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Source: Health CMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1483-acupuncture-perimenopause-relief
Acupuncture is safe and effective for the treatment of perimenopause. Researchers from Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine and Henan University of Chinese Medicine investigated the effects of acupuncture on perimenopausal syndrome as it relates to metabolism, reproductive endocrinology, and the immune system. Clinical and laboratory findings reveal important biochemical benefits induced by acupuncture and electroacupuncture.
Onset of perimenopause may occur years prior to menopause. It may occur in the 40s, 30s, or earlier and is related to a decrease in estrogen production by the ovaries. Perimenopause typically lasts approximately four years. Indications of perimenopause include hot flashes, fatigue, increased premenstrual syndrome (PMS), irregular menstrual cycles, insomnia, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, mood swings, anxiety, and breast tenderness. Conventional treatments include hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants, and vaginal lubricants.
The researchers note that a reduction of serum estradiol in perimenopausal women leads to changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPOA) axis thereby causing pathologies. Citing several investigations in their meta-analysis, the researchers note that acupuncture regulates the HPOA and levels of serum estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH). Additionally, they document the clinical success of acupuncture for the treatment of hot flashes.
The meta-analysis covered a large body of research. Jin et al. compared acupuncture with Premarin oral intake. Premarin is a brand name for conjugated estrogens. The acupuncture group received the administration of Back-Shu acupoints. The acupuncture group demonstrated superior patient outcomes over the group taking oral conjugated estrogens.
Shang et al. document that Yuan-Primary and Back-Shu acupoints are effective for the regulation of estradiol, FSH and LH in perimenopausal women. Qin et al. conclude that electroacupuncture applied to acupoint SP6 (Sanyinjiao) effectively modulates reproductive endocrine system functions in perimenopausal women. Li et al. measured significant beneficial increases of estradiol levels in perimenopausal women after the application of either of two acupuncture point prescriptions. Prescription #1 was:
Guanyuan (CV4)
Sanyinjiao (SP 6)
Prescription # 2 was:
Neiguan (PC6)
Zusanli (ST36)
Human clinical trials are augmented by laboratory research. Chen et al. conducted an experiment entitled “Effects of electroacupuncture on the expression of estrogen receptor protein and mRNA in rat brain.” Electroacupuncture increased estradiol levels while downregulating other factors thereby normalizing “the function of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.” The work of Yao et al. confirms that electroacupuncture can increase estradiol levels and expression of prolactin releasing peptide in the medulla oblongata. The researchers cited several other studies demonstrating that acupuncture increases estradiol levels by transforming androgen into estrogen and by “promoting aromatase activity and mRNA expression in adipose and liver tissues.”
The above findings are but a few covered by the researchers. They examined the regulatory effects of acupuncture on the immune and neuroendocrine systems plus the regulatory effects of acupuncture on metabolism. This broad body of research confirms acupuncture’s ability to regulate bodily systems.
The researchers conclude that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of perimenopause “by improving clinical symptoms such as menstrual disorders, hot flashes, sweating, insomnia, and mood disorders.” They add that acupuncture benefits perimenopausal women by:
increasing estrogen levels
decreasing levels of FSH and LH
increasing estrogen receptor protein expression
inhibiting GnRH
transforming androgen into estrogen
Immunity system benefits of acupuncture include increasing E-selectin and L-selectin and also by regulating immune cell estrogen receptor expression. Neuroendocrine benefits of acupuncture include:
increasing dopamine and GABA
decreasing aspartate and glutamate
free radical regulation via nitric oxide and superoxide dismutase
blood lipid regulation
oxidative stress suppression
bone metabolism regulation of alkaline phosphatase and DPD
The researchers note that the goal of their study was to investigate and summarize the mechanisms by which acupuncture affects perimenopausal women. They document clinical benefits and important biological regulatory effects induced by acupuncture and electroacupuncture. Given the large body of supportive research, the investigators recommend a multicenter study to further evaluate the effects of acupuncture on perimenopause.
Source: Medscape
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/845529
PALM SPRINGS, California — Acupuncture appears to thicken the cortex of patients with idiopathic hand pain while alleviating their pain, a new study suggests.
The finding provides new evidence for a condition resembling carpal tunnel syndrome but with a different cause, said first author, Norman Kettner, DC, chair of radiology at Logan University in Chesterfield, Missouri.
“This needs further investigation,” he told Medscape Medical News.
Dr Kettner presented the finding here at the American Pain Society (APS) 54th Annual Scientific Meeting.
Typical symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include pain and paresthesia over median-nerve innervated regions of the hand. But while conduction is decreased in the median nerves of some of these patients, it is normal in others.
To understand the differences in these two groups, Dr Kettner and his colleagues assigned 15 patients with idiopathic hand pain and 21 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome to 16 acupuncture treatments over the course of 8 weeks.
The carpal tunnel syndrome group averaged 49.2 years of age, while the idiopathic hand pain group averaged 38.5 years of age.
Acupuncture consisted of electrical stimulation at 2 Hz in points PC7 and TW5, with manual acupuncture at three additional points among HT3, PC3, SI4, LI5, LI10, and LU5 chosen by practitioners on the basis of their diagnoses.
The researchers measured the patients’ nerve latency and velocity using electrophysiologic testing. They used MRI to measure cortical thickness.
At baseline, median nerve conduction latency was significantly higher for the carpal tunnel group, and median nerve conduction velocity was significantly lower than in the idiopathic pain group and a control group of 13 healthy people.
Differences in ulnar nerve conduction latency and velocity did not significantly differ among the groups.
Also at baseline, average cortical thickness in the bilateral insula was greater in the idiopathic hand pain group than in the carpal tunnel group.
The nerve conduction measurements did not change significantly after acupuncture treatment.
On the other hand, cortical thickness increased in the left S1, right posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus, and bilateral insula after acupuncture in the idiopathic hand treatment group but not in the carpal tunnel group.
Meanwhile, scores on the Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTSQ) improved for both the idiopathic hand pain and the carpal tunnel syndrome groups. The improvements were statistically significant at the conclusion of the acupuncture treatment and 3 months later (P < .05).
While the idiopathic pain group improved more on the BCTSQ than the carpal tunnel group, this difference was not statistically significant.
Table. Changes in the Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire
Treatment Interval Idiopathic Hand Pain (n = 15) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (n = 21)
Baseline 2.7 2.8
Postacupuncture 1.9 2.1
3-month follow-up 1.7 2.2
In the patients with idiopathic hand pain, the greater the increase in insula thickness, the greater the reduction in symptom severity.
“This will help characterize a subset of carpal tunnel patients,” said Dr Kettner. “One weakness of pain medicine is the failure to subtype patients.”
One could conclude from this study that carpal tunnel syndrome has a strong peripheral nerve component that affects brain functioning, while idiopathic hand pain does not, said Roger B. Fillingim, PhD, director of the Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
“It is a small, short-term study, so we don’t want to jump to conclusions,” he told Medscape Medical News.
One question the study does not address is whether other types of treatment, such as exercise or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, would have similar effects as acupuncture, he pointed out.
The study was funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (since renamed the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health). Dr Kettner and Dr Fillingim have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
American Pain Society (APS) 34th Annual Scientific Meeting. Abstract 536. Presented May 14, 2015.
Source: KDH News
http://kdhnews.com/copperas_cove_herald/news/acupuncture-could-be-the-remote-for-sleep-and-stress/article_83234ac2-f43f-11e4-89d8-9f12e1c88e94.html
Feeling stressed? Not sleeping through the night? Wish you had a remote to shut off your mind like you turn off your TV?
A needle or two may be your answer.
Our daily lives are filled with environmental stresses and physical demands. Examples include family life, household responsibilities, financial burdens, work schedules and social events. Time literally feels like it escapes our grasp.
“I am so busy” is the understatement of the year for many of us. This is where the imbalance begins to take its toll on our sleep. Our quiet time, as we lay our head down on that soft pillow, is now filled with to-do lists and memories of the day we just finished.
Worry sets in as we recall the day and realize the “list” did not get done and our “to do” just got longer for tomorrow. The mind races as we glance over at the clock that once read 9 p.m. and now says 11:30. At least, that is the last time you dared to give the clock a look.
The night feels half-way over and you finally get to sleep, only to wake in that ever-dreadful 1 to 3 a.m. range night after night. You are positive the road-rage bandit is sure to make an appearance during that morning traffic.
Any of this ringing true for you?
There is an answer. Acupuncture provides the balance needed to put everything back in order to calm the mind and settle the irritability associated with stress and lack of sleep. Stress affects everyone differently, but the imbalance it triggers leads to a series of symptoms that will give rise over time if not addressed.
So though you may not have all of the above, you may have associated with a few and even have a few different events occurring such as anxiety, headaches or digestive upset.
With acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, a state of balance can be obtained naturally. Treat the body as a whole versus individual symptoms, and this will allow the imbalances to realign and homeostasis to settle in. Balance can occur when TCM can focus on treating the excess, or deficiency, in the body with acupuncture.
What are the results you ask? The mind will rest, the irritability subsides, anxiety becomes a thing of the past, mental focus increases, headaches cease, digestion is balanced and your old friend sleep is once again a guest in your home.
Acupuncture is a wonderful alternative to adding yet another medicine to your cabinet. With the proper TCM diagnosis and the right protocol of acupuncture points, you could be well on your way to a great night of sleep and a calm, restful mind.
Source: CBS News
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/yoga-acupuncture-helps-ease-veterans-stress/
Yoga, acupuncture helps ease veterans’ stress
MAY 26, 2015, 8:35 AM|Meditation, breathing and Eastern medicine — all these tools are now used by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The goal is to heal PTSD and the invisible wounds of war. Chip Reid reports on veterans who hope more of their fellow warriors will take a seat and join the zen.
Source: HealthCMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1466-acupuncture-meniscus-repair-benefit
Acupuncture improves knee recuperation after surgery. Researchers investigated the effects of acupuncture on patients that received arthroscopic meniscus surgical repair. The meniscus is fibrous cartilage that cushions impact and stabilizes the knee. Each knee has two menisci, one medial and one lateral. A torn meniscus may require surgical repair as is the case with patients in this study. Symptoms often include knee popping, swelling, stiffness, pain, difficulty straightening, or obstruction of movement.
In this randomized investigation, one group received acupuncture plus physical therapy and another group received only physical therapy. The researchers found that the group receiving acupuncture combined with physical therapy had significantly greater positive patient outcomes than the group that did not have acupuncture treatments.
Robotics
The group receiving acupuncture demonstrated significantly greater improvements in knee joint energy, support torque, and swing torque. The measurements were taken on the acupuncture and non-acupuncture groups one month after treatment and at an additional assessment two months after treatment. Measurements were recorded using Lokomat gait assessment equipment, a highly advanced robotic functional therapy system. The state of the art Lokomat therapy system provided the research team with continuous feedback and precise therapy assessment.
Patients were treated at the rehabilitation department of the Second Hospital Affiliated to Luohe Medical College in Henan, China. Patients in both the non-acupuncture group and the acupuncture group performed identical physical rehabilitation exercises. ST 36 (Zusanli) and ST34 are shown on this model. Patients performed passive joint motions, knee joint control, stance balance, gait training and other rehabilitation exercises. The physical therapy sessions were once per day for a total of two months.
Acupuncture Points
The acupuncture group received acupuncture one time per day for a total of two months. The acupuncture points used in the study were:
Dubi (ST35)
Liangqiu (ST34)
Xuehai (SP10)
Zusanli (ST36)
Xitong (Extra)
ST35 is an acupuncture point located in the lateral hollow below the patella, formed when the knee is flexed. Also referred to as lateral Xiyan, this acupuncture point is commonly used in the treatment of knee disorders. ST34, located 2 cun proximal to the latero-superior border of the patella, was also used. Locating this point is simplified in that the patella is 2 cun in length and the point may be located one patella’s length above the patella. ST34 is located on the line between the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) and the latero-superior aspect of the patella.
SP10 was also needled. This point is located directly above SP9 in the depression 2 cun proximal to the superior border of the patella. This point is both local to the knee region and is commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for the treatment of disorders characterized by blood stasis or heat in the blood. ST36, located 3 cun below ST35 and one finger-breadth lateral to the anterior crest of the tibia, was also applied.
Xitong, an extra point, was applied during the acupuncture treatments. This distal point is located 1 cun lateral to Quchi (LI11). The researchers note that needling Xitong functions to “relax tendons.” The local points were applied and retained for 30 minutes followed by needling the distal point, Xitong.
Efficacy
The randomized controlled study demonstrated that combining acupuncture with physical therapy improves knee joint energy, support torque, and swing torque when recuperating from arthroscopic meniscus surgery. The researchers conclude, “This indicates that, compared with rehabilitation training alone, acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training can better improve the patients’ knee joint support and swing torques after meniscus arthroscopy, correct their abnormal gaits, increase their motor function of the lower limb and benefit the balance abilities of their lower limbs during walking.”
Source: HealthCMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1467-acupuncture-speeds-low-back-recovery
Acupuncture speeds recovery from lumbar disc herniations. Researchers tested a protocol that increased the efficacy of electroacupuncture procedures for disc herniations by adding Chinese herbal medicine iontophoresis. They discovered that the combined therapy of electroacupuncture plus herbal iontophoresis enhances clinical efficacy with a significant synergistic effect.
Patients had greater pain relief and lumbar functional improvements with the combination therapy. The total effective rate of electroacupuncture only was 87.5%. The combined therapy approach had a total effective rate of 95.0%. McGill and Japanese Orthopedic Association assessments using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were used to calculate improvements.
A lumbar intervertebral disc herniation is a rupture of the annulus fibrosus that causes extrusion of the nucleus pulposus from the center of the disc. This often causes low back pain, weakness, or numbness that may radiate to the legs and feet. The researchers confirmed disc herniations for participants with diagnostic tests including CT scans, MRIs, and a positive Lasegue’s or Bragard’s sign. Patients were also evaluated with X-rays and an assessment of range of motion restrictions and pain levels. A total of 80 patients from the rehabilitation center at the Second Hospital Affiliated to Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) participated in the study.
Acupuncture Points
The researchers used the following acupuncture points:
Jiaji (Ex-B2, affected vertebral levels, bilateral)
GB30 (Huantiao, affected side)
Ashi
GB34 (Yanglingquan, affected side for L4-5 herniations)
BL40 (Weizhong, affected side for L5-S1 herniations)
Acupuncture Techniques
Disposable, single-use, sterile filiform needles of 0.30 mm diameter and a 40-75 mm length were used. Jiaji points were needled with 50 mm needles to a depth of approximately 40 mm. Needles were angled slightly towards the spine. Manual acupuncture was subsequently applied with an even reinforcing-reducing technique. The researchers note that the optimal response is if the patient reported a sensation radiating downwardly towards the buttocks and leg on the affected side. Electroacupuncture was then applied to the Jiaji points of the affected vertebral level. A sparse-dense setting was used with a 2 – 100 Hz frequency. Intensity was set to patient comfortability levels.
GB30 was needled using 75 mm needles and the remaining points were needled with 40 mm needles perpendicularly with the addition of the even reinforcing-reducing technique. The treatment duration was thirty minutes per acupuncture session. Acupuncture treatments were applied once per day for 10 days followed by a three day break from treatments. Next, another course of ten acupuncture treatments over ten days was applied for a total of two courses of care.
Chinese Herbs
Iontophoresis is the administration of a substance through the skin by using a direct electric current. An LD-AE thermal treatment device was used to apply the current to the Chinese medicinal herbs. The herbs used in the iontophoresis procedure were:
Qiang Huo (Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii)
Du Huo (Radix Angelicae Pubescentis)
Xuan Shen (Radix Scrophulariae)
Bi Xie (Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae)
Sheng Di Huang (Radix Rehmanniae)
Shu Di Huang (Radix Rehmanniae preparata)
Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis)
Du Zhong (Cortex Eucommiae)
Fang Feng (Radix Saposhnikoviae)
Rou Gui (Cortex Cinnamomi)
Gui Zhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi)
Bai Zhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae)
Ru Xiang (Olibanum)
Mo Yao (Myrrha)
Tian Ma (Rhizoma Gastrodiae)
A decoction was made of the herbal formula and cotton pads were soaked in it. The cotton was squeezed dry and placed over the electrodes. The positive electrodes were bilateral to the affected disc and the negative electrodes were placed distally on the side of the radiated pain or tender points on the buttocks. Sand packets were placed over the electrodes with cotton to compress and immobilize the cotton pads. The treatment was administered for thirty minutes per session.
Findings
The researchers reviewed current studies and commented on a few aspects of acupuncture therapy. Citing Zhao et al., they note that Jiaji electroacupuncture improves microcirculation to affected regions, speeds cell metabolism, transforms or reduces inflammatory substances, and reduces edema. Citing Yan et al., the researchers note that electroacupuncture “can alleviate pain by inhibiting the pathological reaction in the cerebral cortex through increasing opioid peptide release of periphery inflammatory tissues.”
Citing several studies (Yang et al., Yuan et al., Li et al.), the researchers note that electroacupuncture “at contralateral Jiaji (EX-B2) points can help to eliminate aseptic inflammation in intervertebral space through the current impulse, alleviate inflammatory irritation, and relieve compression to the nerve root.” Citing Chen et al., they add that electroacupuncture accelerates tissue metabolism, nurtures tissues, and reduces edema by stimulating rhythmic muscle contractions. Citing Cai et al., the researchers note that iontophoresis of Chinese herbal medicine increases blood circulation, relaxes muscles, and increases the efficacy of electrotherapy.
Evaluation
The researchers note that “EA (electroacupuncture) at lumbar Jiaji (EX-B2) points combined with iontophoresis of Chinese medicine can obtain better analgesic effect than EA alone. In addition, the effect tends to increase with time.” They add that the combined therapeutic approach speeds recovery, improves lumbar functions, and improves the pain relief therapeutic efficacy.
Source: Medical Xpress
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-05-acupuncture-pain-inflammation-children-acute.html
Acupuncture was shown to lessen pain and reduce the underlying inflammation in pediatric patients with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis, according to a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
Alan L. Nager, MD, MHA and coauthors from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California assessed subjective pain among pediatric patients immediately before and 20 minutes after treatment by a licensed acupuncturist. The researchers also measured two biomarkers of inflammation in blood samples taken before, during, and 30 minutes after needle placement.
In the article “Effects of Acupuncture on Pain and Inflammation in Pediatric Emergency Department Patients with Acute Appendicitis: A Pilot Study,” the authors report that the patients’ subjective pain decreased, likely due to the acupuncture treatment. Furthermore, one of the inflammatory biomarkers (white blood cell count) “showed a modest and noticeable drop,” suggesting “that the effectiveness of acupuncture may have a biophysiological basis.”
Source: Fox News
http://fox6now.com/2015/05/12/acupuncture-for-cancer-patients-one-says-she-credits-treatments-with-helping-her-to-feel-better/
WEST ALLIS (WITI) — When a doctor first recommended it, Beth Dowhen of West Allis had her doubt. Could acupuncture really help with her cancer symptoms?
“I had one Easter Sunday. All the rest came two weeks later. It was like one just couldn’t wait!” Dowhen said.
“Last year I didn’t do anything in the yard. I feel so blessed to be normal again,” Dowhen said.
Dowhen has been cancer free for more than six months. She’s back to feeling like she did three years ago — before doctors found cancer at the base of her tongue.
“They decided to do chemo and radiation,” Dowhen said.
To reign in the symptoms caused by her treatment, she found herself laying on a table for something she’d never considered.
“I thought, you know, acupuncture? Is it going to be some old hippie somewhere doing it?” Dowhen said.
The Pavlic Center on the Wheaton Franciscan Elmbrook Memorial campus feels more like a spa than a clinic. During procedures, Acupuncturist Christine Warrix carefully navigated needles the size of a hair onto Dowhen’s arms, legs and feet.
The one on Dowhen’s chin was meant to help with the dry mouth caused by radiation.
“About five minutes after that first treatment, I felt saliva come into my mouth and that just amazed me,” Dowhen said.
“If they’re nauseous or have a lack of appetite, acupuncture can help with that,” Warrix said.
Dowhen credits the needles with stopping a sore throat she’d had for months on end.
Pavlic Center supervisor Kara Wilde says some cancer patients need a little convincing in order to undergo the acupuncture treatments.
“Baby steps is sometimes where you have to begin with some people. It is something that is able to alleviate some pain. It can sometimes alleviate some of the discomforts they have. Just in well-being, as far as not being able to sleep at night, or being achy first thing in the morning,” Wilde said.
Dowhen has gone from hesitant to an acupuncture advocate. “I really do credit acupuncture with helping me feel better,” Dowhen said.
And now that spring is finally here, Dowhen is back to doing the things she loves — like working with her neglected garden that turned out to be just a resilient as she is.
Source: HealthCMi
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1462-depression-and-insomnia-relieved-by-acupuncture
Acupuncture relieves depression. Research published in the Journal of Science and Healing finds acupuncture safe and effective as an adjunctive therapy for the treatment of depression. The researchers concluded that “acupuncture was an effective and safe therapy in treating major depressive disorders. Particularly, the qualities of sleep and life (involving emotions) in patients with depression and schizophrenia were found to be improved after acupuncture treatment.”
The research focused on the effects of manual acupuncture. Electroacupuncture, laser acupuncture, and acupressure were excluded from the meta-analysis. The researchers note that the primary goal of the investigation was to “evaluate the effects of acupuncture treatment for patients with depression or schizophrenia through a systematic review.” The secondary goal was to assess acupuncture’s working mechanisms.
The researchers cite acupuncture’s ability to benefit sleep as an underlying mechanism for its effective therapeutic actions. The researchers cited Bosch et al. whose methodologies included the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index as a method of evaluation. Bosch et al. “found a significant improvement of sleep quality” from acupuncture treatments for patients with depression or schizophrenia. Additional research employing objective measures of sleep improvement, including actigraphs, demonstrated sleep improvements from acupuncture treatments in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders. The improvements include reduced activity levels during sleep, less night awake time, ability to fall asleep faster, and less daytime sleepiness.
Emotions
The researchers note that another mechanism by which acupuncture exerts its effective action is its ability to benefit emotions. Several key studies identified acupuncture’s ability to reduce anxiety and improve mood. The Beck Depression Inventory and the Hamilton Rating Scale were employed in the studies for purposes of evaluation. The researchers note, “A reduction of depressive symptoms was found after acupuncture therapy in patients with depression. Moreover, less anxiety and a better mood were found after acupuncture therapy in patients with schizophrenia.”
Schizophrenia
The researchers note that acupuncture has beneficial effects that help to improve specific conditions of patients. Citing Block et al., the researchers note that “sleep was found to have been improved after acupuncture treatment in patients with schizophrenia; moreover, the patients with schizophrenia show less anxiety an an improved mood after acupuncture therapy.” The researchers add that studies demonstrate acupuncture’s ability to eliminate or decrease hallucinations with patients subsequently feeling “less disturbed.”
Acupuncture successfully reduces side effects from chronic consumption of schizophrenia medications. Acupuncture was found to reduce tardive dystonia. Involuntary movements “disappeared completely” and “the posture of the neck and body improved….” In an important finding, the researchers discovered that “a combined therapy of acupuncture and small doses of antipsychotics showed an efficacy equal to that for therapy using full doses of antipsychotics…..”
Acupuncture Actions
The researchers note that the default mode network (DMN) is “a system of brain regions that is activated during rest or during passive viewing tasks, but is deactivated when cognitive tasks are performed.” They add that, in cases of depression, there is “a failure to normally down-regulate activity within the DMN.” They note that acupuncture potentially regulates the DMN and consequently improves the conditions of patients with depression or schizophrenia. They also cite research demonstrating acupuncture’s ability to modulate and normalize effects on the hypothalamus and that acupuncture may also regulate the limbic system.
Source: MPR
http://www.empr.com/acupuncture-helps-reduce-pain-analgesic-drug-consumption-post-tonsillectomy-in-children/article/413329/
Acupuncture, in addition to conventional analgesic treatment, is an effective treatment for post-tonsillectomy pain in children, according to a study published in the June issue of Pediatric Anesthesia.
Peter Gilbey, MD, from the Ziv Medical Center in Safed, Israel, and colleagues examined whether acupuncture, in addition to conventional analgesic treatment, would be effective for post-tonsillectomy pain in children. Sixty children, aged 3–12 years, undergoing tonsillectomy were randomized to receive conventional postoperative analgesic treatment or the same regimen plus acupuncture.
The researchers found that the children assigned to the acupuncture group had less pain and less analgesic drug consumption. In addition, the acupuncture group reported higher patient/parent satisfaction with analgesic treatment scores. There were no adverse effects recorded.
“Acupuncture is a safe treatment, well tolerated by children aged 3–12 years and by their parents,” the authors write. “Additional studies are warranted to further evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for postoperative and perhaps other pain relief. There is a need for further research regarding intraoperative acupuncture and the long-term analgesic effect of acupuncture.”
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