Is acupuncture an effective way to relieve pain?

Millions of people undergo successful acupuncture treatments every year, but others remain skeptical. Some even view this type of traditional medicine as little more than a placebo. But when it comes to pain relief, evidence shows that acupuncture is as good as or better than pharmaceutical treatments.

In some studies, people with chronic pain caused by arthritis, headaches or back and neck problems saw their pain reduced by up to 50 percent with acupuncture versus 43 percent with their regular medication.

In other studies, patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while exposed to a pain stimulus to measure their brains’ responses. Activity in the areas of the brain that are associated with pain were much lower with acupuncture than without. This indicates that acupuncture makes a difference when it comes to treating pain.

Whether you believe it works or not, there’s evidence that acupuncture is an effective form of pain relief. If you’d like to experience the effects first hand, call your local practitioner today to make an appointment.