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Source: US News
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/articles/2015/03/24/east-meets-west-treating-infertility-with-acupuncture-and-modern-medicine
The ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture is fast-becoming an accepted supplement to modern-day assisted reproductive technology that helps infertile couples become parents.
“More doctors are open to referring patients to complementary medicine for their reproductive health as well as for their emotional well-being,” says Mimi Baker, a licensed acupuncturist in Princeton, New Jersey, who practices traditional Chinese medicine and works in conjunction with fertility experts.
Dr. Frederick L. Licciardi, a professor at the NYU Langone Fertility Center, where he directs the Fertility Wellness Program, says more women are seeking ancillary services while they pursue fertility treatments. The program offers acupuncture, yoga, psychological services, nutrition and mind-body classes.
“Women and couples face many pressures when they are undergoing fertility treatment. Anything we can do to promote their emotional well-being and make the process easier so they can continue with their treatment is beneficial,” says Licciardi, a reproductive endocrinologist and co-founder of the fertility center.
About 7.4 million women of childbearing age have used infertility services, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Assisted reproductive techniques include medication, artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization, which involves the transfer of an embryo created in a laboratory dish to the uterus.
An ancient form of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture involves the painless placement of ultrathin needles into strategic points on the body to balance Qi (pronounced chee) – a form of “life energy” believed to flow throughout the body. A blocked Qi can lead to physical and emotional illness.
“Acupuncture helps to stimulate the body’s own healing mechanism,” says Baker, who is treating an increasing number of women in their mid-30s to early 40s.
Experts believe acupuncture can increase blood flow to the pelvic area (which could help with embryo implantation), regulate the menstrual cycle, trigger ovulation and reduce the side effects of medications associated with assisted reproductive technology. It also increases the release of endorphins, the body’s mood-enhancing hormone that reduces stress and relieves pain.
“A lot of good hormonal things happen when people are deeply relaxed,” says Steve Blumenthal, a licensed acupuncturist with the Green Hills Natural Health Clinic in Nashville, Tennessee, and a fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine. Women with fertility issues represent about 70 percent of his practice.
Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1441-acupuncture-improves-circulation
Acupuncture significantly enhances peripheral blood flow. Photoplethysmography results published in Electron Devices and Solid-State Circuits demonstrates that acupuncture induces “significant elevation of peripheral blood flow.” The research team making this discovery notes that a prior investigation using single-channel photoplethysmography demonstrates that acupuncture enhances “local microvascular blood flow in tissue surrounding Zusanli after acupuncture at that site.” The new research takes the investigation another step further. Using multi-channel photoplethysmography, the researchers demonstrate that needling acupuncture point ST36 (Zusanli) induces “significant elevations in whole body peripheral blood flow and parasympathetic activities after acupuncture at Zusanli.”
The ancient principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) posit acupuncture as a means to regulate qi and blood flow throughout the body through a transporting network of meridians and acupuncture points along those meridians. The researchers note that the study “reinforces the theory of traditional Chinese medicine….” The researchers measured acupuncture’s ability to induce “significant elevations in peripheral blood flow over the upper and lower limbs during and after acupuncture.” Based on the findings, the researchers conclude that “the results of this study support the theory of Chinese medicine that acupuncture at Zusanli augments systemic gastrointestinal and circulatory functions.”
The researchers provide background concerning the need for this investigation. In 1996, the World Health Organization (WHO) denoted that acupuncture is beneficial in the treatment of 64 conditions including those involving pain, psychiatric concerns, neurological disorders, digestive imbalances, respiratory disorders, dermatological conditions, and gynecological diseases. They add that in Taiwan, acupuncture is commonly used for the treatment of many conditions including “stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, Bell’s palsy, carpal tunnel syndrome, and headache.” The study was designed to clarify the mechanisms by which acupuncture exerts its effective actions.
About The Point
Acupuncture point ST36 is located on the lower leg. According to TCM principles, it is a he-sea, earth, lower he-sea of the stomach, and sea of nourishment point. It is also a Gao Wu command point and a Ma Dan-yang heavenly star point. ST36 functions to order the spleen and stomach, regulate qi and blood, and strengthen weak and deficient conditions. Traditional indications for using ST36 include: gastrointestinal pain, emesis, abdominal distention, diarrhea or constipation, mastitis, abscessed breast, enteritis, gastritis, edema, asthma, anemia, lassitude, exhaustion, indigestion, hemiplegia, mania, and neurasthenia.
Equipment
Photoplethysmography is a non-invasive optical technique used to measure blood volume changes in microvascular beds. The researchers used an eight-channel photoplethysmography device made by the Lite-On Electronics Company. High and low-pass filters with cutoff frequencies of 0.48 – 10 Hz were implemented. The signals were processed by a USB-6210 DAQ analog to digital converter made by National Instruments (Austin, Texas). A computer was used to store the data and perform waveform monitoring and analysis.
Source: WMDT TV
http://www.wmdt.com/news/more-local-news/acupuncture-a-cure-for-allergies/31973882
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that targets focal points on the skin using needles. It’s commonly used as a holistic approach to alleviating pain, and now allergies by stimulating the nervous system.
Mark Stoehr, a licensed acupuncturist says, “It can also help modulate the whole histamine response with allergies. It helps you not be as itchy or not have as much of a runny nose.”
Acupuncture essentially activates the immune system where allergic reactions start. Mark Stoehr has been practicing acupuncture since 2009 and has felt the results of it himself.
He used to suffer from severe headaches back in college. Acupuncture basically changed his life, but each patient is on their own timeline.
Stoehr goes on, “Some people get immediate relief, and it can take a little while.”
I decided to give it a shot. I’ve suffered from hay fever my entire life. I explained my symptoms to Stoehr, “I wake up and it never fails. Sneezing automatically, congested, I can’t go back to sleep.”
Armed with that information, and needles, Stoehr targeted focal points to help with sneezing and congestion. Those points happen to be on the face.
He also put a few needles in my hands to access acupuncture meridians. Meridians are pathways that stem from the hand and influence symptoms in the head.
I may or may not be cured of my allergy issues, but some people have. In a study published by the American Journal of Chinese medicine, 26 out of 26 hay fever patients reported reduced symptoms after acupuncture, without any side effects.
Stoehr says allergy relief is not one size fits all. Acupuncture may work for some and not for others. However, Stoehr says one method that should help most people is a change in diet.
Avoiding foods heavy in diary will decrease mucus which is a big help for people suffering from severe allergies.
Source: Metro News
http://metronews.ca/news/world/1310680/video-clinic-treats-injured-owls-with-acupuncture/
Spain’s only bird of prey rehabilitation centre, Brinzal, is pinning credit on acupuncture for their success in returning raptors to the air.
“Wild animals react very quickly because they are not as contaminated as we are by medicine or eating habits,” according to veterinarian Edurne Cornejo. “It is as if you just have to push the right button, and there you go.”
The ancient healing technique relies on pins being pushed into specific pressure points and has been touted as a cure for all manner of ailments for centuries.
The clinic’s feathered patients are often “adopted” by the people who found them, who then receive regular updates on the animal’s recovery as well as an invitation to the marquee event: watching the animal take to the skies after its fully healed.
Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1440-acupuncture-herbs-relieve-arthritis-and-diabetes
Research finds acupuncture combined with herbal medicine effective for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Acupuncture combined with the herbal formula Dang Gui Si Ni Tang resulted in a total effective rate of 93.75%. The research demonstrates that acupuncture combined with the herbal formula has a “significant curative effect on rheumatoid arthritis….” While these findings are hopeful, the 93.75% total effective rate represents all clinically significant improvements and does not represent a cure rate.
Dang Gui Si Ni Tang, translated as Angelica Decoction for Frigid Extremities, is a Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal formula included in the Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders), written in 220 CE. In the book, the herbal formulation is recommended for patients with a sensation of chilled hands and feet combined with a small and weak pulse, which is attributed to an external weakness of yang.
Dang Gui Si Ni Tang is categorized as an herbal formula that warms the channels and disperses cold. The formula warms the channels, expels the cold, nourishes the blood, and invigorates blood stasis. Dang Gui Si Ni Tang contains:
Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis)
Gui Zhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi)
Shao Yao (Radix Paeoniae)
Xi Xin (Herba Asari)
Zhi Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata)
Mu Tong (Akebiae Caulis)
Da Zao (Fructus Jujubae)
Another study investigated Dan Gui Si Ni Tang’s therapeutic effects for diabetics. Patients with diabetic foot ulcers due to blood stasis or kidney yang deficiency were randomized into an herbal group and a drug group. The randomized-controlled trial selected patients from the Maoming Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. The treatment group received a modified version of Dang Gui Si Ni Tang and the control group received treatment with cilostazol, a quinolinone derivative used to relieve symptoms due to peripheral vascular disease.
Both the herbal formula group and the drug group demonstrated significant therapeutic effects. The researchers concluded that Dang Gui Si Ni Tang is effective for reducing symptoms due to diabetic foot ulcers. In addition, the herbal formula outperformed the drug group in the reduction of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs are substances that worsen diabetes and other degenerative diseases including atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. AGEs are involved in oxidative damage and show evidence of causing blood vessel pathologies in diabetics. At the end of the study, the level of AGEs in the Dang Gui Si Ni Tang group was lower than the level in the drug group. This indicates that the herbal formula is more effective in lowering concentrations of these harmful compounds than the drug. Gan Cao is licorice.
In related research, Chen et al. conclude that Dang Gui Si Ni Tang ameliorates myelosuppression. This is a condition often caused by chemotherapy toxicity wherein there is a decrease in production of immunity related cells including leukocytes, erythrocytes, and thrombocytes. The research indicates that the herbal formula may potentially relieve these harmful adverse effects of cancer treatment.
The researchers note, “Our results demonstrated that DSD (Dang Gui Si Ni Tang) could significantly elevate the level of bone marrow hematopoietic stem progenitor cells in myelosuppression mice model.” They add that Dang Gui Si Ni Tang “accelerated cell proliferation by switching cell cycles from G0/G1 phase to S and G2/M phase.” The researchers note that Dang Gui Si Ni Tang also “significantly elevated the mRNA expression level of TPO (thrombopoietin)….” The research team concludes that Dang Gui Si Ni Tang “is highly potent to ameliorate myelosuppression induced by chemotherapy by upregulating TPO expression.”
Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1439-acupuncture-benefits-sleep-reduces-stress
Acupuncture successfully improves sleep quality and reduces both stress and depression in the elderly. Published in Neuroscience Letters, researchers made this determination based on a randomized, placebo-controlled study. The researchers note that “the rigorous methodology employed in this study ensured the reliability of the results concerning the improved sleep quality and relaxation effects involved with acupuncture during aging.”
Acupuncture significantly improved the Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI) scores, indicating substantial sleep quality improvements. In addition, beck depression inventory (BDI) and the perceived stress scale (PSS) measures demonstrated significant clinical improvements. True acupuncture demonstrated significant positive patient outcomes for improvements in sleep quality and reduction of both depression and stress. The researchers note, “No significant changes were observed in the placebo group.” The researchers add that the strict controls employed during the study “demonstrate the real effects of acupuncture.”
Acupuncture was applied to elderly patients in a hospital outpatient setting. Licensed acupuncturists applied the acupuncture needles while patients rested in a supine position on a stretcher. Acupuncture was applied at a rate of twice per week for a total of 25 minutes of needle retention time per treatment session. Each patient received a grand total of 10 acupuncture treatments. Sterile disposable acupuncture needles were applied to acupuncture points:
SP6 (Sanyinjiao)
LI4 (Hegu)
ST36 (Zusanli)
LV3 (Taichong)
PC6 (Neiguan)
Ex-NH3 (Yintang)
Manual needle stimulation was applied to the needles frequently during each acupuncture treatment session. For the placebo-controlled sham acupuncture group, acupuncture needles were applied to areas of the body not associated with classic acupuncture points as defined by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In addition, the placebo-controlled group’s needles were applied to a superficial depth without needle stimulation.
The acupuncture point prescription choice was similar to a prescription in a related study. The researchers note that Sun et al. used acupuncture points including ST36, SP6, PC6, and LV3 in an investigation of acupuncture’s effects on major depressive disorder (MDD). The researchers note that Sun et al. “found similar antidepressant effects of electroacupuncture (EA) as compared to fluoxetine-treated patients.” Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant medication. It is also known by its trade names including Prozac and Sarafem.
The researchers add that electroacupuncture “had a faster onset of action, better response rate, and better improvement rate than fluoxetine, indicating that acupuncture can be a good intervention method for ameliorating psychological distress and depressive symptoms, thereby promoting relaxation and well-being.” Although there were similarities to Sun et al., the sleep researchers employed manual acupuncture stimulation whereas Sun et al. employed electroacupuncture. This contrast demonstrates that both electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture have therapeutic value in the treatment of depression.
The researchers note that additional studies are required to investigate the effects of acupuncture on the process of immunosenescence, the process of immune system of deterioration due to aging.
They cite research demonstrating that “adequate sleep helps fight infection and improves immunity after vaccinations” and “increased sleep duration was associated with increased number of circulating immune cells.” The current study demonstrates that acupuncture benefits sleep in the elderly. This suggests potential benefits to overall immune system function. As a result, the researchers call for studies to investigate the impact of acupuncture on immunity in the elderly.
Source: Newswise
http://www.newswise.com/articles/loyola-doctors-use-acupuncture-to-ease-patient-s-debilitating-pain
At age 12, Rachael Fellers developed a debilitating form of pelvic pain that at times prevented her from standing, walking or going to the bathroom. Mrs. Fellers saw several doctors who determined that she had endometriosis. They unsuccessfully tried to alleviate her pain through medication and surgery.
Despite her discomfort, Mrs. Fellers hoped to become a mom. She soon became pregnant and gave birth to two children only to be diagnosed later with interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome after undergoing a hysterectomy for the endometriosis. The painful bladder syndrome resulted in burning and labor-like cramping pain. This left her depressed, anxious bedridden on many days and unable to work or take care of her kids.
“I was desperate and unable to leave the house or enjoy my life as a mom and a wife,” Mrs. Fellers said. “I didn’t want my kids to see me in pain, so I began researching alternative methods to manage my condition.”
Mrs. Feller’s research led her to Loyola University Health System. The organization helped Loyola urologist and medical acupuncture doctor Larissa Bresler, MD, open an acupuncture clinic for men and women with pelvic health disorders in the fall. The clinic uses acupuncture to treat patients with common conditions such as pelvic pain, nausea from pelvic surgery, interstitial cystitis, painful bladder syndrome, post-surgical pain, prostatitis and overactive bladder.
Acupuncture has been used as a healing tool for more than 2,000 years. This traditional form of Chinese medicine believes that energy flows through the body along channels called meridians. Illness occurs when energy is blocked or disrupted.
Acupuncturists use fine needles to stimulate various acupressure points in the body. The insertion of needles into designated points improves the flow of energy and releases feel-good hormones, beneficial chemicals and immune system cells to reduce inflammation, aid healing and promote pain relief.
Mrs. Fellers, a Milwaukee resident, made the trip to Loyola. She found that acupuncture, combined with low-voltage electrical stimulation applied to acupuncture needles, brought her pain relief.
“The treatment has improved my anxiety, related headaches, energy and overall mood, and I no longer require pain killers or other medication,” Mrs. Fellers said. “Acupuncture has been life-changing. It has saved my marriage and has allowed me to enjoy being a mom again.”
Interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome affects nearly 7.9 million women in the U.S. It is a complex condition that significantly reduces a person’s quality of life. Many women with this condition contemplate suicide as a result, according the Interstitial Cystitis Association. More than 80 percent of patients with this condition seek complementary and alternative medical treatment due to the growing evidence to support acupuncture for various types of pain.
“Traditional treatments for women with interstitial cystitis have limited utility and problematic side effects,” said Larissa Bresler, MD, who also is an assistant professor of Urology at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. “Our clinic offers these patients an effective tool to help alleviate their symptoms without the side effects of medication.”
Source: BT
http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/wellbeing/from-ibs-to-insomnia-5-reasons-to-give-acupuncture-a-go-11363965797213
From boosting fertility to easing Irritable Bowel Syndrome and helping you get a good night’s sleep, acupuncture is fast becoming the country’s go-to complementary treatment.
Some 2.3 million acupuncture appointments are made each year in the UK, according to the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has given it their seal of approval for the treatment of lower back pain, migraine and chronic tension headaches.
But many people still only discover acupuncture as a last resort, says the BAcC, whose Acupuncture Awareness Week runs from March 2-8, 2015. And some 21% of Brits think the needles are the same size as those used for injections, when they’re actually only as thick as a human hair.
Celebrity fans include Gary Barlow, Jodie Kidd, Julie Walters, Helena Bonham Carter and TV presenter Donna Air.
So what is acupuncture?
Based on 2,000-year-old Chinese healthcare principles, acupuncture is a holistic approach that sees pain and illness as signs that the body is out of balance. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners believe symptoms occur when the body’s qi (vital energy – pronounced ‘chee’) is blocked due to a combination of emotional, physical and mental reasons, such as stress or poor nutrition.
How does it work?
The fine sterile needles are inserted into specific acupuncture points to re-establish the free flow of qi, restore balance and trigger the body’s natural healing response. In Western medicine, it’s understood that the needles stimulate nerve endings and alter the way your brain responds to pain.
Acupuncture reduces cortisol levels, so the ill effects of stress are modified. It soothes over-thinking and anxiety, so we feel relaxed and optimistic and it promotes immunity and balances our internal environment,” says Maureen Cromey, founder of Good Acupuncture Clinics and a researcher for the BAcC, who has been practising for 30 years.
“The mechanism isn’t always clear, so we don’t understand exactly why it works, but now we know it’s effective.”
Who can have it?
Acupuncture is considered suitable for all ages including babies, children and the elderly.
At her clinics at London’s Harley Street and Chiswick, Cromey sees everyone from men with severe stress and anxiety problems, back pain or hay fever, to women with period problems, migraines or menopausal symptoms.
“They are civil servants, artists, filmmakers, teachers, school kids, parents, OAPs, doctors, midwives, entrepreneurs,” she says.
“I see pregnant ladies needing the baby turned, a widow still grieving and suffering from arthritis since the sudden death of her husband, and ladies recovering from breast cancer.”
What happens at an appointment?
The BAcC explains that your acupuncturist will do a full diagnostic consultation asking questions about your medical history including all aspects of your health and wellbeing.
Your acupuncturist will also look at your tongue and feel your pulses on both wrists. This comprehensive diagnostic consultation allows the practitioner to create a bespoke treatment plan including lifestyle and dietary advice as well as acupuncture.
What can it treat?
Research has found acupuncture to be effective for the following common conditions, among many others:
Fertility: Acupuncture can help to regulate fertility hormones, reduce the number of ovarian cysts, stimulate ovulation and increase blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, thickening the endometrial lining and boosting the chances of embryo implantation.
Insomnia: By altering the brain’s mood chemistry, acupuncture can reduce serotonin levels and increase endorphins and neuropeptide Y levels, which help to improve sleep.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: IBS occurs when stress causes the sympathetic nervous system to stimulate spasms in the colon, resulting in abdominal pain. Acupuncture activates the opposing parasympathetic nervous system, which initiates the ‘rest and digest’ response.
Migraine: The treatment stimulates nerves in the muscles and other tissues, releasing endorphins and changing the way pain is processed in the brain and spinal cord.
Depression: Acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of ‘neurochemical messenger molecules’, which alter the body’s internal feedback systems, promoting emotional and physical wellbeing.
Source: HealthCMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1435-acupuncture-relieves-sinus-allergies
Acupuncture is safe and effective for allergy treatments. Research published in American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy finds acupuncture effective for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. This condition is often referred to as hay fever and is characterized by a runny nose, postnasal drip, sneezing, watery or itchy eyes, and irritation of the ears or throat. Facial points. Acupuncture significantly lowered Immunoglobulin E (IgE), an antibody associated with allergies and hypersensitivities, in allergic rhinitis patients. In addition, subjective measures demonstrated acupuncture’s ability to improve quality of life scores. Acupuncture demonstrated significant efficaciousness in reducing allergic rhinitis symptoms including the reduction of nasal symptoms.
The researchers conducted a meta-analysis sorting for quality investigations from 174 randomized-controlled allergic rhinitis studies. A final selection of 13 quality trials consisting of a total sample size of 2,365 patients was examined. The researchers note that the study includes recent “multicenter, randomized, parallel-controlled trials with high quality” to support consistency of conclusions.
A primary outcome measure was the nasal symptom score. The researchers state that the, “Acupuncture group produced significantly greater diminution of nasal symptoms than did (the) control group.” Two randomized-controlled trials tested for a physical component score. Both demonstrated that acupuncture “was superior to the control group in improving physical health.” Three of the studies tested for IgE changes and all documented significant reductions in serum IgE. Two studies examined an overall mental component score. Both indicated “a significant trend in favor of the acupuncture group” for mental symptom improvement.
The researchers note, “Our meta-analysis showed that (the) acupuncture group has (a) superior effect in reduction of both rhinitis symptoms and the requirement for antiallergic medication compared with (the) control group.” The quality of life score significantly improved with acupuncture and was a measure of several components: sleep, non-nasal/eye symptoms, emotional function, practical problems, nasal symptoms, eye symptoms, activities. Serum IgE score improvements were found in the acupuncture group. The researchers note that, “This result showed strong and consistent evidence that acupuncture treatment leads to favorable responses in immunologic outcomes, which have been shown to be helpful in trials of proven therapeutic modalities, such as allergen-specific immunotherapy.”
Liu et al. compared allergic rhinitis acupuncture treatment with loratadine, a histamine antagonist drug used for the treatment of allergies. In the short term, acupuncture achieved a 96.7% total effective rate and the medication group achieved a 93.3% total effective rate. However, a long term follow-up demonstrated acupuncture’s ability to produce significantly superior positive patient outcomes. The follow-up reveals that acupuncture achieved an 86.7% total effective rate and loratadine achieve a 56.7% total effective rate. The researchers conclude, “The acupuncture at three nasal points and the acupoints selected by syndrome differentiation achieves the similar short-term efficacy on perennial allergic rhinitis as compared with the oral administration of loratadine. The acupuncture therapy presents the obvious advantages on long-term efficacy.”
The study compared the application of three acupuncture points compared with oral administration of loratadine. The randomized investigation divided allergic rhinitis patients into two groups of thirty patients in each group. The medication group received loratadine for four weeks, 10 mg per day. The acupuncture group received acupuncture every two days, three times per week for a total of four weeks. The three point acupuncture prescription used in the study was:
Yingxiang (LI20)
Yintang (EX-HN 3)
Bitong (Extra)
Symptoms and physical signs were recorded and compared. Acupuncture slightly outperformed the medication group in the short-term and significantly outperformed the loratadine group in the long-term.
The treatment of allergic rhinitis is also treated with herbal medicine and Tuina (Chinese medical massage) within the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) system. Research supports these medical modalities. Yang et al. note, “The treatment of pediatric allergic rhinitis by combining Tuina and Chinese herbal medicines had an overall effectiveness rate of 85.71%.” The herbal medicines investigated in the study were classic TCM herbal formulas: Yu Ping Feng San, Gui Zhi Tang. Yang et al. add that Tuina combined with the herbal formulas produces positive therapeutic effects for pediatric allergic rhinitis “and should be considered as a treatment for this condition.”
A nationwide population study in Taiwan reveals that herbal medicine is a primary treatment of choice for children with allergic rhinitis. A study published in the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology of 1,000,000 children under the age of 18 identified a total of 97,401 children with allergic rhinitis. A total of 63.11% of children with allergic rhinitis used TCM to treat the condition. Herbal medicine accounted for 99.1% of the children using TCM and 0.9% received acupuncture or manipulative therapies. The most commonly used herbal formula was Xin Yi Qing Fei Tang (Magnolia Flower Lung Clearing Decoction). A total of 23.44% of the children took this formulation. The single most used individual herb, at 13.78%, was Chan Tui (Periostracum cicada). The researchers note that “approximately two-thirds of pediatric AR (allergic rhinitis) patients were prescribed TCM treatments in Taiwan.”
Source: HealthCMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1436-acupuncture-benefits-dry-eyes
Acupuncture benefits patients with dry eyes. Optical coherence tomography with biomicroscopy demonstrates that acupuncture significantly reduces dry eyes for patients with lipid tear deficiency (LTD) and non-Sjögren syndrome (Non-SSDE) related dry eyes. Acupuncture successfully increased abnormally reduced tear meniscus parameters including tear meniscus height, tear meniscus depth, and tear meniscus area. Blue eyes that are nourished. The tear meniscus is a thin film of tear fluid that, when absent, indicates dry eyes. The researchers note that acupuncture “provided a measurable improvement of the tear meniscus dimensions….”
The study employed the highest standards using a randomized parallel-group intervention type of clinical study with a sample size of 96 human dry eye patients. A total of 44 patients were in the acupuncture group and 52 patients were in the control group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture treatments three time per week for four weeks for a total of 12 acupuncture treatments per patient. Participants did not use any other type of therapy to treat dry eyes. Acupuncture points selected for use in the study were consistent with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory and included:
Jingming (BL1)
Cuanzhu (BL2)
Yangbai (GB14)
Sizhukong (SJ23)
Taiyang (Extra1)
Sibai (ST2)
Hegu (LI4)
Taichong (LR3)
Guangming (GB37)
Sanyinjiao (SP6)
Fengchi (GB20)
Acupuncture needles were manually inserted and the de qi response was elicited. Total needle retention time was 30 minutes. An RTVue-100 optical coherence tomography device, manufactured by a Fremont (California) company, non-invasively captured eye cross-section images using light waves. This device was the first FDA cleared spectral domain optical coherence tomography unit capable of capturing both corneal and retinal imaging.
The researchers note, “A measurable increase in tear meniscus dimensions was evident after 4 weeks of acupuncture treatment in the Non-SSDE and LTD patients, but not in the SSDE patients.” The researchers note that SSDE (Sjögren syndrome dry eye) resistance to improvement may be due to long-term chronic inflammatory stimulation of the lacrimal glands resulting in acinar and ductular cell death and functional impairment. The researchers add that “present results provide an evidence for clinical application of acupuncture to treat dry eye and select the appropriate treatment strategy for different types of dry eye.”
The researchers used both local and distal acupoints in the acupuncture point prescription. GB14 is located on the forehead, 1 cun above the middle of the eyebrow on a line directly above the pupil. This TCM classic acupoint is indicated for benefitting vision, eyelids, and is also indicated for the treatment of supraorbital neuralgia. According to TCM theory, it is the meeting point of the gall bladder, sanjiao, stomach, large intestine and yang linking channels. GB14 point is indicated for treating eye conditions including night blindness, short sightedness, lacrimation disorders, and eye pain.
GB37 is a distal point, located on the lower leg, used in the study. This point is 5 cun directly above the tip of the external malleolus, on the anterior border of the fibula. It is another classic TCM acupoint for the treatment of eye disorders including visual disturbances. This acupoint is also used to regulate the liver. According to TCM theory, this point is a Luo-connecting point and is indicated for the treatment of eye pain, night blindness, knee pain, and atrophy of the lower leg.
All of the acupuncture points were applied by an acupuncturist with at least 5 years of clinical experience. In addition, all of the acupuncture points in the study are consistent with TCM theory for the treatment of eye disorders. The researchers have added the benefit of sophisticated instrumentation to verify the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of dry eyes. Now, science combines with ancient medicine to objectively measure data points indicating positive patient outcomes for patients with dry eyes.
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Meridian Healing
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4161 El Camino Way, Suite A Palo Alto, CA
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