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Eva Plazas

When we insert an acupuncture needle, we are not “touching an abstract energy”, but activating a very specific and complex physiological response in the body. Different tissues and systems (nervous, vascular, connective, etc.) respond in an integrated way to help the body regain balance.

 

The first to respond: connective tissue and fascia

The first level of response occurs right where the needle enters: the skin and the surrounding connective tissue. When we gently manipulate the needle (rotating it, applying a slight upward or downward traction), a mechanical deformation of the fascia is produced, this continuous network of connective tissue that runs throughout the body.

The fascia transmits forces and information between different areas of the body.
This deformation triggers mechanotransduction processes, meaning that the body translates a mechanical stimulus (the needle’s pressure) into biochemical and electrical signals.

In other words, a needle inserted at a specific point can generate responses in more distant areas thanks to this fascial network that interconnects the whole body.

 

Bioelectricity: self-regulating microfields

Our body is bioelectric: there are currents and differences in electrical potential that regulate processes such as wound healing, regeneration, and cellular organization. Several studies have shown the existence of continuous electrical currents in tissues, related to their ability to repair and reorganize themselves.

When we stimulate an acupuncture point:

• The local electrical potential of the tissue is modified.

• Voltage gradients change and intracellular signaling pathways are activated.

This suggests that acupuncture may act as a modulator of the tissues’ electrical microfields, helping the area recover a more balanced function.

 

Nervous system: from skin to brain

In the area where we insert the needle, there is a wide variety of nerve endings: A-delta fibers, C fibers, mechanical receptors, and nociceptors (related to pain perception). When the needle stimulates them, these signals travel to the spinal cord and from there to different areas of the central nervous system.

This pathway explains several well-known effects of acupuncture:

• Release of endorphins and other neurotransmitters involved in pain modulation.

• Regulation of the autonomic nervous system (balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic), with impact on heart rate, breathing, digestion, muscle tone, and more.

This is why a needle placed at a point seemingly far from the symptom (for example, on the foot for a headache) can have global effects on the body.

 

Microcirculation and nitric oxide: improving blood flow

Another key mechanism is the modulation of microcirculation. Several studies have observed that, after stimulation of an acupuncture point, the production of nitric oxide in the area increases.

Nitric oxide:

• Induces vasodilation (it opens small blood vessels).

• Improves the supply of oxygen and nutrients to tissues and facilitates the removal of metabolic waste products.

From the perspective of Chinese Medicine, these changes can be linked to the improvement of the “circulation of Qi and Blood” in the area.

The interstitium: a fluid network connecting the whole body
In recent years, the interstitium has been described as a network of fluid-filled spaces within connective tissue that acts as an internal communication system in the body. Through these spaces, substances, cells, and signals circulate, coordinating responses between different structures.

The insertion of an acupuncture needle at one point:

• Can influence the dynamics of this interstitial fluid.

• Can modulate how cells “communicate” with each other and how they organize functionally.

This fits with the holistic view of TCM, where the meridians describe pathways of communication and interconnection between organs and tissues.

 

Piezoelectricity: when movement generates electricity

Connective tissue has piezoelectric properties: when it is mechanically deformed, it generates electrical charges and signals. When we insert and manipulate a needle:

• There is not only a mechanical stimulus, but also the generation of local electrical signals.

• These signals can participate in modulating tissue repair and reorganization processes.

This reinforces the idea that a seemingly simple gesture (inserting and gently moving a needle) can release blockages and reorganize responses at different levels.

 

Changes in temperature and metabolic activity

Using techniques such as infrared thermography, temperature changes have been observed in the areas where acupuncture is applied. These changes reflect modifications in blood flow, metabolism, and tissue activity.

Although research in this field is still ongoing, these results provide further evidence that needle insertion at an acupuncture point produces measurable physiological responses, beyond the patient’s subjective perception.

 

A global response, not a single mechanism

To understand what happens when we stimulate an acupuncture point, we must think in terms of a network of processes, not a simple linear cause–effect chain. Several phenomena are set in motion at the same time:

• Mechanical deformation of tissue and fascia.

• Bioelectric and piezoelectric signals.

• Nervous system responses, neurotransmitter release, and pain modulation.

• Changes in microcirculation and local metabolism.

The sum of these processes creates an integrated response that helps the body reorganize and regain its functional balance.

 

Reinterpreting Qi from modern physiology

From this perspective, Qi can be understood as a way of describing, in traditional language, the dynamic integration of all these biological processes. It is not a “mysterious substance”, but rather a model for talking about the body’s capacity to communicate, adapt, and self-regulate.

Acupuncture can thus be seen as a tool that modulates complex systems, acting simultaneously at mechanical, electrical, nervous, vascular, and biochemical levels. The ultimate goal remains the same as that proposed by Classical Chinese Medicine: helping the organism return to a state of inner harmony and coherence.

References:

1. Fundación Europea de MTCI / Escuela Superior de Medicina Tradicional China (ESMTC). “Cuando estimulamos un punto de acupuntura: fundamentos fisiológicos de una respuesta integrada”. Blog ESMTC.

2. Fundación Europea de MTCI. “Descubrimiento revelador sobre los puntos de acupuntura: una inmersión profunda en su microanatomía”. Newsletter MTC.

3. Collazo Chao, E. et al. “Fundamentos actuales de la terapia acupuntural”. Revista de la Sociedad Española del Dolor.

4. Oschman, J. L. Medicina energética: la base científica