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Pain Relief Acupuncture Study
Blood Flow in Brain Shows Acupuncture Relieves Chronic Pain
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Acupuncture relieves pain and a scan of brain
activity proves it, researchers said on Wednesday.
Doctors at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
induced pain in 12 subjects by using a filament to touch their upper
lips, then detected the associated increases in neurological brain activity with a
magnetic resonance imaging device.
As the subjects' pain was relieved with acupuncture needles placed
between thumb and forefinger, images taken of their brains showed the
activity diminishing.
The pain-induced activity subsided in 60 percent to 70 percent of the
entire brain during treatment with acupuncture needles, the researchers
said. ``We're using a new technology to understand how this ancient healing art works,'' co-author Huey-Jen Lee said.
The rise in brain activity, which is based on an increase in blood
flow, was seen in the parietal area, the sensory center of the brain,
and the brain stem. But each subject exhibited differences in where
brain activity increased.
``So many people with chronic pain, whether from cancer, migraine headache or a
chronic muscular condition, rely on medications, such as morphine,
which can become addicting,'' Huey-Jen Lee said. ''Acupuncture has no negative
side effects, and other acupuncture studies have shown the pain relief it provides
can last for months.''
The researchers presented their findings to the Radiological Society of
North America, meeting in Chicago.
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Brian B. Carter (bcarter3@san.rr.com)
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/9427/brian.htm
The PULSE of Oriental Medicine (An Oriental Medicine Resource):
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/9427/welcome.htm
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