Arthritis and Acupuncture
Arthritis UK Report on the scope and trials of Acupuncture, with scientific and objective assessment of its treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Lower Back Pain & Fibromyalgia.
Click the image to view the 3 page report
Click the image to view the 3 page report
Nice Guidance for primary chronic pain
Officially out, the NICE guidance for primary chronic pain recommending acupuncture as part of treatment options.
Say Goodbye to Sciatica with Acupuncture
Sciatica or sciatic pain is leg pain, and possibly tingling, numbness or weakness, which starts in the lower back and travels through the buttock and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of the leg.
There are several factors that contribute to this condition and these include a clenched nerve in the lower back, lumbar disk hernia, or mechanical stress that causes the inner portion of the disk to protrude through the outer ring. This ruptured or herniated disk normally happens on the weakest points of the disk, which is where the nerve leaves the spinal cord.
A nonsurgical method to treat sciatica is acupuncture. The way this Chinese treatment relieves the pain is that the tiny needles are placed in the meridian channels thus triggering micro-trauma to the muscles, which leads to higher endorphin release, which soothes the nerves.
There are several factors that contribute to this condition and these include a clenched nerve in the lower back, lumbar disk hernia, or mechanical stress that causes the inner portion of the disk to protrude through the outer ring. This ruptured or herniated disk normally happens on the weakest points of the disk, which is where the nerve leaves the spinal cord.
A nonsurgical method to treat sciatica is acupuncture. The way this Chinese treatment relieves the pain is that the tiny needles are placed in the meridian channels thus triggering micro-trauma to the muscles, which leads to higher endorphin release, which soothes the nerves.
Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mood disorders, affecting millions of adults. Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) treatments can be used as stand-alone treatments, and they can be used to complement evidence-based treatment as well.
Depression can be described in TCM as ‘stagnant energy’ within the body. This stagnation can create imbalances that lead to symptoms of depression such as an inability to focus, melancholy, anger, fatigue and a lack of inspiration. Acupuncture tackles the issue by stimulating the energy to move more efficiently, balancing the organ systems and creating balance called homeostasis; balanced energy better equips a person to manage stress, steady emotions and enables a more peaceful feeling.
Acupuncture treatments for anxiety and depression are unique for each patient as every person has a unique constitution and imbalances. As a patients’ symptoms and issues adjust, a practitioner will likely change the treatments accordingly.
Depression can be described in TCM as ‘stagnant energy’ within the body. This stagnation can create imbalances that lead to symptoms of depression such as an inability to focus, melancholy, anger, fatigue and a lack of inspiration. Acupuncture tackles the issue by stimulating the energy to move more efficiently, balancing the organ systems and creating balance called homeostasis; balanced energy better equips a person to manage stress, steady emotions and enables a more peaceful feeling.
Acupuncture treatments for anxiety and depression are unique for each patient as every person has a unique constitution and imbalances. As a patients’ symptoms and issues adjust, a practitioner will likely change the treatments accordingly.
Chronic and acute disorders of the bladder, cystitis, interstitial cystitis, stress incontinence, repeated infection and vulvodynia.
Cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) is often due to a bacterial infection of the lower urinary tract. Each year, around 5% of women present to their GPs with typical symptoms of cystitis, such as pain when passing urine and urinary frequency, about half of whom are found to have a urinary tract infection (Hamilton-Miller 1994).
The remaining women will have symptoms in the absence of bacterial infection, which is often referred to as interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome (Rovner 2010). Typical symptoms of cystitis include pain when passing urine, and frequency and urgency of urination. Suprapubic pain, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, haematuria, or confusion (in older patients) may also occur.
Most urinary tract infections occur in women who are otherwise healthy; Escherichia coli is the cause of at least 70% of such uncomplicated urinary infections presenting in general practice (Gruneberg 1994). The key risk factors for uncomplicated infections include sexual intercourse, a personal or family history of urinary infection, and the use of a contraceptive diaphragm plus spermicide (DTB 1998). Recurrent cystitis is usually defined as three episodes of urinary tract infection in the previous 12 months, or two episodes in the previous 6 months. Around of half of all women who have an attack of cystitis will experience another within a year (Sen 2007).
Antibiotics such as trimethoprim are used in the treatment of cystitis due to a bacterial infection. General measures to treat urinary infection include drinking more to increase urinary output, and an analgesic or antipyretic for pain or fever. Oral treatments that alkalinise the urine are sometimes used to alleviate symptoms of cystitis (DTB 1998).
Acupuncture may help in the treatment of cystitis by:
The remaining women will have symptoms in the absence of bacterial infection, which is often referred to as interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome (Rovner 2010). Typical symptoms of cystitis include pain when passing urine, and frequency and urgency of urination. Suprapubic pain, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, haematuria, or confusion (in older patients) may also occur.
Most urinary tract infections occur in women who are otherwise healthy; Escherichia coli is the cause of at least 70% of such uncomplicated urinary infections presenting in general practice (Gruneberg 1994). The key risk factors for uncomplicated infections include sexual intercourse, a personal or family history of urinary infection, and the use of a contraceptive diaphragm plus spermicide (DTB 1998). Recurrent cystitis is usually defined as three episodes of urinary tract infection in the previous 12 months, or two episodes in the previous 6 months. Around of half of all women who have an attack of cystitis will experience another within a year (Sen 2007).
Antibiotics such as trimethoprim are used in the treatment of cystitis due to a bacterial infection. General measures to treat urinary infection include drinking more to increase urinary output, and an analgesic or antipyretic for pain or fever. Oral treatments that alkalinise the urine are sometimes used to alleviate symptoms of cystitis (DTB 1998).
Acupuncture may help in the treatment of cystitis by:
- reducing inflammation, by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors (Kim 2008, Kavoussi 2007, Zijstra 2003);reducing pain and swelling (Lorenzini 2010)
- improving bladder irritation by inhibition of capsaicin-sensitive C-fibre activation (Hino 2010).
Infertility and IVF
How acupuncture can help
Most clinical trials to date suggest that acupuncture may be useful in the embryo transfer stage of in vitro fertilisation, and results in an increased pregnancy rate and a greater number of live births (Cheong 2008, Manheimer 2008, Kong 2009, Chen 2009, Smith 2006, Westergaard 2006), though there have been exceptions (Domar 2009) (see Table overleaf). In one recent large trial the pregnancy rate in the acupuncture group was lower than that of the control (So 2009), thus affecting the results of subsequent reviews (Cheong 2010). This trial used an inappropriately active control treatment, a sort of acupressure, thus casting doubt on the validity of the findings.
Acupuncture may help in the treatment of infertility by:
Most clinical trials to date suggest that acupuncture may be useful in the embryo transfer stage of in vitro fertilisation, and results in an increased pregnancy rate and a greater number of live births (Cheong 2008, Manheimer 2008, Kong 2009, Chen 2009, Smith 2006, Westergaard 2006), though there have been exceptions (Domar 2009) (see Table overleaf). In one recent large trial the pregnancy rate in the acupuncture group was lower than that of the control (So 2009), thus affecting the results of subsequent reviews (Cheong 2010). This trial used an inappropriately active control treatment, a sort of acupressure, thus casting doubt on the validity of the findings.
Acupuncture may help in the treatment of infertility by:
- regulating fertility hormones - stress and other factors can disrupt the function of the hypothalamic pituitary-ovarian axis (HPOA). Acupuncture promotes the release of beta-endorphin in the brain, which regulates gonadatrophin releasing hormone from the hypothalamus, follicle stimulating hormone from the pituitary gland, and oestrogen and progesterone levels from the ovary (Anderson 2007).
- increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs (Ho 2009, Anderson 2007), which can improve the thickness of the endometrial lining, so increasing the chances of embryo implantation.
- increasing egg production (Jin 2009) and improving oocyte quality (Chen 2009), which could increase the chance of fertilisation.
- enhancing luteal function (Huang 2009)
- regulating follicle stimulation hormone-receptor expression (Jin 2009).
- normalising cortisol and prolactin levels on IVF medication days (Magarelli 2008); reducing stress (Anderson 2007)
- promoting embryo implantation (Liu 2008).
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Acid reflux is also known as indigestion or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It occurs when the valve between the esophagus and stomach doesn’t function properly. When the valve malfunctions, food and stomach acid can travel back up the esophagus, causing a burning sensation or even sore throat and sour test in the mouth.
In a study titled Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): a review of conventional and alternative treatments by the U.S. National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (AT001588) and U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK55808)(2006) for the journal of Gastroenterology concluded that In the future, it is anticipated that acupuncture will be used to treat these patients in addition to the current therapy. This would also significantly reduce the cost of medical treatment.
In a study titled Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): a review of conventional and alternative treatments by the U.S. National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (AT001588) and U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK55808)(2006) for the journal of Gastroenterology concluded that In the future, it is anticipated that acupuncture will be used to treat these patients in addition to the current therapy. This would also significantly reduce the cost of medical treatment.
