Huberman: Electroacupuncture for Pain and Inflammation, Mechanisms
Kristen Sparrow • January 31, 2025
The results are in, acupuncture relieves pain. Andrew Huberman lays out the truth and mechanisms. He also reveals ways to improve brain health and acute injuries. Transcript below! This study and similar are discussed.
A friend took a trekking vacation in the sky high peaks Maccu Piccu last year. Coming back down the mountain, she fell and hurt her ribs. She made back to her hotel and was in pain, but was determined to get the most out of her vacation, so she did her planned hike the next day. As she was coming back down, the pain in her ribs erupted out of control. She frantically ended up going to the hospital and was diagnosed with 2 cracked ribs. She had a horrible, hair raising time via bus, train and plane getting back home to NYC in unspeakable pain. I couldn’t believe she was even able to do it. But the question is, why in the world was she able to do the hike the next day after her fall? Why was she able to “put off” the pain?? We’ve all heard stories of athletes or soldiers or mothers with their child under threat, able to do superhuman feats even in the face of serious injury. On the other hand, perhaps you also know of people who have excruciating pain and yet very little in the way of any visible injury by exray or exam. This is the vexing mystery of pain. (189)
In this episode, Huberman explains why Pain is not at all simple. I will add it is one of the very best examples that our medical model of Man as Machine is NOT adequate. Huberman in this video, gives tips on tips from traumatic brain injury, which may help even healthy brains stay young. Huberman discusses inflammation and how best to treat a recent injury. Huberman lays out the stunning science behind electroacupuncture and it’s astonishing powers to lessen pain and lower inflammation. Surprising fact? In medicine pain receptors are not called pain receptors, rather they’re called nociceptors because of this complicated, unexpected nonlinear reality of pain means that just because the nociceptor is triggered does not mean that the person is in pain. 108
The basics of the pain puzzle is that it involves circuits from the skin to the spine to the brain and back. At each step, the pain can be interrupted or modified, this is where adrenaline kicks in as with the athletes, soldiers, mothers and my friend in Peru. It overrides the pain signal in the brain so that ancient survival instincts kick in and the person is able to function. Surprising fact? Huberman says that some people actually ARE more sensitive to pain, because they have MORE pain or nociceptor than average. I’ve noticed this in the clinic and call them “my delicate flowers!”
Huberman talks about traumatic brain injury and how there are substances that build up in the brain and need to be cleansed, the brain repaired. This is accomplished by the glymphatic system that cleans and repairs the brain. 3 things can enhance this clean up by the glympatic system. One is to sleep on your side. Two is to get Zone 2 exercise (difficult enough to strain, but where you’re still able to talk), and three is deep sleep. (I will add that sleeping on your right side increases vagal activity, so that might be extra helpful.) I have resources for increasing your deep sleep in the details. Surprising fact? These interventions may help even healthy brains have a robust and long life. 121
Huberman repeatedly emphasizes that acute inflammation is not bad! It is necessary for healing acute injuries! The hallmarks of the short term inflammation we are taught in medical school is tumor, rubor, calor, and dolor, or swelling, redness, heat and pain. But this acute inflammation can flare out of control and that’s where our immune system comes in. It dampens the inflammation through activating the vagus nerve which turns off the inflammatory messengers and stimulates anti-inflammatory messengers. Surprising fact? It turns out that acupuncture triggers this anti-inflammatory system by stimulating the vagus which acts on the adrenal gland to release dopamine which inhibits the inflammatory messengers. So acupuncture is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. Put first clip in here. Followed by second clip followed by third clip
When inflammation becomes chronic, it becomes a problem. It’s like a fire swept through and left burning embers emitting smoke and toxins in to the system. Chronic inflammation contributes to all the big killers such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Cancer. It also contributes to mood disorders. Surprising fact? Inflammation is tightly linked to stress levels, so learn ways to lower your stress, resources in the details.
One final vindicating detail from the video, physical therapists now are in agreement with Traditional Chinese Medicine in that, heat is better than cold for healing an injury. Chinese medicine has long held that heat is more healing because it helps with movement of the energy and blood and keeps their stagnation at bay, which is the cause of pain. Huberman says that therapists are moving away from icing which can cause clotting and sludging of tissues, and advocates heat which decreases viscosity and increases circulation to help healing just like the ancient chinese doctors always taught! Thanks for watching and Please check out my channel, website and blog for health and above all longevity tips. Always science backed, actionable, and don’t require a prescription! Like and Subscribe!
