Scientists found that acupuncture relieves pain by triggering the release of adenosine, a natural painkilling chemical, through the twisting motion of needles that causes minor tissue damage; mice with acupuncture experienced less pain for up to an hour after treatment, but mice lacking the gene for adenosine receptors did not respond to acupuncture, challenging the view that its effects are purely placebo. The discovery provides a scientific explanation for how acupuncture can reduce inflammation and pain.

1. Acupuncture’s painkilling secret: it’s all in the twist action
Level 3 Advanced
1 Warmer
In one minute, write down as many words as you can that are related to acupuncture.
Then quickly skim the text to find out how many of your words are mentioned.
2 Key words
Find the key words in the text and write them next to their meanings. The paragraph numbers are given to
help you.
1. animal feet that are painful or uncomfortable _______________________ (two words, para 3)
2. made something happen _______________________ (para 4)
3. something that reduces inflammation _______________________ (para 4)
4. having doubts about something that other people think is true or right _______________________ (para 6)
5. to make something less painful, severe or serious _______________________ (para 7)
6. to make a problem become worse _______________________ (para 7)
7. a substance that is not medicine but that a patient who is taking it believes is medicine, and so gets
better _______________________ (para 7)
8. prevented something from happening or progressing normally _______________________ (para 8)
9. nerves, for example in your skin, that send messages to your central nervous system
_______________________ (para 10)
10. moved in a circle around a fixed central point _______________________ (para 11)
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2. Acupuncture’s painkilling secret: it’s all in the twist action
Level 3 Advanced
Acupuncture’s painkilling secret 8 “The view that acupuncture has little benefit
revealed: it’s all in the twist action beyond the placebo effect has really hampered
research into the technique,” said Maiken
Ian Sample, science correspondent
Nedergaard, a neuroscientist at the University
31 May, 2010
of Rochester medical centre in New York state,
1 Ever since Chinese doctors first poked their who led the study.
patients with sharp objects 4,000 years ago and
9 “Some people think any work in this area is
charged them for the pleasure, acupuncture has
junk research, but I think that’s wrong. I was
been shrouded in mystery.
really surprised at the arrogance of some of
2 Tradition has it that the procedure works by my colleagues. We can benefit from what has
improving the flow of qi along invisible energy been learned over many thousands of years,”
channels called meridians, but research published Nedergaard said. “I believe we’ve found the main
today points to a less mystical explanation for the mechanism by which acupuncture relieves pain.
painkilling claims of acupuncture. Adenosine is a very potent anti-inflammatory
compound and most chronic pain is caused
3 The answer, according to a team of scientists
by inflammation.”
in New York, follows an extraordinary study in
which researchers gave regular acupuncture 10 The scientists gave each mouse a sore paw by
sessions to mice with sore paws. injecting it with an inflammatory chemical. Half
of the mice lacked a gene that is needed to
4 After each half-hour session the mice felt less
make adenosine receptors, which are found on
discomfort in their paws because the needles
major nerves.
triggered the release of a natural painkiller,
the researchers say. The needles caused 11 The therapy session involved inserting a fine
tissue damage that stimulated cells to produce needle into an acupuncture point in the knee
adenosine, an anti-inflammatory chemical, that above each mouse’s sore foot. In keeping with
was effective for up to an hour after the therapy traditional practice, the needles were rotated
was over. periodically throughout the half-hour session.
5 Modern acupuncture involves inserting fine 12 To measure how effective the acupuncture was,
needles into the skin at specific points around the the researchers recorded how quickly each
body. The needles are pushed in a few millimetres mouse pulled its sore paw away from a small,
and then heated, twisted or even electrified to bristly brush. The more pain the mice were in,
produce their claimed medical effects. the faster they pulled away.
6 Acupuncture has spread around the world since 13 Writing in the journal Nature Neuroscience,
originating in China, but conventional western Nedergaard’s team describes how acupuncture
medicine has remained steadfastly sceptical. reduced pain by two-thirds in normal mice, but
Although there is now good evidence that had no effect on the discomfort of mice that
acupuncture can relieve pain, many of the other lacked the adenosine receptor gene. Without
health benefits acupuncturists claim are on adenosine receptors, the mice were unable to
shakier ground. respond to the adenosine released when cells
were damaged by acupuncture needles.
7 The latest research gives doctors a sound
explanation of how sticking needles into the skin 14 Acupuncture had no effect in either group of
can alleviate, rather than exacerbate, pain. The mice if the needles were not rotated, suggesting
discovery will challenge the view, widely held that the tissues had to be physically damaged to
among scientists, that any benefits a patient release adenosine. Nedergaard said that twisting
feels after acupuncture are due purely to the the needles seems to cause enough damage to
placebo effect. make cells release the painkilling chemical.
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NEWS LESSONS / Acupuncture’s painkilling secret: it’s all in the twist action / Advanced
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3. Acupuncture’s painkilling secret: it’s all in the twist action
Level 3 Advanced
This is then picked up by adenosine receptors it has not been understood completely, many
on nearby nerves, which react by damping people have remained sceptical.”
down pain. Further tests on the mice revealed
17 Although the study explains how acupuncture
that levels of adenosine increased 24-times in
can alleviate pain, it does not explain the
the tissues around the acupuncture needles
other health benefits that some practitioners
during and immediately after each session.
believe the procedure can achieve. Josephine
15 One of the longstanding mysteries surrounding Briggs, the director of the national centre for
acupuncture is why the technique only seems to complementary and alternative medicine at
alleviate pain if needles are inserted at specific the US National Institutes of Health, said, “It’s
points. Nedergaard believes that most of these clear that acupuncture may activate a number
acupuncture points are along major nerve tracks of different mechanisms … It’s an interesting
and, as such, are parts of the body that have contribution to our growing understanding of
plenty of adenosine receptors. acupuncture.”
16 “There is an attitude among some researchers © Guardian News & Media 2010
that studying alternative medicine is First published in The Guardian, 31/05/2010
unfashionable,” said Nedergaard. “Because
3 Comprehension check: Describing a process
Make notes about the experiment described in the article. Use the passive form in your notes about
the stages.
The experiment:
Purpose of the experiment:
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Conclusions of the experiment:
1.
2.
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NEWS LESSONS / Acupuncture’s painkilling secret: it’s all in the twist action / Advanced
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4. Acupuncture’s painkilling secret: it’s all in the twist action
Level 3 Advanced
4 Language: Therapies and practitioners
Complete the table with the names of the practitioners trained in each therapy. You may use a dictionary or
the internet.
name of therapy name of practitioner
1. acupuncture
2. phytotherapy (herbalism)
3. homeopathy
4. massage
5. reflexology
6. aromatherapy
7. hypnosis
8. naturopathy
9. chiropractic
5 Discussion
Which of the therapies and treatments above are available in your country/area?
Does your health insurance cover the cost of any of them?
Which of the above practitioners would you consider going to?
6 Webquest
Look on the internet for acupuncturists in your area/country. What services do they offer? What are
their fees?
Watch a video and read more about acupuncture on these websites:
The British Acupuncture Council
http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/index.php
(This website includes an excellent short video introduction to acupuncture.)
The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture
http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/
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NEWS LESSONS / Acupuncture’s painkilling secret: it’s all in the twist action / Advanced
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5. Acupuncture’s painkilling secret: it’s all in the twist action
Level 3 Advanced
KEY
2 Key words on the discomfort of mice that lacked the adenosine
receptor gene.
1. sore paws 2. Acupuncture had no effect in either group of mice
2. triggered if the needles were not rotated. This suggested that
3. anti-inflammatory the tissues had to be physically damaged to
4. sceptical release adenosine.
5. alleviate
6. exacerbate
7. placebo 4 Language: Therapies and practitioners
8. hampered
9. receptors name of therapy name of practitioner
10. rotated 1. acupuncture acupuncturist
2. phytotherapy phytotherapist /
(herbalism) herbalist
Teacher’s notes 3. homeopathy homeopath /
homeopathic
Adenosine
practitioner
Adenosine plays an important role in biochemical
4. massage masseur
processes, such as energy transfer, as well as in signal
5. reflexology reflexologist
transduction. It is also an inhibitory neurotransmitter.
(www.wikipedia.com) 6. aromatherapy aromatherapist
7. hypnosis hypnotist
8. naturopathy naturopath /
3 Comprehension check: Describing naturopathic
a process practitionerer
9. chiropractic chiropractor
Purpose of the experiment: to check the painkilling
claims of acupuncture
Stage 1: Mice were given sore paws by scientists
who injected them with an inflammatory chemical.
Half the mice lacked a gene that is needed to make
adenosine receptors.
Stage 2: Fine needles were then inserted into an
acupuncture point above each mouse’s sore paw. The
needles were rotated periodically.
Stage 3: To measure how effective the acupuncture
was, the researchers recorded how quickly each mouse
pulled its sore paw away from a small, bristly brush.
Conclusions of the experiment:
1. The scientists discovered that acupuncture reduced
pain by two-thirds in normal mice, but had no effect
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NEWS LESSONS / Acupuncture’s painkilling secret: it’s all in the twist action / Advanced
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