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January 20, 2015 by admin
Source: Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2918589/Kelly-Ripa-Michael-Strahan-kickstart-New-Year-acupuncture-treatments-talk-show.html
Kelly got treated for ‘congestion’ while Michael Strahan lifted his shirt for ‘some cupping’ to help a sore back.
The amiable co-hosts of Live! With Kelly And Michael were feeling pretty good by the end of the show on Tuesday thanks to Dr. Daniel Hsu. Kelly and Michael invited the world-famous doctor of acupuncture and herbal medicine to give them a sample of what treatments he performs, and of course the pair couldn’t stop chatting throughout the segment.
The 44-year-old Ripa was volunteered first to get treated for what she said was ‘congestion,’ which involved the placement of tiny needles at certain ‘points’ around her face. Kelly seemed to like it and smiled towards the camera with green needles sticking out of her cheeks.
The adventurous duo – who routinely get into the spirit with exercise demos and other silly games on the ABC show – couldn’t wait to get started. ‘Kickstart the New Year Wellness Edition with a look at acupuncture which with help alleviate pain, treat a variety of illnesses, even give you a facelift,’ Kelly began by telling the audience.
‘How does acupuncture work?’ Kelly asked the good doctor, adding that her husband Mark Consuelos ‘swears by it.’ Dr. Hsu replied: ‘It works by getting your body to create its own natural painkillers and to calm the nervous system down and that helps with all kinds of diseases.’
‘I’m a big proponent. I love acupuncture,’ Michael said.
January 20, 2015 by admin
Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1419-acupuncture-alleviates-parkinson-s-disease
Acupuncture relieves Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Researchers document the ability of acupuncture to reduce pain, anxiety, depression, hot flashes and abnormal sweating in a clinical case history. The patient responded with significant positive patient outcomes after a 2 week regime of acupuncture treatments given at a rate of five days per week.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder affecting movement. Changes include the onset of tremors, slowness of movements, shuffling, difficulty swallowing, fainting, reduced arm sway, rigidity and dysfunction of speech and gait. There is no known biomedical cure but medications including levodopa, COMT inhibitors, MAO-B inhibitors, dopamine agonists and other medications are used to control symptoms. Surgical interventions include the implantation of deep brain stimulators.
Acupuncture successfully reduces pain, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, and mental illness in Parkinson’s disease patients. Researchers from the Aizu Medical Center (Fukushima Medical University) delivered the patient care and collected the data. Additional support and came from an investigator at the Department of Neurology, Hematology, Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetology (Yamagata University).
The case history documents acupuncture’s ability to address specific concerns of an 81 year old female patient suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Complications included a history of hypertension and lumbar fracture. The patient had been prescribed medications including anti-inflammatory and psychiatric drugs. Her symptoms persisted and acupuncture was initiated.
Manual acupuncture was applied at acupuncture points: LR3, LI4, KI5, KI7, SP6, GB34, BL18, BL15, GB20. Needles were retained for ten minutes per session. Electroacupuncture at 1 Hz for 7 minutes was applied to: KI10, LR9, BL23, BL25. The researchers note that the electroacupuncture was applied to relax the muscle tension. Seirin brand acupuncture needles of 40 – 50 mm length and 0.14 – 0.18 diameter were used. The researchers note that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory guided the needle selection process. UB15, LR3, and SP6 were chosen for their ability to treat both depression and anxiety. LR3, KI7, BL18, and GB34 were chosen for their ability to treat hot flashes and paroxysmal sweating.
The researchers note that the patient’s lower leg pain decreased. Hot flashes and paroxysmal sweating incidences reduced. The patient showed very significant reductions in depression and anxiety scores. In addition, her “steps became larger” and there was a significant reduction in bradykinesia, a complication often correlated with Parkinson’s disease characterized by slowness and impairment of movements and reflexes.
In related research, University of Arizona doctors find acupuncture effective for the treatment of balance and gait disorders in Parkinson’s disease patients. The research team from the surgery and neurology departments measured significant clinical improvements in overall balance, gait speed and stride length. The results were published in Neurology, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Patients were randomly assigned to an acupuncture group or a control group. The acupuncture group received electroacupuncture. The control group received sham acupuncture to rule out variables including the placebo effect. Patients received one treatment per week for three weeks and each treatment duration lasted a total of 30 minutes.
Objective measurements were taken from various positions and during many types of activities. Balance measurements included assessment of the relationship between the mediolateral center of mass sway with the anteroposterior sway. These measurements were taken with the eyes open, closed and during multitasking. Gait measurements were taken during fast walking, postural transitions and related activities.
The researchers tabulated the results and measured an overall improvement in balance by 31% in the acupuncture group. Gait speed improved by 10% and stride length increased by 5% for patients receiving true acupuncture. Control group patients showed no improvements.
Balance, gait and stride length significantly improved due to the application of electroacupuncture. Use of a sham acupuncture control group eliminated the possibility of the placebo effect in the final results. As a result, the University of Arizona doctors conclude, “EA (electroacupuncture) is an effective therapy in improving certain aspects of balance and gait disorders in PD (Parkinson’s disease).”
Herbal medicine research reveals benefits for Parkinson’s disease patients. That the herbal formula Yi Gan San exhibits neuroprotective effects and rescues dopaminergic neurons from toxicity. The Acupuncture & Meridian Science Research Center at Kyung Hee University conducted research showing that Yi Gan San is correctly used for the management of neurodegenerative disorders. Yi Gan San showed significant neuroprotection in an induced Parkinsonian mouse model. The study notes that “in the mouse Parkinson’s disease model, treatment with Yi-Gan San also significantly improved motor functioning and prevented dopaminergic loss.”
January 15, 2015 by admin
Source: NBC
http://www.jrn.com/nbc26/news/Rodgers-Gets-Acupuncture-for-Calf-288357871.html
GREEN BAY — Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers says there’s a little more to treating his injured calf than just some stretches.
He’s getting acupuncture treatments, which focus on vital points on the body to reopen the circulation of energy, which helps manage pain and encourage healing. “It’s been in China for over 2000 years by record, sometimes people say even longer than that. It’s a very popular treatment for chronic musculo-skeletal pain,” says Dr. Danqing Guo with Baycare Clinic Pain and Rehab Medicine. “If you’re off balance, you’re going to have problems. If a channel is blocked, you’re going to have pain. Acupuncture treatment can help people open the channel and relieve the pain.”
Doctors say they always do a complete examination and check with a physical therapist and orthopedic surgeon for major injuries before beginning acupuncture treatment.
January 15, 2015 by admin
Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1414-acupuncture-point-sensitivity-linked-to-menstrual-pain
Tenderness at acupuncture point SP6 (Sanyinjiao) is linked to incidences of menstrual cramping with pain. Tenderness at this lower leg acupuncture point has been associated with dysmenorrhea in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for over a thousand years. Now, researchers have completed a randomized study to test the scientific basis for this phenomenon. The researchers discovered a significant “tenderness at Sanyinjiao (SP6) exists in women undergoing primary dysmenorrhea.”
The term dysmenorrhea refers to painful cramps occurring before or during the menstrual period. The symptoms of dysmenorrhea include abdominal pain and pressure, hip and lower back pain, and inner thigh pain. Primary dysmenorrhea is a type of recurring menstrual cramps not caused by other diseases.
The use of SP6 in acupuncture is highly defined and established. Indications for the use of acupoint SP6 in TCM are abdominal pain and distention, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, uterine bleeding, leukorrhea, uterine prolapse, infertility, delayed labor, nocturnal emissions, enuresis, dysuria, lower limb disorders, vertigo from deficiency and insomnia. TCM theory states that SP6 benefits the spleen and kidneys, transforms dampness, and spreads the liver qi. SP6, roughly translated as three yin junction, is also the meeting point of the three lower yin meridians.
Research supports using SP6 for the treatment of dysmenorrhea. Shi, et. al., measured significant pain relief induced by needling acupuncture point SP6 for patients with primary dysmenorrhea. Blood samples were taken of participants during the study. It was shown that although acupuncture decreased menstrual pain, the beneficial effects were not related to changes in plasma levels of prostaglandins. The researchers conclude that the analgesic effects of SP6 are not mediated by prostaglandin variations in the bloodstream.
Another study of 66 patients finds acupuncture, combined with cupping and moxibustion, effective for the relief of menstrual pain. The patients had significant relief of menstrual pain within 2 – 6 acupuncture treatments. This study employed the use of SP6 and other acupuncture points: CV4 (Guanyuan), SP10 (Xuehai), K3 (Taixi), SP8 (Diji).
Licensed acupuncturists often combine acupuncture with herbal medicine for the treatment of gynecological conditions. Research backs up this time honored approach to patient care. A high quality study finds acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine effective for the relief of endometriosis related pain. The total effective rate for auricular acupuncture was over 90%. The total effective rate for Chinese herbal medicine was 60%. A closer look reveals that the effective rate for mild to moderate dysmenorrhea due to endometriosis for both auricular acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine is similar. However, auricular acupuncture showed greater efficacy for the relief of severe dysmenorrhea due to endometriosis. The randomized, blinded controlled trial was of high quality and a laparoscopy was required to confirm the diagnosis of endometriosis.
Zhou, et. al., find acupuncture combined with moxibustion and herbs is more effective for reducing menstrual pain and cramping than ibuprofen. The results were published based on research of a randomized investigation of patients with primary dysmenorrhea. Data points were taken at three, six and nine months after the beginning of treatment. The long-term positive clinical outcomes for patients having received acupuncture, moxibustion and herbal medicine was significantly superior to patients having taken ibuprofen.
Research conducted at the Affiliated Hospital of Hubei College of Medicine and Pharmacy involved a trial of 90 patients with primary dysmenorrhea. The patients were randomly divided into two study groups. Group 1 received acupuncture, herbal hot compresses and moxibustion. Group 2 received oral administration of ibuprofen at 300 mg per dose, three times daily. The treatment lasted for three menstrual cycles.
During the course of treatment, dietary restrictions were applied to both group 1 and group 2. Patients were advised to avoid eating raw, cold, pungent or very spicy foods. Patients were advised to increase their consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits. In addition, patients were advised to avoid prolonged exposure to cold temperatures on the lower abdomen. The total effective rate observed in the acupuncture group was much higher than that of the ibuprofen group.
The hot compresses were applied to the umbilical region and local regions of pain on the lower abdomen. The herbal medicines in the compresses were Dan Shen 10g, Yan Hu Suo 10g and Yi Mu Cao 30g. The herbs were decocted for one hour and strained. A 10 cm x 15 cm flannel cloth was soaked in the decoction, removed and squeezed to remove excess fluid. The cloth was applied to the patient. One hot compress treatment lasted for fifteen minutes.
Customization of acupuncture points was applied according to TCM differential diagnostics. Primary acupuncture points used in the study were:
Sanyinjiao (SP6)
Zusanli (ST36)
Guanyuan (CV4)
Qihai (CV6)
In cases of excess, the following were added:
Taichong (LR3)
Diji (SP8)
For cases of deficiency, the following acupuncture points were added:
Xuehai (SP10)
Geshu (BL17)
Reinforcing and reducing acupuncture needle manipulation techniques were applied until a deqi sensation was achieved. Moxa was applied to needles. The needles were withdrawn after the use of 3 – 5 cones of moxa. The approximate treatment time was 30 minutes. Acupuncture, moxibustion and hot compresses were applied once daily for a period of six days. The treatment started one week before the menstrual period began and ended by the first day of the menstrual cycle. The treatment resumed before the next menstrual period. One course of treatment comprised one menstrual period and the entire treatment lasted for three courses. The acupuncture group significantly outperformed the ibuprofen group at three, six and nine months after the beginning of treatment. The results indicate that acupuncture combined with moxibustion and herbal compresses is safe and effective for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.
A different approach to using acupuncture points includes injecting vitamins. Researchers at the University of California (UCSF, San Francisco) injected vitamin K1 into acupuncture point SP6. They discovered that the acupuncture point injections of vitamin K alleviate dysmenorrhea. The women participating in the study experienced less menstrual pain and a shorter duration of menstrual symptoms.
A survey of the participants finds 94% “agreeable to receiving injection therapy” and 77% would receive monthly injections if the treatment were made available. The researchers note, “This finding is consistent with outcomes from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in Shanghai, China, where the protocol was developed.”
A closely related investigation at the UCSF Clinical Research Center (San Francisco, California) tested plasma concentrations of vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) in patients with primary dysmenorrhea. Samples were collected 1 – 2 days after acupuncture point injections of vitamin K1 into acupoint SP6. A direct correlation between higher vitamin K1 levels and reduced menstrual pain and cramping was observed. The researchers note this indicates that further research into the role of vitamin K deficiency in inflammation and pain is warranted.
There is a historical precedent for the research and use of vitamin K in the USA. Routine injections of vitamin K1 are given to infants to prevent hemorrhage, taking advantage of vitamin K1’s anticoagulant properties. The researchers note, “Vitamin K is typically studied in the context of blood clotting and bone health although recent emerging research suggests that vitamin K may have other roles, including reproductive health.” The researchers note that prior studies show a relationship between vitamin K deficiency and menstrual disorders. Additional research demonstrates relaxation of uterine muscle spasms after administration of vitamin K. The researchers add, “Vitamin K therapy may decrease the length of prolonged menstrual flow as a result of its action on prothrombin, a vitamin K-dependent coagulation protein produced in the liver.”
The researchers describe a correlation between Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory and the current research. They note that the liver is an important organ in the regulation of menstruation and is involved in the movement of qi and blood. They add that acupuncture point SP6 is commonly used in the treatment of menstrual conditions by licensed acupuncturists “because it is a crossing point of the liver, spleen, and kidney channels, which are important in creating, storing, and moving blood.”
Source: HealthCMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1413-acupuncture-lowers-high-cholesterol
Acupuncture reduces cholesterol. Researchers measured the effects of needling acupuncture point ST40 (Fenglong) on plasma cholesterol levels. In a laboratory experiment, electroacupuncture successfully downregulated LDL cholesterol. Simultaneously, electroacupuncture downregulated several proinflammatory macrophages linked to dyslipidemia: MCP-1, ICAM-1, IL-1gamma. The researchers conclude that electroacupuncture at ST40 downregulates plasma total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and proinflammatory macrophages in cases of hyperlipidemia.
A related laboratory experiment reveals similar findings. Zhang, et. al., conclude that electroacupuncture lowers levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in cases of high cholesterol. Acupuncture points LI11 (Quchi), CV12 (Zhongwan) and ST40 effectively lowered LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides.
Nitric Oxide
Ling Li, et. al., concur that acupuncture lowers both cholesterol and triglycerides. The laboratory research measured biochemical responses to electroacupuncture at acupoint ST40 to map the mechanisms by which acupuncture reduces hyperlipidemia. The study documents that electroacupuncture induces expression of nNOS and Mt1. The NNOS enzyme mediates nitric oxide signaling and plays an important role in cellular signaling, vascular tone, blood pressure, insulin secretion, airway tone, angiogenesis and peristalsis. Mt1 plays an important role in the protection against oxidative stress. Based on these findings, the researchers conclude that electroacupuncture and its effect on nitric oxide signaling transduction is physiologically related to its cholesterol and triglyceride lowering effects.
Foam Cells
Y. F. Chen, et. al., conclude that acupuncture prevents and reverses dangerous cellular accumulations of fatty materials in cases of high cholesterol. The laboratory research confirms that needling ST40 prevents and reverses the formation of foam cells. This type of cell forms at the site of fatty streaks and is the beginning of atherosclerotic plaque formation in blood vessels. The presence of foam cells is indicative of an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Based on the research, the investigators note that acupuncture could “play an essential role in treating hyperlipidemia and stopping it from developing into a further level.”
Oxidized LDL cholesterol creates inflammation within blood vessels. Macrophages are attracted to the site of inflammation and consume the LDL cholesterol. Ordinarily, macrophages defend against bacteria and other pathogens. However, macrophages may become engulfed in fatty materials when attempting to eliminate excess cholesterol. Under a microscope, one can see that the macrophages become overrun with cholesterol and other fatty materials. The damaged macrophages take on a foamy appearance, hence the name foam cell. Foam cells indicate that dangerous plaques are beginning to form within the vessels. The researchers conclude that electroacupuncture at acupuncture point ST40 “prevents and reverse(s) the formation of foam cell(s).” In this way, acupuncture helps to fight hyperlipidemia and prevent heart disease.
The research demonstrates that electroacupuncture at ST40 “significantly prohibits the transformation of macrophage(s) into foam cell(s).” The researchers measured sharp reductions in foam cells as a result of acupuncture.
Cells decrease cholesterol levels can in two ways. The first way is to convert cholesterol into cholesterol esters. Scalp ponts. This method is limited because it may overrun cells with esters and consequent toxicity. Needling acupuncture point ST40 accomplishes cholesterol reduction by another method that is completely non-toxic. ST40 stimulation increases the rate of cholesterol efflux from macrophages. Cholesterol efflux is a process of eliminating cholesterol from cells that is regulated by intracellular transporters including ATP proteins A1, G1 and B1. Unlike the cholesterol ester process, the efflux process has a virtually unlimited capacity to reduce cholesterol because there is no danger of building up excess cellular cholesterol esters. Needling ST40 with electroacupuncture activates an important, safe and powerful method for cells to reduce excess cholesterol content.
The recent foam cell research on the beneficial effects of acupuncture on macrophages comes at a time when other remarkable research has emerged. Recently, an investigation published in Molecular Neurobiology reveals that acupuncture reduces inflammation and muscle pain by downregulating M1 macrophages (proinflammatory cells) and upregulating M2 macrophages (antiinflammatory cells). The study measured responses in muscle tissues and confirms that M1 to M2 macrophage phenotype switching is triggered by acupuncture stimulation. Acupuncture stimulates biological actions wherein inflammatory responses are reduced and cellular healing responses are initiated.
Source: AcuTake Health
http://acutakehealth.com/15-ways-to-incorporate-acupuncture-into-your-life-in-2015
What are your hopes for 2015? Want to feel healthier? Eat better? Get in shape? Try new things? Have better relationships? Me too! And I’m planning on using acupuncture to achieve all of it!
Not literally. I’m not going to go for an acupuncture treatment and walk out with glowing skin, a six pack, and resolved childhood issues. But, I am going to allow the tenets of acupuncture to influence my attitude and actions so that I can live optimally in 2015.
In the same way we talk about practicing yoga or practicing meditation, you can practice acupuncture. You can use the theories of acupuncture to help guide the decisions you make every day that ultimately determine your physical and emotional health.
Here are 15 ways you can incorporate acupuncture into your life—and soar to new heights—in 2015.
1. Put down your phone.
Acupuncture can help alleviate a modern epidemic from which many of us suffer: compulsive phone checking. At the root of obsessive phone checking is uneasiness with solitude, uncertainty about what we might find if we spend too much time in quiet spaces. We reflexively reach for our phones because we lack the confidence that tells us we alone are enough.
We do the same thing with pharmaceuticals, doctors’ advice, junk food, alcohol, you name it. Anything to avoid facing what’s in front of us and trusting our ability to handle it. This is why acupuncture can be so transformative—and also why it remains so misunderstood and underutilized in our fast-paced, over-stimulated society.
Acupuncture, in essence, forces us to put down the phone. It demands that we pay attention to the things we’ve gotten used to blocking out. It does not take away or add anything. Rather, it challenges us to wrap our heads around the idea that we already possess everything we need to be okay.
2. Buy less stuff.
The idea that we already possess everything we need to be okay is a big one. In addition to helping us spend less time on our phones, this key principle from acupuncture can help us manage our ever-growing piles of stuff.
Bombarded by advertising and peer pressure, we become convinced that we need these things. And then we need another. This epidemic of stuff creates an ongoing cycle that perpetuates feelings of dissatisfaction, since nothing is ever enough, and warps our perspective on how to care for ourselves.
Acupuncture can help reverse the trend of unbridled excess. Rather than focusing on what’s not there, and adding stuff in order to fill the gap, acupuncture takes what’s already there and rearranges it into something positive.
This is profound. Imagine the implications of a society that spends more time reflecting on what it has rather than what it wants. Be a trendsetter in 2015: Buy less stuff.
3. Take up yoga.
There’s a reason so many yogis are into acupuncture. The two disciplines have a lot in common, in their intentions and outcomes. A shared sensibility pervades acupuncture and yoga, attracting people who are curious about the intersection of physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.
Practicing yoga, much like receiving acupuncture, helps draw energy out of your mind and into your body. It heightens awareness such that you become more attuned to the clues your body gives about what’s ailing you and how you can heal yourself.
More practically speaking, yoga stretches acupuncture meridians throughout the body, which helps regulate the flow that acupuncture strives to restore and maintain. For more detail on this, read this article about downward-facing dog from an acupuncture perspective.
4. Stop blaming people.
A foundational concept in acupuncture, Yin-Yang theory, can help us navigate the challenges we wrestle with in relationships.
An oversimplification of Yin-Yang theory is that something can only be understood in relation to the whole—or, context determines reality. Acupuncturists use Yin and Yang to determine how one thing functions in relation to another. Those determinations are based on the defining characteristics of Yin and Yang.
This article explores the concepts and characteristics of Yin and Yang in detail, but here’s the bottom line as it pertains to relationships: You contribute to the less-than-desirable qualities exhibited by your partner and other people in your life.
Hard to hear? It’s true. According to Yin-Yang theory, seemingly opposite characteristics are actually just variations of each other. Try and remember this next time your partner, sister, friend, or coworker is pushing your buttons.
5. Celebrate differences in relationships.
Acupuncture can help not only with taking ownership for our role in challenging relationship dynamics, but also with appreciating our differences.
Every single person’s experience in and of the world is unique. Acupuncture celebrates this diversity by eschewing the one-size-fits all model that dominates mainstream healthcare. Mainstream medicine is premised on the idea of intervention—isolating symptoms and suppressing them with an external substance—so diversity is discouraged rather than embraced. The model is set up to favor repeating patterns.
In contrast, acupuncture works with each individual’s distinctive constitution and circumstances to arrive at his or her own definition of health.
How often do we work ourselves into frenzies of frustration because someone is not doing something our way? Or failing to see a situation from our point of view? Remembering to see yourself and others as truly unique individuals can go a long way toward cultivating tolerance and compassion.
6. Stay warm.
People who are in pain often wonder, “Should I use heat or ice?” Heat is the answer almost every time. From an acupuncture perspective, many pain conditions are caused by stagnation. Things are not moving smoothly through the channels, causing blockages that lead to pain. Acupuncture restores flow, helping to eliminate these blockages. Looking at pain in this way, ice is counterproductive—it causes things to remain stagnant and slows down the healing process.
You don’t have to be injured or in pain to benefit from this warming principle. When we’re cold, we get tight—we tense our shoulders and hold ourselves in rigid postures. This even can be an issue in summer, when offices, restaurants, and other places jack up the air conditioning to the point of discomfort.
So, choose heat over ice. Bring along an extra layer. Wear a scarf. Drink warming teas (ginger is a good one). Keep yourself warm inside and out to maintain a healthy flow.
7. Embrace change.
Change is hard for most of us because we delude ourselves into believing that we can anticipate outcomes of the things we’re accustomed to. When things change, we don’t like it because now we can’t predict the outcomes. In an attempt to stay in control of our inherently out-of-control lives, we seek cut-and-dried explanations.
But change doesn’t have to be scary or threatening, and it doesn’t have to detract from your power. In fact, in acupuncture theory, change is the primary ingredient for becoming a healthier person.
Pathways to true healing are different for everyone, and they are rarely linear. From an acupuncture perspective, change is the only universal marker of progress. We are getting better as long as we are no longer the same.
Next time you’re faced with a change, remember that it’s actually a sign that you’re moving forward.
8. Experiment with acupressure.
You can perform acupressure on yourself and loved ones any time, any place, whenever it works for you. In addition to providing symptomatic relief on its own, acupressure can significantly reinforce the effects of acupuncture treatments. And it’s free and completely safe!
It’s also educational because it gets you thinking about health from an acupuncture perspective. Acupressure is a great tool for learning to see yourself as an interconnected being who’s capable of self-healing.
9. Practice patience.
Acupuncture is not quick fix. It is not a one-shot deal. The effects of acupuncture are cumulative and therefore take time and patience. But the very reason many people avoid acupuncture—because it takes too long—is actually one of its biggest assets.
We must slow down in order to listen to what our bodies really need. When we slow down, we begin to notice things that we didn’t see before. For example: When I walk, my left foot feels heavier than my right. When I eat before 8am, I get heartburn. When I drink cold water before bed, I feel irritable the next day.
Acupuncture highly values these seemingly insignificant details. They are the clues that overtime help us piece together the origin of our physical and emotional struggles.
Recognize that there is value in slowing down, in tuning in and paying closer attention. With patience comes clarity.
10. Go out for a walk.
Even if it’s just around the block, taking a walk can go a long way. Like acupuncture, walking awakens and engages all the meridians that flow throughout the body. When you go for a walk, you let your whole body take a deep breath and reset itself.
Movement of any kind is good, but there’s something about walking that is at once invigorating and restorative. It does not require athleticism, excessive amounts of energy, or demanding postures. Walking gently lulls the body into its natural rhythm.
If you’re a runner, go for it, but allow yourself to walk sometimes. Running can be a great way to keep the juices flowing and boost your mood, but it can easily cross over into feeling like an unpleasant obligation. If you’re out for a jog and notice yourself dreading the experience or tensing up, slow down and walk for a few minutes. Reset.
11. Honor the seasons.
In our fast-paced lives, we tend to move from season to season without giving it much thought. But in acupuncture theory, humans are viewed as microcosms of the natural world that surrounds them, so the change of seasons is a big deal.
Seasons—particularly the transitional periods, when we go from one season to the next—factor significantly into how we feel. They can influence our physical health as well as our moods, energy levels, and sleep.
12. Eat good food.
Acupuncture helps eliminate toxins. Don’t knowingly put them back in by eating poor-quality food.
The “right” diet is different for everyone, but regardless of your preferences, it’s valuable to think about food as sustenance. Eating is an opportunity to heal your body, or to keep it healthy if it already is. When we conceive of food as sustenance, processed food and other junk become less appealing.
So, imagine the foods that would make you feel nourished and healthy, then go eat them. Check out this article on what to eat in fall and winter.
13. Let go.
Acupuncture teaches us to let go of the things that hold us back. We all have them. A medical diagnosis. A procrastination habit. A co-dependent relationship. A storied past. An intense love of ice cream. In one way or another, these things prevent us from moving forward. However, they also become part of our identity, which makes them difficult to abandon.
By offering a new lens, one that accepts these things as part of our contextual makeup rather than demonizing them as something to be ashamed of, acupuncture empowers us to ultimately let them go. Acupuncture gathers all of our experiences into a complete underlying pattern of disharmony. The goal of treatment is not to merely mask symptoms but rather to change the root pattern that allows symptoms to flourish.
In doing this, acupuncture helps us see our struggles from two distinct viewpoints: They are meaningful aspects of our stories worthy of careful consideration and at the same time fleeting details destined to be transformed.
What’s something you’ve been wanting to let go of? Give it a hug—it’s part of you—and then gently let it go.
14. Take on challenges.
It takes courage to go against the grain. Many doctors, as well as some family, friends and colleagues, regard mainstream medicine as the only acceptable form of healthcare. Add to that the barrage of pharmaceutical advertising, influential insurance companies, and sensationalized media messages about alternative approaches to health. It’s difficult to make certain choices in the face of such powerful forces.
By taking on new challenges, you’ll build the stamina necessary for taking ownership of your health.
Healing through acupuncture requires a conscious commitment to understanding yourself in a way that the majority shuns. It means thinking independently. It demands a willingness to go your own way. That’s not easy, but you can do it.
15. Get acupuncture.
This is an obvious one, but important to remember. One of the greatest beauties of acupuncture is its ability to influence our lives beyond the moments spent in treatment rooms. As evidenced by the 14 points above, acupuncture can be incorporated into your life without ever getting poked by a needle. The theory of acupuncture on its own is enough to inspire significant shifts in mindset and behavior.
However, if you want to cultivate the tenets of acupuncture in your life in 2015, getting an acupuncture treatment is a fantastic way to initiate the process—and periodic treatments can help keep you on course throughout the year.
There’s something about lying on the table or sitting in the chair, in quiet stillness, and feeling acupuncture needles work their magic that makes it all click. Acupuncture treatments help awaken the senses and clarify intentions so that your self-care practices can be more effective.
December 31, 2014 by admin
Source: Youth Health Magazine
http://www.youthhealthmag.com/articles/5800/20141226/acupuncture-found-to-be-effective-in-healing-pains-and-headache.htm
Acupuncture is a practice used in traditional Chinese medicine that involves stimulating specific points o the body, most often by inserting needles through the skin.
A number of studies in the late 2000s have found acupuncture’s effectiveness in healing certain conditions such as low-back pain, neck pain, and headache, as listed below by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).
For Low-Back Pain
– A 2012 analysis of data on participants in acupuncture studies looked at back and neck pain together and found that actual acupuncture was more helpful than either no acupuncture or simulated acupuncture.
– A 2010 review by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that acupuncture relieved low-back pain immediately after treatment but not over longer periods of time.
– A 2008 systematic review of studies on acupuncture for low-back pain found strong evidence that combining acupuncture with usual care helps more than usual care alone. The same review also found strong evidence that there is no difference between the effects of actual and simulated acupuncture in people with low-back pain.
For Neck Pain
– A 2014 Australian clinical study involving 282 men and women showed that needle and laser acupuncture were modestly better at relieving knee pain from osteoarthritis than no treatment, but not better than simulated (sham) laser acupuncture. Participants received 8 to 12 actual and simulated acupuncture treatments over 12 weeks. These results are generally consistent with previous studies, which showed that acupuncture is consistently better than no treatment but not necessarily better than simulated acupuncture at relieving osteoarthritis pain.
– A 2009 analysis found that actual acupuncture was more helpful for neck pain than simulated acupuncture, but the analysis was based on a small amount of evidence (only three studies with small study populations).
– A large German study with more than 14,000 participants evaluated adding acupuncture to usual care for neck pain. The researchers found that participants reported greater pain relief than those who didn’t receive it; the researchers didn’t test actual acupuncture against simulated acupuncture.
For Headache
– A 2012 analysis of data on individual participants in acupuncture studies looked at migraine and tension headaches. The analysis showed that actual acupuncture was more effective than either no acupuncture or simulated acupuncture in reducing headache frequency or severity.
– A 2009 systematic review of studies concluded that actual acupuncture, compared with simulated acupuncture or pain-relieving drugs, helped people with tension-type headaches. A 2008 systematic review of studies suggested that actual acupuncture has a very slight advantage over simulated acupuncture in reducing tension-type headache intensity and the number of headache days per month.
December 31, 2014 by admin
Source: Yahoo
https://www.yahoo.com/beauty/the-beauty-benefits-of-acupuncture-102477242560.html
I’ll admit it: I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to things like acupuncture. I’d rather deal with headaches and stress by popping a couple of Aleve or working my way through a heart-pounding Crossfit workout than “focusing on my breathing” or trying “healing yoga.” But, could taking a more rounded and holistic approach be the way to go?
I talked to Dr. John J. Kim, L.Ac., O.M.D., founder of ReNuMi Wellness Center and Mila Alexandra Mintsis, licensed acupuncturist at Shift Integrative Medicine on all things acupuncture. It turns out, those little needles can solve a lot more of life’s little dilemmas than ibuprofen can, like acne and wrinkles. Consider this your non-new age-y guide to the beauty benefits of sticking needles in your skin.
“Acupuncture helps energy flow through our body through a network of meridians,” says Kim. Think of meridians like blood vessels that connect acupuncture points to each other. Only instead of carrying blood, these channels carry qi (energy). When we’re stressed, these pathways become blocked; acupuncture needles stimulate points along the meridian, and help open them up.
To zap stress, needles are most commonly placed in the hands and feet. For me, it was the needle placed between my thumb and forefinger that had an immediate, just-drank-a-glass-of-warm-milk effect.
To ease stress long-term, Kim recommends a course of acupuncture twice a week for six to eight weeks. This gives the treatment time to help regulate body temperature, improve blood circulation and help you sleep better (all things that lead to reduced stress). Though it may seem counterintuitive if you’re needle-phobic, even the treatment itself is relaxing (just close your eyes). Kim says that a lot of times, people will fall asleep while they’re on the table.
Clearly, acupuncture isn’t our go-to method for clearing up acne (hello, face full of benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid). But Mintsis argues that topical remedies treat only the outward appearance instead of what’s going on internally. “Acne is usually an outward manifestation of an internal imbalance,” she says. When you fix that, you also quash future breakouts.
Because acupuncture addresses the root of one’s acne problem, such as digestive imbalances or a slow-moving lymphatic system, treatment varies from person to person. Mintis says that the tongue and pulse are used to determine a course of treatment and the placement of the needles. “Dietary changes, herbs and essential oils would be an additional important component of treatment,” she adds. She recommends 12 sessions for those looking to clear up their acne.
“Acupuncture has been used to improve physical appearance for thousands of years,” says Mintsis. It works by creating a positive microtrauma in the skin (similar to the tears that happen to your muscles during exercise), which Mintsis says is thought to “stimulate fibroblasts and increase collagen production,” meaning, you can see improved skin tone, diminished wrinkles and fine lines, a decrease in sagging skin and a youthful glow.
Mintsis says that acupuncture is unique in that it also addresses imbalances in the body that results in puffiness or chronically dry skin, which is essential for long-lasting results.
Acupuncture facial rejuvenation, as the process is called, involves placing small, hair-thin needles along certain points on the body, head and face.
Unlike Botox or invasive procedures, cosmetic acupuncture has no side effects. This treatment plan involves ten sessions over five weeks, followed by a monthly treatment to maintain the results.
Kim also developed a treatment system called ART that works by balancing hormones and regulating the digestive and lymphatic systems. “A healthy organ system is reflected as a healthy glow to the face,” he says. “ART treatment cleans body fluids by regulating water metabolism. It refreshes blood and detoxifies the whole body.” Basically, it acts like a detox and increases blood circulation to the skin — this releases muscle tightness and results in fewer wrinkles. Unlike other acupuncture treatments, the needles are removed immediately to improve collagen and muscle tone. One treatment program has four sessions.
“A series of acupuncture can regulate water metabolism for the whole body to help suppress the appetite,” Kim says. Mintsis says that two points on the ear (the “hunger point” and the “stomach point”), can be stimulated, AKA needled (my words), to help get cravings and feelings of hunger under control. Certain points on your body — just above the ankle bone on the inside of your leg, for one — can also be stimulated to help improve metabolism.
Don’t expect it to be magic, however — Mintsis notes that this isn’t any substitute for exercising and maintaining a healthy diet (so don’t toss that kale and gym membership just yet), but it is an effective tool to have in your arsenal to help you reach your goals. Twelve sessions seems to be the magic number; that’s how many are recommended to assist with a weight-loss plan.
December 23, 2014 by admin
Source: UT San Diego
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/dec/09/acupuncture-help-smokers-quit
The American Lung Association has reported that cigarette smoking is responsible for one in five deaths in the U.S. And while some estimates indicate that 70 percent of smokers want to kick the habit and 34 percent try to stop each year, just 2.5 percent succeed in quitting smoking.
Although new products have emerged over the years to help smokers quit— think nicotine patches, gum and some antidepressants — limited success rates have led to a growing interest in using alternative therapies such as acupuncture to help with smoking cessation.
Studies performed in recent years have offered mixed results as to the effectiveness of acupuncture in smoking cessation. For instance, Canadian researchers, whose findings appeared in the American Journal of Medicine in 2012, looked at 14 international studies that used drug-free methods to help quit smoking.
While the findings questioned the effectiveness of alternative therapies, they also showed that treatments such as acupuncture should serve as options for smokers who first try standard methods such as nicotine-replacement, medications and behavioral counseling.
Some studies showed that smokers who used acupuncture to quit were more than three times as likely to be tobacco-free six months to a year down the road.
Nicole Murray, owner of Beach Community Acupuncture, a San Diego clinic that offers more than 10,000 treatments per year, said her staff has had success with acupuncture for smoking cessation.
She said her community acupuncture clinic uses the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association protocol, which was not developed for smoking. Rather, it was found effective for treating narcotic drug dependency and has since been found helpful for quitting smoking as well as alcohol dependency, weight loss, insomnia and anxiety.
The NADA protocol consists of five acupuncture points in each ear that reduce anxiety, release endorphins and calm the nervous system, she said. The recommendation for quitting smoking is receiving acupuncture daily for 10 days.
“Patients frequently report that cigarettes taste bad when they try to smoke after acupuncture,” she said. “People come to acupuncture until they feel their cravings reduce to the point that they no longer need treatment. We have had patients quit after two treatments, and others take 10 or even more.”
Over time, nicotine has become known as an addiction that’s hard to quit. It raises the levels of a neurotransmitter called dopamine in parts of the brain that produce feelings of pleasure and reward, Murray said, and it’s the same neurotransmitter involved in addictions to drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
She said the NADA protocol can be effective for smokers because it counteracts the drop in dopamine levels when smokers begin to detoxify. She said this helps reduce anxiety and boosts the mood. She also said that acupuncture lacks side-effects that can come with antidepressants, nicotine patches and gum.
Following acupuncture treatment for smoking cessation, exercise is encouraged, Murray said, while acid-forming foods such as sugar and coffee should be avoided. Anything that helps reduce acid in the body is helpful and encouraged such as green juices, lemon water, carrots and celery. Staying hydrated also helps.
Murray added that the frequency of treatment is key to the success of acupuncture for quitting smoking.
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December 17, 2014 by admin
Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1407-acupuncture-migraine-remedy-found
Acupuncture relieves migraines. Researchers conclude that acupuncture decreases the frequency of migraine attacks and reduces migraine intensity. Additionally, researchers have discovered biological mechanisms activated by acupuncture in the alleviation of migraines. Yin Tang was used in the treatment of migraines in the study.
Vijayalakshmi et. al., finds electroacupuncture more effective than “conventional drug therapy” for the treatment of migraines. Electroacupuncture significantly outperformed the drug flunarizine in the treatment of migraines. Patients showed superior patient outcomes using acupuncture including pain relief, psychological profile and quality of life improvements, and reductions in migraine related disabilities. The researchers formally recommend acupuncture as an alternative or adjunct method of care for migraine patients.
One key pain relieving mechanism may be acupuncture’s ability to stimulate a pain relieving substance. Goldman et. al., from the University of Rochester Medical Center (New York) and the Boston University School of Medicine (Massachusetts) note that “acupuncture releases a natural pain-relieving molecule into the body…. Adenosine is a key to reducing pain during acupuncture treatment.”
Ling Zhao et. al., conclude that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of migraines and reduces pain intensity levels. Zhou et. al., find acupuncture effective in the prevention of migraines and links acupuncture’s therapeutic benefits to its ability to stimulate MLCK expression. The expression of myosin light-chain kinase (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 acupoint GB20 (Fengchi, Wind Pool) successfully upregulates MLCK expression and has “preventative and curative” effects for migraine patients.
The research confirms Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory stating that acupuncture point GB20 is effective in the treatment of headaches. According to TCM theory, GB20 benefits the head, benefits hearing and vision, clears the sense organs, and alleviates pain. This acupoint is located below the occiput in the hollow between the origins of the sternomastoid and trapezius muscles. It is a pair of acupoints found in the depression at the base of the skull. Indications for application of GB20 include headaches, migraines, eye disorders, vertigo, tinnitus, insomnia, febrile diseases, seizures, sinusitis and rhinorrhea. This point is important in TCM because it is the meeting point of the gallbladder and sanjiao channels with the yang motility and yang linking vessels.
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.
Dr. Cayir et. al., administered migraine patients 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.
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 the changes in brain glycometabolism. The researchers note that this measurable phenomenon indicates acupuncture point specificity; specific acupuncture points have specific effects.
Subjects with migraines were separated into three groups: traditional acupuncture group (TAG), controlled acupuncture group (CAG), non-intervention group. The TAG group received acupuncture stimulation at TB5 (Waiguan), GB34 (Yanglingquan) and GB20 (Fengchi). The CAG group received acupuncture at ST8 (Touwei), LI6 (Pianli) and ST36 (Zusanli). The non-intervention group did not receive treatment.
The TAG group was more effective than the other groups at reducing 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, and the middle cingulate cortex. The TAG group decreased glycometabolism in the parahippocampus, hippocampus, fusiform, postcentral gyrus and cerebellum more than in the non-intervention group. The CAG group more greatly increased glycometabolism in the middle temporal cortex, supratemporal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus and the middle cingulate cortex than was measured in the non-intervention group. The CAG group decreased glycometabolism more greatly than the non-intervention group in the cerebellum.
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 Hydrochloride 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 needled bilaterally. Secondary acupuncture points were added for specific disorders.
LR3 (Taichong), KI3 (Taixi) and GB43 (Xiaxi) were added for headaches due to liver yang rising. CV12 (Fenglong) and SP9 (Yinlingquan) were added for cases of headache due to phlegm turbidity. PC6 (Neiguan), SP10 (Xuehai) and BL17 (Geshu) were added for cases of headaches due to blood stasis. The treatment principle was to dredge the channels, remove pathogenic factors and stop pain.
The acupuncture treatments were applied in the seated patient position. Needles were 0.30 mm in diameter and 25 – 50 mm in length. Deqi sensation was evoked at the acupoints followed by 1 minute of sedating technique by either twirling or rotating. Electroacupuncture employed a sparse-dense wave and the frequency ranged between 2 – 100 Hz. Total needle retention time was 20 minutes and the acupuncture was applied once 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 at Yintang, Taiyang, GV20, GB20, ST8, TB20 (Jiaosun) and BL2 (Cuanzhu). Overall, the head received tuina care including the forehead and lateral sides at the gallbladder foot-shaoyang channel.
Acupuncture with tuina consistently outperformed the medication group. As a result of the findings, the researchers concluded that acupuncture combined with tuina is effective for the treatment of migraines and is more effective than flunarizine hydrochloride.
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