Inhibiting pain with pain——A basic neuromechanism of acupuncture analgesia

(i) The structure and function of the meridian (channel and collateral) described by ancient medical doctors may correspond to the blood circulation, nerve control and neurohumoral modulation of modern medicine. (ii) The needling, which can injure the tissue, is a noxious stimulation inducing pain. Acupuncture manipulation, such as lifting and thrusting, twisting and twirling, or electroacupuncture (EA) with the sufferable biggest intensity for patients should be a stronger pain stimulation. The needling sensation of soreness, numbness, distension and heaviness is a deep pain. (iii) There is an intrinsic analgesic system in brain, which centers around the periventricular and periaqueductal grey matter, contains endorphins as possible mediators, goes through the descending inhibition system in medulla oblon-gata, and acts on the gating mechanism in spinal cord. Itcould be producing analgesia while the system is activated. (iv) NRM might be a supraspinal center modulating pain, and the R-S neurons could