–515. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.9378

Zheng, H., Gao, T., Zheng, Q. H., Lu, L. Y., Hou, T. H., Zhang, S. S., Zhou, S. Y., Hao, X. Y., Wang, L., Zhao, L., Liang, F. R., & Li, Y. (2022). Acupuncture for Patients With Chronic Tension-Type Headache: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Neurology, 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200670. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000200670

Zink, A., Samadelli, M., Gostner, P., & Piombino-Mascali, D. (2019). Possible evidence for care and treatment in the Tyrolean Iceman. International journal of paleopathology, 25, 110–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.07.006