Acupuncture is a cost-effective and safe treatment modality for the alleviation or elimination of migraine headaches. Harvard Medical School, Georgetown University, University of Arizona, Creighton University, and Louisiana State University researchers report findings showing that acupuncture reduces the frequency, intensity, and duration of migraine attacks. The investigation team indicates that patients receiving acupuncture are also less prone to secondary anxiety attacks and depression. Globally, migraines afflict 14.7% of the world’s population. According to Mayo Clinic research, 1.5% of the USA population has received acupuncture treatment; however, migraines afflict 15.3% of the USA population. Females are disproportionately affected, with 9.7% of […]
Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, low back pain, and fibromyalgia. Tufts University School of Medicine (Boston, Massachusetts) researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 16 medical reviews and 11 randomized controlled clinical trials and determined that acupuncture is safe and effective for the treatment of these conditions. They add that there is considerable evidence that acupuncture produces pain relieving effects by stimulating nerves that trigger the body’s natural opioid systems. The Tufts University researchers also note that fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) studies “demonstrate that acupuncture has regionally specific, quantifiable effects on relevant structures and restoration of the […]
Acupuncture demonstrates clinical efficacy for postviral recovery from the loss of the sense of smell. COVID-19 (coronavirus) patients often experience diminished olfaction, with a median return of the senses of taste and smell within eight days. However, long-term impacts on both gustation (tasting) and olfaction have been reported in COVID-19 cases. Research on acupuncture’s ability to benefit the restoration of olfaction indicates that it is a potentially effective treatment modality for the relief of anosmia, dysosmia, parosmia, hyposmia, dysgeusia, and ageusia in postviral recovery. COVID-19 presents challenges because the completion of most current research is pending. Looking at prior […]
Acupuncture produces a higher rate of pregnancies than fertility medications with significantly less adverse effects. In a controlled clinical trial, researchers document that acupuncture outperforms bromocriptine and bromocriptine plus clomiphene for the treatment of infertility for women with hyperprolactinemia (HPL). Acupuncture produced a 43.3% pregnancy rate whereas fertility medications produced 20% pregnancy rate. One important mechanism responsible for the fertility treatment success with acupuncture is hormonal regulation. Acupuncture more rapidly normalized levels of prolactin than fertility medications. In hyperprolactinemia, elevated levels of prolactin (PRL) hormone causes infertility by inhibiting gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) production. GnRH is responsible for stimulating gonadotropins (Gn), […]
Acupuncture is an effective treatment modality for the alleviation of gout. Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers combined auricular acupuncture with warm needle acupuncture and determined that the combined approach significantly enhances the efficacy of drug therapy. Drug monotherapy produced an 81.67% total effictive rate. Adding acupuncture into the therapeutic regimen of care increased the total effective to 95%. Equally as important, the fully recovered rate was significantly higher in patients that received acupuncture. A 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) for joint pain was used to assess pain levels. Blood tests were conducted before and after treatment to determine […]
A new study finds unique electrical phenomena through acupuncture meridians, channels. Researchers discovered that needling proximal acupuncture points causes significantly increased bioelectric amplitudes in distal acupuncture points along the same meridian. The same was not true of non-acupuncture points in similar regions of the body. The researchers note that the measurements indicate “electrophysiological uniqueness in the form of a greater bioelectric potential amplitude when a proximal acupoint is stimulated and the response is measured at a distal acupoint along the same meridian.” Acupuncture point P4 was stimulated with an acupuncture needle. The bioelectric potential was measured at acupuncture point […]
Acupuncture combined with moxa is effective for the treatment of shoulder periarthritis. Suyang City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers conducted a clinical trial comparing distal warm needle acupuncture with local non-moxa acupuncture treatments. The results show that patients receiving distal warm needle acupuncture have better recovery rates but lower total effective rates. The measurement parameters in this study included a four-level clinical efficacy rating, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain level scores, Barthel Index (BI) daily activity scores, and Constant Murley Score (CMS) shoulder function scores. For the efficacy rating, among the 38 patients in the local non-moxa acupuncture […]
Acupuncture and moxibustion are effective treatment modalities for allergic rhinitis relief. In a meta-analysis of 39 studies involving 3,433 allergic rhinitis patients, acupuncture improved nasal symptoms and rhinoconjunctivitis scores. Researchers determined that all types of acupuncture modalities are significantly superior to sham controls. Moreover, moxibustion was found effective within six treatments. Integrative medicine produced excellent outcomes. A combination of acupuncture plus conventional medicine significantly improved overall nasal symptom reductions and quality of life scores within nine acupuncture treatments. The combination was more effective than conventional medicine monotherapy. Allergic rhinitis (hay fever, allergies) is an inflammatory disorder of the nasal mucosa […]
Researchers find acupuncture effective for the treatment of hypertension in middle-aged adults. In a groundbreaking eight week acupuncture trial, an international research team documents that acupuncture causes significant improvements in both brachial blood pressure and central aortic blood pressure in hypertensive middle-aged adults. The scientific investigation was a collaboration between researchers from Larkin Community Hospital (Miami, Florida), Marymount University (Arlington, Virginia), Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University (Russia), and Moscow Financial and Law University (Russia). The researchers note that prior investigations find acupuncture effective for the treatment of hypertension. However, they add that this investigation is the first study to […]
Acupuncture alleviates carpal tunnel syndrome and heals injured peripheral nerves. Electromyography, nerve conductions studies, and ultrasonic imaging confirms that acupuncture combined with moxibustion improves electrophysiological peripheral nerve responses and repairs peripheral nerve tissues for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). In addition, the researchers (Ding et al.) recorded significant pain relief in clinical observations using a numerical rating scale. Ding et al. conclude that objective and subjective testing demonstrates that acupuncture plus moxibustion is effective for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. The detailed research was published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine. Carpal tunnel syndrome is […]
Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of depression. Guangzhou First People’s Hospital (affiliated with Guangzhou Medical University) researchers compared SSRI (serotonin reuptake inhibitor) monotherapy with SSRI plus electroacupuncture therapy. The data driven results determined that the combined therapy increases the rate of positive patient outcomes. The integrated therapy group received the identical SSRI medication (escitalopram) as the drugs only group. Subjective and objective data shows that the addition of electroacupuncture therapy significantly improves outcomes for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The results show that the integrated approach is more effective at restoring cognitive functions and normal serum levels of […]
New research has just been released demonstrating that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of PMS, anxiety and depression. Researchers from the Harvard Medical School (Boston, Massachusetts) and the Advanced Integrative Rehabilitation and Pain Center (Washington, DC) conclude that “there is high-level evidence to support the use of acupuncture for treating major depressive disorder in pregnancy.” In an additional study, researchers from the School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina (Beijing University of Chinese Medicine) conclude that acupuncture shows effectiveness in treating PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome). In the first study, the researchers note that both anxiety and depression are highly prevalent in […]