Friday, December 28, 2012

Do Newly Discovered Itch Cells Explain Acupuncture's Effectiveness?

I've always heard that itching during or after needling was a good sign, as was itching of the nose during treatment. It was never explained how or why other than the arrival of qi.   But I like science because it feels more tangible, more 'sellable' to the public than good intentions and abstract concepts alone.

Now new research published in Nature Neuroscience  http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nn.3289.html
suggests certain nerve cells that innervate the peripheral nervous system respond only to itchiness and not to pain.  These newly discovered 'itch cells' are found in the skin and presumably respond only to pruritic or itch-inducing agents.  These cells are connected to the dorsal root ganglion emerging from the spine.

So my conclusion is that an itching sensation during or after acupuncture is a sign of successful treatment in that what may appear to be a localized reaction at the point of needle insertion actually has deeper systemic connections not only to the meridians treated, but to the Du Mai, Bladder, Back Shu, Huatuo Jia Ji points and also deeper to the spinal column and central nervous system.

According to the University of Maryland, "The effects of acupuncture are complex. How it works is not entirely clear. Research suggests that the needling process, and other techniques used in acupuncture, may produce a variety of effects in the body and the brain. One theory is that stimulated nerve fibers transmit signals to the spinal cord and brain, activating the body' s central nervous system. The spinal cord and brain then release hormones responsible for making us feel less pain while improving overall health. In fact, a study using images of the brain confirmed that acupuncture increases our pain threshold, which may explain why it produces long-term pain relief. Acupuncture may also increase blood circulation and body temperature, affect white blood cell activity (responsible for our immune function), reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and regulate blood sugar levels."

Source: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/acupuncture-000345.htm#ixzz2GS5phNYb 
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