SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE
Bibliography — Medical Acupuncture
A. Overall Effectiveness: Meta-analyses & Systematic Reviews
- 1. Vickers AJ, Cronin AM, Maschino AC, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2012;172(19):1444-1453.
- 2. Vickers AJ, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis. The Journal of Pain. 2018;19(5):455-474.
- 3. Tang X, et al. Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Frontiers in Medicine. 2022;9:1003457.
B. Neuroimaging & Central Neuromodulation
- 4. Hui KK, et al. Acupuncture modulates the limbic system and subcortical gray structures of the human brain: evidence from fMRI studies in normal subjects. Human Brain Mapping. 2000;9(1):13-25.
- 5. Napadow V, et al. Hypothalamus and amygdala response to acupuncture stimuli in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Pain. 2007;130(3):254-266.
- 6. Zhang Y, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: The Role of Central Sensitization and Its Modulation. Journal of Pain Research. 2023;16:1541-1554.
C. Endogenous Opioids & Biochemical Mechanisms
- 7. Liu S, Wang Z, Su Y, et al. A neuroanatomical basis for electroacupuncture to drive the vagal–adrenal axis. Nature. 2021;598(7882):641-645.
- 8. Han JS. Acupuncture: neuropeptide release as a function of frequency. Trends in Neurosciences. 2003;26(1):17-22.
- 9. Goldman N, Chen M, Fujita T, et al. Adenosine A1 receptors mediate local anti-nociceptive effects of acupuncture. Nature Neuroscience. 2010;13(7):883-888.
- 10. Zhao ZQ. Neural mechanism underlying acupuncture analgesia. Progress in Neurobiology. 2008;85(4):355-375.
D. Chronic Low Back Pain – Osteoarthritis – Myofascial Pain
- 11. Fan Y, et al. Acupuncture for low back pain: an overview of systematic reviews. BMJ Open. 2020;10(6):e033648.
- 12. Chou LW, et al. Needling therapies in the management of myofascial trigger points: current perspectives. Journal of Pain Research. 2012;5:441-446.
- 13. MacPherson H, Vertosick EA, Foster NE, et al. The persistence of the effects of acupuncture after a course of treatment: a meta-analysis of patients with chronic pain. Pain. 2017;158(5):784-793.
- 14. DeBar LL, Wellman RD, Justice M, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open. 2025;8(9):e2531348.
E. Local Microcirculation & Inflammation
- 15. Torres-Rosas R, et al. Dopamine mediates vagal modulation of the immune system by electroacupuncture. Nature Medicine. 2014;20(3):291-295.
F. Safety & Official Clinical Guidelines
- 16. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Chronic pain (primary and secondary) in over 16s: assessment of all chronic pain and management of chronic primary pain. NICE guideline NG193. 2021.
- 17. Witt CM, Pach D, Brinkhaus B, et al. Safety of acupuncture: results of a prospective observational study with 229,230 patients and introduction of a medical information and consent form. Forschende Komplementärmedizin. 2009;16(2):91-97.