This paper proposes that fascia is the biological structure that explains how acupuncture works, linking modern science with traditional principles.
In light of the recent results consistently produced by meta-analyses of clinical acupuncture studies, acupuncturists have been challenged to re-evaluate the principles of acupuncture practice. This paper reconsiders acupuncture, positing that the fascia is the mechanism of action of acupuncture therapy. Acupuncture is defined behaviorally, and recent research findings related to the form and function of the fascia are applied to explain the mechanism of action of acupuncture therapy. Acupuncture is then viewed from a historical perspective, and fundamental principles of acupuncture therapy are reconsidered in terms of the fascia model. A conception of acupuncture emerges that is linked to a renewed understanding of ancient acupuncture principles and is characterized by a return to diagnosis and treatment rooted in skilled palpation.
The first episode of the English podcast “The Fascia Guide”. The Fascia Guide is a podcast about the living body, about new research and a new perspective on health, pain and what…
The episode was first published on the Swedish podcast Fasciaguiden on June 5, 2025. In this thought-provoking conversation, we meet Dr. Neil Theise — liver pathologist, fascia re…