Effects triggered in the periphery by acupuncture

The clinical effects following acupuncture stimulation can be attributed to peripheral and central effects. Histological studies have revealed that many acupuncture points have dense innervation, and are often located in direct relation to skeletal muscles, connective tissue, as well as to cells with neuro-immune-modulatory role [66], suggesting that these tissue may contribute both to the peripheral and central effects.This article is a condensed version of the chapter “Overview of sensory stimulation and mechanisms of acupuncture” written by the authors for the book MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE: A WESTERN SCIENTIFIC APPROACH, Second Edition by Filshie, Cummings, and White (Elsevier, 2015) and reprinted with permission.