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

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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.

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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

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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]