J Gen Psychol. 1989 Jul; 116(3): 247-58.

Acupuncture and emotion: the influence of acupuncture anesthesia on the sensory and emotional components of pain.

Yang ZL, Cai TW, Wu JL.

Department of Psychology, East China Normal University, First People's Hospital of Shanghai.

Objective indices (heart rate, perspiration quantity, finger plethysmograph curves, and facial expression) and subjective indices (sensory and emotional subject reports) were recorded for 25 young Chinese adults (16 men, 9 women) during and after the simultaneous application of a strong pain stimulus and either foot classical (alloneural points Tsusanli and Yanglingchuan) or hand classical (alloneural points Hegu and Neiguan) acupuncture. Both forms of acupuncture were equally effective, showing that stimulation of the same nerve is not essential for pain relief. Acupuncture assuaged the emotional, but not the sensory, response to the painful stimulation.