Although this practice has been used for thousands of years, the actual functioning of acupuncture is still misunderstood and there are a lot of skeptics around the world.
Neurologist and lead researcher Dr. Maiken Nedergaard and his team at the University of Rochester in upstate New York, addressed the question.
The journal Nature Neuroscience reported the team found that acupuncture relieves pain because it promotes the release of the adenosine molecule, a natural painkiller.
The team of researchers wanted to know the role of this molecule in acupuncture treatment. They conducted tests on mice that were wounded on a leg.
After 30 minutes of treatment, the rodents saw their pain reduced in two-thirds of cases. It was also observed that the rate of adenosine in tissues around the needle was 24 times higher than it was before starting treatment.
This shows the impact of acupuncture on the peripheral nervous system.
Dr. Nedergaard commented: "Acupuncture has been a mainstay of medical treatment in certain parts of the world for 4,000 years, but because it has not been understood completely, many people have remained skeptical. In this work, we provide information about one physical mechanism through which acupuncture reduces pain in the body."