Pain is one of the most common reasons people walk through our doors — and for good reason. Acupuncture is one of the best-studied applications of East Asian Medicine (EAM), with a substantial body of research supporting its use for everything from low back pain and osteoarthritis to migraines and post-surgical recovery. But understanding why it works means looking at it through two lenses: the classical EAM model, and what modern research tells us is happening in the body.
The EAM View: “Where There Is Pain, There Is No Free Flow”
Classical Chinese medicine has a saying that sums up its whole theory of pain: “bu tong ze tong, tong ze bu tong” — roughly, “no free flow, then pain; free flow, then no pain.” Pain, in this model, is understood as a sign of stagnation or obstruction. Generally, something isn’t flowing properly somewhere in the body’s system of channels and collaterals.
That stagnation can come from a lot of different directions: an injury that disrupts local flow, chronic tension that builds up over time, cold or dampness lodging in a joint, or even emotional stress that constrains smooth movement. Acupuncture works by needling specific points along the channels to restore that flow — resolving the obstruction rather than just numbing the sensation of it.
This is part of why treatment for pain often looks a little different from patient to patient, even for the same complaint. Two people with low back pain might get different point selections depending on what patterns they present with.
The Western View: What’s Actually Happening Physiologically
Modern research offers a complementary — not competing — explanation. Needling stimulates sensory nerves, which triggers the release of the body’s own pain-modulating chemicals: endorphins, enkephalins, and other neurotransmitters that dampen pain signaling in the spinal cord and brain. Acupuncture has also been shown to increase local blood flow, reduce inflammatory markers, and calm the nervous system’s stress response — all of which matter for pain that’s tangled up with muscle guarding, chronic inflammation, or a nervous system stuck in high alert.
This is also where cupping, gua sha, and tui na often come in alongside needling — each works on local circulation, fascia, and tissue tension through a slightly different mechanism, and combining them can address both the local tissue and the broader pattern driving the pain.
The truth is, Western research still has a lot to learn about the exact mechanisms that allow acupuncture and other EAM to work. That doesn’t make the techniques less effective. Think about it, gravity existed long before it was labeled as such and before we understood what we do today about it. The same is true about EAM – just because Western science is still figuring out the details, it doesn’t mean it’s any less real.
What Kinds of Pain Respond Well
Acupuncture has meaningful research support for:
- Chronic low back and neck pain
- Osteoarthritis, especially of the knee
- Migraines and tension headaches
- Myofascial pain and muscle tension
- Post-operative and post-injury pain
- Fibromyalgia-related pain
It’s worth saying clearly: acupuncture is not a substitute for emergency care, and it doesn’t replace treatment for the underlying cause of every kind of pain. But for many chronic and recurring pain conditions, it’s a well-supported option — either on its own or as part of a broader care plan with your physician, physical therapist, or other providers. I would even say it fills gaps in the current healthcare system where the options can sometimes feel like 1. deal with the pain or 2. take extreme measures through invasive surgeries or serious medication.
What to Expect
Pain treatment with us usually starts with a full picture: where the pain is, what makes it better or worse, how long it’s been going on, and what else is happening in your body (sleep, digestion, stress, energy). That fuller picture is what lets us treat the pattern underneath the pain, not just the spot where it hurts.
In general, the longer you’ve had the pain, the longer it can take to resolve it and you may need more frequent treatment (you may expect to come in twice a week for 5 weeks with something that has been around for 10+ years, for example). If you have more acute pain, it can often be resolved in a handful of weekly visits. While we can give these general rules of thumb, everyone is different and we can offer a better treatment plan when working with you directly. We also always love when three treatments resolve pain that’s been debilitating for years! Anything is possible.
If pain has been part of your daily life for a while, we’d love to talk about whether acupuncture and EAM might be a good fit for your care.
Whether you’re new to Jennum O’Hara Acupuncture or have been in our care for years, this welcome packet has useful information for how to get the most out of your treatments with us.
Keep this to refer back to when a new symptom arises or you receive an unfamiliar treatment.
As always, reach out to us with any questions or concerns!