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
Monday, September 15, 2008
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
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
Thursday, September 11, 2008
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
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
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
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