"Does Acupuncture Really Work?"—A Conversation About What’s Keeping You Stuck in Anxiety, Pain & Fatigue

There’s something familiar—almost comforting—about skepticism. It feels rational, protective. Although highly vulnerable to conformation bias, it can act like a filter that helps us avoid wasting time, energy, or resources on something uncertain. And if you’re someone who’s never tried acupuncture, I imagine you have a few thoughts about it.

Maybe you’ve heard someone say, "Acupuncture is just a placebo," or "There’s no real science behind it," or even, "I don’t like needles." (which, by the way, is a bit like saying you refuse to drink from a glass because you don’t like test tubes. Same material—completely different design and experience.)

And if that’s where your mind goes, I get it. Acupuncture might not be something you’ve had a reason to consider before and it being outside the mainstream, attracts skepticism. But what if we explored your skepticism and questions together?

1. "I don’t know if acupuncture actually works."

I appreciate this question because it comes from a place of intellectual honesty.

🔹 Curious Thought: Would it surprise you to learn that acupuncture is recognized for its potential benefits in managing various pain conditions, including back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, and migraines?

🔹 A Perspective to Consider: It seems to me that one of the reasons acupuncture has persisted for over 2,000 years is that it does offer tangible benefits. Modern research indicates that acupuncture may stimulate the nervous system, release endorphins and influencing the body's natural pain control mechanisms. The best healthcare approaches integrate time-tested practices with contemporary scientific insights.

🔹 Sources:

• Zhang, Q., Yan, S., Furian, M., et al. (2024). Complementary and alternative therapy for pain disorders: From bench to clinical practice. Frontiers in Neurology.

• Jang, J.H., Lee, Y.J., Ha, I.H., Park, H.J. (2024). The analgesic effect of acupuncture in neuropathic pain: Regulatory mechanisms of DNA methylation in the brain. Pain Reports

2. "Maybe acupuncture is just a placebo."

That’s an interesting perspective, and I see why it makes sense on the surface.

🔹 Curious Thought: Have you ever considered how the mind-body connection influences healing? While the placebo effect is a fascinating demonstration of this connection, did you know that studies have shown acupuncture can lead to measurable changes in brain activity related to pain perception?

I would also like to add, research also shows it works very well on animals and they have no idea what the heck you are doing.

🔹 A Perspective to Consider: While the placebo effect plays a role in many treatments, acupuncture's benefits appear to extend beyond it. Functional MRI studies have demonstrated that acupuncture can modulate brain regions associated with pain processing. Doesn't it seem plausible that acupuncture engages both the mind and body in the healing process?

🔹 Sources:

• Yin, X., Zeng, X., Lin, J., et al. (2025). Brain functional changes following electroacupuncture in a mouse model of comorbid pain and depression: A resting-state functional MRI study. Journal of Integrative Medicine.

• Paksoy, Y., Güngör, Ö.F., Ünal, N. (2024). The role and importance of acupuncture in domestic animals. Livestock Studies. (This study highlights how even animals, without placebo effects, benefit from acupuncture.)

• Wang, Y., Wang, Y., Pei, F., et al. (2024). Sciatic nerve injury treated by acupuncture: A bibliometric study and visualization analysis. Frontiers in Neurology.

3. "Acupuncture is a scam—there’s no real scientific proof."

I respect the need for science-backed evidence.

🔹 Curious Thought: Would it surprise you to know that reputable institutions like the Mayo Clinic and Harvard Medical School have explored acupuncture's applications and mechanisms? There are also now acupuncture schools within mainstream colleges like the New England School of Acupuncture at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy.

🔹 A Perspective to Consider: It appears that modern medicine is increasingly recognizing acupuncture as a complementary therapy. Research has identified specific neural pathways through which acupuncture may exert anti-inflammatory effects. Might it be possible that acupuncture offers benefits that we're only beginning to understand through scientific inquiry?

🔹 Sources:

• Huang, Z., Li, S., Zhou, Y.H., et al. (2025). Research hotspots and trends in the antioxidant effects of acupuncture: A bibliometric analysis from 2003 to 2024. Complementary Therapies in Medicine.

• Fang, J., Erasmus, S., Lyu, Z., et al. (2024). Electroacupuncture mechanisms in managing preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain chronification: A review. Journal of Pain Research.

4. "I’m afraid of needles."

I completely understand, I'm no fan of hypodermic needles either and needles aren’t exactly what most people associate with relaxation.

🔹 Curious Thought: Did you know that hypodermic needles, the kind used for shots, is much wider and hollow and pushes liquid into muscle. The Japanese acupuncture needles I use are extremely thin (.14mm), the width of a human hair, are solid as opposed to hollow and do not inject anything means most people only feel the tapping of the tube and not the needle at all.

🔹 A Perspective to Consider: From my experience, many individuals find acupuncture sessions deeply relaxing, with sensations differing significantly from those of medical injections. After all, when was the last time you took a restful nap while getting a flu shot? It seems we are stuck with the word 'needle', as the European use of 'pin' is hardly better. See what I did there.

🔹 Sources:

• Wilson, C., Elliott, T., Gomez, M.M., et al. (2024). Mechanisms of auricular acupuncture in neuromodulation. Elsevier Neural Technology.

  
  

Final Thoughts

I don’t expect you to be convinced after reading this. But if anything here has sparked curiosity—if there’s even a small part of you that’s intrigued, I’d love to continue the conversation.

It seems to me that acupuncture isn’t about believing—it’s about experiencing. And I’d love for you to experience what it might be able to do for you.

📍 Curious about how acupuncture fits into your wellness journey? Let’s explore it together—schedule a consultation here.