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Bob, you wrote (snip)> Thus, it is believed that acupuncture > leads to pain relief by the stimulation of the release of the > endogenous > pain-relievers (endorphins) inside our brains. > > The above is not "gospel" yet, but it is a strong hypothesis. > This is fascinating. I have wonderful experiences with endorphins as a former marathon runner. After 4 to 8 miles of running I would experience a "high" beyond anything alcohol ever provided, and even beyond the effects of my limited experiences with drugs (such as a big needle full of morphine I got for a kidney stone). Several time during marathons I developed bleeding foot blisters, but never noticed them till long after finishing the run. We know that aerobic activity triggers the release of these very nifty chemicals, probably related to the time when survival depended upon the ability to happily run longer than whatever was chasing us, and these folks were bare foot. But why would a needle in a few very specific points on our anatomy trigger brain chemical release? Do we have a hypothesis that includes the reason these needles stimulate the release? Do our scientist give any credence to the notion of pathways of energy (or whatever the acupuncturists believe)? Regards, Chuck