Acupuncture helps migraine

Interesting antecdote that includes a patient's story on how acupuncture helped her manage her migraines.

Duncan


October 16, 2008, 9:00 pm
Adverse Effects

I never fully appreciated myself until I lost myself.

And then, when I found myself again, I realized that I really was a prize.

This e-card-worthy sentiment washed over me on Wednesday, when I began to come out of a two-week immersion in what I can only describe as mild mental illness.

Otherwise put: I tried out a new migraine preventive medication, and lost a little bit of my mind.

I was trying out the new medication because my chronic headaches had become much worse again after a nine-month period in which, thanks to acupuncture, they'd gotten much better.

With acupuncture, I'd been able to lower my dosage of amitriptyline, an old tricyclic antidepressant now used to help manage migraines, by a third, and had, at the same time, reduced the frequency of my headaches by more than half. Click link for more:



http://warner.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/16/adverse-effects-2/?dpc

http://snipurl.com/4gfik

National Cancer Institute's Statement on Acupuncture

Have any clinical trials (research studies with people) of acupuncture been conducted?

Most studies of the use of acupuncture in cancer patients have been done in China. In 1997, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) began evaluating the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture as a complementary and alternative therapy.

* Studies of the effect of acupuncture on the immune system

Human studies on the effect of acupuncture on the immune system of cancer patients showed that it improved immune system response.


* Studies of the effect of acupuncture on pain

In clinical studies, acupuncture reduced the amount of pain in some cancer patients. In one study, most of the patients treated with acupuncture were able to stop taking drugs for pain relief or to take smaller doses. The findings from these studies are not considered strong, however, because of weaknesses in study design and size. Studies using strict scientific methods are needed to prove how acupuncture affects pain.


* Studies of the effect of acupuncture on nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy

The strongest evidence of the effect of acupuncture has come from clinical trials on the use of acupuncture to relieve nausea and vomiting. Several types of clinical trials using different acupuncture methods showed acupuncture reduced nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, surgery, and morning sickness. It appears to be more effective in preventing vomiting than in reducing nausea.


* Studies of the effect of acupuncture on cancer and symptoms (other than nausea) caused by cancer treatment

Clinical trials are studying the effects of acupuncture on cancer and symptoms caused by cancer treatment, including weight loss, cough, chest pain, fever, anxiety, depression, night sweats, hot flashes, dry mouth, speech problems, and fluid in the arms or legs. Studies have shown that, for many patients, treatment with acupuncture either relieves symptoms or keeps them from getting worse.




http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/acupuncture/patient/45.cdr#Section_45

http://snipurl.com/3qijo

Sloan-Kettering on Acupuncture

Sloan-Kettering has a interesting page on acupuncture with many references. You do have to sign a disclaimer to access the page but that takes just a click.

Here is a excerpt copied from their site:

Acupuncture, a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine, originated more than 2,000 years ago. Treatment involves stimulation of one or more predetermined points on the body with needles, heat (moxibustion), pressure (acupressure), or electricity for therapeutic effect.
A Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report indicated that more than 8 million Americans use acupuncture to treat different ailments. Data from clinical trials support use of acupuncture for chronic headache (2) (3) (20), but there was no difference between true and sham acupuncture treatments; the treatments were, however, more effective compared to a no acupuncture control (18). Acupuncture is beneficial for osteoarthritis of knee (16) (23) (27), chronic mechanical neck pain (17), and symptoms associated with fibromyalgia (22). It was also superior to physical therapy (21) in treating patients with low back pain compared to usual care (24) (36) and was cost effective (25). Acupuncture also reduced high blood pressure (29); and the severity of hot flashes in postmenopausal women (26) but was ineffective in treating major depressive disorder (28). In addition, studies show benefits of acupuncture for peripheral neuropathy (30), including that associated with diabetes (31), AIDS (32) (33), and chemotherapy (34).
Acupuncture also improved reproductive outcomes in women following in vitro fertilization (37) (38) (39) (40) (41), reduced symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain (43), and decreased procedural anxiety in patients undergoing lithotripsy (44).

http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69111.cfm

This link takes you to the rest of the acupuncture info:

http://snipurl.com/3qig1

What John Hopkins Says About Acupuncture

Acupuncture originated in China more than 2,500 years ago and spread first throughout Asia, and later to Europe and the Americas. While acupuncture has been offered in Asian communities throughout the United States for many generations, it is only since 1970, following the opening of China to the West, that this system of health care has been available to the general population in this country. Acupuncture is a principle modality of Eastern medicine which focuses on healing within a unified system of body, mind and spirit. As a result, acupuncture is generally used in conjunction with herbal, massage, diet and exercise therapies to maximize health, prevent illness and treat disease.
According to Western medicine, the effects of Acupuncture are probably the result of stimulating the nervous system to release chemicals which may in turn release other hormones producing the desired effects. This theory is supported by the basic research work which has shown acupuncture's effect on ACTH, insulin, thyroid hormones, growth stimulating hormone, beta-endorphin, white blood cell production and plasma cholesterol levels. Acupuncture may work on an electromagnetic bio-information system. In traditional Chinese Medicine training, acupuncture is believed to modulate the flow of energy (Qi) in its channels, or meridians, to restore balance.

http://pathology.jhu.edu/pancreas/TreatmentHolistic.php

http://snipurl.com/3qiay

What MD Anderson Says About Acupuncture and Cancer

Here is an interesting item I found on the MD Anderson Cancer Center website concerning acupuncture. Of course, they ask that you get physician permission before adding acupuncture and massage treatments.

Duncan




Acupuncture involves the placement of metal needles in the skin to stimulate specific areas of the body. Research has shown that acupuncture may stimulate the natural healing process to restore health and well-being. Some cancer patients find that it relieves fatigue, pain and nausea, and clear evidence supports the effectiveness of acupuncture to control chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.

Acupuncture comes from traditional Chinese medical methods used to treat patients for thousands of years in Asia. However, acupuncture wasn't widely used in the United States until after President Nixon's visit to China in 1972. It soon became popular as more health care professionals learned about the technique. Today, Americans receive acupuncture therapy millions of times each year.



This link will take you to the MD Anderson Cancer Center page:
http://snipurl.com/3qi7l

Acupuncture + Drugs Better Than Only Drugs for Osteoarthritis

ScienceDaily (Nov. 24, 2004) — November 18, 2004 -- Acupuncture, as a complementary therapy to drug treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee, is more effective than drug treatment alone, find researchers from Spain in this week's BMJ.

Osteoarthritis of the knee is common, affecting almost a tenth of the population aged over 55. The role of acupuncture in osteoarthritis remains controversial and few studies comparing acupuncture and drug treatment have been conducted.

A total of 88 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee were randomly divided into two groups, one receiving acupuncture plus diclofenac (an anti-inflammatory drug) and the other dummy (placebo) acupuncture plus diclofenac. Treatment lasted 12 weeks and levels of pain, stiffness, and physical function were monitored using recognised scales.

The acupuncture group had a greater reduction in pain and stiffness, improved physical functioning and quality of life than the placebo group.

Although the 12-week monitoring period may be insufficient to evaluate the effects of treatment in the medium term, acupuncture as a complementary therapy to drug treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee is more effective than drug treatment alone, say the authors.

Future research should extend the observation period after treatment in order to evaluate the duration of the improvement obtained and to establish treatment protocols, they conclude.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/11/041123212055.htm

http://snipurl.com/3pfmc

Acupuncture, PCOS, Fertility Study

Acupuncture May Hold Promise For Women With Hormone Disorder Who Experience Fertility Challenges
enlarge
Here is an article found on Science Daily about the use of acupuncture to help women with PCOS become pregnant.



ScienceDaily (Sep. 9, 2008) — Getting pregnant with her first child was difficult, but when Rebecca Killmeyer of Charlottesville, Va. experienced a miscarriage during her second pregnancy, she wasn't sure if she would ever have another baby. When she decided to enter a study testing the impact of acupuncture on women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) at the University of Virginia Health System, she came out with a miracle.

"To our great surprise we were blessed with a third pregnancy during the PCOS study," said Killmeyer. "I'm absolutely certain the acupuncture treatments helped me ovulate regularly, which allowed me to become pregnant."

click the link for more details:


http://snipurl.com/3pdn9

Acupuncture points and meridian illustrations online

A very useful website that I have discovered is www.acuxo.com out of England. On the site are graphics of individual acu points and all of the acupuncture channels plus much more.

For regular folks who want to practice some acupressure on themselves, this site can provide accurate information. Enjoy it , use it but do not try treating serious ailments on your own. Some professional guidance can save you a lot of time and suffering.

The point illustrated above is Nei Guan (inner gate) also called P6. The P stands for Pericardium which is also referred to as the Heart Protector and the 6 means it is the 6th point on that channel.

This point is between two tendons that run down the middle of the inside of your forearm. You can locate the point by laying your first three fingers across the forearm with the ring finger next to the biggest crease across your wrist.
P6 will be between the two tendons where your index will be laying.

This point is frequently used for stomach pain as well as nausea and chest pain. It is also used for motion sickness.

You can find acuxo's information on P6 here:

http://tinyurl.com/26sjbe

Heart Transplant and Acupuncture Help- Mayo Clinic Video

F31 - August 2005 - Acupuncture After Heart Transplant

Intro: For thousands of years, the Chinese have used acupuncture to treat many conditions including headaches, anxiety, joint pain and digestive problems. Now, many Western medical centers are using acupuncture too. Why? Because for many people, it works. Doctors at Mayo Clinic are studying acupuncture to see how it helps people who've been stuck in the hospital for weeks on end. People like the young woman you're about to meet who had not one, but two heart transplants.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge-television-2005/2005-aug-01.html

http://snipurl.com/31y4u

Fibromyalgia Relieved by Acupuncture, Mayo Study Finds

Acupuncture Relieves Symptoms of Fibromyalgia, Mayo Clinic Study Finds

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Evidence suggests acupuncture reduces the symptoms of fibromyalgia, according to a Mayo Clinic study.

Fibromyalgia is a disorder considered disabling by many, and is characterized by chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain and symptoms such as fatigue, joint stiffness and sleep disturbance. No cure is known and available treatments are only partially effective.

Mayo's study involved 50 fibromyalgia patients enrolled in a randomized, controlled trial to determine if acupuncture improved their symptoms. Symptoms of patients who received acupuncture significantly improved compared with the control group, according to the study published in the June issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

"The results of the study convince me there is something more than the placebo effect to acupuncture," says David Martin, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the acupuncture article and a Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist. "It affirms a lot of clinical impressions that this complementary medical technique is helpful for patients."

Increasingly, patients are interested in pursuing complementary medicine techniques in conjunction with their mainstream medical care, Dr. Martin says. But often, such techniques lack scientific evidence to justify a patient's expense and time.

The study lends credence to patients' belief that nontraditional methods may improve their health. In Mayo's trial, patients who received acupuncture to counter their fibromyalgia symptoms reported improvement in fatigue and anxiety, among other symptoms. Acupuncture was well tolerated, with minimal side effects.

Mayo's acupuncture study is one of only three randomized and controlled studies involving fibromyalgia patients. Of the other studies, one found acupuncture to be helpful, while the other reported it was ineffective for pain relief.

Dr. Martin says Mayo's study demonstrates that acupuncture is helpful, and also proves physicians can conduct a rigorous, controlled acupuncture study. Future research could help physicians understand which medical conditions respond best to acupuncture, how to apply it to best relieve symptoms, and how long patients can expect to their symptoms to decrease after each treatment.

Dr. Martin performed the study at Mayo Clinic Rochester with co-authors Ines Berger, M.D.; Christopher Sletten, Ph.D.; and Brent Williams.




http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2006-rst/3495.html

http://snipurl.com/31y2p

IVF Success Rates and Acupuncture

Acupuncture Shows Promise In Improving Rates Of Pregnancy Following IVF
enlarge

Acupuncture given as a complement to IVF increased the odds of achieving pregnancy. (Credit: iStockphoto/Pascal Genest)

ScienceDaily (Feb. 11, 2008) — A review of seven clinical trials of acupuncture given with embryo transfer in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) suggests that acupuncture may improve rates of pregnancy. An estimated 10 to 15 percent of couples experience reproductive difficulty and seek specialist fertility treatments, such as IVF.

IVF, which involves retrieving a woman's egg, fertilizing it in the laboratory, and then transferring the embryo back into the woman's womb is an expensive, lengthy, and stressful process. Identifying a complementary approach that can improve success would be welcome to patients and providers.

According to Eric Manheimer of the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Integrative Medicine and colleagues who conducted the systematic review, acupuncture has been used in China for centuries to regulate the female reproductive system.

With this in mind, the reviewers analyzed results from seven clinical trials of acupuncture in women who underwent IVF to see if rates of pregnancy were improved with acupuncture. The studies encompassed data on over 1366 women and compared acupuncture, given within one day of embryo transfer, with sham acupuncture, or no additional treatment.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080210085601.htm

http://snipurl.com/31xuo

Acupuncture relieves menstrual pain

NEW YORK -- Acupuncture can help relieve menstrual pain and improve the quality of life for some women, a new study from Germany shows.

Because the acupuncture patients were compared with a control group that received no therapy, rather than a "sham," or fake, version of the treatment, the placebo effect could have played a role, Dr. Claudia M. Witt of Charite University Medical Center in Berlin and her colleagues acknowledge.

"Nevertheless, our study showed that acupuncture was beneficial for women . . . ," the researchers write in the American Journal of
Obstetrics & Gynecology.

http://tinyurl.com/564jrd