Pain is defined as a basic bodily sensation induced by noxious stimulus, received by naked nerve endings, characterized by physical pain by Merriam Webster Dictionary. This pain is one of the main reasons why people come to see an acupuncturist and Oriental Medicine practitioner. Western Sciences have been slowly but surely catching up with the ancient practice of oriental medicine.

The response inside the body to acupuncture has been studied by various medical groups for its efficacy. Through these studies doctors have found that acupuncture excites receptors or nerve fibers in the tissue that are also physiologically activated by strong muscle contractions. Both exercise and acupuncture produce rhythmic discharge in the nerve fibers, and cause the release of endogenous opioids and oxytocins essential to functional changes in different organs systems. Beta-endorphin levels, which are important in pain control have been observed to rise in the brain tissue of animals after both acupuncture and strong exercise. The knowledge gained from this is some of the reason about how and why acupuncture helps relieve pain and promote healing.