Acupuncture: A Natural Reset for Pain-Free Playing

January 1, 2025

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Overuse injuries are the most common among musicians. The pain does not come on immediately, but may occur an hour or so into practice or during a performance. This means that many musicians are playing through the pain. When playing is increased or if practice sessions go on for too long—with insufficient rest in between—tissue tends to break down at a faster rate than it can be repaired. And that’s when rest and pain medication may not be enough.

In recent decades, acupuncture has been increasingly embraced in Western medicine as a potential treatment for inflammation and pain. Acupuncture points, or pressure points, trigger the central nervous system to release chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes can stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities. In this age-old treatment, a component of ancient Chinese medicine, it’s believed that chi is a vital life energy that flows throughout nerve chains called meridians. If the flow of chi is uninterrupted, health is maintained. If there is an interruption of flow, pain and other health problems can result. By inserting acupuncture needles at certain points throughout the body (acupoints) along the meridians, the interrupting blockage can be dispersed, allowing chi to flow freely and optimal health restored.

Yin and Yang

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a system of healthcare that has evolved over thousands of years to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. Chi can be blocked, causing imbalance between yin and yang—which refers to two opposite but connected principles in Chinese philosophy. TCM uses many approaches to create harmony between yin and yang and restore correct flow of energy through the meridians. The human body has more than 2,000 acupuncture points linked through the various meridians. The use of acupuncture on specific points within the meridians improves the flow of blocked or stagnant chi.

The Procedure

Acupuncture is done using hair-thin needles at pressure points. Needles are only inserted to a point that causes a feeling of pressure or slight ache. Needles may be heated during the treatment. Mild electric current may also be applied to the needles. Some people say acupuncture makes them feel energized; others say they feel relaxed.

Acupuncture needles help the circulation and release of natural pain relievers called endorphins—chemicals or hormones in modern nomenclature—the same chemicals released during pleasurable activities such as exercise and eating, for example. Endorphins help promote a sense of calm and relaxation and improve one’s sense of well-being. Placed at strategic pressure points throughout the body, the needles stimulate the brain via nerve fibers, which travel more quickly than pain fibers, allowing the brain to process the signal from the acupuncture treatment first, and second, to ward off pain. When muscles are in spasm and have knots—as in overuse-type injuries—they can sometimes be too tender or inflamed to treat with other methods. Acupuncture provides a more gradual and painless release that more aggressive techniques may initially make worse. Today, acupuncture is mainly a supplemental therapy. But, scientific studies have confirmed its effectiveness for many conditions.

In the care of a highly trained, certified acupuncture practitioner, the risks are low. Common side effects include soreness and minor bruising where the needles have been inserted. (Single-use, disposable needles are now the practice standard, so the risk of infection is minimal.) Incorrect needle placement can cause more pain during treatment in an otherwise a relatively painless procedure. The FDA regulates acupuncture needles just as it does other medical devices.

Acupuncture’s Anti-inflammatory Response

Scientific research has shown that acupuncture may be helpful for several pain conditions, including back or neck pain, knee pain associated with osteoarthritis, and postoperative pain. A team of researchers led by neuroscientists at Harvard Medical School elucidated the underlying neuroanatomy of acupuncture that activates a specific signaling pathway.

According to the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), it may also help relieve joint pain associated with the use of aromatase inhibitors (drugs used in treating those with breast cancer). An analysis of data from 20 studies and 6,376 participants with painful conditions (back pain, osteoarthritis, neck pain, or headaches) showed that the beneficial effects of acupuncture continued for a year after the end of treatment for all conditions, except neck pain.

In addition to pain conditions, acupuncture has also been studied for at least 50 other health problems. Evidence supports acupuncture in treating seasonal allergy symptoms, stress incontinence in women, and nausea and vomiting associated with cancer treatment. It may also help relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life in people with asthma, though it has not been shown to improve lung function.

Choosing a Practitioner

So, when should a musician seek out an acupuncturist? Depending on the condition and individual, acupuncture may or may not be the first choice of treatment. If pain medications, physical therapy, and other methods are no longer working for chronic or arthritic conditions, or if there is a new condition involving muscle spasms, joint pain, and tenderness that other treatment methods could aggravate, acupuncture is a sound alternative.

If you’re considering acupuncture, take the same steps that you would in choosing a doctor:

• Ask a trusted source for recommendations.
• Confirm the practitioner’s training and credentials. Most states require that non-physician acupuncturists pass an exam conducted by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
• Interview the practitioner. Ask what’s involved in the treatment, how likely it is to help your condition, and how much it will cost. Requirements for licensing vary from state to state.
• To learn more about the licensing of acupuncturists and other complementary health practitioners, visit the National Institutes of Health’s NCCIH webpage at: www.nccih.nih.gov/health/credentialing-licensing-and-education.

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