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February 24, 2015 by admin
Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1434-acupuncture-reduces-acute-low-back-pain
Acupuncture immediately and significantly relieves lower back pain. Researchers applied acupuncture to hospital emergency department patients with acute lower back pain in a controlled study. The data indicates that acupuncture is both safe and effective in relieving lower back pain.
The study evaluated the effects of acupuncture on acute lower back pain patients receiving outpatient care in the emergency department of Changhua Christian Hospital (Taiwan). A true acupuncture group was compared with a sham acupuncture group in this controlled study. True acupuncture was applied to the following acupoints:
Hegu (LI4)
Shousanli (LI10)
Zusanli(ST36)
Yanlingquan (GB34)
Taichong (LR3)
All needles were manually stimulated to elicit the de qi response. De qi sensations are often described by patients as dull, heavy, deep pressure, pulling, numb, aching, radiating, electrical, refreshing, and tingling. Acupuncturists may also experience a tugging or electrical sensation on the needle at the arrival of de qi. Needle retention time totaled 15 minutes for each patient.
The true acupuncture group demonstrated a significant reduction in lower back pain within 15 minutes of receiving acupuncture treatment. A three day follow-up interview confirmed lasting results. The true acupuncture group significantly outperformed the sham acupuncture group within 15 minutes of treatment and three days following treatment. The results indicate that true acupuncture has immediate and lasting effects.
A related recent study had similar findings. Acupuncture was found to reduce lower back pain and reduce intervertebral disc degeneration. Electroacupuncture applied to Huatoujiaji acupoints of the lower back were applied for 20 minutes per session, one time per day, for 28 days to all patients in the study.
The investigators documented beneficial biochemical effects initiated by the application of acupuncture. True acupuncture successfully regulated inflammatory cascade biochemicals and sham acupuncture did not. Acupuncture downregulated abnormally high levels of MMP-13 caused by disc compression and upregulated TIMP-1 that had been suppressed by disc compression.
Acupuncture’s ability to reduce pain and inflammation may also be related to its ability to stimulate the expression of CXCL10. Wang et al. found that CXCL10 regulates “opioid-containing macrophages as (a) key regulator of electroacupuncture-induced antinociception.” The researchers note that acupuncture stimulates CXCL10 which, in turn, activates naturally occurring endogenous opioids.
February 19, 2015 by admin
Source: Web MD
http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/features/10-fixable-stress-related-health-problems
“Stress doesn’t only make us feel awful emotionally,” says Jay Winner, MD, author of Take the Stress Out of Your Life and director of the Stress Management Program for Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara, Calif. “It can also exacerbate just about any health condition you can think of.”
Studies have found many health problems related to stress. Stress seems to worsen or increase the risk of conditions like obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems, and asthma.
Before you get too stressed out about being stressed out, there is some good news. Following some simple stress relief tips could both lower your stress and lower your health risks.
10 Health Problems Related to Stress
What are some of the most significant health problems related to stress? Here’s a sampling.
Heart disease. Researchers have long suspected that the stressed-out, type A personality has a higher risk of high blood pressure and heart problems. We don’t know why, exactly. Stress can directly increase heart rate and blood flow, and causes the release of cholesterol and triglycerides into the blood stream. It’s also possible that stress is related to other problems — an increased likelihood of smoking or obesity — that indirectly increase the heart risks.
Doctors do know that sudden emotional stress can be a trigger for serious cardiac problems, including heart attacks. People who have chronic heart problems need to avoid acute stress — and learn how to successfully manage life’s unavoidable stresses — as much as they can.
Asthma. Many studies have shown that stress can worsen asthma. Some evidence suggests that a parent’s chronic stress might even increase the risk of developing asthma in their children. One study looked at how parental stress affected the asthma rates of young children who were also exposed to air pollution or whose mothers smoked during pregnancy. The kids with stressed out parents had a substantially higher risk of developing asthma.
Obesity. Excess fat in the belly seems to pose greater health risks than fat on the legs or hips — and unfortunately, that’s just where people with high stress seem to store it. “Stress causes higher levels of the hormone cortisol,” says Winner, “and that seems to increase the amount of fat that’s deposited in the abdomen.”
Diabetes. Stress can worsen diabetes in two ways. First, it increases the likelihood of bad behaviors, such as unhealthy eating and excessive drinking. Second, stress seems to raise the glucose levels of people with type 2 diabetes directly.
Headaches. Stress is considered one of the most common triggers for headaches — not just tension headaches, but migraines as well.
Depression and anxiety. It’s probably no surprise that chronic stress is connected with higher rates of depression and anxiety. One survey of recent studies found that people who had stress related to their jobs — like demanding work with few rewards — had an 80% higher risk of developing depression within a few years than people with lower stress.
Gastrointestinal problems. Here’s one thing that stress doesn’t do — it doesn’t cause ulcers. However, it can make them worse. Stress is also a common factor in many other GI conditions, such as chronic heartburn (or gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Winner says.
Alzheimer’s disease. One animal study found that stress might worsen Alzheimer’s disease, causing its brain lesions to form more quickly. Some researchers speculate that reducing stress has the potential to slow down the progression of the disease.
Accelerated aging. There’s actually evidence that stress can affect how you age. One study compared the DNA of mothers who were under high stress — they were caring for a chronically ill child — with women who were not. Researchers found that a particular region of the chromosomes showed the effects of accelerated aging. Stress seemed to accelerate aging about 9 to 17 additional years.
Premature death. A study looked at the health effects of stress by studying elderly caregivers looking after their spouses — people who are naturally under a great deal of stress. It found that caregivers had a 63% higher rate of death than people their age who were not caregivers.
Meridian Healing can help you manage the stress in your life.
February 19, 2015 by admin
Source: Palm Beach Post
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/acupuncture-provides-relief-for-palm-beach-zoo-kom/nkCGW/
How do you treat neck pain for a Komodo dragon?
For veterinarians at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society some acupuncture seemed to do the trick. The zoo brought in a veterinary acupuncturist to treat Hannah, a 19-year-old female Komodo dragon. Hannah recently has been experiencing neck pain, a zoo spokeswoman said.
So, in addition to regular medication, the acupuncturist was brought in to treat the area near the base of Hannah’s skull. After receiving the acupuncture treatment, Hannah seemed to experience almost immediate relief, zoo officials said.
“She seemed to get very active and very interested in heading back to her sunny spot after the acupuncture,” said Dr. Genevieve Dumonceaux, the zoo’s lead veterinarian. “She actually seemed to perk up quite a bit while it was going on, and then as (the acupuncturist) was placing the last few needles.”
Vet staff left the needles in for thirty more minutes after the initial application, and then monitored Hannah after the needles were removed.
February 14, 2015 by admin
Source: Pri Med
http://www.pri-med.com/pmo/MedicalNewsDetail.aspx?id=16468
Acupuncture is a feasible adjunct therapy for short-term postsurgical pain management in total joint replacement, according to a study published online Jan. 13 in Pain Medicine.
Daniel J. Crespin, M.S.P.H., from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in Minneapolis, and colleagues examined the role of acupuncture as an adjunct for postsurgical pain management in total joint replacement. A cohort of 2,500 admissions for total hip and knee replacement were offered elective postsurgical acupuncture, at no additional cost, as an adjunct to opioids for pain management. Three-quarters of the admissions included acupuncture.
The researchers found that the odds of receiving acupuncture were higher for women versus men (odds ratio, 1.48) and lower for nonwhite patients versus white patients (odds ratio, 0.55). There was a 1.91-point average short-term pain reduction, representing a 45 percent reduction from the mean pre-pain score. Moderate/severe pain was reported by 41 percent of patients prior to receiving acupuncture and by 15 percent after acupuncture.
“Acupuncture may be a viable adjunct to pharmacological approaches for pain management after total hip replacement or total knee replacement,” the authors write.
February 14, 2015 by admin
Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1427-acupuncture-lowers-hypertension-with-microrna
Acupuncture successfully lowers blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Researchers conducted a randomized, controlled clinical trial of 120 patients. Groups 1 and 2 received medications but group 1 also received acupuncture in addition to usual care. The group receiving acupuncture had significantly lower blood pressure. In addition, the acupuncture group had significantly less anxiety.
A related hypertension study had similar findings. A randomized, controlled clinical trial compared two groups. Group 1 received health education and lifestyle intervention. Group 2 received acupuncture in addition to the health education and lifestyle intervention. The hypertension reduced in both groups, however, the acupuncture group had significantly superior patient outcomes.
The researchers used a protocolized acupuncture point prescription to achieve the clinical results. Acupuncture point Baihui (DU20) was threaded towards acupuncture point Qianding (DU21). DU20, located at the vertex of the head, is considered one of the most important acupuncture points in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Classical indications for using DU20 include the treatment of hypertension.
The hypertension research supports the ancient TCM principles with a modern scientific investigation. According to TCM principles, DU20 is a sea of marrow acupuncture point that clears the senses, calms the spirit, extinguishes liver wind and stabilizes the ascendent yang. In modern terms, this indicates acupuncture at DU20 for the treatment of hypertension, dizziness, headaches, vertigo, tinnitus, nasal congestion, coma, shock, mental disorders and prolapsed organs.
Another group of researchers investigated acupuncture’s anti-hypertensive effects in a laboratory experiment and discovered something very powerful. The researchers gained insight as to how acupuncture lowers blood pressure in cases of hypertension. Acupuncture has the ability to regulate microRNAs, small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression.
The researchers investigated the effects of needling Taichong (LV3) on laboratory rats. They found 222 differently expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in the medulla of rats receiving acupuncture at LV3. The researchers note, “Our findings have demonstrated significant changes of specific and selective miRNAs in rats when taichong acupoint was stimulated. Our data have revealed the specific miRNA profile changes in response to acupuncture treatment and strongly suggest that a selective panel of miRNAs play an important role in the antihypertensive activity of acupuncture therapy.”
There are numerous investigations finding acupuncture effective in lowering hypertension. Another research team concludes that needling acupuncture point Taixi (KD3) has an “antihypertensive effect for essential hypertension.” To eliminate the placebo effect, a true acupuncture group was compared with a non-acupuncture group and a sham acupuncture group. The data indicates that true acupuncture has a “stable antihypertensive effect.”
February 14, 2015 by admin
Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1426-acupuncture-beats-drug-for-sleep
Acupuncture benefits sleep and reduces insomnia. Researchers conducted a single-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled investigation comparing acupuncture with sham acupuncture and estazolam, a benzodiazepine medication.UB points on the back on a female model. True (verum) acupuncture produced significantly superior patient outcomes for insomnia patients including improvements in sleep quality and total sleep time.
A two month follow-up to the treatment regime demonstrates that acupuncture is superior to sham acupuncture and estazolam for the improvement of sleep quality. True acupuncture also produced superior clinical results for sleep efficiency and daytime functioning. Acupuncture improved daytime functioning including: fatigue reduction, reduced sleepiness, increased alertness and concentration, reduced mood disturbances.
The researchers adhered to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) manual acupuncture techniques and attribute the positive patient outcomes to following traditional treatment protocol guidelines. According to TCM principles, de qi is an indication of the effectiveness of acupuncture. The research team ensured that de qi was achieved at most of the acupuncture points. De qi is often subjectively reported as fullness or a radiating sensation felt at acupuncture points during needling. It is also reported as a tugging or pulling motion by acupuncturists applying the needles. The researchers note that de qi was achieved at 85% of the acupuncture points and that this may have been the reason for the effectiveness of the acupuncture.
Reporting on TCM theory concerning healthy sleep, the researchers note that sleep is regarded as a cycle. There is an energetic daytime functioning of individuals and a restful nocturnal sleep portion of the cycle. If the cycle is broken, there may be low spiritedness in the daytime and hyperarousal states in the nighttime. The function of acupuncture is to restore the normal cycle. Acupuncture points used in the study were classically based selections from TCM:
Shenting (DU24)
Sishencong (EX-HN1)
Baihui (DU20)
Shenmen (HT7)
Sanyinjiao (SP6)
Acupuncture not only restored nighttime sleep but also improved daytime energetics. In contrast, patients in the estazolam medication group experienced adverse effects. This included daytime sleepiness that typically ceased by midday. The researchers note, “The trial implied that verum acupuncture was superior in improving sleep quality and daytime functioning of primary insomnia compared with estazolam and sham acupuncture.” The researchers also note that true acupuncture increased total sleep time and “improved sleep quality (SQ) and vitality (VT), decreased daytime dysfunction (DD) and sleepiness (ESS score).”
A related insomnia study had similar conclusions. Researchers compared acupuncture combined with herbal medicine to estazolam intake. Acupuncture combined with herbs demonstrated significantly superior patient outcomes to the medication group. More back shu points with electroacupuncture. In addition, estazolam produced serious adverse effects including headaches, fatigue, dry mouth and dizziness. Acupuncture did not produce any serious adverse effects.
The herbal medicine used in the study was the herbal formula Shen Zao An Shen Tang. The acupuncture points used in the study were:
Shenmen (HT7)
Sanyinjiao (SP6)
Sishencong (EX-HN1)
Shenting (DU24)
Fengchi (GB20)
Xinshu (BL15)
Pishu (BL20)
Neiguan (PC6)
Zusanli (ST36)
Zhaohai (KI6)
A total of 54.8% of the acupuncture plus herbal medicine patients completely recovered and another 35.5% demonstrated significant improvements. The estazolam group had a 32.3% recovery rate and another 22.5% demonstrated significant improvements. The failure rate of the acupuncture plus herbs group was 3.2% and the failure rate of the estazolam group was 25.8%. This study was similar to the aforementioned research in acupuncture point selection. Both investigations used the following acupuncture points:
Shenmen (HT7)
Sanyinjiao (SP6)
Sishencong (EX-HN1)
Shenting (DU24)
Another research team investigated insomnia due to depression. Acupuncture points DU20 (Baihui) and Yintang were used on all patients in the study. One group of patients received additional acupuncture needling at:
Lieque (LU7)
Zhaohai (KI6)
Xinshu (UB15)
Another group of patients received additional acupuncture needling at Si Guan (LI4, LV3). Both groups demonstrated significant reductions in insomnia but the LU7, KI6, UB15 group demonstrated the most improvement.
February 5, 2015 by admin
Source: NPR
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2015/02/02/383281431/acupuncture-may-help-with-nasal-allergies-doctors-say
If you’ve got a stuffy, drippy or itchy nose from allergies, figuring out which remedies help best can be tough.
New guidelines from the Academy of Otolaryngology should make it easier for people and their doctors to choose the treatments that will help the most, from over-the-counter remedies like antihistamines to more serious interventions like allergy shots and even surgery.
And because allergic rhinitis affects 1 in 6 Americans, that’s a lot of stuffy drippy misery potentially avoided.
We talked with Dr. Sandra Lin, an associate professor of otolaryngology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and a guideline author, to find out what’s new. Here goes:
Sublingual immunotherapy for grass allergies lets people with those allergies get the benefits of allergy shots without the shots. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2014. Surgery is an option for people with persistent symptoms and obstructed nasal passages. But other, less invasive treatments should be tried first.
Acupuncture may help relieve symptoms and improve quality of life for people with perennial allergic rhinitis, and may help with seasonal allergies. too, according to several studies. Thus it could be an option for people looking for nonpharmaceutical treatments.
There’s not enough evidence that traditional Chinese herbal remedies help, largely because there are so many different remedies and very little testing for safety and effectiveness.
The recommendation of acupuncture seems surprising, but Lin says, “I’m telling you there is some evidence base for it.”
That and the question of traditional herbal remedies made for a lot of discussion “in a good way,” Lin adds. The committee included not just ENTs but primary care doctors and patients.
Otolaryngologist Sandra Lin uses under-the-tongue drops to treat patients with allergies at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.
The guidelines also provide a road map for treating allergic rhinitis, with over-the-counter medications and managing the environment as the first line of defense.
“There’s so much available over the counter,” Lin notes. But because there are so many options, it can be hard to match the drug with the symptoms, she says.
Antihistamines don’t help for stuffiness, for instance, but they do help with sneezing and itch. Decongestants are good for stuffiness and drippy noses. One steroid nasal spray, triamcinolone (Nasacort), is now available over the counter. That and prescription steroid nasal sprays are good for treating stuffiness and mucus.
Early Exposure To Bacteria Protects Children From Asthma And Allergies
“One of the things I think is useful is to see your primary care physician and let them look at you so they can make the decision if you have environmental allergies,” Lin says. “Sometimes what people think are allergies are not allergies.”
If you’re still having trouble after that, then it might be time to go to a specialist for allergy testing and discussion of other options, she says.
January 31, 2015 by admin
Source: HealthCMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1422-acupuncture-migraine-relief-achievement
Acupuncture provides significant relief for migraine sufferers. Researchers conducted a randomized-controlled trial of 87 patients comparing the effectiveness of two acupuncture point prescriptions. Both protocols were effective, however, one approach delivered significantly superior patient outcomes.
Two groups were compared. Patients in group 1 received acupuncture at Siguan and gallbladder meridian acupuncture points. Siguan, roughly translated as the four gates, is a combination of acupuncture points Hegu (LI4) and Taichong (LR3). Gallbladder meridian points used in group 1 included:
Fengchi (GB20)
Shuaigu (GB8)
Qiuxu (GB40)
Zulinqi (GB41)
Group 2 did not receive acupuncture needling at Siguan but received acupuncture at acupuncture points:
Fengchi (GB20)
Shuaigu (GB8)
Qiuxu (GB40)
Zulinqi (GB41)
Yanglingquan (GB34)
Hanyan (GB4)
Treatments were applied three times per week for six weeks in both groups. Migraine frequency, intensity and duration were compared after completion of the six week regime of care and in a three month follow-up investigation.
After the six weeks of patient care, group 1 exhibited a total effective rate of 95.2% and group 2 exhibited an 80.0% total effective rate. The three month follow-up documents an 88.1% total effective rate for group 1 and a 75.6% total effective rate for group 2. Based on these findings, the researchers conclude that Siguan combined with gallbladder meridian acupuncture points is more effective than the acupuncture point prescription used in group 2 wherein only gallbladder meridian points were used.
Jie Yang et al. note that acupuncture “induce(s) different cerebral glucose metabolism changes in pain-related brain regions and reduce(s) intensity of pain” for patients with migraines. In a randomized-controlled study using PET-CT neuroimaging, acupuncture was shown to be effective for migraine pain reduction. The imaging revealed that acupuncture raised glycometabolism in the middle temporal cortex, orbital front cortex, middle frontal gyrus, angular gyrus, post cingulate cortex, the precuneus and the middle cingulate cortex. Acupuncture simultaneously lowered glycometabolism in the parahippocampus, hippocampus, fusiform, postcentral gyrus, and the cerebellum in migraine patients. The study also showed that acupuncture point choices determined changes in brain glycometabolism. The researchers note that this measurable phenomenon indicates acupuncture point specificity.
Subjects with migraines were separated into three groups: Traditional Acupuncture Group (TAG), Controlled Acupuncture Group (CAG), non-intervention group. The non-intervention group did not receive treatment. The TAG group received acupuncture stimulation at acupuncture points:
TB5 (Waiguan)
GB34 (Yanglingquan)
GB20 (Fengchi)
The CAG group received acupuncture needling at acupuncture points:
ST8 (Touwei)
LI6 (Pianli)
ST36 (Zusanli)
The TAG group showed the most significant reductions in migraine related pain. Additionally, the glycometabolism was higher in the TAG group than in the non-intervention group in the:
Middle temporal cortex
Orbital frontal cortex
Middle frontal gyrus
Angular gyrus
Post cingulate cortex
Precuneus
Middle cingulate cortex
The TAG group decreased glycometabolism over the non-intervention group in the:
Parahippocampus
Hippocampus
Fusiform
Postcentral gyrus
Cerebellum
The CAG group more greatly increased glycometabolism over the non-intervention group in the:
Middle temporal cortex
Supratemporal gyrus
Supramarginal gyrus
Middle cingulate cortex
The CAG group decreased glycometabolism more greatly than the non-intervention group in the cerebellum.
Vijayalakshmi et al. find electroacupuncture more effective than “conventional drug therapy” for the treatment of migraines. Electroacupuncture significantly outperformed the drug flunarizine in the treatment of migraines. Acupuncture patients demonstrated superior patient outcomes for several measures: pain relief, psychological profile improvements, overall quality of life, disability reduction. The researchers conclude that acupuncture is an effective alternative or adjunct method of care for migraine patients.
Ling Zhao et al. concur that acupuncture is effective in reducing pain intensity levels for migraine sufferers. Zhou et al., performed an investigation finding acupuncture effective in the prevention of migraines. The research links acupuncture’s therapeutic benefits to its ability to stimulate MLCK (myosin light-chain kinase) expression. The expression of MLCK is involved in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction. The researchers document a correlation between acute migraine attacks and decreases of MLCK via the CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide) signal system. The researchers discovered that applying acupuncture to acupuncture point GB20 (Fengchi) successfully upregulates MLCK expression and has “preventative and curative” effects for migraine sufferers.
Dr. Cayir et al. conclude that there is a “clinically relevant decrease in MMP-2 activity in patients with migraine treated with acupuncture. The mechanism underlying the effect of acupuncture in alleviating pain may be associated with a decrease in MMP-2 activity.” Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) is an enzyme involved in vascularization, tissue remodeling, and inflammatory responses.
In the experiment by Dr. Cayir et al., migraine patients received a total of “10 sessions of acupuncture treatment. The points selected were bilateral ST8, ST44, LI4, LI11, LIV3, SP6, GB1, GB14, GB20, GV14, GV20, Yintang, Taiyang and ear Shenmen.” Blood samples were taken before and after treatment to determine MMP-2 concentration and activity levels. Acupuncture significantly alleviated the migraine pain intensity. Notably, MMP-2 concentrations remained relatively stable but MMP-2 activity significantly decreased.
Rosenberg et al. confirm that acupuncture downregulates expression of proinflammatory enzyme MMP-2. Application of acupuncture in a laboratory test of cerebral artery occlusion causing cerebral ischemia/reperfusion demonstrates that acupuncture increases neurologic function including motor, balance and sensory improvements. Infarct size was also significantly reduced by the application of acupuncture. The research team discovered that application of acupuncture points GV20 and ST36 reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells, downregulated expression of proinflammatory enzyme MMP-2, reduced expression of water channel proteins AQP4 and AQP9, reduced brain ischemia and decreased brain edema due to inflammation.
Guo et al. conclude that acupuncture is more effective than flunarizine hydrochloride for controlling migraines. Researchers compared a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) combination of acupuncture and tuina massage with the oral medication flunarizine hydrochloride. The TCM treatment was significantly more effective than the drug treatment for reducing pain frequency, intensity and duration due to migraines. The acupuncture combined with tuina group had a total effective rate of 93.8% whereas the medication group only achieved a 63% total effective rate.
Additionally, the acupuncture with tuina group had significantly fewer relapses. As a result of the findings the researchers conclude, “Combining electroacupuncture and local tuina can obtain better effect and lower relapse rate than oral flunarizine Hhdrochloride capsules in migraine patients.”
The acupuncture group received electroacupuncture at ashi points, Taiyang, ST8 (Touwei), GB13 (Benshen), Xuanlu (GB5) and GB41 (Zulinqi) on the side with focal pain. GB20 (Fengchi), GV20 (Baihui) and GV24 (Shenting) were also needled. The treatment principles were to dredge the channels, remove pathogenic factors and stop pain. Secondary acupuncture points were added for specific disorders:
Liver yang rising headaches: LR3 (Taichong), KI3 (Taixi), GB43 (Xiaxi)
Phlegm turbidity headaches: CV12 (Fenglong), SP9 (Yinlingquan)
Blood stasis headaches: PC6 (Neiguan), SP10 (Xuehai), BL17 (Geshu)
The acupuncture treatments were applied in the seated patient position. Needles were 0.30 mm x 25 – 50 mm. De qi sensation was evoked at the acupoints followed by one minute of the sedating technique by either twirling or rotating. Electroacupuncture involved a sparse-dense wave and the frequency ranged between 2 – 100 Hz. Total needle retention time was 20 minutes and the acupuncture was applied one time per day. One course of treatment consisted of 10 days. Two courses of treatment were applied with a 3 day break between courses of care.
Tuina massage was applied with several techniques. Regions receiving tuina massage were:
Yintang
Taiyang
GV20
GB20
ST8
TB20 (Jiaosun)
BL2 (Cuanzhu)
Overall, the head received tuina massage at the forehead and lateral sides of the head at the gallbladder foot-shaoyang channel area. Acupuncture combined with tuina massage consistently outperformed the medication group. As a result of the findings, the researchers conclude that acupuncture combined with tuina massage is effective for the treatment of migraines and is more effective than administration of flunarizine hydrochloride.
January 31, 2015 by admin
Source: AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine
http://blog.aoma.edu/blog/bid/257511/Chinese-Medicine-for-Stress-Relief
How Stress Affects the Body
Our bodies are hardwired to handle stress, but over time too much stress takes a toll on the body. When we feel threatened the sympathetic nervous system is activated causing the heart rate to increase, the pupils to dilate, and blood to be directed towards the extremities. Digestion can temporarily shut down. This is also known as the “fight or flight” response and is why when we are stressed, we may feel agitated or want to run away from our problems. Cortisol, sometimes called “the stress hormone”, is also released, causing increases in both blood pressure and inflammation while suppressing the immune system. If our bodies continue to experience high amounts of cortisol, symptoms can evolve into anxiety, depression, fatigue, digestive issues and tension headaches.
Stress is defined as an organism’s total response to environmental demands or pressures. In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. Stresses can be external (from the environment, psychological, or social situations) or internal (illness, or from a medical procedure).
Chinese Medicine for Stress Relief
In Chinese medical theory, strong emotions like stress interrupt the body’s energy from acupuncture for stress flowing smoothly. When these strong emotions are present for long periods of time they create a blockage in the body’s “road” system creating an energetic “traffic jam.” Acupuncture increases the circulation of blood and oxygenates the tissues throughout the body while cycling out cortisol and releasing natural pain-killers called endorphins. Other benefits of acupuncture include decreasing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and relaxing the muscles to help the body feel less stressed.
The traditional Chinese medicine approach is to focus on restoring the balance of energy in the body, such as soothing the liver Qi, tonifying the liver blood and spleen Qi, clearing the heat in the heart and liver, etc. A combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are generally applied and combined to treat stress; diet therapy and exercise is suggested as well.
Case Studies from AOMA professor, Dr. Yongxin Fan
Dr. Yongxin Fan has over 20 years of clinical experience in treating muscular-skeletal Yongxin Fan acupuncturistdisorders, pain, digestive disorders, and psycho-emotional disorders including stress.
“One patient had intense stress from her job and was having insomnia. I treated her with acupuncture and the herbal formula wen dan tang. After the first treatment she was sleeping much better and after two weeks the stress was much reduced.
A patient with more severe stress symptoms (anxiety, panic attack, insomnia, and heart palpitations) recovered in 3 weeks after receiving acupuncture and taking the herbal formulas gui pi tang & huang lain e jiao tang.
Sometimes the symptoms are less severe but still can be debilitating. I had a patient who complained that ever since childhood she cried very easily, making her uncomfortable. I gave her acupuncture and Chinese herbs (xiao yao wan & gan mai da zao tang), and after 2 months she is much better.”
Chinese Herbs for Stress
Chinese herbsThe most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formulas for stress are xiao yao wan (also known as “Free and Easy Wanderer”), gan mai da zao tang, chai hu shu gan san, yi guan jian, yue ju wan, and gui pi tang. To find out the right herbs for you, make an appointment with a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist. The practitioner will take a full medical history and do pulse and tongue diagnosis to determine the best acupuncture plan and herbal prescription.
Exercise and Diet for Stress
Exercise should be a part of everyone’s stress management plan, as it helps the body produce more endorphins, also known as the “runner’s high”. Many types of physical activity can stimulate this response and each person must find the right type of exercise for him or herself. For some, walking is enough, but others will want to get more of a workout to get their blood pumping and break a sweat.
Taiji, qigong, and meditation are forms of mind-body exercise and have been shown to help induce the “relaxation response.” The relaxation response makes the heart beat slower, muscles relax, breathing become slower, and blood pressure decrease.
As far as dietary therapy, most vegetables and fruits that are rich in color can help the body deal with stress. For example, in Chinese nutrition, blueberries, purple cabbage, beets, tomatoes, and eggplant are believed to be stress reducing. A diet high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins B & E is recommended, as these nutrients are easily depleted by stress.
Fruits and vegetables such as apricots, asparagus, avocados, bananas, and broccoli, brown rice, dried fruit, figs, salmon, green leafy vegetables, and most rich colored fruits are high in vitamin B. Even if you eat a healthy diet, vitamin B complex is a good supplement to consider if you suffer for chronic stress.
January 31, 2015 by admin
Source: Xinhuanet
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2015-01/30/c_133959374.htm
An extractant of traditional Chinese medicine plants could help fight the symptoms of obesity and type 2 diabetes, a New Zealand-led international study has found.
The scientists found that an antioxidant might reverse inflammation in the brain caused by a high-fat diet, study leader Dr Alex Tups, from the University of Otago, said Friday.
The team investigated whether directly stopping inflammatory processes in the brain’s hypothalamus could help lower blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance.
They administered butein to obese mice, which blocked an inflammatory signaling pathway involved in immune responses in the brains of obese mice, Tups said in a statement.
Butein was a flavonoid derived from plants traditionally used in Chinese herbal medicine.
Administering butein either directly into the brain or orally greatly improved glucose tolerance and brain insulin signaling, he said.
The improved glucose tolerance of high-fat diet mice treated with the antioxidant was no difference noticeable between them and low fat-diet mice that had not received butein.
The study added to growing body of evidence that a diet high in saturated fats activated a cascade of inflammatory processes in the brain, which impaired leptin and insulin signaling, leading to obesity and type 2 diabetes.
“Our findings strongly support this idea and we also show that reversing this inflammation promotes a return towards normal metabolic functioning,” he said.
The research suggested that butein and other natural compounds that blocked inflammation in the brain should be vigorously investigated as novel anti-diabetic treatments, he said.
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4161 El Camino Way, Suite A Palo Alto, CA
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PHONE:
650-815-8251 |
EMAIL:
meridianhealingsv@gmail.com |
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