Mastering Migraines - Medicinal Alternatives

If left untreated, the pain is so intense in its jackhammer-like regularity that the faintest light appears blinding, small sounds are intensified and smells are unbearable. The only relief is to sleep, fitfully, with an ice pack perched precariously on my head while my husband hovers, empathetic but powerless to help. As the hours wear on, I actually welcome the inevitable vomiting as a blessed sign that the end of the migraine is near.

For years I sought relief in medication — and still take it when the migraine is full-blown. However, a few years ago, my chiropractor suggested acupuncture as a migraine preventive. Intrigued, I began treating my migraines through alternative and complementary medicine.

Can gentle, holistic healing methods really control a disease that affects almost 30 million Americans and costs their employers more than 20 billion dollars annually in lost worker productivity? These 10 holistic remedies may provide relief either alone or in conjunction with traditional medicine. Consult a qualified naturopathic, alternative or complementary healthcare practitioner before embarking on a course of treatment.

1. Biofeedback

According to the Association for Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback, “Numerous controlled, clinical, comparative, and long term follow-up studies [including a German study in 2007] have proven beyond any doubt that biofeedback can reduce and cure tension and migraine headaches among adults and children.”

Biofeedback utilizes sensors placed on the body that teach a patient to monitor bodily functions like muscle tension, heart rate and blood pressure. As the patient watches the feedback from the sensors on a monitor, she learns how to control her body’s response — techniques she can implement later in the early stages of a migraine to promote muscle relaxation and lower blood pressure, both of which contribute to relieving migraine pain. Biofeedback is a favorite at the nationally recognized Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago; to locate a provider in your area, visit the AAPB website. Or consider a personal biofeedback device such as the EmWave.

2. Acupuncture

The premise of acupuncture, based on 2,500 years of Chinese medical tradition, holds that energy, or chi, circulates along specific meridian points on the body; hair-thin needles are inserted along meridian lines to balance and restore energy. Some research indicates that acupuncture may affect the central nervous system, increase circulation and increase endorphins — all of which can act as a balm for migraine sufferers.

The largest study looking at the effectiveness of acupuncture for migraine prevention was published in the March 2006 edition of The Lancet Neurology. In this study, researchers found that “47 percent of participants in the traditional acupuncture group… experienced a reduction of migraine days by 50 percent or more.”

Individual therapists determine the specific acupuncture points for a specific patient, but a typical puncture site for migraines is the area between the thumb and forefinger, and the insides of the ankles. Though acupuncture points are generally painless, I have noticed that a looming migraine causes increased tenderness in these areas.

3. Shirodhara

This ancient Ayurvedic technique calms the nervous system to prevent and relieve migraines. The treatment, which takes place with the client face-up on a massage table, consists of a continuous stream of warm sesame oil poured over the forehead and down the scalp, and induces a state of deep relaxation.

A number of Ayurvedic practitioners offer this technique; some more traditional spas have also begun including Shirodhara on their menus. Call your local day spa or check SpaFinder.com for a practitioner near you.

4. Butterbur

One of the main ingredients in this herb, petasin, is said to reduce inflammation and may thereby prevent the swelling that leads to migraines. 
A 2005 German study reported that 77 percent of patients reported a reduction in migraine frequency, and a whopping 91 percent felt substantially or at least slightly improved, while taking butterbur during the four-month trial. Check with your practitioner for the proper dosage, but don’t use butterbur if you’re pregnant or nursing.

5. Anti-Headache Diet

According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF), near 20 percent of migraineurs can consistently identify a food trigger. MSG, found in fast foods and snack foods, is often cited as a culprit in migraine attacks. Chocolate, red wine and aged cheese are other common triggers. “These foods may cause chemical changes in the brain that activate the migraine attack process. That process involves excitability of nerves and reaction of the blood vessels,” says an NHF physician. To maintain preventive migraine health, the NHF stresses the importance of eating healthy meals on a regular schedule and not skipping meals. Drink plenty of water, too, because dehydration may also cause symptoms to worsen.

6. Meditation

Several studies, including one reported in a 2007 issue of the journal Nature Clinical Practice Neurology, show that meditation and yoga can create a physiological reaction in the body that is the exact opposite of stress. Clinical studies have shown mindfulness meditation can be an effective treatment for chronic pain. Meditating also slows breathing rate, blood pressure and heart rate, which can help relieve migraine pain.

7. Feverfew

Feverfew was considered a remedy for inflammation in ancient Greek medical literature. In a 2008 issue of HerbalGram, the journal of the American Botanical Council, it was reported that the use of feverfew leads to a “significant reduction in frequency and severity of attacks as well as decrease of nausea and vomiting.” Researchers think feverfew helps because it blocks serotonin, which causes abnormal blood vessel dilation during a migraine attack. As with butterbur, avoid feverfew if you’re pregnant or nursing.

8. Magnesium

Magnesium is the fourth-most abundant mineral element in the human body, and new research is leading doctors to speculate that magnesium deficiency, present in many migraine sufferers, might be to blame for the pain. In 2008, the journal Magnesium Research reported on a study with migraine patients without aura; researchers discovered that migraineurs on magnesium experienced fewer attacks and the pain was less severe. There was also an increase in blood flow to certain parts of the brain in these patients; the magnesium somehow causes changes in the brain that benefit migraine sufferers, such as constriction of blood vessels in the brain and scalp. The Daily Reference Intake for magnesium, set by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, is between 310-420 milligrams, depending on age and gender. Find yours in foods like leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts and halibut.

9. CoQ10

Coenzyme Q10 has been touted as an extremely effective migraine aid. A 2005 article in the journal American Family Physician reported that during a trial of this supplement, 61.3 percent of the patients achieved at least a 50 percent reduction in frequency of migraine attacks by the end of the four months, with a 150mg dosage of CoQ10. Like the other supplements mentioned, CoQ10 seems to work best as a preventive remedy rather than a migraine abortive.

10. Body Stress Release

BSR was developed in South Africa in the 1980s, but is now practiced in at least 12 countries. Working with the body’s natural predisposition to be stress-free, BSR assesses the whole body for stored tension. Locked-in body stress can result in pain, because tense muscles put pressure on the nerves; once the stress points are identified, the tension is released using light but definite pressure. The Body Stress Release Association website has more information on the method, and lists providers in several countries (though only a few in the United States).

Also of note is the work of John Sarno, M.D., a professor at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Medical Center, raised skeptical eyebrows in the 1990s with the publication of his book, The Mindbody Prescription. The book mainly dealt with the psychological underpinnings that caused back pain, but it featured a fascinating section on migraines in which Sarno discussed how he cured himself of migraines by examining his own patterns of repressed rage. Louise Hay, author of the perennially popular You Can Heal Your Life, attributes migraine pain to the thought pattern of perfectionism. As a migraine treatment, it is certainly worthwhile to examine psychological or spiritual factors that may be contributing to your pain.

Perhaps one of the worst aspects of migraines is the pervasive feeling of hopelessness that often accompanies the disease, particularly when one has suffered for decades and taken scores of medications, often to no avail. The prospect of staying on these medications permanently — many of which have severe side effects — is enough to cause a feeling of discouragement and even depression. Holistic remedies not only provide real prevention and relief, but also engender a sense of hope, comfort and freedom from migraine pain.

[Via http://ajp619.wordpress.com]

Acupuncture for Eczema

In treating skin conditions such as eczema, it’s generally accepted that Traditional Chinese Medicine can be very effective, but that herbs are critical in a successful treatment.  A recent study at the Technical University  of Munich in Germany, however, showed acupuncture can also be extremely helpful in reducing itchy flare-ups.  The study involved comparing three groups of eczema-prone patients after they were all exposed to common allergens.  A control group received no acupuncture, the sham group were treated with acupuncture points NOT associated with reducing itching.  A third group was treated with LI-11 (Quchi) and Sp-10 (Xuehai), two points designed to clear heat and cool blood. Only the group treated at LI-11 and Sp-10 showed a dramatic decrease in itchiness.  Interestingly, when the group was exposed to a second round of allergens, their flare-ups were much less severe.   This study is a great example how just acupuncture can help with atopic (allergic) eczema.

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Alternative treatment for the dreaded high ankle sprain

I figured I might as well talk about how to treat high ankle sprains with chiropractic, acupuncture and physiotherapy modalities since I have one!  I just injured my right ankle Sunday morning skiing at Copper Mountain, and man it is no fun.  I do plan on being back at it in 4 weeks.  Most people would say no way, high ankle sprains take at least 6 weeks and then some.  I say, not if you are aggressive with treatment!  So here’s the nuts and bolts:

A high ankle sprain is usually caused by outward twisting of the foot and ankle.  This disrupts the ligament that holds the two long bones of the lower leg together.  This ligament is called the syndesmosis, thus the medical terminology for a high ankle sprain is a sydesmotic ankle sprain.  Mid point calf tenderness is one of the signs of this sprain.  You may or may not be able to walk with this injury, all depending on the severity.  Very severe cases can require surgery that holds the two bones together and lets the ligament heal.  In my case the sprain happened when I twisted in my ski boot when I got knocked off edge and twisted uphill.  I could still ski on the leg, just not to the point I would have liked!

For the treatment:

First off, high doses of proteolytic enzymes to reduce inflammation and clear debris from repair.   I am using 2 products from Nutri-West, Pro-Infa Zyme and Lyso-lyph Forte.  Both taken on an empty stomach.

I went to my chiropractor (yes I need one just like you) and he did an xray to make sure the fibula was not fractured. Now while I don’t condone the use of x-ray most of the time, when you have a trauma its not a bad idea.  No fracture was found so that was good.

Elevation of the leg is a good idea to help with swelling.  Ice for 10 minutes on, 10 off, 10 on at least 3 times a day.  I have also been using cold laser therapy to stimulate ATP production and enhance healing.  Cold laser therapy will also help reduce the amount of scar tissue formation.  Ionic cleanse detoxification is good to help stimulate the lymph system to clear debris from the injury.  I have my ankle wrapped to help with stabilization, however a boot or cast may be required due to the severity.  Acupuncture is also a good idea to stimulate healing and decrease pain.  Chiropractic manipulation to the knee and ankle to ensure proper alignment will help the recovery process.  Since there is a change in the way you walk, you probably will need spinal manipulation especially to the sacro-iliac joints.  The last thing I am doing to recover is using Kinesio-tape.  This helps lymph flow and also adds some bracing effect.

Hopefully you won’t have to go through this treatment, but if you know someone with this injury there are many things that can be done to recover faster.

Yours in Health,

Dr. J

Syndesmosis

[Via http://akdoctor.wordpress.com]

Tolkien and TCM

Yes, I know what you’re going to ask.  ”Come on now, Terry.  What in the world does a geeky fantasy story written by some old dead guy have anything to do with Traditional Chinese Medicine.”  Allow me to elaborate, if I may.

At the end of JRR Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, the wizard Gandalf says “I am going to have a long talk with Bombadil: such a talk as I have not had in all my time. He is a moss-gatherer, and I have been a stone doomed to rolling. But my rolling days are ending, and now we shall have much to say to one another.”

Gandalf is a benevolent character that is constantly on the move.  He is working at all hours of the day and involved in many “big doings” throughout the whole of Middle Earth.  He is guardian of what is good and thus in a constant struggle to achieve his goals.  If you’re not familiar with “Lord of the Rings,” you can find more info about Gandalf here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandalf

Gandalf the Grey

The character of Tom Bombadil, on the other hand, is a fellow who sticks to his own simple ways and does not allow himself to be pulled into drama.  He is simply Tom and remains in harmony within his personal domain.  For more on Tom Bombadil, you’ll find it here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Bombadil

Tom Bombadil

This is what I observe – many of my patients are like Gandalf.  They fight the good fight.  They work long hours.  They have multiple responsibilities.  They are involved in many “big doings” around their community.  They are constantly exhausted, under stress, and sometimes irritable.  They are, in essence, like Gandalf, “stones doomed to rolling.”

I see my job as a TCM practitioner is to be “a moss-gatherer.”  It is my place to help people “who are doomed to rolling” begin to slow down.  Part of my treatment is getting my patient to allow themselves a time for stillness.  When the stone is still, moss can gather and grow upon it.  Just the simple act of taking a slow deep breath is therapeutic.

In TCM speak, “rolling stone” types are in a constant state of expending their Yang energy.  This creates an imbalance.  Yin and Yang must be balanced in order to have optimal health.  In other words, if someone is always on the go, then they should also take time to rest and restore themselves.  Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicines, Massage Therapy, Chinese Dietary Theory and Tai Chi/Qi Gong exercise, can help a person balance their Yin and Yang energies.  I educate my patients on small steps that they can take to reduce their stress.

Can you relate to Gandalf?  Are you being pulled in several directions at once?  Do you find yourself easily irritated and grouchy?  Are feeling overwhelmed and stressed by all that you need to get accomplished today?  If so, then please feel free to schedule a consultation with me by calling 970-218-5909 or email me at terry@artesianspringom.com.  I’d be happy to chat with you and see if we can’t get you to “gather some moss.”

[Via http://artesianspringom.wordpress.com]

Acupuncture for Fertility: Ineffective

A new report out of the British Fertility Society has indicated that Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine are ineffective in efforts to increase fertility in In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) participates, according to a report out of the Nightly News. The evaluation of efficacy of acupuncture has had a turbulent past, but the trend is clear, as the studies become more rigorous, acupuncture shows no more efficacy than placebo for most indications; see here for an overview and of course the Cochrane Review. As noted in the report, this announcement comes after the declaration that homeopathy is a pseudoscience and “has no cost-effective benefit”. With such, it appears as though the British health agency is cracking down on some of these alternative medicine modalities.

[Via http://metousiosis.com]

Using Aromatherapy at Home

Aromatherapy can back the body to drive more efficiently, and mitigate the effects of stress and tension in a digit of contradictory ways.

This recipe is from Aromatherapy, A lifetime vanguard to beneficial with essential oils by Valerie Gennari Cooksley.

Although multiple appointments are required to achieve visible results, each visit is an opportunity to relax, calm the mind and revitalize, as each rehabilitation not one and only consists of the acupuncture treatment, but is accompanied by an herbal facemask and an herbal creme vital treatment, infusing the elephant cast a shadow on with essential oils and calming the spirit with restful aromatherapy.

When it comes to innate healing, there is a swag of alternate therapies available aromatherapy.

In Reference to

Aromatherapy, Helen McGuinness, 2003

Easy Steps to Aromatherapy, Rosalind Widdowson, 1995

Aromatherapy for common ailments, Shirley Price, 1991

Aromatherapy science, Maria Lis-Balchin, 2006

Aromatherapy for the Emotions, Kylie Thompson, 2005

Using Aromatherapy at Home is filed under Aromatherapy.

[Via http://nimbaka.wordpress.com]

How would you like to get the benefit of acupuncture without needles, and do it yourself?

Many world famous universities and research centers have published articles about the effectiveness of low level laser acupuncture therapy. I am including here a few from Oxford University, University of Tel Aviv, Times magazine, and at the end a link where you can buy your own laser. It sounds like magic but as a matter of fact it’s very scientifically based. A healthy cell has a wavelength of 635 nm (a nanometer is a measure of one billionth of a meter). These lasers have the same wavelength, thus bringing the cell by contact with its light to its optimal range, where it can heal and restore its energy. The laser penetrates three layers of skin. A regular laser pointer, the ones used for presentations wouldn’t work, because its wavelength is too high, and it would take the cells out of range on the other direction. As with any laser, it is important to avoid looking directly into the beam, don’t point at eyes, and use eye protection to work on points in the face close to the eyes. Laser therapy has been effectively used to treat acne, psoriasis, tendonitis, pain, migraine, arthritis, wrinkles (by encouraging your own collagen production), and other conditions. Sometimes the too good can be true!

Family Practice Vol. 8, No. 2, 168-170

© Oxford University Press 1991

research-article

Acupuncture: From Needle to Laser

TZE WAI WONG* and KAM PUI FUNG

*Senior Lecturer, Department of Community and Family Medicine, The Chinese

University of Hong Kong

Practising Paediatrician

“Acupuncture has been used in the treatment of a variety of illnesses for more than

2000 years. The practice of acupuncture is based on a theoretical system different

from our understanding of human anatomy and physiology, and has developed

through experience and observation. Stimulation of selective acupoints (situated

along ‘meridians’ in the body) by inserting needles is believed to restore bodily

functions by promoting the flow of ‘vital energy’, throughout the system. Other

forms of stimulation which have been developed are heat, electrical stimulation,

magnetism and, recently, laser. Laser acupuncture offers distinct advantages over

the traditional method because the procedure is pain-free and non-traumatic.

Clinical applications include the control of pain in osteoarthritis, lumbago and

migraine, and anaesthesia for certain surgical procedures, as well as other ailments

of the cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems. The technique is easy to

learn and there is no need for sophisticated instruments. Thus it is especially useful

in developing countries where health resources are limited.”

From Times Online

October 24, 2003

Lasers promise light relief from teenage misery of acne

By Oliver Wright

ACNE, long the curse of teenagers, could be cured by a treatment first developed

to iron out wrinkles, according to doctors at a London hospital.

Laser therapy normally used in private beauty salons has been tested at the

Hammersmith Hospital in West London on 30 patients who were suffering mild to

moderate acne.

Within 12 weeks their acne had halved, while those on a dummy treatment showed

no improvement. Those with the most severe symptoms displayed the most striking

improvement, mostly within the first month of treatment. This is significantly faster

than most conventional antibiotic treatments, which can take as long as eight

months to work.

Acne is the most common skin disease, affecting more than 90 per cent of

adolescents, and a large number of people in their forties and fifties.

The study, published in today’s Lancet, showed that a single five-minute session

could have a dramatic effect on acne for up to 12 months.

Doctors used a treatment called pulse dye laser therapy in which the affected area

is exposed to short bursts of light. The process had been used to combat wrinkles

as it is known to stimulate the production of collagen.

Tony Chu, the dermatologist who led the trial, said that it was being used on acne

scarring when doctors realised that it appeared to have an effect on “live” acne as

well.

“We were brought in to see if the anecdotal evidence worked in a clinical trial and

we found out it was very successful,” he said. “However, we still do not know

exactly how it works and that is an area we are now working on.”

Dr Chu said that the spots of one patient taking part in the trial disappeared

altogether. Several others lost up to 70 or 80 per cent of their acne.

The treatment, which is already available in some private clinics, costs £300 a

session. Dr Chu added that if their latest research was successful an application

might be made to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence for the treatment to

be covered by the NHS.

“This treatment appears to be showing the same kind of efficacy as antibiotics, but

without the potential side effects,” he said. “What we need to do now is see if it

works as well on acne around other parts of the body, and work out the treatment

which is most clinically effective.”

In an accompanying commentary Guy Webster, a dermatologist from Jefferson

Medical College, Philadelphia, said that the treatment could well be cost-effective

in the longer term. “The possibility that laser treatment is effective in acne is

important in health economics terms,” he said. “Infrequent treatments that make

drugs unnecessary would benefit all concerned — except drug companies,” he said.

“But more work is needed, both to confirm the clinical benefit and best regimen

and to elucidate its mechanism.”

However, many patients are already enthusiastic. Rachel White, 21, from Ely,

Cambridgeshire, paid for the treatment, known commercially as NLite, after

antibiotics and creams failed to cure her acne. “It got quite bad sometimes,” she

said. “I couldn’t go out without putting on a lot of make-up. I tried all sorts of

remedies, but although they helped a bit, they didn’t really work.

“This treatment literally takes only five minutes. I got better with each treatment.

Now there’s no scaling and the spots are much less prominent. On good days I

don’t have any spots at all, it’s completely clear. Otherwise there’s just one or two,

and they’re very small. I feel much more confident.”

You can get your own laser and learn more here

www.cre8yourhealth.zeropointglobal.com/products/packaging.shtml

If you want to read more articles and studies please contact me or visit www.cre8yourhealth.com

[Via http://cre8yourhealth.wordpress.com]

Acupuncture May Ease Depression During Pregnancy

In study, response rate almost 20 percent higher with depression-specific acupuncture

MONDAY, Feb. 22 (HealthDay News) — Women who experience depression during pregnancy may have another treatment option, new research suggests.

The study found that women treated with depression-specific acupuncture had a 63 percent response rate compared to a 44 percent response rate in women treated with control acupuncture or massage.

“We tested acupuncture as a standalone treatment, and the results are very positive,” said study author Rachel Manber, a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine Sleep Medicine Center in Redwood City, Calif. But, she added, because this is the first study of its kind, and the acupuncture protocol used was specifically designed for this study, “you always need replication of the findings.”

Dr. Shari Lusskin, director of reproductive psychiatry at the New York University Langone Medical Center, echoed that sentiment. “It’s encouraging to see alternative treatments being studied in a scientific manner, and this study should generate further studies. It needs to be replicated on a larger scale,” she noted.

“This is one treatment, and perhaps it will become another possible treatment tool in our therapeutic toolbox,” said Lusskin. But, she cautioned that “acupuncture is not a substitute for the appropriate use of antidepressant therapy especially in women with a prior history of response to antidepressants.”

As many as 20 percent of women may experience depression during pregnancy, according to the March of Dimes. Symptoms include sad, hopeless feelings that persist, generally for more than two weeks, Lusskin said. Women may also experience severe anxiety or feel disconnected from the baby. And, she cautioned, suicidal thoughts are never normal and are a sign that you should seek help.

Many women are cautious about using medications during pregnancy, reports the study. Interpersonal psychotherapy is an option for women who are depressed during pregnancy, but this type of therapy isn’t always available, according to the study.

For the study, Manber and her colleagues recruited 150 pregnant women who were diagnosed with a major depressive disorder. All were between 12 and 30 weeks of gestation.

The women were randomly assigned to one of three groups: depression-specific acupuncture (52 women), control acupuncture (49 women) or massage (49 women). The depression-specific protocol was designed just for this study, and the control acupuncture was specifically designed to avoid using acupuncture needles in any areas known to affect depression.

The treatments lasted for eight weeks. Women received treatment twice a week for the first four weeks, and then once a week for the next four weeks. The treatments lasted an average of 25 minutes.

The researchers found a 63 percent response rate in women who received the depression-specific acupuncture, while the response rate was 44.3 percent in the control acupuncture and massage groups. A response rate was defined as a 50 percent reduction in depression symptoms, Manber said.

Results of the study are scheduled to be published in the March issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

“We found our acupuncture protocol was helpful, but that does not mean that any acupuncture for depression treatment will be effective. The quality of what you get can differ from one practitioner to another,” said Manber.

“Our goal is always to find treatments that have the maximum benefits and minimum risk,” said Lusskin. “Many women think it’s safer for the baby to go off antidepressants, but there’s a real risk to the baby for untreated depression in pregnancy. And, we have enough safety data about antidepressant use in pregnancy that we can make informed choices about managing treatment during pregnancy.”

The bottom line, she said, is to talk with your doctor to find the right combination of treatments that can help you. “Depression is not a one-size-fits-all illness, and treatment won’t be one-size-fits-all either. If acupuncture ends up being helpful for you, that’s great, but make sure you’re treated into remission.”

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_95574.html

[Via http://lonelydancer.wordpress.com]

Natural Treatments for Migraine

An article within the directive of migraine coverage within a crude way. Some available crude remedies

Whether speaking of migraines, tension-type headaches or other recurring chief pains, it’s safe to say that the best headache attack is the one you do not have.

It is very effective in the cases of migrainous headaches and zesty flushes in the instance of menopause.

TCM has been shown to be effective in the rehabilitation of chronic, such as migraines and osteoarthritis, and is traditionally used for a wide array of functional disorders.

Traditional acupuncture has been practised for centuries and is used to treat various ailments, from migraines to menstrual disorders.

Further Readings

Managing Migraines, Claire Houlding, 2007

Everything You Need to Know about Migraines and Other Headaches, Barbara Moe, 2000

Tell me what to eat if I have headaches and migraines, Elaine Magee, 2005

Natural Treatments for Migraine is filed under Migraines.

[Via http://concinna.wordpress.com]

How does Acupuncture work ?

How does Acupuncture work?

The most common question I get asked by my clients is ‘ so …. how does acupuncture actually work’

My response goes something like this:

Well basically acupuncture works in many different ways. On a physiological level acupuncture works on stimulating the bodies natural immune response. For example If you get a splinter in your finger, straight away the body has a natural immune response, whereby it sends healing ( white blood cells ) to that area. Not only does it bring the white blood cells it also increases blood circulation which brings nutrients to the surrounding tissue and muscles and all this is happening with out you even doing anything. Acupuncture works in exactly the same way except the acupuncturist is directing where the healing will take place.

Acupuncture also initiates a release of hormones called endorphins. Endorphins have positive effects on the body and also the mind. When endorphins are released, as they are during an acupuncture session, it can induce a sense of deep relaxation and wellbeing, helps to lower blood pressure, helps to boost the immune system and acts as a strong painkiller. This is the bodies natural painkiller that will kick in as soon as there is trauma or injury. Acupuncture is a gentle way in which to stimulate the body’s innate healing capabilities.

Nervous System

Circulatory System

Meridian System

If you look closely the images on the left are representing the Nervous System, Circulatory System and the Meridian System, they follow basically the same paths and therefore, it makes sense that by stimulating one area,  it can have a ripple effect through the body via this amazing network of nerves and vessels. Chinese medicine is 5000 years old and for them to come up with a basic model of what we now have named the nervous system and circulatory system is phenomenal.

In Chinese medicine the meridian system is like rivers that flow all around the body, instead of water the meridians carry Qi which loosely translated means energy. So just like a river whose water flows from one side of the country to the other, the Qi or energy flows through the body feeding and nourishing the areas it passes through.

The acupuncture points are pools of energy where the electromagnetic force is stronger then in other areas they are like reservoirs and can be stimulated to help more energy flow or reduced if there is too much, just as the Qi level drops in that area so too it does along its meridian and therefore has the ability to effect more then just that part. If there is a blockage of energy along a meridian it can cause too much energy to get stuck in that area, causing the blood to stagnate and pain to arise. Placing acupuncture needles along the meridians can help unblock this stagnation restoring the body back to health.

Acupuncture has been around for over 5000 years, and is currently being used by Acupuncturists, Physios, Doctors, Chiropractors and in Hospitals around the globe. Its still going strong, in fact there are more and more ways in which acupuncture is being effectively used then ever before. Even though there has been research into the workings of acupuncture there are still a lot of things that can’t be rationally explained by science as to how exactly it can work in so many different ways.

Stay tuned for more posts about the benefits of Acupuncture, what acupuncture can treat and information on commonly used Acupuncture points that you can use at home just by pressing on the points your self.

Tanya Wester

[Via http://acupuncturebyronbay.wordpress.com]

Multiple Sclerosis Treatment with Microlight Therapy

There are few good treatments for Multiple Sclerosis (MS), but one of the most effective is the use of therapeutic microcurrent and color light therapy. In this video Dr. Darren Starwynn explains and demonstrates some valuable pain relief and system tonification techniques for a female MS patient using the Acutron Microlight system .    Have you had any positive experiences treating  M.S. patients?

[Via http://drstarwynn.wordpress.com]

Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Reduce Risk of Colon Cancer

HOUSTON – Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, primarily found in fish and seafood, may have a role in colorectal cancer prevention, according to results presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held Dec. 6-9, 2009, in Houston.

“Experimental data have shown benefits of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in colorectal carcinogenesis, ranging from reduced tumor growth, suppression of angiogenesis and inhibition of metastasis,” said Sangmi Kim, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, N.C. “Our finding of inverse association between dietary intakes of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and distal large bowel cancer in white participants adds additional support to the hypothesis.”

Although experimental and clinical data suggest that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids possess anti-neoplastic properties in the colon, epidemiologic data to date has been inconclusive.

Kim and colleagues studied the link between polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and distal large bowel cancer using data from a population-based control study. They recruited 1,509 white participants (716 cancer cases and 787 controls) and 369 black participants (213 cancer cases and 156 controls) using the State Cancer Registry and Division of Motor Vehicles records.

Nineteen polyunsaturated fatty acids were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, which included 124 questions on food items. The researchers used the questionnaire to collect information on the frequency and amount of foods typically consumed in the past 12 months.

Patients who consumed more long-chain omega-3 fatty acids had a reduced risk of distal large bowel cancer. Compared to the lowest quartile, fat intake in the highest quartile was linked with a 39 percent reduced risk of cancer.

The researchers detected these associations in white participants, but not in black participants.

“We were surprised that the association was not also observed among blacks,” Kim said. “We considered several possible explanations but were not able to account for this difference with the data we had. This finding warrants future study, but we should be careful about drawing conclusions about potential racial differences in the benefit from long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from this study.”

“An increase in dietary intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which mainly come from fish and seafood, may be beneficial in the prevention of distal large bowel cancer,” Kim said.

Commentary: And the list of health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids continues to grow. I have been asked which product I use by several patients. I use Opti-EPA from Douglas Labs. They are enterically coated so they won’t give you indigestion. This product and others are available through my virtual dispensary. Please click here and use the access code “HEAL,” set-up an account and go shopping!

Contact our award winning practice today!

Call for more information: 954-473-8925

Scott Denny, PhD, AP, DOM, FAAIM

Integrative Hospital Associates

2215 S. University Dr.

Davie,  FL 33324

Integrative Hospital Associates

4711-A N. Dixie Hwy.

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334

Websites:

www.drscottdenny.com

www.multicareclinic.org

www.naturalclinics.net

Source: AACR Press Release, http://www.aacr.org/home/public–media/aacr-press-releases.aspx?d=1683

[Via http://sdacudoc.wordpress.com]

Relief for the Common Cold - Ancient Chinese Secret?

This blog post is inspired by two patients I saw recently.  One patient was coming to me for low back pain and the other for occasional back and hip pain.  Both wanted to cancel their appointments because they woke up feeling horrible.  Sore throat, fatigue, fever, neck and body aches.  I encouraged them each to get a ride to my office and explained that Acupuncture and herbs are an effective treatment for lowering fever, reducing accompanying symptoms and shortening the duration of the cold or flu.  Each patient came to see me the first day they felt sick.  The first patient had relief of fever and body aches, and an increase in energy by the first evening; her sore throat lasted one more day.  The second patient also had some chest congestion and nasal discharge.  He experienced relief of fever, body aches and sore throat had more energy and an appetite that day.  His chest was cleared up by the next morning and his nasal discharge turned from yellow and thick to clear and thin.  He continued herbs for one more day and has been feeling 100% since.  

How can this be?  It’s a bacterial infection, a viral infection; it isn’t my “Qi” out of whack!  Well, in a way it is.  Because of a deficiency of Qi, whether chronic or temporary, our bodies are more vulnerable to infection.   Without Qi our bodies have no energy to heal themselves; colds and flus linger, coughs persist.  Our bodies are amazing machines capable of so much.  We have built in defense systems, physical barriers and chemical defenders of health!  Acupuncture aids the body in keeping strong defenses, dispelling pathogens and healing. 

 This is not an ancient Chinese secret; it’s only a secret here in our culture.  While you do have to let viral infections (flus) run their course and you can get antibiotics for bacterial infections, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine are very effective and have less side effects.  Antibiotics, especially overuse, can lead to a tolerance and resistance of the body’s defenses; it can kill good bacteria essential to good intestinal and internal health.  Acupuncture and herbs are safe, effective and support the body’s defenses.   The World Health Organization (WHO) states “as a result of scientific research, Acupuncture protects the body against infection.”  Acupuncture encourages endorphin release in the brain, and this can raise T-cell counts and antibodies, therefore increasing our natural defenses.    

Acupuncture and herbs are safe, effective and support the body’s defenses.

 Herbal therapy is an important part of treating colds and flus.  They have antibacterial and antiviral properties to support the body.  It is best to take them when you first get sick to help shorten the duration of the infection, however, they can be taken throughout the course of the infection as well and can be started any time while sick. 

Just like my two patients this past week, you were probably unaware that Acupuncture is effective for treating your cold or flu.  Other conditions related to colds and flus that the WHO states Acupuncture is an effective treatment for are:  Allergic rhinitis (stuffy nose due to allergies), sore throat (especially due tonsillitis), long term asthma maintenance, whooping cough, nausea and vomiting. 

 What do you know about acupuncture?  Have you used acupuncture to get relief?  What else does acupuncture treat?

[Via http://rockymountainroots.wordpress.com]

Under the Snow, Spring is on the Move!

Many of us, here on the East Coast, are experiencing another big snowfall as I write this.  Where I live, we already have almost 5 inches on the ground, and it’s still snowing hard!  Remember those spring-like days of just a few days ago?  Well, that wasn’t just spring-LIKE – that was spring, showing itself!

For the Chinese, Spring arrives in early February, usually coinciding with the Chinese New Year.  It is not a date on the calendar, but an energy that emerges, gradually and subtely, deep beneath the snow, the hardened ground, unseen at first.  It is a movement, not a fixed date. It is about light, and stirrings, reaching upward, emerging. The little vines and seedlings are beginning to creep and crawl under the ground, rising toward the surface. Here, in the west, we say it’s spring when we actually see the first daffodils, crocuses, or forsythia buds.

Within our own bodies, stretching our tendons and muscles and imaginations, the beginnings of new plans, and new ideas all are the expression of spring energy bubbling to the surface.  In fact, as the movement of spring begins inside each one of us, just like it is beginning beneath the snow and frozen ground, some of us experience what is referred to as “spring fever.”  An acupuncture point on the bottom of the foot (ouch! ahh!), which is a spring point within the winter pathway, is named, “Bubbling Spring.”

Spring fever usually means some itchiness to get outside, to experience the warmth of the sun again.  For some of us, feelings of irritability, impatience, grouchiness, headaches, aching and painful muscles flare up.  Many of my patients at this time of year, come in complaining of feeling these things. I explain to them that this is spring expressing itself within them, and is, to some degree, perfectly normal.  A little adjustment with an acupuncture needle, in Bubbling Spring or another well-chosen point, will flip the re-set button.

Look for the signs of spring in nature and in your own body.  They are everywhere.  The light has changed just a bit, the air has a different feel, the birds are singing a new song, and, closely studied, the buds are beginning to form.  I have already heard reports locally of daffodil and forsythia sightings…and it’s not even February! 

Think of the famous YinYang symbol.   If the white area is spring/summer and the black is Fall/Winter, notice how there is a little bit of one inside the other.  So, inside the dark/winter side is a little smidge of the light/spring. It is always there, even if sometimes we can’t see it.  As the small white circle grows and grows, it eventually takes over and becomes it’s opposite.  Yin and Yang is always moving – from one to the other, ever changing, ever evolving. Just like us, just like life.  Isn’t nature wonderful?!

[Via http://thechimuse.wordpress.com]

Acupuncture improves sex drive and decreases hot flashes

(NaturalNews) A recent study conducted by Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan revealed that acupuncture has even more benefits than previously thought for patients with breast cancer. In addition to reducing hot flashes better than drug therapy, acupuncture is effective at boosting the sex drive and overall sense of well-being in women undergoing intensive breast cancer treatment.

Published in the Journal of Oncology, the study highlights the superiority of acupuncture in improving the quality of life for breast cancer patients without imposing negative side effects like drugs do. Dr. Eleanor Walker, lead author of the study and division director of breast services in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford, confirmed this to be true when explaining the details of the study.

Two groups, one receiving acupuncture for their symptoms and the other receiving Venlafaxine drug therapy, were observed over a 12 week period. Initially, all the women experienced a 50 percent reduction in hot flash and night sweat symptoms. At the end of the treatment period, however, the group that received Venlafaxine experienced an immediate increase in symptoms while the acupuncture group did not.

The purpose of the study was to focus on alternative treatments to Venlafaxine that would better alleviate the negative side effects of breast cancer treatment and ultimately encourage women to continue participating in it.

According to the National Cancer Institute, 13 percent of women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. Since conventional treatment is long and difficult, researchers hope to alleviate some of the associated misery with methods other than drug therapies that only make the situation more difficult.

Comments by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger

Once again, another clinical study scientifically demonstrates the power of acupuncture to make real, measurable improvements in the health and lives of patients.

It’s no surprise, of course: Acupuncture has been used safely and effectively for over five thousand years in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and literally hundreds of clinical trials conducted over the last twenty years have shown it to be remarkably safe and effective in treating a variety of health complaints from back pain to infertility.

Acupuncture works because the body reacts to stimulation with a healing response (well, that’s only part of the reason acupuncture works, actually). A skilled acupuncture practitioner can initiate a healing response in the patient that no drug, no surgery and no medical intervention could ever accomplish.

That’s what’s really interesting about acupuncture: It doesn’t do any healing. Rather, acupuncture stimulates the body to heal itself. This idea fails to be recognized at all in conventional medicine, which continues to follow the long-outmoded belief that the doctor heals the patient and that, astonishingly, the patient has no role in his or her own healing.

Practitioners of acupuncture knew thousands of years ago what many western doctors still haven’t figure out today: The patient is the healer. The doctor is merely an initiator of the patient’s own self-healing ability.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_relea…

[Via http://naturalnewz.wordpress.com]

Human Pin Cushion

     Tuesday morning, I had my first appointment with an acupuncturist.  I was nervous and curious and not a little worried that I’d get another one of “those” doctors – you know the ones – they know better than you.  As you sit there, half-dressed on the examination table, they stand there and talk to you as though you were a child with a learning disability.  They explain things in technical detail with as much medical jargon as possible (and an evil twinkle of glee behind their eyes that says, “I’m smarter and better than you because I’m a doctor”). 

     If you ask a question, they politely scoff and whatever vague excuse for an answer they give you is accompanied by a smug and very falsely patient smile.  You can almost see the word “idiot” being projected between your heads, transporting you instantly to a time when you used to sit on the floor in your parents’ livingroom and watch “Sesame Street”’s silouhetted heads spell out basic words.  If you question anything they’ve said because you might actually know what you feel in your own body better than they since you do have the advantage of first person POV, the answer is almost inevitably preceded by a derisive snort.

     This is, of course, not to say that all doctors are that way.  Far from it.  In fact, one of my best friends dating all the way back to my college days is now a doctor.  She’s fantastic with all her patients and she knows that I’m a good enough friend that if ever she did get jaded enough to start acting that way, I’d be the one to let her know.

     Luckily for me, this doctor was nothing like that either.  He was a very kind, knowledgable man who sat patiently and listened, a rare quality in a doctor past the first sentence or two.  Typically, when a doctor makes a decision, his/her mind snaps closed like a heavy book.  You can almost hear it happen.  The rest are questions that you try to answer while still squeezing other important information into the encounter but you somehow know the good doctor’s filter trapped them and flicked them away like bothersome gnats.  They hear the words they want to and the rest float up and into oblivion while they bend their heads studiously and scribble things no one else could possibly read down on a notepad.  I find I always have an obsurd urge to tilt my head until I am between the paper and the doctor’s face and force him/her to actually look at me and acknowledge me as another human being.

     Then you wait.  Sitting there in one of those awful “gowns” that tie in the back – why is that, anyway?  I can tie the one at the back of my neck with no issue but the other makes me twist my arms or body around in unnatural and uncomfortable ways and no matter how tightly you tie them, you still feel a breeze and know your unmentionables are “hanging out to dry” so to speak.

     The gowns in the acupuncturist’s office were like luxury gowns as far as I was concerned.  The ties went all the way around to the sides and I had no difficulty with them.  He put me on the table and was very quick and efficient with his needles – I barely felt them at all.  Once he put them in the tightest muscles in my back, I actually felt them relax.  They just let go all at once and I literally felt like I’d melted into the table.  I didn’t feel like I could move.  It was bliss.  No mere massage could have done this.

     When I left, my legs were wobbly because the muscles were all so relaxed and I couldn’t believe how good it felt.  You know how you feel after you go on a ride at an amusement park and laugh the entire time?  That was as close as I can come.  I was extremely sore that night and all the next day but the doctor called me first thing in the morning and he explained that a first experience is different for everyone and that it was normal to feel that way.  Today I do feel better.  I go back tomorrow and I cannot wait.  I highly reccommend it to anyone who has ever felt stressed to the breaking point.

[Via http://xshadesofgreyx.wordpress.com]

Being me

Fair warning, dear readers, today’s blog is about our bodies … and stuff. Read on with great trepidation, for once you start you won’t want to stop, unless something better grabs your attention.

On my way home from work Friday night I started thinking about how there have been lots of times in my life where I’ve had something great, like the perfect outfit or the world’s most relaxing massage, and then when it was gone or over I missed it and wished I’d appreciated it more when I had it.

It occurred to me that there may come a time when I will wish I had spent time appreciating the body that I have. That’s right, I’m talking about my human, physical form. I’m young and healthy and when I’m older or, depending on what you believe comes after life, when I’m dead, I may wish that I’d spend time really enjoying and appreciating what it feels like to be in this body now.

I started to really pay attention to what it felt like to be me from the inside out: the slightly sore muscles from recent work outs, the way it feels to move my hands, seeing clearly out of my eyes. How does it feel to be tall (or short or in between)? Am I hungry? What exactly does that feel like? Is it the same for everyone?

The odd thing was that as I concentrated on how it felt to be me my body relaxed, physically and mentally. My thoughts slowed down and I was suddenly calmer. It was a great feeling and I’ve been working on keeping that feeling up ever since.

Keeping any thought going for a long period of time is a challenge. We all know our society is set up to constantly distract us with shiny and desirable objects and our focus softens if we don’t work hard at keeping it sharp.

Part of the reason that I even came to be thinking about appreciating my body was because my husband, who is now in a masters program studying acupuncture, has his Qi Gong class on Friday nights and he’d told me that very day that this class had proven to be his most challenging. In that class they practice meditation and being able to focus was one of the hardest things for him. I’ve tried it and it’s hard for me too. One of two things generally happens: the mind wanders or I fall asleep. But if you want to figure out what should be on your grocery list or what so-and-so meant by the comment they made about your outfit earlier in the day you should definitely attempt to meditate.

Focusing on appreciating my body helped a lot with keeping my thoughts on one track, for a while.

Sure, it’s an ongoing practice. But at the risk of sounding like some new age person with an uncomfortably fervent affection for trees, I really felt like I got a lot out of that experience and I thought I’d share it with you this week.

Give it a try… or don’t. But if you do, feel free to comment below and tell me about it.

[Via http://thezenafile.wordpress.com]

Acupuncture: My Second Visit To Culver City

I just wanted to give an update to those of you following my acupuncture visits.

It was another early morning for me, on a Saturday, to which I’m not used to. Of course, to the average person, 11 a.m. is not early. But I’m working part time right now and my hours do not require me until later in the day. This is a farther drive than my work, so it’s even earlier than I’m used to getting up. Since I would normally sleep in on the weekends, getting up at 9:30 to make it to the 11 a.m. appointment is not easy for me. I’m hoping I get used to this. And for those of you that don’t understand why I would need so much sleep, let me explain it like this: My body works hard at destroying what it can during the day. It tries to damage my joints, ligaments and organs. So sleeping is a chance to undue some of that damage, or if nothing else, give my body some time to rest from RA’s damaging effects. So yes, because I’m a natural night owl, waking up with to the loud “BEEP, BEEP, BEEP,” is fairly hellish.

But I’m on a quest. And that quest is to find out if I can stop the inflammation in my hands and feet. And if the answer is acupuncture then GREAT, and if it isn’t, then I’ll keep looking. I think Michael is a talented physician and if nothing else, he’s very sympathetic and caring. When I first sit down for evaluation, he takes a look at my hands and feet, and without hesitation, touches the inflamed joints trying to feel for any improvement. He asked me if there was any change in my joints after my first visit. I told him that for about one hour, my joints in my hands, not feet, were stiffer and more painful but after that hour, they seemed to have less inflammation than normal. He told me this can happen and not to worry and this is part of the natural healing process. Knowing this already, I wasn’t worried. I know from all the supplements I take that getting more inflammation at the beginning of a treatment can and often does, make you temporarily worse. So the fact that this had made me worse for only an hour, I thought, “Piece of cake”. Again however, he chose to only do acupuncture on my hands and feet, in fear that I might experience what I had the very first time I visited a different physician, which ended up in a three week flare. He wants to take things slow with acupuncture so that not only do I get improvement, but don’t have to deal with unexpected inflammation.

Again, two needles on each hand were placed in the raised parts of my palms. And again, needles were placed in my feet but in slightly different spots. I experienced pretty near the same thing as the last time…. Pain and inflammation seemed to increase during the treatment in my hands. My feet again, for one reason or another, did not experience any pain or inflammation. This time I was surprised that the inflammation in my hands lasted only about a half an hour (after treatment) and for the rest of the day I experienced less inflammation and more relief than my average day. My feet seemed to be unchanged. I do have a couple of spots on the outer parts of my feet…the bunions that are inflamed ever since RA began. So I have no idea why these spots aren’t “awakening”.

I believe in giving everything a good shot and at $25 a session, I can’t refuse this kind of opportunity. I plan on sticking with this for at least one month, if not two, depending on my finances. I hope sometime soon that I can share with all of you, a story of amazing relief from the acupuncture. But if that doesn’t end up happening, then if nothing else, I’m relaxing, truly relaxing for that hour each time I visit. I have a good feeling however, that I will experience tremendous relief from this, so I’m keeping my hopes up! If anyone has a story to share, please do!!

[Via http://gentlehugs.wordpress.com]

Acupuncture for Eczema: Like Needles On a Broken Record.....

Here we go again.

Seemingly unbeknownst to acupuncture researchers around the world, the question of efficacy beyond that of placebo of inserting small needles millimeters into a patient’s skin has been answered by a number of large, well-designed, randomized and appropriately blinded clinical studies. Acupuncture has simply not been shown to be effective for any condition. The trail leading up to these trials is littered with anecdotal evidence, poorly conceived methodologies and weak treatment effects, not to mention a complete lack of a plausible mechanism of action for a near totality of the claims of benefit. But a disheartening number of people, including medical professionals at prestigious academic centers, have been duped. 

This is, unfortunately, what we have come to expect with an inert therapy surrounded by a number of placebo inducing trappings such as undeserved positive press coverage, meritless state licensure, true-believing practitioners confidently spouting mystical or pseudoscientific jargon, and the laying on of hands in a relaxing environment. Just look at the practice of chiropractic, which is equally unscientific and unproven outside of acute lower back pain, for which it has been shown to be as good as but not better than conventional therapy (or doing nothing!). You can’t go 5 blocks in any direction without seeing a sign for one of these offices, usually containing a silly slogan like “Chiropractic Keeps My Spine Off My Nerves!” or “Got Chiropractic?”. But back to acupuncture.

The reality of acupuncture research is a frustrating one for medically oriented skeptics such as myself. We have difficulty seeing the world through the eyes of a true-believer in a treatment modality, because belief based on anecdotes and ideology, rather than acceptance based on plausibility and evidence, is so foreign to the way we think. If the evidence doesn’t support the practice, why does it continue? And why do researchers, like Dr. Florian Pfab, of the Technical University of Munich, continue to churn out studies like the one recently reported on in Reuters Health involving the use of acupuncture for atopic dermatitis? The answer to the first question is simple: reason is insufficient to change a thought pattern not brought about by reason in the first place. In regards to the second, I fear that these researchers know on some level that the only means of producing positive scientific support for their already firmly held belief is to ignore the foundations of science-based medicine.

The study being credulously reported on by Amy Norton of Reuters Health, most likely inspired by a press release sent by the parties involved, seems to have been published twice. It appeared in a supplement to the November 2008 European Journal of Integrative Medicine and was again accepted for publication in the European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (Allergy) in late 2009. In both abstracts, the background is essentially identical. One calls itch “a complex and unpleasant sensory experience that induces the urge to scratch”, and the other refers to it as simply “a major symptom of allergic skin disease.” Both abstracts make the unfounded claim that acupuncture has been shown to have an “effect” (the earlier version called this effect positive) on histamine-induced itch in healthy volunteers. What has been shown is that itch, like pain, nausea and pretty much any symptom with a predominantly subjective component, responds to placebo and/or distraction.

Both abstracts describe the investigation of acupuncture on allergen-induced itch and wheal/flare response in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. It is quite unclear from the abstracts, which is all I have access to unfortunately, whether this actually occurred. Both studies involved exposing 30 subjects with eczema to an allergen stimulus, in this case a skin prick containing house dust mite or grass pollen, both before and after receiving one of two experimental treatments, or nothing. The two experimental treatments involved so-called true or verum acupuncture, where needles were placed in specific points linked by traditional chinese medicine to improving this sort of problem, and sham acupuncture, where needles were placed in points not associated with benefit in cases of allergic skin reactions. The “no acupuncture” group was provided complementary issues of the European Journal of Integrative Medicine or something equally unlikely to improve a subjects health. Okay, I made that part up.

The severity of the itch in all three groups was recorded on visual analog scales in both studies. The difference between the publications becomes apparent in the next step. In the earlier version, after 10 minutes the size of any wheal/flare reaction was measured in addition to skin temperature, and an itch questionnaire was completed by the patient. In the more recent publication, wheal/flare size was also recorded but now skin perfusion as measured by LASER-Doppler, and not skin temperature, was included. The questionnaire results were also included.

Both abstracts report that mean itch intensity was decreased in the true acupuncture group compared to the sham and no acupuncture groups, and that sham acupuncture was better than none. The results, reported as significantly lower still fall close enough for there to be a distinct possibility that, based on the simple fact that were only around ten participants in each arm of the trial, there was in reality no difference at all between the groups. But taken at face value, the more rational interpretation is that there are varying degrees of placebo effects. We don’t know based on the abstract whether or not the person performing the acupuncture was blinded or if the blinding of subjects was sufficient. Based on the track record of this type of research, and on the design of another study by the lead author, I have my doubts. All it would take to lead to this kind of result would be for those receiving sham acupuncture to know it based upon practitioner cues. This issue could be resolved by asking participants which arm they thought they were in upon completion of the trial.

Both true and sham acupuncture were found to “significantly” decrease subsequent itch when given prior to allergen exposure compared to not receiving acupuncture. This isn’t suprising as placebo is already well established as effective in ameliorating the subjective experience of itching. It is also well established that placebo can effect the appearance of an allergic response. So it is also not suprising that wheal and flare size was smaller in the true and sham acupuncture group compared to doing nothing. But, once again, with such small study numbers, these results are essentially meaningless. Much larger and better designed studies, with innovative methods of obtaining reliable acupuncture placebo, have already been performed which look at a variety of outcomes. They  show that not only does it not matter where you put the needles, it doesn’t matter if you even insert the needles. I am still left wondering what is the point of all this.

The earlier version of the study found no difference in skin temperature between groups after exposure to allergen. Suspiciously in the second version of what is the same study otherwise, skin perfusion rather than temperature was measured. The authors report that skin perfusion, which is being used as a marker for allergic response, was significantly decreased in the true acupuncture group compared to no acupuncture. Skin perfusion for the sham acupuncture isn’t included in the abstract. This difference between the two, otherwise identical, studies is problematic. Why would the authors not include the negative skin temp results in the second version and insert the claimed positive skin perfusion results. Is this simply a means of squeezing multiple publications out of one study, which is commonly done and quite shady in my opinion, or is it that the authors omitted negative results because of pro-acupuncture bias. What other outcome measures were obtained? Were they negative as well?

The conclusion of the authors is naturally positive, and also completely irrelevant. Conclusions are irrelevant in all studies. Many times they don’t jibe with the results. For instance, one recent acupuncture study showed that true acupuncture was no better than placebo. The authors claimed that both worked! They followed with the standard study boilerplate call for further investigation into why placebo acupuncture is effective. As I mentioned at the onset of this post, the questions being asked by acupuncture research have been answered. Most of them, as in the study on eczema, didn’t warrant being asked. Small studies with questionable or absent blinding are almost always wrong, especially if the treatment effect is small and the mechanism of action is implausible.

The Reuters Health article, also based on the early view online release of the paper in Allergy which I based this post on, and email correspondence with lead author Florian Pfab, is typical of mainstream coverage of alternative medicine. It gives a two sentence explanation of what eczema is, glosses over methodology, quotes the author, refers to acupuncture as ancient but throws out a possible but unproven “modern explanation”, and ends with the ubiquitous call for more research. A simple phone call to one of many well-known skeptical resources on acupuncture, or a quick google search for that matter, was all that would have been necessary to avoid such a worthless piece of pseudojournalism.

[Via http://theredstickskeptic.wordpress.com]

Don't Let the World Get You Down! Acupuncture can help depression, anxiety, and similar maladies

Today, I took a phone call from a woman asking about the cost of acupuncture treatments. After giving her the information and asking her a few questions, there was a silence… and then I heard her crying.

I paused and asked if she was ok; she confessed that her husband had just been deployed to Iraq. She told me she was so stressed that she’d almost accidentally set her house on fire today! As she cried, she told me that she needed SOMETHING to calm her nerves.  My heart ached for her; I told her to just come in and we’d work out the budget. I know acupuncture will help help her, and it won’t be long before she feels better.

You know, after that patient called, I began to think about the bigger picture – life is so challenging in our world today! There are still a countless number of our soldiers being deployed around the world; many people have been laid off from jobs in the past year and have had problems finding something else; many small (and large!) business owners have been clutching to every penny, nervous that it’s close to the last. Wow; for a few moments I was overwhelmed by the thought of it.

What about you?  How are you doing?

All too often, when we’re in trouble, anxious, grieving, and/or depressed, we feel all too alone in the world, shut ourselves in, and everyone else out. Right now, there are so many of us dealing with tough situations – if you are one of the many, know that you are far from alone!

Acupuncture is a great treatment to help you to cope – not just from an emotional perspective, but from the medical perspective, as well. When considering it from an Eastern medicine perspective, sadness deeply affects both the Lung and Heart pathways. The Lung pathway moves the Qi (pronounced chee), and the Heart meridian moves the Blood. Sadness induces Qi deficiency and dissolves Qi, which in turn eventually causes the Heart Qi to be deficient. When this is happening, an acupuncturist finds that the front wrist pulse of the patient is very weak on both wrists – the left wrist is related to the  Heart, and the right wrist is related to the Lungs. After prolonged sadness, Qi deficiency and stagnation can happen, which will cause what practitioners call Heart Fire. When the Qi and blood are not flowing properly, depression can happen, causing the Heart Fire  to manifest. This causes the patient to feel stressed, and can begin a domino effect – possibly causing heart palpatations, insomnia, and even high blood pressure. Acupuncture gets the blood flowing again, in turn alleviating the physical problems while also helping the patient to feel better.

So before you’re juggling a pile of medications that will only put a Band-Aid on the problem, try acupuncture! It will work on the actual physiological effects of the depression and help you better deal with your problems without causing you to walk around like a zombie… so you can continue to connect with others, which will better help you get through this rough period.

[Via http://pindoc.wordpress.com]