Blue Valley Acupuncture Clinic-Dayton, WA.-Serving Walla Walla area
June Coupon Special in the Waitsburg Times
One of the vexing aspects of the approach of summer is how you can obtain your “swimsuit body.” While the winter months, especially around the holidays, are a time for putting on some weight, the summer months are reserved for strenuous activity, especially on the beach. continue reading
Article provided by HealthCMI
Auricular acupuncture successfully treats obesity. A new study concludes that a special 5 point combination of auricular acupuncture points is effective for weight loss in overweight individuals. Ear acupuncture for the treatment of obesity and hunger is depicted here.
Ear Acupuncture
A one point auricular treatment was also found effective but not to the degree of clinical success as the 5 acupuncture point combination.
A randomised controlled clinical trial of a total of 91 patients with a BMI (body mass index) of 23 or greater were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 received the 5 acupuncture point combination. Group 2 received only one acupuncture point and group 3 received sham acupuncture. At both 4 and 8 weeks following the treatment regime, measurements were taken to determine clinical effectiveness. It was discovered that the 5 acupuncture point combination was the most effective yielding over a 6% reduction in the body mass index. The one point acupuncture treatment regime yielded just under a 6% improvement in BMI. Both groups 1 and 2 showed significant improvements in BMI and weight loss.
Group 1 received 5 auricular acupuncture points: shenmen, spleen, stomach, hunger, endocrine. Group 2 received only one auricular acupuncture point: hunger. Group 3, the sham group, was needled at the 5 auricular acupuncture points but the needles were then immediately removed. The unilateral application of the acupuncture needles was applied once per week. Both groups 1 and group 2 retained a total needle time of 8 weeks using the ear tacks, tiny acupuncture needles attached by tape. Group 3 only received local auricular stimulation of the acupuncture points to simulate the experience but the points were not retained.
A special type of tape retained the needles over the 8 week period for groups 1 and 2. The same tape hid the absence of needles in the sham group. The needle depth was 2 millimeters in the auricular acupuncture points. The 5 point acupuncture treatment caused the most significant reduction in waist circumference and BMI. Body fat percentage dropped significantly in the 5 point acupuncture treatment but not in the other groups.
The 5 auricular acupuncture point combination is commonly employed for digestion issues. Gastric and duodenal ulcers are commonly treated with a similar combination of auricular stomach or duodenum, brain, mouth, spleen and shenmen. The 5 acupuncture point weight loss combination used in the study includes auricular shenmen, located in the triangular fossa at the bifurcating point between the superior and inferior antihelix crus at the lateral 1/3 of the triangular fossa. Auricular acupuncture for weight loss is shown here.
Ear Acupuncture Model
The spleen point has two major auricular locations; one is located on the middle of the back side of the ear. The other location is at the lateral and superior aspect of the cavum concha. The cavum concha point is more commonly applied in clinical settings. The spleen auricular point is traditionally used for strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the stomach. It helps to produce ying-blood and benefits the muscles. Common indications treated with the spleen auricular point are uterine bleeding, abdominal distention, diarrhea and other digestive dysfunctions. The stomach auricular acupuncture point is located at the end of the cruz of the helix in the cavum concha. It is the area formed by the end of the crus of the helix and the border of the lower antehelix cruz.
The endocrine point used in the 5 acupuncture point combination is located in the cavum concha in the intertragic notch. The endocrine point is classically applied within TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) for removing liver qi stagnation, regulating the menses, invigorating the blood, expelling wind and benefitting the lower jiao. Indications for use of this auricular point include skin disorders, impotence, irregular menstruation and endocrine system dysfunction.
The hunger auricular acupuncture point is located on the lower part of the tragus in the direction of the transitional fold near the facial skin. The hunger point can be used to up-regulate or down-regulate sensations of hunger. It is used for issues of anorexia, bulimia and digestive disturbances.
Reference:
S. Yeo, K. S. Kim, S. Lim. Randomised clinical trial of five ear acupuncture points for the treatment of overweight people. Acupuncture in Medicine, 2013; DOI: 10.1136/acupmed-2013-010435.
– See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1218-auricular-acupuncture-weight-loss-found-effective?highlight=WyJ3ZWlnaHQiLCJsb3NzIiwid2VpZ2h0IGxvc3MiXQ==#sthash.kmghw5kZ.dpuf
Researchers have discovered how to measure and validate the existence of acupuncture points and their meridians. MRI studies and oxygen sensor studies come from some of the most prestigious universities in the world. Today, I want to start with remarkable research from investigators at one of the most prestigious universities in Korea.
Sungkyunkwan University (Seoul) was founded in 1398. Yes, over 600 years ago! It was recently acquired by the Samsung Group in 1996, which has helped preserve its legacy of excellence with substantial financial support. The university is a leader in many fields including nanotechnology and natural sciences, features a dual degree program with Ohio State University and has a collaborative program with the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Sloan School of Management.
Two researchers from Sungkunkwan Univeristy worked with another researcher from the Department of Chemistry and Nano Science at Ewha Womans University on this ground breaking research. Notably, Ewha Womans University is considered one of the most prestigious schools in Korea and produced Korea’s first female doctor, lawyer, justice on the Constitutional Court and the first female prime minister of Korea.
Why all the fuss about researchers and the schools they hail from? In the many years I have worked in Chinese and Oriental Medicine, I have uniformly come across skepticism and resistance to valuable, peer reviewed research. I want to give a little background before going forward with something as important as this research. For some it seems, no research institute or study is sufficient so long as it says something positive about acupuncture and herbal medicine. Ethnocentrism abound, I wanted to stave off imperious pans decrying putative proofs and to assuage presumptive skepticism and concomitant guetapens. Perhaps establishing the authenticity and seriousness of the institutions from which the research emanates helps equanimity to mollify incredulity and for rapprochement to exist between the skeptic and modern scientists whose works demonstrate the existence of acupuncture points and their functions.
The research from Sungkyunkwan University and Ewha Woman University is entitled Heterogeneity of Skin Surface Oxygen Level of Wrist in Relation to Acupuncture Point.[1] The study used an amperometric oxygen microsensor to detect partial oxygen pressure variations at different locations on the anterior aspect of the left wrist. The researchers concluded that partial oxygen pressure is significantly higher at acupuncture points.
Below are two images from the study measuring the increase of partial oxygen pressure combined with an overlay of the local acupuncture point locations. The images are representative of typical readings found in the study and remarkably map the Lung Hand Taiyin, Pericardium Hand Jueyin and Heart Shaoyin channels and their associated local points. Depicted are P7 and P6 clearly showing high oxygen pressure levels. The same is true for LU9, LU8, HT7, HT6, HT5 and HT4. Note that non-acupuncture point regions do not show higher oxygen pressure levels. These measurements are not needled points but are natural resting states of acupuncture points absent stimulation. This biomedical research gives us insight into the structural makeup of acupuncture points. This type of basic research is not isolated and numerous studies from multitudes of the top research centers and universities demonstrate specific properties and physiological actions of acupuncture points.
Wrist acupuncture points including the Peridcardium channel and Lung channel.
Oxygen Pressure at Acupuncture Points
Wrist acupuncture points another image.
Another Acupuncture Oxygen Pressure Sample
– See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Blog/758-acupointgb40#sthash.RUU7LZZz.dpuf
The nexus of most research on the physical existence of acupuncture points and acupuncture meridians is hemodynamic, MRI, oxygen pressure, histological, physiological, clinical and electroconductivity research. Researchers at the University of California School of Medicine (Irvine, California) noted, “Recent evidence shows that stimulation of different points on the body causes distinct responses in hemodynamic, fMRI and central neural electrophysiological responses.” The investigators reviewed MRI results and noted that “stimulation of different sets of acupoints leads to disease-specific neuronal responses, even when acupoints are located within the same spinal segment.” This summarizes research in the vanguard of technical documentation on acupuncture.[2][3]
University of California researchers Choi, Jiang and Longhurst note of acupuncture, “hemodynamic, functional magnetic resonance imaging and neurophysiological studies evaluating the responses to stimulation of multiple points on the body surface have shown that point-specific actions are present.”[4] Naturally, they are running into the difficulty of AhShi points and their specific actions. Perhaps they will discover new effective actions for AhShi points as a result of basic research. Other research shows point specificity in brain physiology and reflects the overall direction of scientific investigation in the field of acupuncture.
The Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging featured research on the neurophysiological effects of acupuncture points using MRI imaging noting that acupoint GB40 stimulation enhanced “connectivity between the superior temporal gyrus (STG) and anterior insula.” The investigators concluded, “The current study demonstrates that acupuncture at different acupoints could exert different modulatory effects on RSNs. Our findings may help to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture specificity.”[5] Here, the researchers have validated acupuncture point specificity and suggest a possible physiological model of understanding acupuncture points.
HRV (Heart Rate Variability) is a measure of cardiovascular health. One study notes that, “HRV changes significantly during auricular acupuncture….” This research also notes that, “HRV total increases during auricular acupuncture….”[6] Another related study from the International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience notes that acupuncture “causes the modulation of cardiac autonomic function.” These are but two examples of investigations citing specific medicinal actions of specific acupuncture points and is in no way exhaustive of the vast body of research demonstrating acupuncture point specificity for the treatment of hypertension, atrial fibrillation and other cardiovascular disorders.[7] Investigators from the University of California (Los Angeles and Irvine) “have shown that electroacupuncture stimulation activates neurons” in specific brain regions thereby reducing hypertension.[8]
Dr. Berman, M.D. served as a lead researcher in a University of Maryland School of Medicine investigation published in the prestigious Annals of Internal Medicine. The research concludes that, “Acupuncture seems to provide improvement in function and pain relief as an adjunctive therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee when compared with credible sham acupuncture and education control groups.”[9] What is interesting in this clinical trial is that it was an early study showing that sham acupuncture was not as effective as verum acupuncture. The study sought to isolate and address the placebo effect and found that it is not responsible for the medical benefits associated with acupuncture therapy. There are many papers showing the specific medical benefits of acupuncture on internal organs, tissues and towards the resolution of specific ailments. I thought I would highlight this investigation given its historical value.
Einstein’s Theory of Relativity initially did not catch on and was ridiculed before acceptance. The same is true for much of medicine both old and new. People’s presuppositions often circumvent equanimity and receptiveness to new insights. Backing up a bit, one might have thought that a basic neurologic test for the Babinski Sign was pure fiction. It may have seemed logical and self-evident that rubbing someone’s foot and looking for dorsiflexion of the great toe and fanning of the other toes could not possibly indicate brain or spinal cord damage. Yet, the great French neurologist of Polish origin, Babinski, discovered that this plantar reflex identifies central nervous system damage, which is now an accepted medical reality by medical doctors and is an effective diagnostic tool for central nervous system damage.
Acupuncturists and herbalists have faced acrimonious traducements and caluminiations towards substantiated supportive research. Often there is a predilection towards rejecting the efficacy of Chinese and Oriental Medicine that trumps the realities of hard evidence and smacks of ethnocentrism. The Flat Earth Society felt the same way about the infidels suggesting that the earth is round. Galileo had his fair share of troubles too. It cannot be underestimated how high the stakes really are for patient care and beneficial patient outcomes. At risk is non-integration of cost-effective medicine that roots out the source of suffering by healing illness. A time honored traditional clinical medicine history combined with supportive modern research data suggests that acupuncture is an effective modality of therapeutic care. Acupuncture seems impossible? Recall the words of Mark Twain, “Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn’t.”
It may appear to some that it is self-evident and logical that acupuncture points exist only as part of some sort of chimerical hermeneutic system. However, extensive research has already been conducted at major universities worldwide demonstrating not only that acupuncture points and meridians exist but also how they physiologically function. There is a resistance to an enormous body of research. Cloaked in veil of mature skepticism and realism, naysayers grasp at piecemeal attack pieces to fight off what has already been measured, documented and peer reviewed both in individual studies and large scale meta-analyses. I suggest an era of open-mindedness towards the modern research documenting the efficacy of Chinese and Oriental medicine, acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Footnotes:
[1] Minyoung Hong, Sarah S. Park, Yejin Ha, et al., “Heterogeneity of Skin Surface Oxygen Level of Wrist in Relation to Acupuncture Point,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2012, Article ID 106762, 7 pages, 2012. doi:10.1155/2012/10a6762.
[2] Point specificity in acupuncture. Chin Med. 2012 Feb 28;7:4. doi: 10.1186/1749-8546-7-4. Choi EM, Jiang F, Longhurst JC.
[3] Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine CA 92697-4075, USA.
[4] Point specificity in acupuncture. Chin Med. 2012 Feb 28;7:4. doi: 10.1186/1749-8546-7-4. Choi EM, Jiang F, Longhurst JC.
[5] Zhong, C., Bai, L., Dai, R., Xue, T., Wang, H., Feng, Y., Liu, Z., You, Y., Chen, S. and Tian, J. (2011), Modulatory effects of acupuncture on resting-state networks: A functional MRI study combining independent component analysis and multivariate granger causality analysis. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
[6] Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 817378, 7 pages. doi:10.1155/2012/817378. Sino-European Transcontinental Basic and Clinical High-Tech Acupuncture Studies—Part 1: Auricular Acupuncture Increases Heart Rate Variability in Anesthetized Rats. Xin-Yan Gao, Kun Liu, Bing Zhu and Gerhard Litscher.
[7] Kurono Y, Minagawa M, Ishigami T, Yamada A, Kakamu T, Hayano J. Auton Neurosci. Acupuncture to Danzhong but not to Zhongting increases the cardiac vagal component of heart rate variability. 2011 Apr 26;161(1-2):116-20. Epub 2011 Jan 7.
[8] Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 878673, 9 pages. doi:10.1155/2012/878673. Neuroendocrine Mechanisms of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Hypertension. Wei Zhou and John C. Longhurst. Department of Anesthesiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. Department of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA.
[9] Ann Intern Med, Berman, Lixing, Lagenberg, Lee, Gilpin, Hochberg. 2004; 141:901-910.
– See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Blog/758-acupointgb40#sthash.RUU7LZZz.dpuf
22 MAY 2013.
Artitcle compliments of HealthCMI
Researchers have discovered how to measure and validate the existence of acupuncture points and their meridians. MRI studies and oxygen sensor studies come from some of the most prestigious universities in the world. Today, I want to start with remarkable research from investigators at one of the most prestigious universities in Korea.
Sungkyunkwan University (Seoul) was founded in 1398. Yes, over 600 years ago! It was recently acquired by the Samsung Group in 1996, which has helped preserve its legacy of excellence with substantial financial support. The university is a leader in many fields including nanotechnology and natural sciences, features a dual degree program with Ohio State University and has a collaborative program with the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Sloan School of Management.
Two researchers from Sungkunkwan Univeristy worked with another researcher from the Department of Chemistry and Nano Science at Ewha Womans University on this ground breaking research. Notably, Ewha Womans University is considered one of the most prestigious schools in Korea and produced Korea’s first female doctor, lawyer, justice on the Constitutional Court and the first female prime minister of Korea.
Why all the fuss about researchers and the schools they hail from? In the many years I have worked in Chinese and Oriental Medicine, I have uniformly come across skepticism and resistance to valuable, peer reviewed research. I want to give a little background before going forward with something as important as this research. For some it seems, no research institute or study is sufficient so long as it says something positive about acupuncture and herbal medicine. Ethnocentrism abound, I wanted to stave off imperious pans decrying putative proofs and to assuage presumptive skepticism and concomitant guetapens. Perhaps establishing the authenticity and seriousness of the institutions from which the research emanates helps equanimity to mollify incredulity and for rapprochement to exist between the skeptic and modern scientists whose works demonstrate the existence of acupuncture points and their functions.
The research from Sungkyunkwan University and Ewha Woman University is entitled Heterogeneity of Skin Surface Oxygen Level of Wrist in Relation to Acupuncture Point.[1] The study used an amperometric oxygen microsensor to detect partial oxygen pressure variations at different locations on the anterior aspect of the left wrist. The researchers concluded that partial oxygen pressure is significantly higher at acupuncture points.
Below are two images from the study measuring the increase of partial oxygen pressure combined with an overlay of the local acupuncture point locations. The images are representative of typical readings found in the study and remarkably map the Lung Hand Taiyin, Pericardium Hand Jueyin and Heart Shaoyin channels and their associated local points. Depicted are P7 and P6 clearly showing high oxygen pressure levels. The same is true for LU9, LU8, HT7, HT6, HT5 and HT4. Note that non-acupuncture point regions do not show higher oxygen pressure levels. These measurements are not needled points but are natural resting states of acupuncture points absent stimulation. This biomedical research gives us insight into the structural makeup of acupuncture points. This type of basic research is not isolated and numerous studies from multitudes of the top research centers and universities demonstrate specific properties and physiological actions of acupuncture points.
– See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Blog/758-acupointgb40#sthash.RUU7LZZz.dpuf
The nexus of most research on the physical existence of acupuncture points and acupuncture meridians is hemodynamic, MRI, oxygen pressure, histological, physiological, clinical and electroconductivity research. Researchers at the University of California School of Medicine (Irvine, California) noted, “Recent evidence shows that stimulation of different points on the body causes distinct responses in hemodynamic, fMRI and central neural electrophysiological responses.” The investigators reviewed MRI results and noted that “stimulation of different sets of acupoints leads to disease-specific neuronal responses, even when acupoints are located within the same spinal segment.” This summarizes research in the vanguard of technical documentation on acupuncture.[2][3]
University of California researchers Choi, Jiang and Longhurst note of acupuncture, “hemodynamic, functional magnetic resonance imaging and neurophysiological studies evaluating the responses to stimulation of multiple points on the body surface have shown that point-specific actions are present.”[4] Naturally, they are running into the difficulty of AhShi points and their specific actions. Perhaps they will discover new effective actions for AhShi points as a result of basic research. Other research shows point specificity in brain physiology and reflects the overall direction of scientific investigation in the field of acupuncture.
The Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging featured research on the neurophysiological effects of acupuncture points using MRI imaging noting that acupoint GB40 stimulation enhanced “connectivity between the superior temporal gyrus (STG) and anterior insula.” The investigators concluded, “The current study demonstrates that acupuncture at different acupoints could exert different modulatory effects on RSNs. Our findings may help to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture specificity.”[5] Here, the researchers have validated acupuncture point specificity and suggest a possible physiological model of understanding acupuncture points.
HRV (Heart Rate Variability) is a measure of cardiovascular health. One study notes that, “HRV changes significantly during auricular acupuncture….” This research also notes that, “HRV total increases during auricular acupuncture….”[6] Another related study from the International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience notes that acupuncture “causes the modulation of cardiac autonomic function.” These are but two examples of investigations citing specific medicinal actions of specific acupuncture points and is in no way exhaustive of the vast body of research demonstrating acupuncture point specificity for the treatment of hypertension, atrial fibrillation and other cardiovascular disorders.[7] Investigators from the University of California (Los Angeles and Irvine) “have shown that electroacupuncture stimulation activates neurons” in specific brain regions thereby reducing hypertension.[8]
Dr. Berman, M.D. served as a lead researcher in a University of Maryland School of Medicine investigation published in the prestigious Annals of Internal Medicine. The research concludes that, “Acupuncture seems to provide improvement in function and pain relief as an adjunctive therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee when compared with credible sham acupuncture and education control groups.”[9] What is interesting in this clinical trial is that it was an early study showing that sham acupuncture was not as effective as verum acupuncture. The study sought to isolate and address the placebo effect and found that it is not responsible for the medical benefits associated with acupuncture therapy. There are many papers showing the specific medical benefits of acupuncture on internal organs, tissues and towards the resolution of specific ailments. I thought I would highlight this investigation given its historical value.
Einstein’s Theory of Relativity initially did not catch on and was ridiculed before acceptance. The same is true for much of medicine both old and new. People’s presuppositions often circumvent equanimity and receptiveness to new insights. Backing up a bit, one might have thought that a basic neurologic test for the Babinski Sign was pure fiction. It may have seemed logical and self-evident that rubbing someone’s foot and looking for dorsiflexion of the great toe and fanning of the other toes could not possibly indicate brain or spinal cord damage. Yet, the great French neurologist of Polish origin, Babinski, discovered that this plantar reflex identifies central nervous system damage, which is now an accepted medical reality by medical doctors and is an effective diagnostic tool for central nervous system damage.
Acupuncturists and herbalists have faced acrimonious traducements and caluminiations towards substantiated supportive research. Often there is a predilection towards rejecting the efficacy of Chinese and Oriental Medicine that trumps the realities of hard evidence and smacks of ethnocentrism. The Flat Earth Society felt the same way about the infidels suggesting that the earth is round. Galileo had his fair share of troubles too. It cannot be underestimated how high the stakes really are for patient care and beneficial patient outcomes. At risk is non-integration of cost-effective medicine that roots out the source of suffering by healing illness. A time honored traditional clinical medicine history combined with supportive modern research data suggests that acupuncture is an effective modality of therapeutic care. Acupuncture seems impossible? Recall the words of Mark Twain, “Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn’t.”
It may appear to some that it is self-evident and logical that acupuncture points exist only as part of some sort of chimerical hermeneutic system. However, extensive research has already been conducted at major universities worldwide demonstrating not only that acupuncture points and meridians exist but also how they physiologically function. There is a resistance to an enormous body of research. Cloaked in veil of mature skepticism and realism, naysayers grasp at piecemeal attack pieces to fight off what has already been measured, documented and peer reviewed both in individual studies and large scale meta-analyses. I suggest an era of open-mindedness towards the modern research documenting the efficacy of Chinese and Oriental medicine, acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Footnotes:
[1] Minyoung Hong, Sarah S. Park, Yejin Ha, et al., “Heterogeneity of Skin Surface Oxygen Level of Wrist in Relation to Acupuncture Point,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2012, Article ID 106762, 7 pages, 2012. doi:10.1155/2012/10a6762.
[2] Point specificity in acupuncture. Chin Med. 2012 Feb 28;7:4. doi: 10.1186/1749-8546-7-4. Choi EM, Jiang F, Longhurst JC.
[3] Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine CA 92697-4075, USA.
[4] Point specificity in acupuncture. Chin Med. 2012 Feb 28;7:4. doi: 10.1186/1749-8546-7-4. Choi EM, Jiang F, Longhurst JC.
[5] Zhong, C., Bai, L., Dai, R., Xue, T., Wang, H., Feng, Y., Liu, Z., You, Y., Chen, S. and Tian, J. (2011), Modulatory effects of acupuncture on resting-state networks: A functional MRI study combining independent component analysis and multivariate granger causality analysis. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
[6] Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 817378, 7 pages. doi:10.1155/2012/817378. Sino-European Transcontinental Basic and Clinical High-Tech Acupuncture Studies—Part 1: Auricular Acupuncture Increases Heart Rate Variability in Anesthetized Rats. Xin-Yan Gao, Kun Liu, Bing Zhu and Gerhard Litscher.
[7] Kurono Y, Minagawa M, Ishigami T, Yamada A, Kakamu T, Hayano J. Auton Neurosci. Acupuncture to Danzhong but not to Zhongting increases the cardiac vagal component of heart rate variability. 2011 Apr 26;161(1-2):116-20. Epub 2011 Jan 7.
[8] Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 878673, 9 pages. doi:10.1155/2012/878673. Neuroendocrine Mechanisms of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Hypertension. Wei Zhou and John C. Longhurst. Department of Anesthesiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. Department of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA.
[9] Ann Intern Med, Berman, Lixing, Lagenberg, Lee, Gilpin, Hochberg. 2004; 141:901-910.
– See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Blog/758-acupointgb40#sthash.RUU7LZZz.dpuf
Located in Dayton, WA.-Serving greater Walla Walla area & nearby towns of Waitsburg, Starbuck & Pomeroy
Written by Lesley Tierra
Turmeric has become increasingly popular over the last decade, first for blood purification and then for joint pain. As it’s hit the mainstream, its uses have narrowed at the same time. While turmeric is a fabulous herb with many beneficial applications, it’s also quite powerful and can strongly imbalance the body if over-used or misused. Most people aren’t aware of this and definitely should be.
First, the good news. While both turmeric tuber and rhizome are considered medicinal, the rhizome specifically is both the spice used in Indian cooking and western herbalism. It has a warm energy with a spicy and bitter taste and enters the Spleen, Stomach and Liver. It invigorates the Blood and Qi and has analgesic, emmenagogue, cholagogue, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.
Turmeric rhizome treats amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, sports injuries, trauma pain and swelling, flank, gastric or abdominal congestion and pain, and eases painful obstruction due to Wind, Cold and Damp with Stagnant Blood, particularly in the shoulders. It’s also used for gallstones, hepatitis, wounds, bruises, toothache, hemorrhage, arthritis and cataracts. Further, the rhizome is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and purifies the blood and liver. It also strengthens digestion, improves intestinal flora, aids in digestion of protein, and treats gas, colic and jaundice.
With all these great uses, what could be harmful about turmeric? Well, now for the bad news. Turmeric is very bitter and so strongly dries the Blood and Yin. If taken for extended periods or overdosed, it can cause dizziness, blurry vision, insomnia, dry eyes, burning in the hands and feet, steaming bone disorder and night sweats.
I have had many a patient come in with such symptoms, uncertain as to what may have caused them. Because they didn’t have a typical Yin Deficient constitution, we investigated further and found high doses of turmeric supplements often the culprit.
Because it is so highly touted in the western marketplace for pain relief, people tend to take tons of turmeric. It’s not unusual for people to take supplements indiscriminately. If such and so is good for this or that, then people automatically take it and for extended periods of time. As well, they think if some is good or helpful, then more is better. And then they continue to take it preventatively when it may no longer be necessary. While either of these approaches is fine for many supplements, for turmeric it is not.
Turmeric does indeed reduce pain and swelling, but overdosing with it or taking it for prolonged periods does deplete the Blood and Yin. This is even more true for vegetarians, vegans and women during menses and so these folks should be particularly careful with this herb. It takes a long time to nourish Yin again, and the dampening herbs that do so put the digestive system at risk.
When recommending any herbs and supplements, first consider a person’s constitution along with all their signs and symptoms before making your choices. Further, it’s best to not use most herbs for a single commercial use. This may cause subsequent negative impact on other aspects of the body, which in turn, can give a bad reputation to that herb because it now has dangerous “side effects.”
Most herbs are mild in nature and don’t have side effects, just improper use. Narrowing an herb’s use to one famous commercial application not only loses the knowledge of the herb’s other effects and can harm people, but also endangers herbalism for us all. Let’s keep our traditional knowledge of herbs alive and use them within the context of the whole person’s needs and not just support its one commercial use. This not only benefits people, but also supports herbal medicine for us all.
Blue Valley Acupuncture Clinic-Located in Dayton, WA.-serving greater Walla Walla area & nearby towns.
Mental Well-being and Acupuncture
Article attributed to HealthCMI
One of the most rewarding aspects of being a licensed acupuncturist is to deliver fast clinical results that directly improves the life of the patient. Acupuncture for the treatment of panic attacks is one of the more dramatic treatment protocols because of the immediate impact it has on patients’ lives. Often, from the time of the very first acupuncture treatment, the patient has a decrease in the frequency, intensity and duration of panic attacks. As the process continues, patients gain a greater sense of well-being, centeredness, self-confidence and control over their lives.
I remember treating a Vietnam veteran about ten years ago. Decades after his extreme combat experiences, he had never slept more than two complete hours consecutively. The stress, exhaustion and mental restlessness had withered this man to a shell of what he once was. Psychologically, he had made peace wit his past. Physiologically, however, his body and brain chemistry had suffered from post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) and he was unable to fully recover from the impact of his experiences.
After the first acupuncture treatment he was able to sleep up to about four hours per night. After a few weeks of acupuncture, his sleep pattern normalized. He no longer experienced panic attacks and no longer woke up covered in sweat from nightmares. He came in to my office for routine checkups until he felt fully recovered. It was incredible to see his face change. The stress fell from his eyes and cheeks. His complexion returned. His wooden exterior softened into that of a happy man. Eventually, he fell in love and got married.
Most panic attack patients at my clinic tend to be hard working individuals with very busy schedules. Everyday stresses in the workplace combined with family and relationship struggles tend to build up in the system until the psyche breaks. Combine some of the aforementioned issues with lack of time for reflection and rest, financial struggles and maybe a lack of community support and the average person may see the emergence of panic attacks. Here, Liver Qi Stagnation has the opportunity to turn into Liver Fire. It may also create a cycle of Liver Qi depression with either Yang Uprising or excess Fire. Naturally, the Heart Shen is poorly nourished as the Liver Yin is depleted. The Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang may be depleted and the consequent stagnation and lack of Yin essence may also create excess Fire. In some cases, Heat in the Blood may develop along with its associated bleeding disorders. Abnormal uterine bleeding and sensory organ disorders are not uncommon in these circumstances.
It’s amazing what a simple release can do for one’s spirit. In some instances, acupuncture is akin to releasing pressurized steam from a tea kettle. Patients with extremely high stress loads may spurt a high pressure mist of blood that emanates from Yin Tang when the needle is removed. It reminds me of an aerosol spray. I usually let my patients know they can expect significant clinical results and a good night’s sleep if I see this release, especially when combined with a release of blood from ear Shenmen when the needle is removed. Naturally, an acupuncturist can analyse the color of the blood released from ear Shenmen to make a more detailed diagnosis.
Common body acupuncture points for the treatment of panic attacks are P7, P6, TB5, HT7, LI11, Sishencong, Yintang, LR3, DU20 and ST44. Nourishing points for patients with panic attacks often include ST36, SP6, K3, and K7. Auricular points vary dependent upon the system used, however, ear Liver, Kidney, Heart, Brain, Sympathetic and Shenmen are common amoung the standard auricular points. In patients prone to depression, using DU24 with a triple side-by-side technique combined with the Chouqi technique simultaneouly on all three points helps to direct the healthy energy upwards while releasing stagnation from the mind and Shen. In all, an acupuncturist simply needs to stick with a classical differential diagnosis to ensure that the upward and descending movement Qi becomes balanced. Some will need strong tonification while many will need better invigoration and circulation of Qi and Blood.
Heavy sedation acupuncture points are often necessary in acute cases wherein the patient may have difficulty in maintaining sanity or composure. This is more common in patients with schizophrenia. Often, acupuncture can reduce a multitude of voices inside the head of the patient to a singular identity during the treatment. I can’t help but have compassion for these individuals. They often feel like they are living in a crowded room of voices and cannot discern their own. Although acupuncture brings significant and immediate results, the acupuncture is useless without tremendous family or community support. For patients suffering from schizophrenia, regularity and discipline are difficult. They fall from their medication regimes and acupuncture treatment schedules. They often engage in behaviors such as staying out late and losing sleep combined with a poor diet. It’s a big job to help these people. Resolving panic attacks for the average patient is straightforward and rapid, however, for patients with schizophrenia this process may be ineffective due to lack of follow through on the patient’s behalf.
Patients suffering from depression and diabetes are another challenge. In both cases, they will respond more slowly to treatment for most disorders. If a patient suffers from both disorders simultaneously, it presents significant clinical challenges. Results will probably come about more slowly. Also, significant attention must be devoted to restoring the patient’s insulin-glucagon pathway. Mental instability due to blood glucose level fluctuations exacerbates the recovery process. Even so, patients with depression and diabetes will usually see resolution of their panic attacks in a timely fashion with the disciplined application of acupuncture care.
– See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Blog/723-panicattacksshenmen#sthash.iLatrww9.dpuf
Acupuncture Improves Appendicitis Recovery, New Study
on 01 May 2014.
Researchers conclude that combining acupuncture with conventional biomedical post-operative care improves patient outcomes for cases of appendicitis treated with surgical removal of the appendix. Acupuncture improved surgical recovery rates including a more rapid recovery of intestinal function. AppendectomyAs a result, the research team concluded that acupuncture after an appendectomy is an effective modality for improving patient recoveries.
Researchers from the Shanxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) randomly divided 60 acute suppurative appendicitis cases equally into an acupuncture group and a control group. Suppurative appendicitis is a type of acute appendicitis with purulent exudate that is filled with bacteria and inflammation related fluids. This type of appendicitis is often severe, painful, late-stage and life threatening. The acupuncture group receiving the same care as the control group but with the addition of post-operative acupuncture treatments. The acupuncture group significantly outperformed the control group regarding the recovery of intestinal function.
An appendectomy, surgical removal of the appendix, is often performed as an emergency procedure to prevent sepsis and morbidity. In the absence of access to surgical facilities, intravenous antibiotics are often used to prevent sepsis. Many cases treated with perioperatively with intravenous antibiotics resolve completely. Other cases require surgery. This is often performed laparoscopically, a minimally invasive surgical procedure when compared with an open operation.
The researchers investigated the effects of acupuncture on the recovery state of suppurative appendicitis patients who received laparoscopic appendectomies. Anesthesia combined with surgical trauma for the procedure requires a recovery period. A better and more rapid recovery period contributes to improved patient outcomes. After an appendectomy, the intestines are in a protective numb state due to the impact of the operation and anesthesia, causing the slowing down or even stopping of intestinal movement. Therefore, recovering the intestinal function as quickly as possible is critical in reducing the occurrence of intestinal adhesions and obstructions. Abdominal AcuPoints
The primary acupuncture points used in the study were Zhongwuan (CV12), Tianshu (ST25) and Shangjuxu (ST37). In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, these points have special functions. CV12 is the front Mu point of the stomach, the influential point for all yang organs, regulates stomach qi and transforms rebellious qi. As a result, this point is indicated for the treatment of stomach and intestinal disorders. ST25 is the front Mu point of the Large Intestine, regulates the function of the intestines, regulates qi and eliminates stagnation. It is often used for the treatment of abdominal disorders including obstructions, diarrhea, pain, distention and edema. ST25 is also widely used in the treatment of menstrual disorders. ST37 is the lower He Sea of the large intestine and is a Sea of Blood point. ST37 regulates the intestines and stomach, clears damp-heat and eliminates accumulations. It is widely used in the treatment of abdominal disorders.
After the appendectomy, the control group received routine biochemical medications while the treated group received acupuncture plus routine biochemical medications. Acupuncture was applied on the first day following operation. The primary acupoints were Zusanli (ST36), CV12, ST37 and ST25. Secondary acupoints were chosen according to differential diagnoses of individual patients: Taichong (LV3) for hyperactivity of Liver-yang, Fenglong (ST40) for damp-heat retention in the Spleen and Neiguan (PC6) for nausea and vomiting. Once the deqi sensation was achieved with manual acupuncture, electroacupuncture was applied using a continuous wave at 6-9V for 30 minutes. Acupuncture was applied once daily for three consecutive days.
After the treatment, the researchers used standard measurements to determine intestinal motility and restoration of function. Acupuncture significantly improved the recovery rates of the first flatulence, borborygmus and defecation. Based on these results, the researchers conclude that timely acupuncture after an appendectomy speeds up the recovery of intestinal function and thus the recovery of the patient.
Reference:
Li, Pengfei, Junhua Ren, and Yonghong Dong. “Clinical observation of acupuncture on recovery of intestinal function after acute suppurative appendicitis.” Clinical Journal of Chinese Medicine 4 (2014): 59-60.
– See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1302-acupuncture-improves-appendicitis-recovery-new-study#sthash.4NA68IoD.dpuf
BLUE VALLEY ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC-LOCATED IN DAYTON, WA.-SERVING GREATER WALLA WALLA, WA. AREA AND NEARBY TOWNS.
Acupuncture Provides True Pain Relief in Study
By ANAHAD O’CONNOR SEPTEMBER 11, 2012, 12:53 PM
Acupuncture may be helpful in treating migraines, arthritis and chronic pain.
Gordon Welters for The New York Times
Acupuncture may be helpful in treating migraines, arthritis and chronic pain.
A new study of acupuncture — the most rigorous and detailed analysis of the treatment to date — found that it can ease migraines and arthritis and other forms of chronic pain.
The findings provide strong scientific support for an age-old therapy used by an estimated three million Americans each year. Though acupuncture has been studied for decades, the body of medical research on it has been mixed and mired to some extent by small and poor-quality studies. Financed by the National Institutes of Health and carried out over about half a decade, the new research was a detailed analysis of earlier research that involved data on nearly 18,000 patients.
The researchers, who published their results in Archives of Internal Medicine, found that acupuncture outperformed sham treatments and standard care when used by people suffering from osteoarthritis, migraines and chronic back, neck and shoulder pain.
“This has been a controversial subject for a long time,” said Dr. Andrew J. Vickers, attending research methodologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the lead author of the study. “But when you try to answer the question the right way, as we did, you get very clear answers.
“We think there’s firm evidence supporting acupuncture for the treatment of chronic pain.”
Acupuncture, which involves inserting needles at various places on the body to stimulate so-called acupoints, is among the most widely practiced forms of alternative medicine in the country and is offered by many hospitals. Most commonly the treatment is sought by adults looking for relief from chronic pain, though it is also used with growing frequency in children. According to government estimates, about 150,000 children in the United States underwent acupuncture in 2007.
But for all its popularity, questions about its efficacy have long been commonplace. Are those who swear by it experiencing true relief or the psychological balm of the placebo effect?
Dr. Vickers and a team of scientists from around the world — England, Germany, Sweden and elsewhere — sought an answer by pooling years of data. Rather than averaging the results or conclusions from years of previous studies, a common but less rigorous form of meta-analysis, Dr. Vickers and his colleagues first selected 29 randomized studies of acupuncture that they determined to be of high quality. Then they contacted the authors to obtain their raw data, which they scrutinized and pooled for further analysis. This helped them correct for statistical and methodological problems with the previous studies, allowing them to reach more precise and reliable conclusions about whether acupuncture actually works.
All told, the painstaking process took the team about six years. “Replicating pretty much every single number reported in dozens of papers is no quick or easy task,” Dr. Vickers said.
The meta-analysis included studies that compared acupuncture with usual care, like over-the-counter pain relievers and other standard medicines. It also included studies that used sham acupuncture treatments, in which needles were inserted only superficially, for example, or in which patients in control groups were treated with needles that covertly retracted into handles.
Ultimately, Dr. Vickers and his colleagues found that at the end of treatment, about half of the patients treated with true acupuncture reported improvements, compared with about 30 percent of patients who did not undergo it.
“There were 30 or 40 people from all over the world involved in this research, and as a whole the sense was that this was a clinically important effect size,” Dr. Vickers said. That is especially the case, he added, given that acupuncture “is relatively noninvasive and relatively safe.”
Has acupuncture worked for you? Join in the discussion.
Dr. Vickers said the results of the study suggest that people undergoing the treatment are getting more than just a psychological boost. “They’re not just getting some placebo effect,” he said. “It’s not some sort of strange healing ritual.”
In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Andrew L. Avins, a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente who focuses on musculoskeletal pain and preventive medicine, wrote that the relationship between conventional medical care “and the world of complementary and alternative medicine remains ambiguous.” But at least in the case of acupuncture, he wrote, the new study provides “robust evidence” that it provides “modest benefits over usual care for patients with diverse sources of chronic pain.”
SHARE
ACUPUNCTURE EFFECTIVE FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN
Blue Valley Acupuncture Clinic-Serving Walla Walla, WA., Dayton & nearby towns.
Article courtesy of HealthCMI
ON 29 APRIL 2014.
Researchers conclude that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic low back pain. A randomized, controlled trial was performed at the Dongzhimen Hospital in Beijing, China with a group of 60 participants. Acupuncture effectively decreased patient pain levels and reduced days missed from work due to low back pain. Back Points
Another study of 236 patients published in the Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain concludes that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of low back pain. A total of 14 acupuncture treatments were administered over 4 weeks in this randomized trial. The researchers concluded that acupuncture has “beneficial and persistent effectiveness against CLBP (chronic lower back pain).”
Another study investigated the effects of distal acupuncture on low back pain. Distal acupuncture involves acupuncture point selections from areas that are not located in the affected region. For this study, a single acupuncture point, LI4 (Hegu), was chosen. A group of 187 patients with chronic low back pain received 18 treatments at LI4 over a 7 week period in this controlled clinical trial. The patients demonstrated significant relief from low back pain.
LI4 is located on the dorsum of the hand, between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones at the midpoint of the 2nd metacarpal bone, at the high point of the thenar eminence and distal to the transverse carpal ligament. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture is applied to this point for the treatment of many pain related conditions including headaches, jaw pain, eye pain and toothaches. Nearby, another well known set of distal points on the hand, Yaotongxue, are often used by licensed acupuncturists for the relief of pain due to acute low back sprain.
Hegu, LI4
A large scale analysis of a multitude of studies finds acupuncture effective for the relief of low back pain. In a meta-analysis of 11 randomized-controlled trials, researchers note that “current evidence is encouraging in that acupuncture may be more effective than medication….” They note that, “Compared with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acupuncture may more effectively improve symptoms of acute LBP (lower back pain).” The study eliminated variables such as the placebo effect by using sham (simulated) acupuncture controls to ensure the validity of the data.
Another study finds acupuncture effective for the treatment of neck and lower back pain. The researchers concur with prior studies demonstrating that acupuncture is effective for pain relief and that acupuncture is sometimes more effective than NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Acupuncture was determined to be effective for both long and short-term pain relief of lumbar disc herniations and cervical disc related pain.
Cost-Effectiveness
A great deal of press has been given to the administration of healthcare within the USA. Concern over implementation of recent healthcare legislation such as the PPACA (The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, “Obamacare”) has received enormous news coverage. Other systems providing healthcare for all its citizens including those of Canada, the UK, Australia, Germany and France have also received attention as a result of the new USA basic standards in healthcare insurance established by the PPACA. Acupuncture research has focused on this aspect of the conversation and not only on clinical effectiveness.
Researchers in Calgary, Alberta investigated the cost-effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of low back pain. They discovered that acupuncture reduces the total of health services spending. A group of 201 acupuncture and 804 non-acupuncture low back pain patients were evaluated for the number of medical doctor visits required for the treatment of low back pain.
The mean age of the group was 48 years and 54% of those investigated were female. Results were tabulated as a comparison of the 1 year period prior to receiving acupuncture therapy versus the 1 year period after having had acupuncture therapy. The same period of time was evaluated for the 804 non-acupuncture patients in the control group.
Cost Effective Medicine
The acupuncture group saw doctors 49% less after having acupuncture. The non-acupuncture patients had a decrease of only 2%. The acupuncture patients total monetary cost of physician services decreased by 37%. The non-acupuncture patients had a 1% drop in cost. The researchers concluded that low back pain patients are less likely to visit medical practitioners for low back pain after having had acupuncture therapy thereby reducing overall health service expenses.
Multidisciplinary approaches have also been studied. A new study finds that acupuncture combined with massage is more effective for treating lumbar disc herniation (LDH) than coenzyme B12 injections combined with physiotherapy. Researchers randomly divided 60 patients into an acupuncture group and an injection group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture needling on myofascial pain related trigger points combined with massage. The injection group received coenzyme B12 injections combined with traction and heat therapy. The acupuncture group achieved an overall effective rate of 96.7% and the injection therapy group had an 80.0% effective rate.
Other very serious investigations found acupuncture effective for back pain related to cancer pain. Researchers conducted a randomized, placebo controlled study to investigate whether or not acupuncture reduces pain associated with pancreatic cancer. This type of cancer is often accompanied by severe abdominal or back pain. The researchers concluded that, “Electroacupuncture was an effective treatment for relieving pancreatic cancer pain.”
The acupuncture points used in the study were the Jiaji points from T8 to T12, bilaterally, for a total of 30 minutes of acupuncture needle retention time per office visit. Treatment frequency was once per day for a total of 3 days of care. The placebo control group showed little to no change in pain levels. The electroacupuncture group showed a significant reduction in pain intensity levels.
This is not an exhaustive list of all of the acupuncture research to be published in recent years. Acupuncture now has an established track record for the relief of low back pain. This is supported by clinical trials, laboratory experiments and meta-analyses. In addition, mounting evidence now finds acupuncture cost-effective for the treatment of low back pain. The slow and steady integration of acupuncture into conventional medical settings combined with acupuncture continuing education and research now brings acupuncture into the mainstream for the treatment of acute and chronic pain.
Fire Cupping
References:
Bahrami-Taghanaki, H., Y. Liu, H. Azizi, A. Khorsand, H. Esmaily, A. Bahrami, and Zhao B. Xiao. “A randomized, controlled trial of acupuncture for chronic low-back pain.” Alternative therapies in health and medicine 20, no. 3 (2014): 13.
Mingdong, Yun. Na, Xiong. Mingyang, Guo. Jun, Zhang. Defang, Liu. Yong, Luo. Lingling, Guo. Jiao, Yan. Acupuncture at the Back-Pain-Acupoints for Chronic Low Back Pain of Peacekeepers in Lebanon: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain. P 107-115, V 20.
Hegu Acupuncture for Chronic Low-Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Mingdong Yun, Yongcong Shao, Yan Zhang, Sheng He, Na Xiong, Jun Zhang, Mingyang Guo, Defang Liu, Yong Luo, Lingling Guo, and Jiao Yan. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. February 2012, 18(2): 130-136. doi:10.1089/acm.2010.0779.
Acupuncture for Acute Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review. Lee, Jun-Hwan KMD, PhD; Choi, Tae-Young PhD; Lee, Myeong Soo PhD; Lee, Hyejung KMD, PhD; Shin, Byung-Cheul KMD, PhD; Lee, Hyangsook KMD, PhD. Clinical Journal of Pain:. POST AUTHOR CORRECTIONS, 6 August 2012.
Effectiveness of Acupuncture with NSAID Medication in the Management of Acute Discogenic Radicular Pain: A Randomised, Controlled Trial. Beyazit Zencirci1, Kasim Zafer Yuksel, and Yakup Gumusalan. J Anesthe Clinic Res 2012, 3:3.
Deutsche Zeitschrift für Akupunktur. Volume 55, Issue 3, 2012, Pages 25–26. Reduced health resource use after acupuncture for low-back pain. S Moritza, MF Liub, B Rickhia, b, c, TJ Xua, P Paccagnana, H Quand. Participating institutions: Canadian Institute of Natural and Integrative Medicine, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Chen, Hao, Tang-Yi Liu, Le Kuai, Ji Zhu, Cai-Jun Wu, and Lu-Ming Liu. “Electroacupuncture treatment for pancreatic cancer pain: A randomized controlled trial.” Pancreatology (2013).
Ting Bao, Lixing Lao, Michelle Medeiros, Ruixin Zhang, Susan G. Dorsey, and Ashraf Badros. Medical Acupuncture. September 2012, 24(3): 181-187. doi:10.1089/acu.2011.0868. The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
– See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1301-new-acupuncture-relief-from-low-back-pain#sthash.W1Lbs3dI.dpuf
BLUE VALLEY ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC-WALLA WALLA, WA., DAYTON & NEARBY TOWNS
Article contributed by HealthCMI Acupuncture effectively alleviates epilepsy, a nervous system disorder characterized by unregulated brain cell activity causing seizures. New research finds acupuncture combined with medications is more effective than using only medications as a therapy for epilepsy. The research project, conducted at the Ninth People’s Hospital of Henan, randomly divided 60 cases of epilepsy equally into a control group and an acupuncture group. The control group received only pharmaceutical medications. Epilepsy is treated with the DU, REN and Heart channels. The acupuncture group received both scalp acupuncture and body acupuncture in addition to pharmaceutical medications. The acupuncture group demonstrated significantly superior patient outcomes over the medication only control group. Drugs and Acupuncture The control group received oral administration of sodium valproate. This pharmaceutical medication is an anticonvulsant commonly used in the treatment of epilepsy, anorexia nervosa and bipolar disorder. Adverse affects associated with sodium valproate include fatigue, tremors, sedation and digestive disturbances. During pregnancy, this medication poses a very high risk for birth defects. Sodium valproate was administered twice daily with a dosage of 15-35 mg/kg for 30 days, comprising one course. The treatment lasted for three courses. The acupuncture group received needling in addition to the administration of sodium valproate. Scalp acupuncture needling was applied to the chest area, the epilepsy-control area and the chorea-tremor control area. Body style acupuncture was applied to Fengchi (GB 20), Baihui (DU 20), Sishencong (EX-HN1), Yintang (EX-HN3), Shuigou (DU 26), Neiguan (PC 6), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taichong (LR 3). DU 26 is a vital acupoint in refreshing the brain. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles, this acupuncture point clears the senses, calms the spirit and benefits the lumbar spine. DU 26 is indicated for both seizures and epilepsy. PC 6 is the Luo-connecting point of the Hand Jueyin channel. In TCM, PC 6 is used to calm the heart and spirit, regulate qi and suppress pain. PC 6 is indicated for the treatment of palpitations, chest pain, seizures and epilepsy, nausea, vomiting and heart beat issues. The lifting and thrusting needle technique was applied to DU 26, PC 6, EX-HN3, DU 20, EX-HN1 and LI 4. The reinforcing-reducing method was applied to other acupoints until the patient felt soreness and numbness consistent with the arrival of deqi. The needles were retained for 30 minutes and 10 days comprised one course of care. There was a 2 day break following each course. The treatment period was a total of 3 months. Following the completion of acupuncture therapy, a total of 12 acupuncture group patients showed no epilepsy related symptoms for at least 1 year. A total of 9 patients showed excellent improvements and 6 patients showed moderate improvements. The overall effective rate for the acupuncture group was 90.00% compared to 73.33% for the control group. Based on the positive clinical outcome, the research concludes that acupuncture combined with sodium valproate has a synergistic clinical effect leading to improved patient outcomes. AcuOffice TCM Theory Epilepsy is manifest in seizures, loss of consciousness, foaming of the mouth, headaches, dizziness, a stifling sensation in the chest, pallor, clenched jaw, incontinence of urine and feces, screams and/or staring of the eyes. According to TCM principles, epilepsy is an excess condition although it may arise from deficiencies in chronic cases. The onset of heredity related epilepsy is usually during early childhood. In TCM, epilepsy involves internal liver wind, liver qi stagnation and may also be exacerbated by dampness in the spleen and stomach, particularly due to irregular food intake. Fear and fright may trigger epilepsy. Fear disorders the qi and fright descends the qi thereby causing liver and kidney related internal wind due to deficiency. DU, REN, and Liver channel points are often selected for treatment during a seizure. The focus is to revive consciousness, dissolve phlegm, soothe the liver qi and to dispel the wind. Heart, Spleen and Kidney channel points are commonly selected following a seizure. The treatment principle is to soothe the spirit, nourish the heart and kidneys and to strengthen the spleen and stomach.
Reference: Niu, Xuexia. “Clinical observation on treating 30 cases of epilepsy by head and body acupuncture.” Clinical Journal of Chinese Medicine 6.4 (2014): 65-67. – See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1306-acupuncture-synergizes-epilepsy-relief-new-finding#sthash.YvWIJEvh.dpuf
Blue Valley Acupuncture Clinic- Located in Dayton, WA.
DENISE LANE, EAMP, LAc; provides acupuncture treatments to folks in the greater Walla Walla Valley, Wa., Dayton and nearby towns.
