Research Article
Challenges in Electroacupuncture Research: An Indispensable and Valuable Perspective for Understanding Electroacupuncture Mechanisms
Chen Yingqi
,
Yang Huayuan*
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 3, September 2025
Pages:
52-56
Received:
2 May 2025
Accepted:
17 July 2025
Published:
23 July 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijbse.20251303.11
Downloads:
Views:
Abstract: Electroacupuncture (EA) is a green therapy, including needle insertion and electrical stimulation, which has a long history, outstanding curative effect, and wide application. The electric current is brought into the acupoint body tissues through acupuncture needles, producing various bio-electrochemical or bio-electrophysical effects. The basis of these effects is the presence of bioelectricity in the human body. Examining these effects may offer many novel perspectives, ideas, and methods for studying EA, as opposed to molecular pathways. This seemingly tangible-yet-intangible phenomenon of bioelectricity may become a breakthrough in the study of acupuncture mechanism. However, research exploring EA from this perspective remains scarce, hindered by several challenges. The field demands high technical precision, interdisciplinary expertise (spanning biophysics, neurophysiology, and bioengineering), and prolonged experimental phases, which often result in preliminary findings failing to sustain long-term validation. Additionally, the rapid advancement of modern science and technology complicates consistent methodological frameworks, rendering some research directions obsolete prematurely. Despite these obstacles, a deeper investigation into bioelectrical mechanisms is indispensable for advancing EA research. Addressing these challenges will not only enrich our understanding of EA but also pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies in integrative medicine.Therefore, we must first have a preliminary understanding of the current state of research on EA from the perspective of bio-electronics.
Abstract: Electroacupuncture (EA) is a green therapy, including needle insertion and electrical stimulation, which has a long history, outstanding curative effect, and wide application. The electric current is brought into the acupoint body tissues through acupuncture needles, producing various bio-electrochemical or bio-electrophysical effects. The basis of...
Show More
