The Acupuncture Blog: News and Opinion of the world of Oriental Medicine
June 30, 2009
Another Day on the Job
A recent article published in the Washington Post describes how general practioners are integrating alternative medicine into their practice. As one interviewee states
"I love what I do, every day I'm learning more ways of thinking of things. I can't imagine going back and practicing [only conventional medicine]."
News: Washington Post, June 9, 2009.
Acupuncture News Update by mpence at 02:12 AM
June 22, 2009
How Might Health Care Change?
Regardless of the outcome of planned future changes for health care, the changes are already coming. A recent article written by former NIH director Bernadine Healy, M.D., for U.S. News and World Report, alternative medicine will probably be recommended more, as a lower cost alternative to traditional health care.
Article: US News and World Report June 10, 2009.
Acupuncture News Update by mpence at 02:26 AM
June 15, 2009
Acupuncture Alleviates Dyspepsia During Pregnancy
A recently published study in Acupuncture in Medicine shows that acupuncture can aid in the alleviation of heartburn during pregnancy.
Digestive disorders constitute one of the most frequent complaints of pregnancy. The symptoms worsen as pregnancy progresses. Although in the majority of cases heartburn is not severe, it causes a considerable drop in the quality of life during pregnancy.
During the study period, the average heartburn intensity decreased by at least a half in 15/20 (75%) of patients in the study group and in 7/16 (44%) of those in the control group (p = 0.044).
More information about the study can be found in the abstract.
Abstract: Acupuncture in Medicine June, 2009
Acupuncture News Update by mpence at 01:10 AM
June 07, 2009
Josephine P. Briggs Video - Current CAM Use in the United States
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is the United State's lead agency for scientific research on complementary and alternative medicine. NCCAM Director Dr. Josephine P. Briggs discusses current CAM use in the United States in a 4 minute video.
Video: NCCAM Q&A January, 2009
Acupuncture News Update by mpence at 11:24 AM
June 02, 2009
More on Low Back Pain Relief and Acupuncture
The NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) the British equivalent to the United State's National Institute of Health, submitted a report recommending acupuncture as an alternative source of treatment to traditional methods. This was the first time that the NICE had recommended alternative therapies. A complete report describes the studies conducted and the results.
Report: Clinical Guidelines CG88 May, 2009
Acupuncture News Update by mpence at 12:12 AM
May 13, 2009
Acupuncture and Sham Acupuncture Beat Traditional Allopathic Care for Low Back Pain
A four arm study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine 2009;169(9):827 showed that Acupuncture and supposed Sham Acupuncture were more than twice as effective as usual care. A total of 638 adults with chronic low back pain were randomized to individualized acupuncture (using TCM diagnosis), standardized acupuncture (same protocol for all), simulated acupuncture, or usual care.
Results from the study: At 8 weeks, mean dysfunction scores for the individualized, standardized, and simulated acupuncture groups improved by 4.4, 4.5, and 4.4 points, respectively, compared with 2.1 points for those receiving usual care (P < .001). Participants receiving real or simulated acupuncture were more likely than those receiving usual care to experience clinically meaningful improvements on the dysfunction scale (60% vs 39%; P < .001). Symptoms improved by 1.6 to 1.9 points in the treatment groups compared with 0.7 points in the usual care group (P < .001). After 1 year, participants in the treatment groups were more likely than those receiving usual care to experience clinically meaningful improvements in dysfunction (59% to 65% vs 50%, respectively; P = .02) but not in symptoms (P > .05).
Here's what you won't read in the abstract, that was found in this Time Magazine Article. The supposed "sham" group used toothpicks tapped through guide tubes to simulate Acupuncture.
A little history of Acupuncture. Back 2000-3000 years ago bian stones (or sharp rocks) and bamboo slivers (aka toothpicks) were used to stimulate the Acupuncture points because they didn't have needles. This study design essentially compared Ancient vs Modern Acupuncture, not Acupuncture and 'Sham'.
Acupuncture News Update by Admin at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)
May 10, 2009
Success of Acupuncture in Asthma Treatment
A study published in the Journal of Biomedical Science examines the effectiveness of treatment in via gene expression in rodents.
The study shows the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment in the early activation response (EAR) phase. The study also suggests that the gene expression of immune response and steroid hormone may play an important role in the treatment.
Abstract: Journal of Biomedical Science May 6, 2009
Acupuncture News Update by mpence at 11:38 PM
May 04, 2009
Alternative Medicine in Health Care Reform
This week, during President Barack Obama's 100 day Town Hall meeting in Missouri question and answer period, Mr. Obama was asked by a licensed acupuncturist his thoughts on alternative medicine's role in health care.
Mr. Obama replied simply -
"Well, look, my attitude is that we should -- we should do what works. So I think it is pretty well documented through scientific studies that acupuncture, for example, can be very helpful in relieving certain things like migraines and other ailments or at least as effective as more intrusive interventions."
"I will let the science guide me."
"...as we're going through health care reform, let's find out what works. I think one basic principle that we know is that the more we do on the prevention side, the more we can obtain serious savings down the road."
A complete transcript of the meeting can be found at the link below.
Transcript: realclearpolitics.com April 29, 2009
Acupuncture News Update by mpence at 12:04 AM
April 26, 2009
Natural Remedies for Excema
In a recent study, researchers examined 14 eczema patients that had received traditional Chinese medicine treatments, including a bath additive, creams, herbal tea, and acupuncture. In all but one patient, eczema severity dropped by up to 90 percent after 3.3 months of treatment, and quality of life improved by at least 50 percent after 2.4 months of treatment.
Abstract: The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology February, 2009
Acupuncture News Update by mpence at 07:02 PM
Acupuncture Eases Radiation-induced Dry Mouth In Cancer Patients
Xerostomia is a condition that develops after the salivary glands are exposed to repeated doses of therapeutic radiation.
A study recently published in the Head and Neck Journal studied patients with xerostomia who had completed radiation therapy.
The twice weekly acupuncture treatments produced highly statistically significant improvements in symptoms.
More information can be found in a Science Daily news article. The original Head and Neck journal publication could not be found online.
News: Science Daily April 25, 2009
Acupuncture News Update by mpence at 06:33 PM
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