SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS
STRESS - before operations. A recent randomized, double-blind study concludes that both ear acupuncture and body acupuncture are effective in reducing pre and post-operative anxiety. Pre and post-perative anxiety has been identified in approximately 80 percent of patients, which prompted this investigation. The study was conducted by Xi Jing Hosptial (Xi’an, China).
The ear acupuncture group received needle stimulation at point ear Shenmen. The body acupuncture group received needle stimulation at Du20, SiShenCong, Yin Tang, Liv3, and St36. The needles were 0.25-.30 mm in diameter and ranged between 25-40 mm in length. Needle depth ranged from 0.2 cm to 0.5 cm. Acupuncture therapy was administered for a period of four weeks at two sessions per week for a total of eight acupuncture treatments. The treatment principles were to increase lucidity, tranquilize by nourishing the Heart, calm the nerves, and regulate the Qi. Reference: Shengjun Wu, Jie Liang, Xia Zhu, Xufeng Liu, Danmin Miao. “Comparing the treatment effectiveness of body acupuncture and auricular acupuncture in preoperative anxiety treatment.” JRMS 2010; 16(1): 39-42. MIGRAINES In a prestigious Cochrane review of 22 trials which investigated whether acupuncture is effective in the treatment of migraine it was found that those patients who received acupuncture had fewer headaches. In trials in which acupuncture was compared to a proven drug treatment, patients receiving acupuncture mainly reported more improvement and fewer side effects. Collectively, the studies show that migraine patients benefit from acupuncture. Long-term follow up saw that there was continued benefit 9 months after treatment. The review summary stated “there is consistent evidence that acupuncture provides additional benefit to treatment of acute migraine attacks only, or to routine care. Available studies suggest that acupuncture is at least as effective as, or possibly more effective than, drug treatment, and has fewer adverse effects. Acupuncture should be considered a treatment option for patients.” Acupuncture 'lessens pain in the brain say researchers. In the publication Brain Research, acupuncture was shown to have a significant effect on specific nerve structures. Acupuncture therapy was found to deactivate pathways that govern pain. Expert Dr Hugh MacPherson, of the University of York, said: "These results provide objective scientific evidence that acupuncture has specific effects within the brain which hopefully will lead to a better understanding of how acupuncture works." Dr MacPherson and colleagues explained when a patient receives acupuncture treatment this switches off areas within the brain that are associated with the processing of pain.They say their research could help to clear the way for acupuncture to be more broadly accepted as a treatment option on the NHS for a number of medical conditions. ACUPUNCTURE REDUCES PAIN, DYSFUNCTION, AND DRY MOUTH IN CANCER PATIENTS. CHICAGO June 2008-- More than 3000 cancer specialists gathered in Chicago to learn about the latest in cancer research, including the American Society for Clinical Oncology's. In a report Acupuncture was found to help relieve pain and dry mouth in head and neck cancer patients. "Acupuncture is well tolerated; generally, and I think it's appropriate therapeutic option to consider," said Dr. David Pfister, an oncologist at New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Acupuncture significantly reduces pain, dysfunction and dry mouth in head and neck cancer patients, a U.S. researcher says. Dr. David Pfister conducted a controlled trial on patients who had neck dissection -- a surgical procedure for treatment of head and neck cancer. Pfister said he found pain and mobility improved in the patients receiving acupuncture, compared to the group that received usual care such as physical therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs. "Unfortunately, available conventional methods of treatment for pain and dysfunction following neck surgery often have limited benefits, leaving much room for improvement," Pfister said in a statement. An added benefit of acupuncture was significant reduction of reported extreme dry mouth -- a common problem among head and neck cancer patients. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology in Chicago. STROKE VICTIMS HELPED WITH ACUPUNCTURE.Acupuncture helps Stroke victims. In a controlled study in Sweden a group of patients receiving acupuncture showed significant improvement in walking, balance, daily living activities and emotional state. The stabilising of the emotional state is of important significance Further studies carried out on the same group the following year showed that acupuncture had enhanced the recovery of postural function and this was still evident two years later. Many other studies have been done, in the United States, in Norway, and China. A further study to test the Scandinavian trials is underway in Southampton, England.
---------------------------- ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVES MUSCLE ATROPHY ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVES MUSCLE ATROPHY Japanese Researchers Show. The elderly and the sick often have loss of skeletal muscle mass and have great difficulty in engaging in physical activity. Akiko Onda, graduate Waseda University School of Sport Sciences gave presentation at American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting. Research of 4 years of studies showed showed that decreases in muscle mass in the mRNA expression level of the E3 ubiquitin ligase atrogin-1 can be significantly reversed by acupuncture. Results have uncovered one molecular mechanism responsible for the efficacy of acupuncture treatment and clarified its usefulness in preventing skeletal muscle atrophy,” Onda said. --------------------------------- ACUPUNCTURE SWITCHES OFF BRAIN PAIN CENTERS. Leading scientists from University College London, Southampton University and the University of York, found with Acupuncture needling, the limbic system, part of the pain matrix, is deactivated. "We have found something quite unexpected - that acupuncture is having a measurable effect on the human brain” Professor Sykes said. BBC NEWS 21-1-2006 |
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