The brain scans of people who take acupuncture show that on sticking needle into a body calm down the cells which are used to process and perceive pain. This proves that the popular method eases pain according to researchers. The outcome will give some sort of justification for those who have spent good amount of money for bad backs and other pains.
The experts believe that the benefits of acupuncture are all in the mind and those sufferers get benefit from placebo effect in which care, concentration and simple belief that treatment will work escort to enhancements in health. To verify the effects of acupuncture on the brain researchers from the University Hospital in Essen, Germany conducted a study.
They investigate the reaction of brain to electric shocks. Eighteen participants went through sophisticated brain scans simultaneously as an electric shock was applied to their left ankle. Acupuncture needles were then positioned at three places on the right side, between the toes, below the knee and near the thumb and the electric current toggled back on.
The second set of brain scans showed markedly fewer activities in pain regions of the brain. Activation of brain areas occupied in pain acuity was considerably condensed or amended under acupuncture, explained researcher Dr Nina Theysohn. The physical act of sticking in acupuncture needles and twisting them liberates a flood of natural painkillers, revealed research of previous year.