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Source: NewsMax
http://www.newsmax.com/Health/Health-Wire/acupuncture-arthritis-joint-pain/2015/08/05/id/665602/
Acupuncture is a 2,000-year-old alternative medical therapy that may give arthritis sufferers a new option for treating joint pain.
Considered a complementary and alternative medicine option, acupuncture is one of several treatments making the move into mainstream medicine. More patients and doctors are embracing CAM therapies, integrating them with modern medical treatments, The Mayo Clinic said, adding that 40 percent of adults report using some type of CAM.
The dearth of medical research on acupuncture’s effectiveness is attributed to the costliness of large medical trials, The Mayo Clinic said. But even though many companies won’t spend dollars to back up CAM techniques, research does support the idea that arthritis joint pain can be helped by acupuncture.
Cleveland acupuncturist Jamie Starkey told The Arthritis Foundation that acupuncture doesn’t help everyone. “In my clinical work, we see a 20 percent non-response rate. But more often than not, patients come in who have exhausted everything,” she said. “Then they notice improvement.”
Typically thought of more in connection with treating osteoarthritis, especially knee pain, acupuncture may hold hope for people with rheumatoid arthritis too.
A 2011 Chinese study found acupuncture reduced two factors, TNF-alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor, associated with chronic inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis patients, The Arthritis Foundation reported.
The study impressed Nathan Wei, director of the Arthritis Treatment Center in Frederick, Maryland, who told the Foundation, “Acupuncture has been used to treat the pain of osteoarthritis, but this is one of the few articles I’ve seen where cytokine, or protein messengers, like TNF-alpha and VEGF have been affected in people with RA.”
Other studies with RA patients have shown similar results, The Arthritis Foundation said, with five of eight studies showing a reduction in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, three showing a C-reactive protein reduction, and one study showing a “significant drop in both.”
In treating the joint pain associated with osteoarthritis, some studies have shown significant results in favor of acupuncture. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reported on several studies that found people with osteoarthritis, especially with knee pain, were helped by acupuncture, though results were described as “modest” in at least one clinical study.
Source: Acupuncture.com
http://acupuncture.com/newsletters/m_aug15/midlife.htm
The term ‘midlife crisis’ refers to a critical life phase that generally begins in one’s mid-forties and fifties. Commonly characterized by periods of psychological upheaval, it is a time of unstable mental and emotional health lasting for approximately a year or longer. Often triggered by the realization of one’s impending mortality, this existential awakening elicits profound personal reflection, self-evaluation, and judgment about self or how one appears in the eyes of others.
For some, this mid-life period can be an exciting adventure – a time of objective reassessment, reappraisal, insight, and self-exploration. Most, however, feel a sense of confusion, restlessness, emptiness, meaninglessness, or dissatisfaction. There are also those whose journey is fraught with fear, self-doubt, self-loathing, or disillusionment. Emotional reactions range from mild anxiety to panic attacks, and/or from slight depression to deep despair.
In our youth-driven culture, there is an overwhelming urge to enhance one’s appearance and erase the visible signs of aging when faced with the realization that this precious commodity is slipping away. As an acupuncturist of 24 years, specializing in cosmetic acupuncture, many men and women come to me for acupuncture treatments to erase face wrinkles, tone sagging face muscles, reduce puffiness under the eyes, re-sculpt the contours along their cheeks and jaw line, and rejuvenate their withering complexions. As a venerated Chinese Medicine (CM) practitioner, I know that they are not just looking for a superficial makeover, but for an emotional and spiritual awakening as well.
In addition to improving the physical signs of aging, acupuncture opens the door to self-acceptance, inner contentment, and personal satisfaction. According to the principles of CM, there is no dualism between the body and mind and, therefore, no hierarchy of somatic and psychological symptoms. In essence, CM views the body, mind, emotions, and spirit as one. Acupuncturists are trained to address the exterior symptoms and treat the underlying root cause. For cosmetic acupuncturists, exterior patient symptoms regularly include wrinkles, sagging muscle tone, and age related skin conditions. The root cause treatment for one’s mid-life turmoil, however, is imbedded in the pattern recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of Qi, Blood, and Fluids as they influence and are influenced by the elements, Organs, and Meridians.
Qi, an essential concept in CM, is a form of energy that exists both inside and outside the body. It affects every aspect of one’s being, including mental and emotional states. Qi is categorized into two polarities – yin and yang. Although they are opposite energetically, they rely on each other for their survival, so that one cannot exist without the other. Yang needs yin nourishment to be properly harnessed and yin needs yang movement to motivate its action. When yin Qi is deficient, yang Qi will be in excess, manifesting in symptoms such as acne, rosacea, a red complexion, anxiety, and restlessness. When yang Qi is deficient, yin Qi stagnates. Signs of yin stagnation are facial edema, dry skin, a pale complexion, fatigue, and depression.
Blood, another vital aspect of CM ensures the smooth flow of Qi in and around the elements, Organs, and Meridians. When balancing Qi, the state of Blood and the energetics of the five elements, Organs, and Meridians must also be considered. The harmony of the five elements is dependent upon the conditions of the Organs and Meridians which generate, store, and circulate Qi and Blood throughout the body. Fundamentally, acupuncture treatment for the physical and emotional aspects of one’s mid- life issues should be designed to balance yin and yang of Qi and Blood; and the elements, Organs, and Meridians.
Five Element theory, which defines the correlation between the elements of nature and those of man, relies on the Shen and Ko cycles. The Shen cycle describes the generative relationship of the five elements: wood generates fire; fire contributes to earth; earth provides metal; metal can be melted (liquefied); and (liquid) water nourishes the production of wood. The emotions of those elements have the same Shen (generative) relationship. Fulfillment (wood) generates joy (fire); joy leads to self-confidence (earth); self-confidence leads to empowerment (metal), which leads to motivation (water); and the motivation once again encourages a sense of fulfillment.
The Ko cycle describes the degenerative relationship of the five elements. Water extinguishes fire; fire melts metal; metal cuts wood; wood punctures earth; and earth blocks water. Similarly, there is the same degeneration in the emotional aspect of these systems. Fear (water) can restrain excitement (fire); excitement can overcome sadness (metal); sadness can repress anger (wood); anger can cover up worry (earth); and worry can cover up fear.
The Zang-Fu Internal Organs, generally noted for their physiological functions and activities, also have a psychodynamic aspect that, when out of balance, can create emotional disruptions. When the flow of Qi from the Liver (wood) is out of balance, it can cause feelings of restlessness, frustration, resentment, or anger. A disruption in Joy from the Heart (fire) results in restlessness, agitation, anxiety, or panic and when the Spleen (earth) loses its harmony, self-confidence morphs into confusion, self-doubt, worry, or obsession. The strength of empowerment from the Lungs (metal) transforms into rigidity, instability, lack of confidence, and grief. Motivation from the Kidneys (water) dwindles into lack of will, fear, meaninglessness, or depression.
In TCM, the Heart is most commonly associated with emotional upheaval. When the Heart is strong and healthy, the mind is calm, focused, and relaxed. When out of balance, restlessness and agitation cause nervousness, anxiety, or panic. The mind (Shen) is also housed in the Heart and is dependent upon its proper functioning. Inability to concentrate, mental fogginess or confusion, is an indication of a deficiency of Heart Qi or Blood. In concert with the Heart, CM relates anxiety to a loss of balance between the Heart and Kidney. When there is too much heat in the Heart, it will affect the water aspect of Kidney. When Kidney water is unable to contain Heart fire, heat rises to the mind and anxiety ensues.
Acupuncture points for the Kidney and Heart are important when treating a patient experiencing a mid-life crisis. Confusion, worry, and lack of confidence can also be addressed by supplementing with acupuncture points for the Spleen. If there are signs of desolation, sadness and grief, additional acupuncture points for the Lungs are beneficial. Anger and frustration turned inward (self-loathing) or outward (jealously, resentment) can be addressed with acupuncture points to harmonize the Liver.
When treating symptoms related to a mid-life crisis, there are many benefits of acupuncture:
Produces a calming effect
Helps to gain perspective about one’s life
Promotes self-acceptance
Opens the door to transform crisis into opportunity
Broadens awareness beyond one’s self
With proper acupuncture treatment, mid-life difficulties can actually serve a positive purpose in terms of our personal, emotional, and spiritual development. During this time of transition, acupuncture enables one to tap into different ways of being and living. When we develop greater self-awareness, self-knowledge, a sense of inner strength, and self-acceptance, we become less dependent on the approval of others. Relationship with one’s self and with others become deeper, more meaningful, and enjoying life becomes gracefully easier.
Source: ECNS
http://www.ecns.cn/2015/07-15/173174.shtml
This year’s Sanfu Days, or dog days of summer, is supposedly ten days longer than the usual 30 days, according to a calculation of the Purple Hills Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Monday.
The calculation show that China has entered Toufu, the first phase of Sanfu on July 13, and the Sanfu Days won’t fade out till August 22.
Sanfu in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, refers to the three 10-days periods that are predicted to be the hottest days of the year, which are called Toufu, Zhongfu and Mofu respectively. It is between mid-July to mid-August, and the beginning days of Sanfu varies year from year, in accordance with the ancient Chinese dates designated by Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branchesra.
One effective way to beat the heat is careful dieting. Health experts say that in Sanfu Days, it’s better not to drink too much icy drinks nor eat much ice-creams, as the heat within one’s body is usually felt on the surface of the body, not in the internal organs.
Zhang Zhongjing, an ancient Chinese doctor from the Eastern Han Dynasty, wrote in his Shanghanzabinglun, (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases), that to prevent and treat heatstroke, the right way is to drink some hot water and sweating, as it is good for the blood circulation.
Eat more vegetables, less meat and oily foods are also useful tips to make yourself comfortable in those hot summer Days.
In fact, Sanfu Days are believed to be a good time to cure some winter ills, such as coughs, asthma and arthritis. Receiving the Sanfutie, or Sanfu medicinal patch, is one of the popular ways to cure such ills.
Sanfutie is a bandage made of traditional Chinese herbal medicine. The treatment is based on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) principle of yin and yang, which believes the balance of the elements in the body is vital for good health.
Sanfutie contains a paste of herbs that are “hot” in nature, and when applied to specific acupuncture points, usually on the back andneck, they replenish the yang elements.
These patches have been used in TCM since earliest recorded times, according to Huangdi Neijing (The Inner Canon of the YellowEmperor), more than 2,000 years ago, the time-tested textbook for TCM practitioners. Sanfu patch treatment became extremely popular inthe Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and has enjoyed a revival in recent years as more patients turn to TCM treatment.
Source: Healio
http://www.healio.com/allergy-immunology/rhinitis-sinusitis-upper-airway-diseases/news/online/%7B8a55ee48-06ff-4746-8709-3626ec1506f7%7D/acupuncture-safe-effective-in-treating-seasonal-allergic-rhinitis
Four weeks of acupuncture treatment appeared to be a safe and effective treatment option for seasonal allergic rhinitis, according to study results.
“Over the last decade there has been an increasing body of literature assessing the potential benefit of acupuncture for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, both seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis,” Charlie Changli Xue, PhD, head of school of health sciences at RMIT University in Australia, told Healio.com/Allergy. “[Our research] provides important data on the benefit of acupuncture for seasonal allergic rhinitis which is a very common problem in Australia and globally.”
Xue and colleagues conducted a double blind, randomized controlled trial during the pollen seasons of 2009 to 2011 to assess the efficacy and safety of 12 sessions of acupuncture for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR).
The analysis included 175 adults aged 18 to 70 years with SAR. Participants had to have at least 2 years of typical symptoms associated with SAR or perennial allergic rhinitis with seasonal exacerbation and a positive allergen skin prick testing.
Researchers randomized the participants to receive either real acupuncture (n = 88) or sham acupuncture (n = 87).
Participants recorded symptom severity in weekly case report forms assessing the severity of nasal and non-nasal symptoms during the trial.
Symptoms of sneezing (mean difference = –0.28) and itchiness of the ears and palate (mean difference = –0.4) in participants receiving real acupuncture appeared more likely to be less severe after treatment than in the group receiving fake acupuncture.
Quality of life assessed with the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire with Standardized Activities also appeared more likely to improve in participants receiving real acupuncture (mean difference for activity = –1.84).
Participants in both the real acupuncture group (9.7%) and sham acupuncture group (8.5%) reported adverse events, however no serious adverse events occurred.
Symptoms of sneezing (mean difference = –0.19), total nasal symptoms (mean difference = –0.46) and global nasal and non-nasal symptoms (mean difference = 0.61) remained less severe after 4 weeks follow-up in participants receiving real acupuncture.
Xue told Healio.com/Allergy that the study results have future implications for how treatment may be offered.
“[Patients can] consider acupuncture as an option of care for managing their hay fever symptoms,” he said. “Qualified acupuncturists and other health care practitioners should discuss [acupuncture] as an option with their patients, particularly for those pharmaco-therapies [that] have not effectively alleviated their hay fever symptoms.” – by Ryan McDonald
Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1504-electroacupuncture-inhibits-scar-formation
Researchers discovered that a type of acupuncture, referred to as electroacupuncture, is effective for inhibiting hypertrophic scar formation. Electroacupuncture is a form of acupuncture wherein an electric current is run between the needles. A hypertrophic scar is a cutaneous condition involving excessive collagen deposits during wound healing. This affects aesthetic appearances and may result in various forms of psychological dysfunction in serious cases. Although different treatment strategies targeted at hypertrophic scars are practiced, there is yet to be a definitive treatment protocol for this condition. The results demonstrate that electroacupuncture regulates and impedes regeneration of fibrous tissues, prevents adhesions during recuperation, and improves blood circulation at scar areas. Also, electroacupuncture is effective in softening and lightening scars, decreases the size of scars, and reduces scar thickness.
A recent experiment was conducted by researchers at Yantai Binzhou Medical University to investigate acupuncture’s ability to prevent scar formation. A total of 18 New Zealand rabbits were randomly distributed into 3 groups. The control group received manual acupuncture. Group A received electroacupuncture using continuous frequency current. Group B received electroacupuncture using electrical current with alternating frequencies.
Methodologies
The researchers used a Huatuo brand electroacupuncture machine and sterile, single-use acupuncture needles of size 0.25 mm X 0.25 mm. All rabbits were anesthetized and had their ears marked with four 1.5 cm X 1.5 cm squarish surgical wounds, each distanced at least 1 cm from another. After sterilization, researchers cut the skin to create wounds. After 20 days, they repeated the process above by cutting open the original wound and removing new tissues and created new wounds the size of 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm. At this point, the wounds were allowed to heal naturally.
Intervention
When all models were ready, researches practiced the following steps daily for 30 days.
Control group: Insertion of acupuncture needles was diagonal, 0.5 cm from the hypertrophic wounds using 4 needles. The needles were inserted to a depth of 0.5 cm and were retained for 15 minutes.
Group A: Researchers connected the top of the needles to the electroacupuncture machine and applied 2 mA continuous current for 15 minutes at wound areas.
Group B: Alternating 2 and 100 Hz current of 2 mA was applied. Needle retention time was 15 minutes.
Researchers collected hypertrophic scar samples from 2 randomly selected rabbits in every group at the 10th, 20th, and 30th day. All rabbits which had their samples taken once and were not reused. Based on the samples collected at the 10th, 20th, and 30th day, researchers analyzed and recorded the areas, thickness, color, blood vessel distribution, and softness of all hypertrophic scars. Samples were monitored with an optical microscope with staining to tabulate scar proliferation indexes. All groups showed progress in the scoring of hypertrophic scars, however, the scar proliferation indexes from group A and B were vastly different from that of the control group. Electroacupuncture significantly inhibited scar formation. This includes an overall smaller size, less thickness, less discoloration, better uniformity of tissue, and less deformities. Overall, electroacupuncture produced significantly superior patient outcomes over the control group. Group B, using alternating frequency electroacupuncture, had the best scores.
The researchers found electroacupuncture helpful in softening and lightening scars. Electroacupuncture also decreased the size of scar areas and thickness. Continuous frequency electroacupuncture produced less treatment results than alternating frequencies. The theoretical basis for these differences has yet to be fully elucidated. Based on the data, the researchers concluded that electroacupuncture is useful in inhibiting hypertrophic scar formation. Alternating frequencies produce better clinical results than continuous frequency current. Overall, electroacupuncture continues to gain greater recognition for the treatment of hypertrophic scar prevention and reduction. This laboratory experiment confirms efficacy.
Source: CDA Press
http://www.cdapress.com/news/healthy_community/article_c3775f28-aa10-5d81-83d4-2f22b9e00a85.html
Many studies have shown that acupuncture has an incredible ability to regulate hormones in the body – in particular, the hormones related to the stress mechanism. The adrenal glands are premier in their hormonal capacity to regulate the stress response in the body and acupuncture has a particularly effective ability to balance them. Studies have shown that acupuncture regulates chemicals such as serotonin, endorphin, dopamine, adrenaline, and other hormones that regulate mood and stress.
The endocrine system is a complex biofeedback system that involves many organs/glands that secrete hormones in response to many biological actions. These include the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, pancreas, thyroid, parathyroid, mammary, placenta, thymus, ovaries in women, gonads in men, pineal gland, the adrenal medulla and adrenal cortex, and liver. The pituitary gland is often referred to as the “master gland,” as it has direct influence on much of the other glands. How this system works is that when there is a stimulation of one hormone, another is released to control it, to bring it back down again or stimulate another gland. It is quite complex, as some glands inhibit function while others stimulate function. A change in one hormone results in a domino effect with most of the other hormones in the endocrine system.
When this system is out of balance, disease can result. Blood sugar, for instance, is primarily regulated by the adrenals, pancreas and liver. If any of these organs are stressed or not functioning up to par, imbalances in sugar regulation occur. So if the person is drinking coffee or eating sugar (two functions that deleteriously affect adrenal function), the adrenals can be weakened. We call this adrenal fatigue. The person becomes more and more tired, requiring more and more stimulants to keep going. Conventional medicine does not generally recognize adrenal fatigue. To them, the adrenal glands are either fully functioning or in adrenal failure. Adrenal fatigue lies in the grey area between the two extremes. Not failed, but not happy either. These people may have a difficult time managing stress, tend towards depression or have anxiety, or have blood sugar regulation issues.
Acupuncture regulates the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA). This system is greatly affected by surgeries, stimulants, and stress. When out of balance, there is suppression of the immune function, leading to more infections, elevated blood sugar levels, problems with blood pressure regulation and worsening ability to cope with stress. Acupuncture helps regulate the HPAA by regulating glucose and cortisol levels in the blood. Ironically, acupuncture has been shown to simultaneously encourage the production of cortisol (converts to cortisone) in situations where inflammation is present to bring it under control, while reducing it at just the right level to prevent tissue damage and weight gain by enhancing its elimination through improved liver and kidney function.
Acupuncture is effective in reducing the stress response, helps enhance relaxation, reduces anxiety and improves mood. A happy endocrine system, especially happy adrenal glands, translates into a happy person!
Source: Time Magazine
http://time.com/3966005/acupuncture-anxiety-stress/
Rats who got acupuncture showed fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression than stressed-out rats who didn’t get treatment. Acupuncture may work by targeting the same pathways that stress travels along, according to a new study in rats from Georgetown University Medical Center and published in the journal Endocrinology.
Ladan Eshkevari, PhD, a nurse anesthetist, licensed acupuncturist and associate professor in the department of nursing and the department of pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown University Medical Center, noticed that the acupuncture patients coming to her for pain were reporting improvement of symptoms unrelated to their pain, like chronic stress, depression, sleep and appetite.
“There was nothing in the literature about acupuncture for PTSD and chronic stress,” she says, so she decided to study it. To find out if acupuncture was affecting chronic stress, Eshkevari and a team of researchers looked at what happened in a key pathway in dealing with stress for both humans and rats: the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). It’s the same pathway targeted by some anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants, Eshkevari says, and the HPA is involved in the production of the stress hormone cortisol.
In the experiment, the researchers compared four groups of rats: one group was stressed and given acupuncture; another group was stressed and given sham acupuncture (at a non-acupuncture point to make sure any results weren’t due to a placebo effect); a third group was stressed and didn’t get any acupuncture; and a final control group just hung out without any interventions.
First, the researchers decided to look at an acupuncture point called stomach 36; according to Chinese medicine, it’s a potent point associated with stress, stomach issues and pain, and in humans, it’s located right below the knee behind the tibia bone. The rat equivalent of stomach 36 is on the hind paw near the knee, Eshevari says.
Because most people who get acupuncture come in for treatment after a stressful event, Eshkevari says, she wanted to expose the rats to stress before treatment. She put them in a bucket of ice that made their legs cold for about an hour, then let the rats acclimate to room temperature before their 20-minute-long acupuncture sessions.
“It took me months to figure out how to do acupuncture on an awake rat,” says Eshkevari. It would have been easier to anesthetize them, but Eshkevari didn’t want to affect stress hormone levels. So she cut up her husband’s tube socks to hold the rats during treatment. “It was only big enough for them to crawl in to their hind legs, so their hind paws would be hanging out,” she says. She put the rats in the socks, quickly inserted the needles and connected them to the electrodes for their 20-minute sessions.
After 11 days of stress and acupuncture, Eshkevari put the rats to the test. When placed in an open box, less anxious rats will more readily explore; anxious rats will sit in the corner. And in a forced swim test, rats are dropped in a bucket and forced to swim; the quicker they give up, the higher they score in depression.
The rats who had acupuncture at the stomach 36 point had levels of cortisol in their blood comparable to the control rats that weren’t stressed—and lower cortisol levels than the other stressed-out rats, including the rats who received sham acupuncture. Likewise, the stressed-out rats who didn’t receive acupuncture showed more anxiety, depression and hopelessness through the behavioral tests, while the acupuncture-treated rats behaved a lot more like the normal rats that hadn’t been exposed to anything, Eshkevari says. “In this model, acupuncture can allay some of the untoward effects of stress,” she explains.
To make sure the acupuncture was affecting the pathway they thought it was, the researchers gave the rats a drug to block the HPA pathway, then retested the rats of behavioral measures. The effect went away.
“That’s how we know that the acupuncture not only worked, but it worked via the pathway we’re hypothesizing it works,” Eshkevari says.
The study is in rats, not in humans, and Eshkevari says that it’s certainly not enough to prove that the mechanism works exactly the same way in humans. “It would be very interesting and much more useful to do these experiments on human models of stress,” she says.
Still, she believes it’s an important preliminary step. “I had a sense anecdotally from the patients,” she says. “Now I feel like we have some evidence that this does work, the placebo is controlled for, and when we block the pathway it stops working. We know this is a potential mechanism. Now I can more confidentially try to translate that to humans.”
Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1501-insomnia-vanquished-with-acupuncture-and-herbs
Researchers document that acupuncture and herbs are effective in the relief of insomnia. In a recent finding, investigators have discovered that combining acupuncture and herbs into a comprehensive treatment regimen greatly enhances the total effective rate. Yin Tang and other face acupoints on a woman with red handle needle. The controlled clinical experiment investigated three separate groups. An acupuncture group, an herbal medicine group, and a combination group receiving both acupuncture and herbs were compared.
Acupuncture was administered at a rate of one treatment every three days with a total of four acupuncture sessions per course of care. Two courses of care were administered with an interval of three days for all groups. Before and after treatment, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to analyze the data. The acupuncture group received treatment at the following acupuncture points:
Sishencong
Yintang
Anmian
Taiyang
The herbal medicine group received the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) modified formula Ningxin Anshen. The primary ingredients of the formula are:
Huang Lian
Hu Po
Shi Chang Pu
Yuan Zhi
Fu Ling
Dan Shen
Gan Cao
Hong Zao
Fu Xiao Mai
Ci Shi
Zhen Zhu Mu
According to TCM principles, this herbal formula has sedative properties. TCM theory states that it calms the shen, the spirit, and has a tranquilizing effect. The formula is also noted for promoting blood circulation, benefitting the liver, reducing dizziness, and benefitting patients with a deficiency constitution marked by a weak pulse. Indications for use of this formula include insomnia, irritability, hot flashes, palpitations, redness of the cheeks, menopausal symptoms with heat, neurasthenia, persistent thirst, depression, and discomfort of the heart and chest region.
According to TCM theory, this herbal formula benefits patients with insomnia due to yin deficiency with uprising fire. Sterile disposable needles in packs. Patients consumed the herbal formula once per day. The combination group received the identical acupuncture and herbal medicine regimen given to the aforementioned groups.
Research Methodology
A stringent selection standard was used to select the study participants. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were extensive including the following:
Patients must have fulfilled the diagnosis standard of insomnia.
All patients had not previously participated in this type of investigation.
All patients were between 18 – 75 years old.
All patients had a PSQI score above 7.
Patients had not taken insomnia medication within two weeks from the beginning of the investigation.
Results were statistically analysed using a rank-sum test and variance analysis (P < 0.05) based on the PSQI score. The results were surprising. The total effective rate for the combination group was 100% for the treatment of insomnia. This includes patients ranging from mild improvement to completely cured. Parameters of effectiveness included time to fall asleep, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, temporary sleep baffle, and daytime function. In short, the PSQI score of the combination group was better than the TCM herbal medicine group and the acupuncture group.
For the combination group, a 100% effective rate was achieved. All patients reported that the treatment was effective and helped to improve their insomnia. In comparison, the TCM herbal medicine group reported a 97.67% effective rate and the acupuncture group reported a 73.33% effective rate. Acupuncture and herbal medicine were found effective for the treatment of insomnia, however, the combination of the two modalities produced significantly superior patient outcomes.
Source: NY Times
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/23/not-telling-your-doctor-you-use-acupuncture-and-chiropractic/?_r=0
People with chronic back, neck or joint pain commonly seek acupuncture and chiropractic care for relief, but many don’t tell their doctors about it, a new study reports.
Researchers said they were surprised to find that of some 6,068 chronic pain patients who responded to a questionnaire, 47 percent reported using chiropractic care, 32 percent said they used acupuncture, and 21 percent used both. Only 42 percent said they used neither acupuncture nor chiropractic. All of the patients were members of Kaiser Permanente Northwest, a group model health maintenance organization based in Portland, Ore.
Many of the patients studied did not share information about alternative treatments with their regular doctors, and the information was not in their electronic medical records. About a third of acupuncture users and 42 percent of chiropractic care users did not tell their regular doctors about the care.
Some patients who paid for the care privately may have been eligible for insurance coverage, said Dr. Charles Elder of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, the paper’s first author. “Alternative treatments work for a lot of patients,” he said, but communicating with your doctor is important. “If I don’t know what my patients are doing, I can’t advise them.”
The study was published in The American Journal of Managed Care.
Source: Steamboat Today
http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2015/jul/19/monday-medical-acupuncture-effective-treatment-pts
Post-traumatic stress disorder can be an immense challenge for anyone experiencing it. But studies show relief may come from an unexpected source: acupuncture.
Yampa Valley Medical Center’s first free acupuncture clinic for veterans will give all veterans — whether they have experienced PTSD or not — an opportunity to try out the treatment. Below are some basics on acupuncture and how it has been shown to help specifically with PTSD.
Benefits of acupuncture
Acupuncture has long been heralded as a treatment for various health issues. It can provide relief for almost any condition, including chronic low back pain, menopausal symptoms, insomnia, depression, digestive orders and allergies, said Kelley McDaneld, a licensed acupuncturist with Integrated Health at YVMC.
The practice has been used for thousands of years, and its efficacy is shown over and over in historical and empirical evidence.
Though modern science hasn’t pinpointed exactly why acupuncture helps, it does show the body responds. With each needle inserted, there’s a vascular response that increases blood flow into the area, as well as a neural response that results in the brain releasing neurotransmitters, hormones or other chemicals.
The response can be specific to each individual. “Some respond very well, others not as much,” McDaneld said. “People are very unique.” But in many cases, acupuncture results in a positive change.
What to expect
In Chinese style acupuncture, which McDaneld practices, needles are inserted in several places on the body. A patient may not feel the needle going through the skin, but should feel a deeper sensation once it’s in; McDaneld describes it as a heaviness or ache. There are 12 main acupuncture channels in the body, and a patient may also feel an electric ‘zing’ down a channel as a needle is inserted.
That sensation goes away after about 30 seconds, but the needles are left in for 20 to 40 minutes.
Some people notice an immediate improvement; for others, especially those with more chronic conditions, it can take a series of treatments to get results. That might mean being treated once or twice a week for six to eight visits.
Acupuncture and PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder can result after experiencing a traumatic event, such as death, the threat of death or injury. Symptoms of PTSD can be debilitating, including flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety. Veterans experience a higher percentage of PTSD than the general public.
Sufferers of PTSD can be virtually “frozen in fear,” McDaneld said. Acupuncture can help, as it inhibits the fight-or-flight response, allowing people move forward. In one study, acupuncture was shown to be as effective as Cognitive Behavior Therapy in treating PTSD in veterans.
“It’s nice to have acupuncture as a treatment modality for PTSD, because it’s a nonverbal treatment,” McDaneld said. “It doesn’t require the person to revisit the experience.”
Veterans who attend YVMC’s free clinic do not have to be suffering from PTSD; the event is more of a chance to experience the benefits of acupuncture. At the clinic, people will be treated with ear acupuncture and some body acupuncture.
“Ear acupuncture can be extremely powerful,” McDaneld said. “They’ll definitely feel more relaxed.”
One of McDaneld’s very first patients was her grandfather, a World War II veteran. He was in his late 80s when she started giving him acupuncture regularly. He’s now 95, and still looks forward to the treatment.
#“Every veteran that I’ve ever worked with has responded very well to acupuncture,” McDaneld said.
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Meridian Healing
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