Pain management research involving acupuncture has been expanded substantially over the past two decades. Meaningful relief for certain types of chronic pain can be provided through acupuncture, particularly for lower back pain, osteoarthritis, and some headache conditions, as multiple systematic reviews suggest. As it turns out, the mechanism isn’t fully understood; however, pain processing pathways in the brain appear to be influenced by acupuncture, according to neuroimaging studies. The treatment is generally considered safe when licensed practitioners perform it, though individual responses vary considerably. What remains interesting is how outcomes seem to be influenced by patient expectations and practitioner experience more than was initially thought.
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