Just one session of acupuncture treatment can result in improvement in pain sensitivity for patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WAD), according to a Belgian study. In a randomised crossover pilot trial with blinded assessors, 39 patients received two treatment sessions of identical duration, with acupuncture and relaxation therapy randomly crossed over. Local pressure pain sensitivity decreased more significantly following acupuncture than with relaxation, both in the neck and at a site distinct from the painful region in the calf. These results suggest that acupuncture treatment activates endogenous analgesia in patients with chronic WAD.

Does acupuncture activate endogenous analgesia in chronic whiplash-associated disorders? A randomized crossover trial. Eur J Pain. 2012 Sep 11. doi: 10.1002/j.1532-2149.2012.00215.x