In 2005, a study came out that suggested that acupuncture for headaches was no more effective than sham acupuncture. Now out is a new study that indicates those results may not necessarily be true. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine may indeed be helpful in the treatment of pain.
Alternative approach to Headache pain. Photo from Flickr by Sarah G
From the Los Angeles Times:
High-tech images of the brains of chronic pain sufferers have found that the ancient practice of acupuncture fights pain by making key brain cells more sensitive to the pain-dampening effects of opioid chemicals. The study, published online in the August issue of the journal NeuroImage, comes less than a year after the publication of a controversial study that concluded acupuncture was no more effective than sham treatment at reducing pain.
More on how the brain works with acupuncture to relieve pain.
Tags: Pain Relief, Research