Acupuncture an Effective Treatment to Relieve Chronic Pain Ailments, study says

In spite that fact that practicing acupuncture might be more successful in treating chronic pain ailments, it also provides measurable changes in health results than previously thought. Presently, a team of researchers based at Massachusetts General Hospital published a study in the journal Brain conclude that acupuncture helped to lessen the pain of an individual with carpal tunnel syndrome by remapping the brain.

According to Medical Express, acupuncture is a medicinal therapy that started in China a few thousand years ago. But in spite of its long history, the intervention itself especially when combined with electrical stimulation, it has huge similarities to many traditional treatments, such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

The carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by a pressure of the middle nerve in the carpal passage that includes numbness, shivering, and blazing sensations, and it usually happens at night. The other less common symptoms include clumsiness of the hand, swelling or color changing, and dry skin.

Health Line reported that the study was not the first to demonstrate that acupuncture therapy can be effective for carpal tunnel syndrome. To find the profound answer to these inquiries, Napadow and colleagues performed a sham-controlled acupuncture neuroimaging study of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

After performing the said controlled acupuncture with patients who suffer from CTS and with the real acupuncture, the study shows that the real acupuncture led to measurable improvements in results in both affected wrist and brain. Napadow said that the signs the brain receive after the needle is stuck into the skin may generally "remap" the brain so it alters pain signal from the wrist.

Moreover, he added that the needle punctures at the pain point may bring the body to send additional blood to that spot and it may also help damaged nerves to heal. For individuals who might be hesitant to try this ancient Chinese treatment, Napadow said that they should consider the legitimacy of the treatment.