Acupuncture and Anti-Inflammatory Response

Recent studies show that acupuncture can control inflammation thanks to its powerful anti-inflammatory effects as it relates to pain relief, immune system responses, and inflammation generally found throughout the body.

Neuroscientists from Harvard Medical School have concluded that acupuncture can reduce bacterial infection-related inflammation, showing a reduction in how intense pro-inflammatory cytokine storms can be. They found that acupuncture can boost survival rates and prevent disease progression.

They also concluded that low-intensity electroacupuncture stimulation at acupoint Zusanli (ST36) can activate anti-inflammatory responses after the person has been exposed to bacterial endotoxins. Also, high-intensity electroacupuncture stimulation at Tianshu (ST25) can suppress splenic inflammation if applied before endotoxin exposure.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

It’s long been known that acupuncture can be an effective way to reduce inflammation in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers at Tri-Service General Hospital and China Medical University performed a meta-analysis to determine that acupuncture helps regulate the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), interleukins, C-reactive protein (CRP) and rheumatoid factor (RF) levels, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-𝛼) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-𝜅 B).

Another study tested the efficacy of electroacupuncture at acupoints Zusanli (ST36) and Kunlun (BL60) whereby it was found that the toll-like receptor (TLR for short) contributed to both the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis, and that acupuncture reduced the TLR4 expression, which provided anti-inflammation properties.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Chinese herbal medicine has been found to also produce anti-inflammatory effects. In a study of COVID-19 patients with pneumonia, researchers found that Chinese herbal medicine, in addition to the usual care, reduced pulmonary inflammation and improved immune function.

Combination of the Two

Perhaps most interesting is that combining both acupuncture and herbal medicine can reduce inflammation even further. Researchers found that a special herbal formula plus acupuncture can be effective in alleviating depression. In this particular study, the total effective rate was 100 percent for people who receive acupuncture as well as Chinese herbal medicine. Patients getting acupuncture monotherapy reported an 85 percent effective rate, while patients getting herbal medicine monotherapy had an 87.5 percent effective rate.

Overall, there has been a distinct pattern detected in modern research regarding the use of acupuncture to treat anything from inflammation to depression. In the study mentioned above, acupuncture provided significant anti-inflammatory capabilities which are enhanced when herbal medicine is added to the mix.

Contact Metro Detroit Acupuncture

If you suffer from any condition that causes inflammation and would like to learn more about how acupuncture treatment can help, reach out to us at (248) 432-2846. You can trust us to provide comprehensive services and results as Metro Detroit’s leading acupuncture and pain management clinic.