International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Endorses Acupuncture — What 20,000 Patients Tell Us About Chronic Pain Relief

"Does acupuncture really work?" "Is there scientific evidence?"

Running an acupuncture clinic, we hear these questions all the time. Between sensational headlines claiming acupuncture is a miracle cure and skeptical voices dismissing it as mere placebo, it is no wonder patients feel confused.

Today, we want to share what the world's most authoritative organization in pain research has to say — based on its official fact sheet on acupuncture for pain relief.

1. What Is the IASP?

Understanding who the IASP (International Association for the Study of Pain) is will help you appreciate the weight of the information that follows.

• Founded: 1974, Washington, DC, USA

• Membership: Over 7,000 scientists and clinicians from more than 130 countries

• Mission: To define and classify pain, setting global standards for pain medicine

• Relationship with WHO: Collaborates with the World Health Organization and influences international pain management guidelines

In short, information published by the IASP represents an official position referenced by physicians and researchers worldwide.

2. The IASP Acupuncture Fact Sheet (Published 2023)

In 2023, the IASP released an official fact sheet titled "Acupuncture for Pain Relief" as part of its Global Year for Integrative Pain Care. The authors include leading acupuncture researchers from Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital — Dr. Qiufu Ma and Dr. Vitaly Napadow. The fact sheet has been translated into multiple languages including Japanese and distributed globally.

Three Core Takeaways

① Robust Pain Relief Confirmed by 39 Trials and Over 20,000 Patients

The fact sheet's central evidence comes from a large-scale individual patient data meta-analysis by the Acupuncture Trialists' Collaboration, encompassing 39 trials and 20,827 patients. Key findings:

• Real acupuncture (needling at traditional points) is significantly more effective than sham acupuncture (placebo needling)

• Sham acupuncture is significantly more effective than no treatment

• The effects persist for at least 12 months

• Conditions with confirmed evidence: chronic low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, chronic headache (including migraine and tension-type headache), and shoulder pain

② The Mechanisms of Acupuncture Pain Relief Are Scientifically Explained

• Adenosine hypothesis: Needling triggers local release of adenosine, which binds to A1 receptors to inhibit pain (Goldman, Nature Neuroscience 2010)

• Endogenous opioids: The brain releases morphine-like substances such as β-endorphin

• Vagal-adrenal axis: Low-intensity electroacupuncture activates specific sensory neurons (PROKR2-positive) to drive anti-inflammatory pathways (Liu & Ma, Nature 2021)

• Brain plasticity: fMRI studies confirm that acupuncture alters functional connectivity in pain-related brain regions

③ Few Side Effects — Suitable for Combination with Medication

NSAIDs and opioid analgesics carry well-known risks of gastrointestinal issues, dependence, and drowsiness. In contrast, acupuncture side effects are mostly mild bruising at needle sites. The fact sheet also suggests that adding acupuncture to analgesic therapy may reduce the required dosage of medication.

3. What the IASP Endorsement Covers — Pain, and That Makes Sense

Let us clarify one important point.

The IASP is, by definition, the International Association for the Study of Pain. Its fact sheet is titled "Acupuncture for Pain Relief" — meaning it focuses specifically on acupuncture for pain.

This does not mean acupuncture works only for pain. On the contrary: the fact that the world's leading pain organization has endorsed acupuncture specifically in its domain of expertise makes this endorsement all the more credible.

Beyond pain, acupuncture research is expanding rapidly. A 2025 comprehensive evidence map reviewing 862 systematic reviews and meta-analyses reported the following landscape:

Category	Conditions	Examples
Clear evidence of effectiveness	10	Chronic pain, low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, postoperative nausea and vomiting, migraine, tension-type headache, cancer-related fatigue, menopausal symptoms, female infertility, chronic prostatitis
Potential effectiveness suggested	82	Allergic rhinitis, digestive disorders, anxiety/depression, insomnia, etc.
Insufficient or unclear evidence	86	—
No effect concluded	6	—

In other words, research in areas beyond pain is actively accumulating. The IASP fact sheet simply focuses on pain because that is the organization's mandate — nothing more. What "IASP has endorsed acupuncture" truly means is: for pain, there is world-class evidence.

4. This Fact Could Expand Your Options

In Japan, an estimated 20 million people suffer from chronic pain (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare survey). Many have resigned themselves to "just keep taking painkillers."

The fact that the world's most authoritative pain organization has validated the evidence for acupuncture is information worth knowing — especially if you fall into any of these categories:

• You are concerned about long-term use of pain medication

• You have never tried acupuncture because you assumed it was "just a placebo"

• You are looking for new options because current treatments are not working well enough

Acupuncture does not work for everyone, and it is not a quick fix for acute pain — its benefits tend to accumulate gradually over multiple sessions. But as the IASP has made clear, there is solid scientific evidence that acupuncture is a viable alternative — or complement — to medication for chronic pain.

5. Summary

1. The IASP is the world's largest and most authoritative organization in pain research

2. Its official fact sheet, based on over 20,000 patients' data, confirms acupuncture's effectiveness for chronic pain

3. The analgesic mechanisms are scientifically explicable through adenosine, endogenous opioids, the vagal-adrenal axis, and other pathways

4. Side effects are minimal, making it suitable for combination with drug therapy

5. The IASP fact sheet is focused on pain by the nature of the organization; evidence for other conditions is also accumulating separately

6. While not a cure-all, acupuncture is a treatment option worth considering for chronic pain sufferers — recognized by the world's highest authority in the field

* This article is based on the IASP fact sheet "Acupuncture for Pain Relief" (published May 12, 2023, currently available on the IASP official website as of July 2025) and related literature.

References

1. IASP. Acupuncture for Pain Relief [Fact Sheet]. 2023 May 12. https://www.iasp-pain.org/resources/fact-sheets/acupuncture-for-pain-relief/

2. Vickers AJ, et al. Acupuncture for chronic pain: update of an individual patient data meta-analysis. J Pain. 2018;19(5):455-474.

3. Goldman N, et al. Adenosine A1 receptors mediate local anti-nociceptive effects of acupuncture. Nat Neurosci. 2010;13:883-888.

4. Liu S, et al. A neuroanatomical basis for electroacupuncture to drive the vagal-adrenal axis. Nature. 2021;598:641-645.

5. Yan J, et al. The state of evidence in acupuncture: a review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews of acupuncture evidence (update 2017–2022). Complement Ther Med. 2025;84:103079.

Kiyo Hari Kyudo | Offering cosmetic acupuncture, general acupuncture, and body remodeling acupuncture in Osaka　If you are struggling with chronic pain, please feel free to contact us.(c) 2026 Kiyo Hari Kyudo