Can acupuncture control pain?
Sep 29, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Sun Lianqing
Introduction
Acupuncture can control pain and is a widely used pain management method in clinical practice, with clear efficacy for various acute and chronic pain conditions. From the perspective of modern medicine, acupuncture stimulates nerve endings at specific acupoints, triggering the body's stress response: on one hand, it prompts the brain and spinal cord to release natural analgesic substances such as endorphins and enkephalins, which directly inhibit the transmission of pain signals to the central nervous system.
In general, acupuncture can effectively control pain and is widely used in clinical practice as a method of pain management, with clear efficacy for various acute and chronic pain conditions. The specific analysis is as follows:
From the perspective of modern medicine, acupuncture stimulates nerve endings at specific acupoints, triggering the body's stress response. On one hand, it promotes the release of natural analgesic substances such as endorphins and enkephalins in the brain and spinal cord, directly inhibiting the transmission of pain signals to the central nervous system. On the other hand, it improves local blood circulation and reduces levels of inflammatory factors at the painful site, thereby alleviating inflammation-induced redness, swelling, and pain. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, acupuncture unblocks meridians and regulates the flow of qi and blood, improving the condition of "stagnation" or "deficiency" of qi and blood at the affected area, thus addressing the fundamental principles of "pain due to obstruction" and "pain due to lack of nourishment."
Clinically, acupuncture has demonstrated good therapeutic effects for neck, shoulder, waist, and leg pain, headaches, joint pain, postoperative pain, and chronic pelvic pain. However, it should be noted that for severe acute pain caused by trauma—such as fractures or acute visceral pain—the primary underlying condition must be treated first; in these cases, acupuncture may serve as an adjunctive therapy. Moreover, acupuncture must be performed by qualified medical practitioners who select appropriate acupoints precisely based on the cause and location of the pain, avoiding risks associated with self-administration.
If suffering from persistent pain, individuals are advised to first visit a正规 medical institution to determine the underlying cause, then, under professional guidance, consider acupuncture alone or in combination with other treatments to achieve optimal pain relief while minimizing potential risks.
