Acupuncture is part of the program at a number of cancer centers in the United States, including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Weidon Lu and colleagues at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School described some of the benefits of acupuncture in two medical journal articles.

Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of chemotherapy. These symptoms can be treated with more drugs, but some patients prefer to limit the total amount of drugs they're taking. Acupuncture can be used either alone or in combination with anti-nausea medication. Lu reported evidence from the medical literature that acupuncture has demonstrated effectiveness in clinical trials.

Pain is a significant issue for many cancer patients, and is one of the major applications for acupuncture. As in the case for nausea and vomiting, acupuncture can be used either alone or in combination with standard medication.

Depression and anxiety are also important symptoms for cancer patients. The addition of acupuncture to standard care has produced good results in clinical trials.

Survivors of head and neck cancer often suffer long-term dry mouth and difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia) after chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Lu reported on a case series of 10 patients with cancer of the tongue, floor of the mouth, and tonsillar area, treated with acupuncture. Nine of these 10 reported subjective improvement. Out of seven who required tube feeding, six regained swallowing function and had the tubes removed after acupuncture.

Other symptoms under study for acupuncture treatment include fatigue, insomnia, hot flashes in breast cancer patients, leukopenia (not enough white blood cells), neuropathy (pain from nerve damage), and dypsnea (difficulty in breathing).

Complementary and alternative therapies are used by the majority of cancer patients, according to Lu, but acupuncture utilization is low because of cost issues. Health insurance generally does not cover this option.

HealthCMI - 05 June 2011

Acupuncture Stops Shoulder Pain? New Research.

There has been a great deal of controversy over the effectiveness of acupuncture for pain related conditions. Can acupuncture stop shoulder pain? A randomized, blinded, patient-blinded, multi-center research report published its conclusions. Researchers at Ruhr-University Bochum (Orthopedic Surgery and Research) conclude that acupuncture is an effective alternative to conventional orthopedic treatments for chronic shoulder pain. The specifics of the results draw clear demarcations.

A total of 424 patients were studied in 31 orthopedist offices. Each received 15 treatments over a period of 6 weeks. The orthopedists were trained in acupuncture and administered the acupuncture treatments. Three groups were compared. The first group of patients received textbook acupuncture (verum acupuncture). The next group received non-relevant needle puncture (sham acupuncture). The final group received conventional orthopedic care. Results were tabulated immediately are the series of treatments and another follow-up was performed three months after completion of the acupuncture series of treatments.

Results showed greater range of motion including abduction and arm-above-head-test for the acupuncture group over the sham and orthopedic groups. Pain level reductions were also assessed.

Three Month Follow-Up
The verum acupuncture group had a 65 percent recovery rate. The sham acupuncture group had a 24 percent recovery rate, and the orthopedic group had a 37 percent recovery rate measured three months following the cessation of acupuncture care.

Immediate Follow-Up
The verum acupuncture group had a 68 percent recovery rate. The sham acupuncture group had a 40 percent recovery rate, and the orthopedic group had a 28 percent recovery rate measured immediately following the cessation of acupuncture care. In both cases, the patients receiving acupuncture demonstrated the most clinically significant recovery rates.

The Acorn - 02-24-11

Acupuncture an option for spinal pain - By David Lee, Ph.D.

Can acupuncture help my spinal and joint pains? How much can it help?

At acupuncture clinics, generally seven or eight out of 10 patients find significant relief within the first four visits. The significant result is the amount of improvement the patient notices. When there is a reduction of more than 25 percent, you will agree that it is significant.

A patient typically receives acupuncture treatments two or three times a week. The condition continues to improve until there is much stability or the pains are eliminated. The visits then are tapered down to once a week or once every few weeks to assure continual improvement.

Conditions that can resolve with acupuncture treatments are sprain, strain, tear and inflammation.

If you are diagnosed with any of the following conditions, then acupuncture may provide significant relief: bone spurs, bulging disc, collapsed disc, degenerative disc, degenerative spine, disc protrusion, facet disease, herniated disc, osteoarthritis, pinched nerve, ruptured disc, slipped disc, spondylitis, spondylosis, spondylolisthesis and stenosis.

None of the above mentioned problems and locations make any difference to an acupuncturist when it comes to an effective treatment. The reason is that acupuncture developed independently from Western science and has its own set of time-tested guiding principles.

Conditions that can find longterm relief from acupuncture are acute or chronic sprain, strain, inflammation; cervical, thoracic, lumbar stenosis; cervical, thoracic, lumbar degeneration; cervical, thoracic, lumbar arthritis; cervical, thoracic, lumbar disc problems; sacroiliac syndrome, buttock area pains; sciatica; radiculopathy; neuralgia; and arthritic and nerve pains from lupus.

If you are in an emergency situation, then you should get appropriate care with your primary physician before considering acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture is not the first option for many patients, and they pleasantly surprised to find that it works.

Skin Inc. - January 6, 2011

5 Tips About Acupuncture

Each year, millions of people in America use acupuncture, a traditional Chinese approach to improving health. Although acupuncture has been used in China for over 2,000 years, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it has become increasingly popular in America during the past few decades. Still, many people are not familiar with what it is and what it can be used for.

“Acupuncture is an effective way to treat many different ailments that people experience,” explains Gary Kaplan, MD, founder of The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine (www.kaplanclinic.com), located in McLean, Virginia. “Although some people may be skeptical at first, they end up as fans, after they try acupuncture and see how it helps improve their health and well-being.”

As it is a tradition that is deeply rooted and widely used, there is a lot to learn about all that acupuncture can do for you. Here are five things you may not already know about acupuncture.

   1. How it is used. In the United States, the most commonly used form of acupuncture is accomplished by placing hair-thin, metallic needles in the skin.
   2. What it does. Acupuncture essentially helps to balance the flow of energy, or qi (pronounced “chee”). Additionally, the NIH reports that it may aid the activity of your body’s natural pain-killing chemicals, and may also affect how you release chemicals that regulate blood pressure and flow.
   3. Systems it impacts. There are three major systems that acupuncture impacts: the body’s neurological (nervous), endocrine (hormonal) and immunological (disease-fighting) systems.
   4. Alleviates pain. In 2007 alone, more than 3 million people in America used acupuncture for alleviating pain. It can help relieve pain caused by arthritis, fibromyalgia, headaches, back pain, knee pain, neck pain and other joint pain. In addition to addressing pain, acupuncture also can be employed against a wide variety of illnesses and diseases, including reducing nausea and vomiting following surgery or chemotherapy.
   5. NIH Consensus. In 1998, a Consensus-Conference Panel of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that acupuncture is an effective noninvasive modality in treating a variety of medical and pain problems, including migraines, osteoarthritis, and infertility.

“Acupuncture is an option that everyone who has these conditions should consider,” adds Kaplan. “Clients have nothing to lose by giving it a try, and an improved quality of life to gain. Acupuncture may be just the thing you have been waiting for.”

Natural New.com - December 15, 2010

Scans prove that acupuncture induces clear metabolic brain changes that eliminate pain - by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer

New research adds more evidence proving that acupuncture is effective at reducing and eliminating pain. Presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), the new findings include functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans that clearly show a positive change in the metabolic activity of patients' brains receiving acupuncture treatment.

"Functional MRI gives us the opportunity to directly observe areas of the brain that are activated during pain perception and see the variances that occur with acupuncture," explained lead researcher Nina Theysohn, MD, from the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology at University Hospital in Essen, Germany. "Activation of brain areas involved in pain perception was significantly reduced or modulated under acupuncture."

Eighteen volunteers agreed to participate in the study, and all were observed using fMRI technology. Researchers applied electrical pain stimuli to the participants' left ankles and observed their brain activity both with and without acupuncture treatment. The team found that the pain activation centers in the participants' brains became less active and even deactivated in the presence of acupuncture treatment.

The findings also challenge some notions that acupuncture works primarily as a placebo. While certain brain responses to acupuncture indicate facets of a placebo response, others clearly highlight specific mechanical activities in the brain that demonstrably reduce pain symptoms.

"Acupuncture is supposed to act through at least two mechanisms -- nonspecific expectancy-based effects and specific modulation of the incoming pain signal," said Theysohn. "Our findings support that both these nonspecific and specific mechanisms exist, suggesting that acupuncture can help relieve pain."

Acupuncture has also been found to help improve fertility, increase heart function, and assist in helping people sleep.

PRNewswirer - November 1, 2010

Dr. Edward Lamadrid's New Study Advances Link Between Weight Loss and Acupuncture
by Dr. Edward Lamadrid, DAOM, L.Ac., LMT

CHICAGO - Could a few pinpricks make someone thinner? Evidence weighs heavily in favor of that proposition, according to the results of a new study to be presented at the Pacific Symposium in San Diego this week. The groundbreaking study, "The Effects of Acupuncture on Weight-Loss in Over-Weight and Obese Adults Over 24 Years Old," reports that 95 percent of its subjects lost weight in a six-week period after receiving regular acupuncture treatments. Of those subjects, another 50 percent continued to lose weight after treatments stopped.

Dr. Edward Lamadrid, a doctor of acupuncture and oriental medicine (DAOM), conducted the study and authored its findings. As one of the country's approximately 100 DAOMs, Lamadrid has treated thousands of patients with a variety of problems and health conditions, and he has long suspected that acupuncture assists in weight loss. However, it wasn't until this controlled, scientific study that the Chicago-based expert could positively confirm a more formal hypothesis and the positive conclusions.

"What's particularly interesting and somewhat shocking about the study's findings is that weight loss occurred across the board without much exercise or dieting, something everyone believes is essential to trimming down," Lamadrid says. "I certainly don't want to discount the importance of healthy habits such as good fitness and eating nutritionally, but this study confirms that acupuncture is a viable tool for successful weight loss."

Key conclusions found that 81 percent of participants in Group A, which received three weeks of acupuncture treatments, lost weight, averaging 2 lbs. per week for men and 1 lb. per week for women. After the treatments ceased, 54 percent continued to lose weight. Meanwhile, 79 percent of those in Group B, the control group, which didn't receive acupuncture, gained weight over the three-week period. At the end of those three weeks, this control group then received regular acupuncture treatments, and 77 percent then lost weight at a rate similar to Group A.

Feedback from the subjects noted significant improvements both physically and emotionally. Said Wanda T., "The study helped with my energy levels and with my appetite. I now sleep soundly and wake up refreshed." And Nancy S. commented, "I feel much more balanced, focused and positive!"

"Patients understand the importance of preventative medicine and a holistic approach to treatment," Lamadrid says. "This body of evidence on the acupuncture-weight loss link is groundbreaking for the worldwide healthcare and fitness community, considering obesity is now a global epidemic."

Because of his comprehensive and integrated background - everything from bodywork to energy therapies, professional consulting and even Feng Shui - Lamadrid is considered a renaissance healer. Bridging the ancient and contemporary medical systems, he continually strives to represent his practices with the highest degree of integrity and understanding.

Health CMI - November 03, 2010

New Study finds Acupuncture Effective for Bedwetting

A new study shows that acupuncture is an effective treatment for nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting). Nocturnal enuresis is involuntary urination during sleep and is most typical among children. Most children overcome this disorder by age seven but clinical conditions may persist indefinitely in some patients if left untreated.

In a surprising finding, acupuncture was shown to be more effective than bedwetting alarms. Bedwetting alarms, a standard in conventional medicine, detect moisture and wake the patient with an audible tone. The study also concluded that electro-acupuncture achieved better clinical results than acupuncture without electricity. The researchers note that, “Acupuncture can influence spinal micturition centers and parasympathetic innervation to the urinary tract and is known to modulate brain function via the descending serotonergic system.”

Natural Eye Care Newsletter November 2010

Acupuncture Provides Relief from Chemotherapy

It has long been known in the acupuncture community that acupunture is effective in reducing the side effects of chemotherapy.

A recent study by Eleanor Walker, director of breast radiation oncology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, found acupuncture was more effective for easing side effects from cancer treatments than drug therapy and lasted longer.

Treatments such as chemotherapy can bring on fatigue, nausea, hot flashes, excessive sweating and more. The study compared women who used acupuncture compared to women who used a drug therapy during a 12-week period.

Both groups reported an improvement, but the acupuncture group didn't experience side effects reported in the drug group like nausea and headaches. The acupuncture group also reported having more energy.

new.com.au- August 14, 2010

AUSTRALIAN hospitals are finally catching up with what the Chinese have long known acupuncture is a great alternative form of pain relief.

Acupuncture is fast gaining acceptance in mainstream medicine right across the Western world. It s already used routinely in several Australian emergency departments and is now undergoing a randomised, controlled trial in three Melbourne hospitals to alleviate pain from acute migraines, back pain and ankle sprain.

Researchers at the University of York and Hull York Medical School in the UK have just mapped acupuncture's effect on the brain and have found that it changes specific neural structures, deactivating the areas in the brain associated with the processing of pain.

This is key, says Professor Marc Cohen, head of the trial and professor of complementary medicine at RMIT University. We know that pain is the most common reason for people coming to emergency departments, and we know that it s not very well treated in that a lot of people don t get sufficient pain relief, he says.

We also know that pharmacotherapy, the main method of treating pain in emergency situations, has severe side effects. Some people can t tolerate drugs, others find that opioid medication such as pethidine or morphine causes nausea and constipation.
Once you give morphine you have to watch the patient for several hours and monitor blood pressure and nausea.

What we've found anecdotally is that people who have come into an emergency department in pain and tried acupuncture, have had their pain relieved in a very short period of time.

Acupuncture can also be safely combined with most conventional drugs and treatments and has very few side effects.

Scientific proof

Today, acupuncture is one of the most accepted complementary therapies in the country, with more than 80 per cent of GPs referring patients to an accredited acupuncturist in the past 12 months.

And, despite not being part of the standard curriculum, about one-fifth of GPs have gone on to do post-graduate training in acupuncture.

You can thank modern science for that, says Dr Morton Rawlin, vice president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Acupuncture has gradually increased its acceptability over the last 20 years [because] it has good, double-blind, scientific proof that it is of assistance for pain and other disorders.

But has it reached a tipping point? We re on the verge, says Professor Cohen. Emergency physicians and GPs have taken it up on their own initiative because they see the benefits. If we find positive results [in the study] it will open the door for it to be included in all Western emergency departments and that will be a major shift.

Modern panacea?

So when should you be demanding acupuncture over mainstream medical treatments?

Acupuncture, like all modalities of treatment for different conditions, needs to be discussed by the individual with their doctor, says Dr Rawlin.

Professor Cohen agrees. Everyone s situation is individual, but the one thing I can say is that acupuncture can t really hurt. So try it.

Just be warned: it s not a panacea.

Acupuncture won't help everyone for everything, says Professor Cohen. But there are cases where people have gone the gamut of Western medicine, had no relief and then acupuncture has given significant relief.

Acupuncture provides a different perspective on a treatment program and, in the hands of a trained therapist, has been shown over thousands of years to be extremely safe.

How it can help you?

1 Dental anxiety New British research shows acupuncture can calm dental patients and help post-operative pain.
For more: www.ada.org.au

2 Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) A 2009 Swedish study found that PCOS can be relieved by the use of electro-acupuncture where the needles are stimulated with a low-frequency current.
More information: www.posaa.asn.au

3 Depression Chicago researchers found acupuncture may be an effective alternative treatment to antidepressants for depression during pregnancy. It s also being increasingly used in psychiatric disorders.
More information: www.beyondblue.org.au

4 Breast cancer treatment. A recent trial of breast cancer patients in Norway found acupuncture provided a 50 per cent reduction in hot flushes.
More information: www.cancercouncil.com.au

5 Migraines Randomised controlled studies have shown acupuncture can reduce tension headaches by half and ensure fewer headaches after three to four months than routine drug treatment.

The Huffington Post - 08-05-10

Should You Try Acupuncture? by Arthur Rosenfeld

Recently I've been involved in creating and hosting a series of documentaries on integrative medicine. The three films are aimed at healthcare professionals. The first is about the science of tai chi, the second is about the science of meditation and the third is about the science of acupuncture. I've just wound up the last on-location filming (interviewing experts) for the acupuncture film, and am struck by how this ancient healing modality is blossoming in popularity across the country.

A healing tool of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture has been successfully administered for more than 2,500 years. According to the TCM view, a vital energy called qi flows through the body along channels called meridians. I like to think of these channels as a sprinkling system for the body, bringing qi to vital organs and extremities in much the way hoses bring water to your garden. In the TCM model of health and disease, when qi flow is blocked it stagnates. Stagnating qi causes illness. Acupuncture therapy unblocks the qi flow, strengthens or weakens the qi (think opening and closing the garden spigot) and directs it to areas of need.

A holistic practice, acupuncture seeks to re-establish the body's healthy equilibrium and function, as opposed to forcing healing using surgery or pharmaceuticals. Interestingly, Chinese practitioners were not the only (and may not have been the first) to identify these energy pathways in the body. The frozen body of a man recovered well-preserved from the Alps features tattoos that correspond to Chinese acupuncture's qi meridians.

Much research is afoot to attempt to define qi in Western terms. This is a challenge, as the word runs deeply through not only Chinese medicine, but through Chinese art, literature, philosophy, pugilism and daily life. From the standpoint of Western medical science, qi is likely to be revealed as some amalgam of endorphins, the bioelectric potential of cell membranes, nervous conduction, circulating hormones and perhaps even photons (light) and infrared radiation (heat). In attempting to define and quantify qi, acupuncture research may end up identifying a whole new system of biological information, such as the conduction of impulses through the body's connective tissue.

A typical acupuncture treatment involves penetrating the skin with tiny needles, but some styles of acupuncture (Japanese toyohari, for instance) don't require such penetration. Some researchers link such distant healing to the so-called "non-local" effects of quantum physics. Cutting edge stuff! Still, studying the effects of acupuncture with the traditional, Western, double-blind placebo controlled model presents certain difficulties. These center on the fact that since we don't fully understand how acupuncture works, we don't know what the variables are; not understanding those elements, we can't adequately control for them. More, the term "placebo effect" (as in this treatment or that pill is no more effective than a placebo) is an inaccurate and pejorative term that is rapidly losing relevance as we learn more about the body's ability to heal itself. It turns out that the effect is powerful, and desirable, perhaps the new "gold standard" for the way the body should heal.

Despite the challenges of study design and the mind-bending possibilities for a new understanding of how the body works, acupuncture has been extensively studied and verified both by international studies and by our own National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). Part of the National Institutes of Health, NCCAM alone sponsors more studies than I can list here, and their website (merely one, orthodox outlet for medical information from a Western point of view) addresses acupuncture for pain, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and more.

Some folks, including older Western M.D.s, still talk about whether or not they "believe" in acupuncture. Such thinking is ill-informed and outdated. One might as well speculate about whether to believe in aspirin, morphine, insulin, surgery or an MRI. The question is not whether acupuncture works, but how it works, and whether it is the appropriate therapy for a particular syndrome, problem, symptom, disease or patient. In a clinical setting and performed by a licensed professional (licensure is by state) acupuncture is effective for a variety of complaints.

Over the years, I have received acupuncture myself and watched scores of people from different walks of life receive the treatment for a spate of different ills. While practitioners vary in their needling technique, for the most part acupuncture is not painful and gives results readily. Practitioners use smaller needles here than they do in China, and are generally gentler in their application, citing the lower pain threshold of American patients. In China, needles are thicker, longer, and sometimes as enthusiastically "rowed" while in a patient as an oar in the hands of a whitewater kayaker. Ouch. Discomfort seems to be expected by Chinese patients--here, not so much.

In China, the typical course of therapy seems to be every day for 10 days, a break, then another similar course if needed. On our shores it is more typical to go once or twice a week for a month or two before lasting results are gained. Most sessions last 15-30 minutes in a quiet room, during which the patient often falls asleep.

Does insurance pay for acupuncture? In the state of Washington coverage for acupuncture (along with other complementary treatments such as chiropractic and massage) is mandated. In other states it varies by company and policy. If you are paying for treatment out of your own pocket, the cost can add up, but should be weighed against other treatment options, your pain and suffering, and of course the modality's potential to forestall worsening health.

So should you try it? That depends on a variety of factors. Patients who have tried more familiar therapies without success, particularly for a chronic or recurring problem, are good candidates for acupuncture. Another type of candidate might be someone who is reluctant to endure the side effects of some more conventional Western therapies. A third acupuncture patient profile might be the person who wishes to emphasize wellness and prevention over the disease model of medicine and is willing to make concomitant lifestyle changes to achieve optimum health.

If you have needle fears, remember that acupuncture needles are more like a pin--very small and not open-ended like a hypodermic needle. Consider going to see a treatment and having a close look at the needle, or, if you have a real phobia, choose the nonpenetrating form of the therapy (toyohari) mentioned earlier. It's best not to expect results overnight, even though I have heard tell that it can sometimes interrupt a grand mal epileptic seizure, end an asthma attack and drop blood pressure quickly. Given time, acupuncture may be effective in addiction therapy (including helping patients stop smoking) weight loss, increasing fertility, treating back pain, migraine headaches and the symptoms of fibromyalgia, and valuable in a host of other chronic conditions.

Pushed along by cultural and financial forces, American medicine is evolving. Old prejudices are giving way to open minds. The new model of integrative medicine is patient centered, and embraces any and all effective solutions to the patient's health problems. Read, learn, ask questions, and take advantage of all options available to you in your quest to get well and stay that way.

Univ of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine - 08/03/2010

UM Researcher Leads Analysis of Acupuncture for Low Back Pain - Contact Name: Sharon Boston

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people see a physician, with nearly three-quarters of people in Western countries experiencing back pain at some point in their lives. According to some estimates, patients with low back pain account for more than $90 billion in annual health care expenses in the United States.

The causes for back pain are complex and multifaceted, and about 85 percent of cases will be defined as "nonspecific," meaning a direct cause cannot be found. Back pain is also one of the most common reasons for acupuncture appointments. But should physicians consider recommending acupuncture to these patients?

In a feature article published in the July 29 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers examine the current studies into acupuncture for low back pain and make treatment recommendations for a sample patient.

"Many studies in the past few years have found a benefit to acupuncture for low back pain, particularly when added to conventional therapy," says lead author Brian Berman, MD, director of the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine and a professor of family and community medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

He adds, "Our review examined recent studies involving thousands of patients. However, questions still remain about the role of the placebo effect in acupuncture, particularly since many clinical trials showed that sham acupuncture could be as effective as real acupuncture."

The reviewers suggested more research into acupuncture for low back pain is needed, specifically looking at the environment in which acupuncture is performed to evaluate whether a psychological or emotional bias may be contributing to patients reporting improvement. They also recommend additional studies to evaluate sham acupuncture without needles penetrating the skin, to see if the benefits of acupuncture may be achieved without an invasive procedure.

Most acute back pain goes away in about six weeks. However, 25 percent of patients report recurring pain within a year, and 7 percent develop chronic low back pain.

For physicians contemplating whether to suggest acupuncture for their back pain patients, the article gives current recommendations from the American College of Physicians, the American Pain Society and the North American Spine Society for incorporating acupuncture into a treatment plan.

The authors report that it is essential for all patients with chronic or recurrent back pain to undergo a careful diagnostic evaluation before selecting a course of therapy. Certain conditions, such as cancer or infection, may preclude certain patients from receiving acupuncture treatment.

As part of the review, the researchers examined the case of a hypothetical 45-year-old man who had years of low back pain, but was not receiving adequate relief from his current treatments. He had concerns about losing his job as a construction worker and wondered whether acupuncture could help him.

Based on the patient's evaluation, which included MRI and a clinical examination, and the evidence for the potential benefits for acupuncture, the team would suggest a course of 10 to 12 acupuncture treatments over a period of eight weeks with a qualified practitioner.

"In a case such as this, we would first want to reassure the patient that the clinical exam and MRI showed no evidence of a serious underlying condition such as cancer or spinal infection. In addition to acupuncture, we would encourage this patient to stay active and consider a stretching and strengthening exercise program," explains Berman.

The idea to use acupuncture with standard treatments such as pain medicines and physical therapy is one of the keys to "integrative medicine," a growing field of medicine looking at combining conventional and complementary treatments where there is evidence about safety and effectiveness.

"Dr. Berman and his team at the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine are international leaders in the field of integrative medicine; they are among the many innovative, world-class researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. This article is just one example of the center's mission to provide scientifically valid information to help physicians and patients make informed decisions about complementary therapies," says E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, vice president for medical affairs, University of Maryland, and dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Other researchers on the New England Journal article include Helene Langevin, MD, Program in Integrative Health, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington; Claudia Witt, MD, Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charite University Medical Center, Berlin; and Ronald Dubner, DDS, PhD, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore.

Founded in 1991, the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine was the first program within a U.S. academic medical center to investigate complementary and alternative medicine through research, patient care and education. It has been a National Institutes of Health Center of Excellence for Research of Complementary Medicine for the past 15 years.

The center's main research interests have included arthritis, pain and inflammatory conditions. Its researchers published results of a large clinical trial in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2004 showing that acupuncture is a safe and effective adjunctive treatment for pain from osteoarthritis of the knee.

roundtownnews.co.uk - 07-27-10

Chinese medicine & acupuncture in treatment of arthritis

Arthritis is not just one disease; there are at least 100 distinct varieties of the disorder.

ARTHRITIS AND the pain and inflammation that comes with it cannot be avoided for most people over the age of 50. Joints do degenerate over time. Fortunately, Arthritis can usually be managed by Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

WHAT IS ARTHRITIS?

Arthritis is not just one disease; there are at least 100 distinct varieties of the disorder. The most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Although these two forms of arthritis have very different causes, risk factors and effects on the body, they do share a common symptom: persistent joint pain.

OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA)

This is the most common form of arthritis. 80% of people over 65 have evidence of OA yet only 25% have symptoms. There is degeneration of the joint cartilage with growth of new bone and connective tissue within the joint. OA mainly affects the spine, hips, knees and fingers. Pain is worse for movement and better for rest. Stiffness is common. If you have or had a strenuous job that required repetitive bending, kneeling, or squatting, for example, you may be at risk for OA of the knees.

This is a chronic, inflammatory, destructive and deforming polyarthritis (meaning, affecting many joints. Other parts of the body, including blood, the lungs and heart can be affected as well! It affects about 3% of the population in the west and three times more women than men. It usually begins at around 30-40 years of age. It is worse in damp and cold climates. Inflammation of the joint lining, called the synovium, can cause pain; swelling; stiffness; heat and redness. The affected joint, usually fingers and toes, may lose its shape, resulting in loss of normal movement.

GOUT

nother condition that most people don’t relate to Arthritis is Gout. Gout is an inflammatory Arthritis which, in western medicine, is due to an excess of uric acid in the blood. Crystals are formed in the joints which lead to the severe symptoms of this condition. Foods with high protein content, e.g. meat and alcoholic drinks increase uric acid levels. Middle aged men are more commonly affected. The commonest joint affected is the second joint of the big toe. The pain of Gout is so severe sometimes that any contact is excruciating.

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF ARTHRITIS WITH ACUPUNCTURE AND TCM

The name ‘Arthritis’ of course did not exist 2000 years ago, but the Chinese knew the disease and treated it then: in Chinese medicine we call it ‘Bi’ syndrome - Bi meaning blockage pain; blockage of QI (energy). As in western medicine, there are different types of ‘Bi’ disorders, each treated differently with Acupuncture and/or Chinese herbs. And as always, each person is different and may receive different treatment. Acupuncture points to treat Arthritis are all over your body, not just over the affected area. During treatment, small needles may be inserted along your arms and legs, as well as the affected area. The frequency and number of treatments will vary according to the condition you present.

Several studies have shown that Acupuncture can help people with arthritis. In one Scandinavian study, 25% of arthritis patients who had been scheduled for knee surgery cancelled their operation after receiving a series of Acupuncture treatments.

Even without the studies, the popularity of Acupuncture for Arthritis continues to grow because more and more people have found significant relief from Chinese medicine without the negative side effects from western pharmaceuticals.

Food Consumer 06-01-10

Acupuncture works, but not as a placebo! By Jimmy Downs and editing by Rachel Stockton

Believe it or not, acupuncture has been just scientifically proven to be able to render a pain-relieving effect by triggering a naturally occurring painkilling chemical, according to a new study published in Nature Neuroscience.

For a long time, the western medical circle ridiculed acupuncture, an ancient Chinese therapy indicated to relieve pain in patients with conditions such as arthritis, as something that works by giving some patients a placebo effect.

The current study led by Dr. Maiken Nedergaard and colleagues at the University of Rochester in New York found that acupuncture raises the level of a naturally occurring painkiller known as adenosine by more than 20 times.

The level of adenosine, a chemical that is also good for sleep and heart health, is boosted drastically when the skin suffers an injury, such as in the case of acupuncture, to inhibit nerve signals that trigger pain.

In the Study, Dr. Nedergaard first demonstrated in animal models that adenosine is the painkiller induced by acupuncture and involved in the pain-relieving effect. Acupuncture did not work to relieve discomfort in mice that were unable to produce the compound.

Secondly, the researchers applied acupuncture to mice with sore paws - rotating tiny needles in points near their knees and found adenosine was boosted by 24 times and the discomfort was reduced by two-thirds.

The authors of the study also found that a drug given leukemia patients, called deoxycoformycin tripled the accumulation of adenosine when injected into mice; the duration of high levels of adenosine induced by acupuncture were also tripled.

The drug prevented the tissue from ridding itself of adenosine, thus maintaining the pain-relieving effect for a longer time.

One previous review of nine clinical trials involving about 2500 patients published over a period of 15 years suggested that acupuncture works as a placebo, at least partially.

Eric Manheimer and colleagues of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore released their review on June 19, 2007 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

But the researchers did not deny that acupuncture has a "genuine biological effect," nor did they dismiss the potential benefits of acupuncture for knee arthritis, among other things.

Center for Health & Wellbeing 06/01/2010

Traditional Chinese Medicine is more relevant than ever -by Janet Webb Lee

The roots of Traditional Chinese Medicine go back more than 5,000 years. Although this ancient form of medicine was developed long ago it has never been more relevant to health care than today.

In China, acupuncturists and physicians work side by side. Many Chinese hospitals have acupuncture inpatient wings and separate departments with such outpatient specialties as pulmonary conditions, obstetrics and gynecology and orthopedics. Inpatients also can receive visits from acupuncturists and may even take Chinese herbs intravenously.

In the U.S., many Americans are aware that acupuncture treats pain conditions like back pain, tendonitis and headaches, but patients often are surprised to hear that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treats hundreds of conditions ranging from hypertension to infertility to anxiety. In fact, most medical and psychological conditions other than medical emergencies are treatable with TCM.

The advantages potentially provided by an acupuncturist include pain relief, faster healing, possible reduction of prescription medications, higher energy and stress reduction. Many acupuncturists also offer dietary and lifestyle advice tailored to your body type and general health.

One reason for the effectiveness of Chinese medicine is that treatments are always customized to each patient’s specific condition. For example, five patients with asthma may be treated with five different point combination and herbal formulas depending on their symptom presentations. There is no one size fits all remedy in TCM. This results in not only the symptoms being treated, but also the root cause of your health concern.

Chinese herbs are powerful tools that allow licensed acupuncturists to tailor herbal formulas specifically to your needs. For example, a formula can be customized to treat symptoms of diabetes, obesity and acid reflux – all of which can be related in TCM terms. Many Chinese herbs are plant roots and other plant parts but also included in the material medica are simple foods like ginger and minerals like gypsum.

Reaching such specific diagnoses requires a great deal of training. Acupuncturists must be familiar with modern medical conditions, medical terminology, pharmaceuticals and anatomy.

Acupuncture point locations and functions are just the beginning of the knowledge a TCM practitioner must have at instant recall. Your acupuncturist also has extensive training in Chinese medical theory, nutrition, disease patterns and herbology.

In California, acupuncturists have a minimum of 3,000 to 3,800 hours of training, with at least 900 of those hours spent in clinical training, according to the California Acupuncture Board.

CalorieLab - May 11, 2010

Patients Recognize Acupuncture; Insurers Don't

A growing number of people are turning to acupuncture for treatment, although most insurance companies don’t provide coverage for it. According to a 2007 survey by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 3.1 million adults reported using acupuncture in the previous 12 months, up from 2.1 million in a 2002 survey. Western doctors are beginning to embrace acupuncture, sometimes sending patients to be treated for conditions like chronic headaches, osteoarthritis, depression related to pregnancy, and lower back pain, but insurers have been reluctant to cover the treatment. Patients who would like to try acupuncture are advised to try a few things: check to see if your insurer covers it, try a school for discounted treatment, or use your insurer’s flex spending account.

The New Nation – May 11, 2010

Acupuncture in migraine treatment – by Dr. Shariq H. Khan

Migraine is a headache involving recurrent attacks that can last up to three days and sufferers may also experience double vision, nausea and vomiting. You may also have other symptoms, such as feeling and being sick or being extra-sensitive to sound or light. About 1 in 6 people who have migraines get what's called an aura. This can cause symptoms like temporary problems with your vision, or pins and needles or numbness in parts of your body.

The pain is often on one side of your head, throbbing and gets worse when you move. Migraines are often thought to be caused by emotional strain, stress, hormonal imbalances, and lack of food and/or sleep or by a reaction to some foods or medications.

You may be more likely to get a migraine attack if you are tired, hungry or stressed, or eat or drink certain foods. Women are more likely to have migraine attacks than men. This Headache is notoriously difficult one to treat effectively, and it can be the cause of a considerable amount of distress and marital disharmony.

Acupuncture treatment has been used to treat a wide variety of headaches, particularly migrainous headaches, and the results obtained have been very encouraging. The published work suggests that between 65-95 per cent of all headache sufferers obtain significant and long lasting pain relief from acupuncture treatment. Migraines seem to respond as well as, if not better than, other types of headache.

Acupuncture therapy may cause the headaches to vanish completely, or occur with a markedly decreased intensity and/or frequency. The pain relief resulting from acupuncture treatment can sometimes be maintained for some years and re-treatment is usually required less frequently for headaches.

Research has shown that acupuncture can be very beneficial in the treatment of migraines as it tends to lessen the frequency and severity of attacks.

Acupuncture method of treatment is a tried and tested system of traditional medicine, which has been used in China and other eastern countries for thousands of years to restore, promote and maintain good health. It aims to treat the root cause of a condition and promote long-term wellness, rather than just alleviating symptoms. Its benefits are now widely acknowledged all over the world.

A classical acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of very thin needles into acupuncture points on the body. This action stimulates nerves located in Acupoints to provide pain relief and increase blood flow in and around the brain. This process also alleviates individual underlying imbalances which are contributing long term to the person's condition.

The modern scientific explanation about the effectiveness of Acupuncture treatment is that needling the acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain, including endorphins, enkephalins and other neurotransmitters.

Either these chemicals will change the experience of pain, or they will trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones that influence the body's own internal regulating system, bringing about a normalizing effect on neuroendocrine function. The improved energy and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture results in stimulating the body's natural healing abilities, and in promoting physical and emotional well-being.

Traditional acupuncture theory sees pain as being largely due to obstruction of the body's vital energy or qi. Acupuncture needles are thought to act like witches in the body's energy circuits, freeing up stagnant energy and getting it flowing.

From a biomedical perspective, acupuncture can help in the treatment of migraine by:

providing pain relief - by stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues, acupuncture leads to release of pain killing endorphins and changes the processing of pain in the brain and spinal cord.

reducing inflammation - by promoting release of various biochemical substances.

increasing blood flow in and around the brain.

affecting the brain levels of a chemical called serotonin, which has various functions, including control of appetite and mood.

New York Times – May 08, 2010

Ancient Chinese Art, in a Western Context - By LESLEY ALDERMAN

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been in use for thousands of years.

At your first evaluation, a practitioner will examine your tongue for clues like cracks and discolorations, take your pulse and ask numerous questions to determine what might be causing your symptoms.

The practitioner will then insert fine needles at specific points to unblock the flow of qi, or energy, in your body. Sound like hocus pocus?

Many Western doctors think not.

“Acupuncture is a system of correspondences,” said Vitaly Napadow, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, who conducts research on how acupuncture affects the brain. “Different ailments or diseases can be explained through traditional Chinese medical theory or through modern biomedical physiology, with sometimes interesting correspondence between the two,” said Dr. Napadow, who has a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering and is also a licensed acupuncturist.

“I’ve been practicing for eight years and have seen acupuncture help with surprisingly diverse issues, like plantar fasciitis and diabetic neuropathy,” he said. “Acupuncture affects many systems in the body, including parts of the brain that are involved with processing emotion and pain.

The study below has been published in the May issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

Acupuncture the best bet to ease pain

A new study has supported the use of traditional Chinese acupuncture method for pain treatment.

Dr. Philip Lang and colleagues of the University of Munich used quantitative sensory testing to identify changes in pain sensitivity with acupuncture in 24 healthy volunteers.

After applying acupuncture to the leg, the researchers found that pain thresholds increased by up to 50 per cent. Effects were noted in both the treated leg and the untreated (contralateral) leg.

Quantitative sensory testing is used clinically to help physicians understand specific injuries in nerve fibers associated with chronic pain.

It includes tests of both thermal perception (heat and cold), and mechanical perception (pressure applied to the skin).

The patte rns of response provide diagnostic information in patients with nerve injury regarding the type of nerve involved, and possible treatments.

The results pointed to two nerve fibres-the ‘A delta’ pain fibers and the ‘C’ pain fibers-as being specifically affected by acupuncture.

Although the effects were modest, the researchers believe they provide the basis for future studies in individuals with chronic pain, where the effects might be more dramatic.

The study also supported the effects of three different forms of acupuncture- manual acupuncture needling alone and with the addition of high-frequency and low-frequency electrical stimulation.

An experienced acupuncturist performed all treatments, applied to acupuncture points commonly used in pain management.

The results provide a scientific background for the ancient practice of acupuncture, according to Dr. Dominik Irnich, the study’s leading author.

"Our results show that contralateral stimulation leads to a remarkable pain relief. This suggests that acupuncturists should needle contralaterally if the affected side is too painful or not accessible-for example, if the skin is injured or there is a dressing in place," added Irnich.

Dr. Steven L. Shafer, Editor-in-Chief of Anesthesia & Analgesia and Professor of Anesthesiology at Columbia University, views the results as an important preliminary finding.

HealthCMI - March 17, 2010

Acupuncture Combats Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) reports that acupuncture demonstrates effectiveness in the treatment of PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder). PTSD is an anxiety disorder that may occur after violent assaults, military combat, disasters, or any incident in which severe physical harm is threatened. In a randomized controlled study, Dr. Michael Hollifield, MD, and his team at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky; concluded that acupuncture yields beneficial therapeutic results similar to that of cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Acupuncture is gaining wide acceptance in areas where both physical and mental trauma are serious issues. Doctors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington now recommend acupuncture for the treatment of physical pain due to injuries. Acupuncture is now used in war zones. The Air Force runs the only acupuncture clinic in the US military located at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. They train doctors to bring acupuncture to war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. A pilot program is currently training 44 Air Force, Navy, and Army doctors to add acupuncture therapy to emergency care in combat zones and war-zone hospitals. This training focuses on reducing physical pain with acupuncture protocols. The Navy has recently instituted a new acupuncture training pilot program for doctors at Camp Pendleton in California.

The US military first took note of acupuncture in 1967 when an Army surgeon wrote an article in Military Medicine magazine on the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy. During the Vietnam War, the Army surgeon observed local physicians practicing acupuncture on Vietnamese patients at a US Army surgical hospital. Looking forward, Col. Richard Niemtzow, an Air Force physician, first offered acupuncture in 1995 at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. Later, he founded the acupuncture clinic at Andrews in Maryland. Acupuncture has a long history of repairing injuries and many acupuncturists practice movements arts such as Qi Gong, Tai Qi, and martial arts. Over the centuries, acupuncture has co-evolved with the martial arts and has provided relief and recovery for many types of injuries.

March 11, 2010

Acupuncture seems to help where modern medicine failed - by Susan Reimer

My husband the sports writer calls it "Team Reimer," and he says it has more members than the supporting casts behind any Olympic athlete he's ever covered.

I tell him that if I was as young and fit as the athletes he writes about, I wouldn't need a team to keep me on the road.

But I'm not, and so I have a yoga trainer, a massage therapist, the best hair-colorist in my town, a manicurist, a general practitioner to whom I am devoted and an aesthetician. Not that my husband knows what an aesthetician is.

Now there is a new member of Team Reimer. My acupuncturist.

Traditional medicine - from podiatrists to orthopedic surgeons - has failed to relieve the pain in my joints caused by years of wear and tear, so I followed the advice offered by too many of my friends to ignore.

I made an appointment with an acupuncturist.

His diagnosis? "Fifty-year-old knee; 50-year-old hip; 50-year-old shoulder." Add to that, 50-year-old hands aching from shoveling 50 inches of snow.

But when the newest member of my team took my pulse, he was alarmed. It was running pretty high. About as high as my level of anxiety, I would guess. I'm not a big needle person.

So I shut my eyes as the needles went in, and I kept them shut until he told me, 30 minutes later, that the needles were out. My imagination is vivid enough without visuals.

And I have to say, I barely felt a thing.

There were 15 needles - acupuncturists usually work in batches of five. Some went in around my 50-year-old shoulder, more around my 50-year-old hip and more around my 50-year-old knee. But others went between my toes, at the base of my skull and spine, and in my scalp.

The needles inserted for pain, he explained, would promote the release of endorphins, the brain's natural painkiller. The others would address my sleeplessness and my anxiety, which he called my "restless mind."

(My husband said I'd need a knitting needle to shut down my "restless mind.")

My acupuncturist promised I would feel a little better each day after the treatment. After five weekly visits, we would know if acupuncture was working as well for me as it had for so many of my friends. He gave me two kinds of Chinese herbs, and I was on my way.

After the treatment, I was completely exhausted.

I thought it was the result of my nervousness, but a friend had warned that acupuncture can leave you feeling whipped.

Five days later, I had a second treatment, and I must confess that I have felt a little better each day. After years of disappointment in traditional treatments, I am not declaring victory just yet. We will see how this goes.

In the meantime, so much of acupuncture remains a mystery to me. There is my yin and my yang. My qi (chee) and my meridian line.

And in the background, there is my husband. Writing checks and shaking his head.

Mayo Clinic .com - Mar 11, 2010

Can acupuncture treatments relieve back pain? - Answer from J. D. Bartleson, M.D.

When performed properly by trained practitioners, acupuncture has proved to be an effective therapy for back pain. Several studies have found that acupuncture can help reduce chronic back pain and improve daily function.

Acupuncture for back pain involves inserting very thin needles to various depths into strategic points on your body. This is thought to balance the flow of energy or life force — known as qi or chi (pronounced chee) — believed to flow through pathways (meridians) in your body.

Scientists don't fully understand how or why acupuncture affects the amount of pain you feel. Several studies have found that acupuncture causes the same effects as sham (minimal or simulated) acupuncture used in some studies for comparison. Sham acupuncture involves tapping the skin with a toothpick at the same strategic points used in acupuncture to simulate the insertion of a needle. Sham acupuncture may not be an accurate way of studying the benefits of acupuncture, however, because it's possible that acupuncture points can be stimulated by even surface pressure. Both acupuncture and sham acupuncture showed improvement over usual medical treatments.

Acupuncture is generally recognized as safe if done by a competent, certified acupuncture practitioner. Possible side effects and complications can occur, which include soreness, bleeding, infection or bruising at the needle sites.

Acupuncture isn't a cure and not everyone responds to acupuncture for back pain. If your back pain doesn't begin to improve within a few weeks, acupuncture may not be the right treatment for you. If you're considering acupuncture for back pain, talk with your doctor, who can refer you to an acupuncturist.

Times & Transcript - February 4th, 2010

The yin and the yang of acupuncture – Dr. Melissa Blake

Acupuncture is part of an ancient system of medicine known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

It is an effective treatment for a wide variety of conditions, including everything from pain management to fertility concerns.

Although acupuncture can be used to treat a specific concern such as a sore knee, it involves much, much more than just sticking an area with needles.

Any health-care practitioner who has been trained in TCM has been taught to look at the whole person. This means even the seemingly negligible details, from the colour and shape of the tongue to slight abnormalities in fingernails, are seen as parts of the overall picture.

Everything matters when it comes to choosing the right treatment approach.

So how does acupuncture work?

The body contains channels of energy known as meridians. Each of these channels is associated with an organ (liver, heart, kidney, etc.) and problems start when the smooth flow of energy (known as Qi) through one or more of the channels is interrupted.

According to TCM, there are also two major energies, yin and yang.

Yin is cool, slow, calm energy, like water. Yang is hot, fast, and active, like fire.

These energies are complete opposites and maintaining a balance of both is required for health. An imbalance in these energies or a change in the flow of Qi can lead to illness.

Let's look at an example of a common complaint, headaches, and how the TCM approach makes sense!

A frequent cause of headaches can be tension in the upper back and neck muscles. Stiff muscles can interfere with the blood vessels in the area as well as with nerve flow. This could be considered a change in the smooth flow of Qi.

Stiff muscles can also become inflamed as part of the body's healing response. This creates a situation where there is too much yang (fire) in the body.

Tension in the upper back can be stress related. Such specifics should also be taken into consideration and used to complete the picture. Using these principles, a TCM treatment plan is developed.

Acupuncture points are thought to be the areas where the energy channels come closest to the surface. This makes them accessible with an acupuncture needle.

The needles are used to increase or decrease energy flow and to balance yin and yang as well as other types of energy in the body.

The majority of those of us who have experienced acupuncture notice a slight prick when the needle is first inserted and then a dull sensation around the needle site as it is being adjusted to the appropriate location.

Some people experience nothing at all and a few are more sensitive. A person may become aware of one or more of the needles during the treatment, while they relax on the table, but only due to what can be described as a pressure or tingling around the needle.

The history of acupuncture is pretty impressive. Artifacts dating back as far as 6,000 B.C. indicate an early interest in acupuncture. Although the subject of active scientific research since the late 20th century, it did not become popular in North America until the early 1970s.

TCM offers a theory and approach to treatment and prevention of disease that have been developed over thousands of years. Although the language may be unfamiliar the similarities between a TCM diagnosis and a Western diagnosis are many.

TCM allows the practitioner to use intuition and ultimately determine the most individualized approach possible.

Another example is menopause. Western medicine explains menopause as a decrease in estrogen levels.

The decrease causes changes in the body. As estrogen levels decline, many women notice some of the following: thinning and less lubricated vaginal tissue, hot flashes, mood changes and changes in weight.

The conventional treatment option is hormone replacement.

Each woman experiences menopause differently, therefore there a several possible TCM diagnoses.

One possible TCM diagnosis is yin deficiency -- remember yin is cooling, calm, water, etc.

Women with this diagnosis may notice vaginal dryness to be an issue and they may also have hot flashes but not sweat (dry).

A condition of excess yang (too much fire) may manifest as hot flashes which trigger a red face and feelings of anger.

Not only is the approach to TCM appealing, so is its treatment potential.

Acupuncture can be helpful for digestive concerns, reproductive health, stress, allergies, cough, muscle or joint pain, nerve pain, numbness, addictions, anxiety, hormone imbalances, pain management, headaches, swelling, and so on.

Acupuncture is an extremely versatile treatment option that lends well to an holistic approach.

Although the risks of acupuncture (such as bruising) are low, it is always important to consult a professional. Ensure your health care practitioner has the appropriate training. Most Naturopathic Doctors (ND) are well trained in the use of acupuncture. Visit nband.ca for more information.

NaturalNews.com - January 28, 2010

Acupuncture improves sex drive and decreases hot flashes - by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger

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.

Eyewitness new 12- Jan 28, 2010

Acupuncture Could Help Treat PTSD - By Rebecca Gannon (WICHITA, Kan.)

The National Institute of Mental Health recognizes two treatments for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: counseling, and medication.

A Wichita woman proposes a third solution: she says her acupuncture can help people with PTSD.

When you think of post- traumatic stress, you probably don't think of feet.

But it's one of the first places Dr. Lori Jones looks. This English-born acupuncturist says it may look odd - but she nestles needles into specific points on the body. She says that promotes healing.

"We're not only physical beings," she explained, "We have our minds and we have our emotions, and when you put the needle in, you can affect those."

Dr. Jones says she can treat mental and emotional issues -- from attention deficit to autism, to post-traumatic stress disorder.

"The incredible thing with using acupuncture is that we have - and certainly my experience is - 97% of any client who comes to me with PTSD gets better within a few weeks. That's a pretty phenomenal statement."

She says ally is one of those clients.

"I was actually shot 8 times, in my back and in my arms," the woman said, quite calmly. Her only physical sign of that robbery last summer is this sling on her arm. But she constantly worries about who is on the other side of her door.

"It's basically a huge nightmare, is what it is," she said. "And it's just something you have to work through, and that's what I'm doing right now."

But she says the needles go deeper than her skin. "It just works," she shrugged. "I can't tell you how, I just know."

In another room, Willow Leenders deals with another invisible pain. She still feels the leg she lost to cancer 37 years ago.

It used to ache daily, but after five years of monthly acupuncture, she says it's almost a memory.

"Many people take a drug daily for the rest of their lives," said Willow as she sat with two pins in her remaining leg. "This is one treatment once a month."

Both women thank Dr. Jones - and her precisely placed needles.

So far, no insurance in Kansas covers acupuncture, though Blue Cross Blue Shield says it may offer discounts on certain alternative medicines.

The Kansas Board of Healing Arts says it does oversee acupuncture, but does not license it.

Castanet.net - Jan 22, 2010

Multiple sclerosis - by James Kaufman R.Ac.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease, where the body's immune system attacks the body’s myelin, the protective sheath that covers the nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord, eventually causing deterioration of the nerves themselves. When myelin is damaged, the messages that travel along that nerve may be slowed or blocked, interfering with the communication between the brain and the rest of the body. It is not yet understood exactly why multiple sclerosis occurs in some people and not others although a combination of factors, ranging from genetics to childhood infections, may play a role. Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world.

Multiple sclerosis can be difficult to diagnose early in the course of the disease, because symptoms often occur in periods of relapse and remission, sometimes disappearing for months. Symptoms vary widely, depending on the amount of damage and the particular nerves that are affected. Symptoms can include dizziness, fatigue, tremors, lack of coordination or unsteady walk, double vision or blurring of vision, tingling or pain in parts of the body, deterioration of vision, electrical jolt sensations that occur with certain head movements, and numbness or weakness in one or more limbs, which typically occurs on one side of the body at a time or the bottom half of the body. Symptoms of multiple sclerosis often are triggered or worsened by an increase in body temperature.

Because there is presently no cure for multiple sclerosis, treatment typically focuses on combating the autoimmune response and managing the symptoms. Western medical treatment mainly consists of medications to manage symptoms, although many disease-modifying treatments are being developed. Some people have such mild symptoms that no treatment is necessary.

In Chinese medicine, a number of factors are considered to contribute to the development of multiple sclerosis, including diet, lifestyle, and constitutional factors that may cause a vulnerability to developing this condition. MS is considered a dampness pattern, meaning that there is an obstruction of the flow of energy through the body’s channels, causing a feeling of heaviness in the legs as well as numbness and tingling. Over time, the blocked energy has an effect on other areas, causing a deficiency in the liver and kidneys that leads to blurred vision, weakness of the legs, dizziness, and vertigo.

Acupuncture cannot cure multiple sclerosis, but it can offer considerable help in alleviating the symptoms and slowing down the progress of the condition. However, the extent to which acupuncture can help depends on when treatment is started - the earlier treatment is started, the better. If treatment is started in the very early stages, symptoms can be minimized and even eliminated, and the disease progression slowed or halted. Later stages of multiple sclerosis can be more difficult to treat, however acupuncture can still be of benefit in the relief of symptoms. One can expect a schedule of 2-3 treatments per week for the first few weeks, going down to once a week as progress is made.

Living with a chronic illness such as MS is a challenge that means managing symptoms and preventing and minimizing flare-ups. Staying healthy, exercising, decreasing stress, avoiding heat, and lots of rest can play a big part in managing the condition and maintaining quality of life.

Taiwan News – January 20, 2010

Chinese vs. Western medicine: my 5000 trumps your 200 - By Joseph Yeh

Do you believe that a person's disease can be diagnosed simply by feeling the wrist pulse? That puncturing specific sites on the body with needles could possibly cure your chronic backache? Or that mushroom-like herbal medicine can serve as an energy booster or even enhance your immune system?

If you don't, you're probably not one of those hundreds of millions of followers of traditional Chinese medicine, an ancient healing system based on nearly five thousand years of research and experiments.

There have been disputes, however, on the worthiness of traditional Chinese medicine and its methods of curing illness as compared to Western medicine.

But in recent years, the effectiveness of Chinese medicine, which covers a wide range of practices including such treatments as herbal medicine, acupuncture, and Tui na massage, has come to be recognized increasingly throughout the world.

In 2003, the World Health Organization published a landmark study entitled "Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials," in which scientific evidence is cited to support the claim that ancient Chinese medication has proven to be scientifically effective for a total of 28 conditions.

200 years versus 5000

"To Westerners, scientific method consists of the collection of data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses," says Chuang Shih-ming, a Chinese medicine doctor based in Taipei City.

"Chinese medicine also takes the same approach," he argues. "The only difference lies in the fact that Western medicine uses about 200 years of such 'scientific' methods of observation and testing of hypotheses to prove its effectiveness, while the Chinese version uses several thousands of years."

Methodologically, Chinese medicine is also at odds with Western medicine.

Western medicine is analytically based on anatomy of the human body by focusing on medical test results and in particular on numbers, while Chinese medicine is holistic, regarding the human body as an inseparable whole, Chuang says.

Looked at this way, Western medicine and Chinese medicine should thus be referred to as micro- and macro-medical medicine respectively, he notes.

"Unlike the Western belief that says that bacteria and viruses cause disease, Chinese medicine only sees the different symptoms, and we tend to believe in the ability of a human to heal him or herself."?

So Chinese medical treatments are aimed at elevating one's ability to fight all the syndromes and to help people to regain and maintain balance in their body, he adds.

Clinical diagnosis and treatment

Sitting in the office of his Chinese Medicine Clinic in Taipei's Tianmu area, Chuang discloses that he was originally a computer programming language major in college, but because of his family background, he later transferred to the study of Chinese medicine.

Chuang goes on to say that clinical diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine are mainly based on the yin-yang and the five-element theory involving wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

These theories apply the phenomena and laws of nature to study of the physiological activities and pathological changes in the human body, he notes.

He shows me how a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner diagnoses a certain disease.

Traditional Chinese diagnostics are based on overall observation of human symptoms. A typical Chinese doctor's diagnostic methods begin by observing (gwang), then hearing and smelling (Ä^wen) a patient. He then asks about his or her background (UOwen) before feeling (Rqie) the person's wrist pulse.

The pulse-reading component of the touching examination is one of the most important parts of diagnosis, Chuang says.

After taking a patient's pulse, the doctor will do tongue examination.

The Chinese believe that by reading the condition of one's tongue, including its color, texture, shape, size, and coating, a practitioner can determine one's health.

Following all of the above examinations, the doctor will write a prescription which is taken to the front to be filled.

Herbs used in Chinese medicine are derived from plant, animal and mineral substances. Most herbal medicines are plant-derived, such as ginseng and ginger; however, some minerals and animal parts may also be prescribed for use in medication.

In Taiwan and many other parts of the world, herbs often come in formulas that call for a mixture of all kinds of herbal medicines.

In the past these prescriptions were steeped in boiled water to drink, but now they are also made into powder forms which are more convenient for patients to take.

Sometimes the patient may need other treatments for a condition, includine acupuncture, Tui na and cupping massage.

Tons of treatments

If you are not afraid of needle and are looking for a faster approach to solve your problem, you can try acupuncture, a technique in which the practitioner inserts fine needles into specific points on the patient's body.

The intended effect is to increase circulation and balance energy (qi) within the body.

But if you would prefer something less intrusive for your backache or shoulder pain, Tui na is something you should try.

The practitioner may brush, knead, roll and rub the patient's body, usually on his back and shoulder, to open up the body's qi and get the energy both along the meridians and in the muscles.

Another thing you can try is cupping (b‘P): A type of Chinese massage, cupping consists of placing several glass (now usually made of plastic) "cups" or jars on the patient's body. A match is lit and placed inside the cup and then removed before placing the cup against the skin. As the air in the cup is heated, it expands, and after placing it on the skin it cools down, creating a lower pressure inside the cup that allows the cup to stick to the skin via suction.

Cupping is generally indicated in the treatment of arthritic pain, lower back pain and headaches, and is also very effective for the common cold or coughing.

A global trend

Chuang's clinic is located in Tianmu, which is where the Taipei American School and Taipei Japanese School are located and many foreigners live, and the Chinese medicine doctor says he often has foreign patients.

He also finds that people from different parts of the world tend to accept different kinds of treatment.

"Koreans and Indians are open to all kinds of treatment, both the herbal medicines and Tui na massage, simply because they also have similar herbal remedies in their cultures," says Chuang.

He adds, however, that not many European and Americans will accept herbal medicine prescriptions.

"They prefer massage-style physical therapy and acupuncture, but very few of them like to take herbal medicine."

As people begin to realize the effectiveness of TCM and learn the limitations of Western medication, more and more are turning their attention to the practice that has been developed and widely practiced and accepted by Chinese around the world for thousands of years.

Personal Liberty News Desk- January 11, 2010

Traditional Pain Management Techniques Continue To Fail, Expert Concludes

Traditional pain management techniques continue to fail, expert concludes Many Americans are being undertreated for chronic pain associated with medical problems due to physicians’ fear of prescription drug overuse, personal bias or inadequate training, according to a pharmaceutical expert at the University of Oregon.

"We have more sophisticated pain management techniques available now than ever before," said Kathryn Hahn, a pharmacist and chair of the Oregon Pain Management Commission.

"But many doctors are not fully informed about all the options available, and also often turn patients away because they’re very concerned about the problems with prescription drug abuse," she added.

Hahn also feels that physicians are under-qualified to treat such problems due to a lack of specific training during medical school concerning pain management techniques.

"Surveys show that at least 30 percent of patients with moderate chronic pain and more than 50 percent of those with severe chronic pain fail to achieve adequate pain relief," said Hahn.

Meanwhile, there are a range of options outside of prescription drugs that can help treat chronic pain. Such remedies include acupuncture, meditation, chiropractic care, exercise and occupational therapy.

The Star Online - January 03, 2010

Ancient healing - Courtesy of Yomeishu

Although the first recorded history of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) dates back around 2,000 years, it is believed that its real origin goes back more than 5,000 years. Chinese medicinal practitioner Lim Sin Hoe shares with us the history of TCM and its medicinal concepts.

ACCORDING to Chinese mythology, the origin of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can be traced back to three legendary Emperors/mythical rulers: Fu Xi, Shen Nong, and Huang Di.

Historians believe that Shen Nong and Fu Xi were early tribal leaders. Fu Xi was a cultural hero who developed the trigrams of Yi Jing (I Ching) or Book of Changes.
With acupuncture, treatment is accomplished by stimulating certain areas of the external body. – AFP

Shen Nong, the legendary emperor who lived 5,000 years ago, is hailed as the “Divine Cultivator”/“Divine Farmer” by the Chinese because he is attributed as the founder of herbal medicine, and taught people how to farm. In order to determine the nature of different herbal medicines, Shen Nong sampled various kinds of plants, ingesting them himself to test and analyse their individual effects.

Legend has it that Shen Nong tasted a hundred herbs, including 70 toxic substances in a single day, in order to rid people of their illnesses. As there were no written records, it is said that the discoveries of Shen Nong were passed down verbally from generation to generation. It was only many years later that the oldest known book on agriculture and medicinal plants was compiled – Shen Nong Bencao Jing.

In 1578, after reading 800 medical references and conducting 30 years of field study, Li Shizhen completed the Bencao Gangmu, also known as the Compendium of Materia Medica, which has been translated into 20 languages and used as a reference until today.

Clinical diagnosis and treatment in TCM are mainly based on the yin-yang and five elements theories. These theories apply the phenomena and laws of nature to the study of the physiological activities and pathological changes of the human body and its interrelationships. Traditional Korean and Japanese medicine are said to have been developed with the strong influence of TCM.

Following a macro philosophy of disease, TCM diagnostics are based on overall observation of human symptoms rather than “micro” level laboratory tests. There are four types of TCM diagnostic methods: observe (wàng), hear and smell (wén), ask about background (wèn) and touching (qiè).

The diagnostics of an ailment not only includes its cause, mechanism, location, and nature, but also the confrontation between the pathogenic factor and body resistance. Treatment is not based only on the symptoms, but differentiation of syndromes.

Therefore, those with identical ailments may be treated in different ways, and on the other hand, different ailments may result in the same syndrome and are treated in similar ways.

Typical TCM therapies include acupuncture and herbal medicine. Qigong related physical, breathing, and meditation exercises are also often recommended to patients.

With acupuncture, treatment is accomplished by stimulating certain areas of the external body. Herbal medicine acts on organs internally, from improving blood circulation and immunity to addressing the root cause of serious ailments.

Qigong on the other hand, tries to restore the orderly “flow” inside the network through the regulation of “qi”. These therapies appear very different in approach, yet they all share the same underlying sets of assumptions and insights in the nature of the human body and its place in the universe.

TCM requires considerable diagnostic skill. Following formal education in recognised TCM colleges/universities, a training period of years or decades is said to be necessary for TCM practitioners to understand the full complexity of symptoms and dynamic balances. Modern practitioners often use a traditional system in combination with Western methods.

The following methods are considered to be part of TCM:

1. Acupuncture: from the Latin word acus, “needle”, and pungere, meaning “prick”, this is a technique in which the practitioner inserts fine needles into specific points on the patient’s body. Usually about a dozen acupoints are needled in one session, although the number of needles used may range anywhere from just one or two to 20 or more. The intended effect is to increase circulation and balance energy (qi) within the body.

2. Chinese food therapy: dietary recommendations are usually made according to the patient’s individual condition in relation to TCM theory. The “five flavours” indicate what function various types of food play in the body. A balanced diet, which leads to health, is when the five functional flavours are in balance. When one is diseased (and therefore unbalanced), certain foods and herbs are prescribed to restore balance to the body.

3. Chinese herbal medicine: of the approximately 500 Chinese herbs that are in use today, 250 or so are very commonly used. Rather than being prescribed individually, single herbs are combined into formulas that are designed to adapt to the specific needs of individual patients.

An herbal formula can contain anywhere from three to 25 herbs. As with diet therapy, each herb has one or more of the five flavours/functions and one of five “temperatures” (“qi”) (hot, warm, neutral, cool, cold). After the herbalist determines the energetic temperature and functional state of the patient’s body, a mixture of herbs tailored to balance disharmony is prescribed.

For example, the herbs Carthami flos and Leonuri herba are commonly prescribed to improve blood circulation and clear clotted blood, and are well known medicated herbs for women.

4. Cupping: A type of Chinese massage, cupping consists of placing several glass “cups” (open spheres) on the body. A match is lit and placed inside the cup and then removed before placing the cup against the skin. As the air in the cup is heated, it expands, and after placing on the skin, cools down, creating a lower pressure inside the cup that allows the cup to stick to the skin via suction.

When combined with massage oil, the cups can be slid around the back, offering what some practitioners think of as a reverse-pressure massage.

5. Gu Shang Ke or Chinese Medicinal Orthopedic: this is usually practised by martial artists who know aspects of Chinese medicine that apply to the treatment of trauma and injuries such as bone fractures, sprains, and bruises. Some of these specialists may also use or recommend other disciplines of Chinese medical therapies if serious injury is involved.

6. Tui na: a form of massage akin to acupressure from which the Japanese massage technique of Shiatsu evolved. Oriental massage is typically administered with the patient fully clothed, without the application of grease or oils. Choreography often involves thumb presses, rubbing, percussion, and stretches.

Telegraph Journal – Graham Barclay/Bloomberg News - January 02, 2010

Stick it to whatever ails you - The You Docs - Mike Roizen and Mehmet Oz

What do Cher, Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams and Titan, the world's tallest dog, have in common? Like more than 20 million Americans and Canadians, they're on pins and needles. Acupuncture needles, that is.

Acupuncture therapy involves inserting hair-thin needles into specific points on the body to treat countless problems, ranging from easing chronic pain and insomnia to reducing the side effects of cancer treatments and helping smokers quit.

This therapy involves inserting hair-thin needles into specific points on the body to treat countless problems, ranging from easing chronic pain and insomnia to reducing the side effects of cancer treatments and helping smokers quit. Acupuncture's been around longer than 60 Minutes has been airing: Archeologists have unearthed 5,000-year-old stone needles in Inner Mongolia.

But we like this popular form of energy medicine because it's backed by an impressive body of 21st-century research. Energy medicine? Yes, it seems to change the electric currents or nerve impulses in your body. And often, acupuncture can help when drugs can't be tolerated or when conventional treatments fail. It's a team player that works well alongside other treatments - an integrated approach used successfully for everything from sinusitis and allergies to infertility, asthma and beyond. One of us - Mehmet - even uses acupuncture as an add-on treatment during open-heart surgery, and the other - Mike - uses it to treat chronic pain as well as pain and nausea post surgery.

Here's what acupuncture clearly has been clearly shown to help so far - other studies are ongoing, so expect to see this list grow:

* Peaceful sleep. Just months ago, a Hong Kong University study of 60 insomniacs found that those who got acupuncture fell asleep faster and were more likely to stay that way (instead of waking up at 4 a.m. to worry about the stock market) than those who got a fake version of the treatment.

* Relief from arthritis. British researchers who analyzed five well-designed studies of 1,334 people with bum knees have confirmed that acupuncture relieves debilitating joint pain related to arthritis.

* Squelching pain. In a landmark German study of 1,162 back-pain sufferers, twice as many got relief from acupuncture as from conventional fixes such as drugs or physical therapy. Acupuncture also has been proven at least as effective as pain drugs not only for treating migraines, but for preventing them, too - making it a great choice if you can't tolerate the side effects of migraine-preventing meds like beta blockers.

* Reducing treatment side effects. Dozens of studies show that acupuncture helps quell pain, nausea, fatigue, hot flashes and dry mouth in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation.

How can one therapy do so much? Eastern and Western medical philosophies merge when a licensed acupuncturist inserts those sterile, disposable needles - painlessly, we promise! - into your skin. Eastern practitioners say the needles remove blockages so that the body's energy, called qi (pronounced "chee") flows freely. Western science shows that acupuncture boosts levels of pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory chemicals called endorphins in the brain and bloodstream. And that changes how your nerve impulses flow.

You don't even have to believe in it for acupuncture to work its magic. Case in point: Veterinarians know that acupuncture often helps ailing horses, goats, cats and dogs (including Titan, the world's biggest Great Dane) in measurable ways - such as being able to walk and run again. With animals, there's no placebo effect. It either works or it doesn't. Same goes for people. Many skeptical consumers who've tried acupuncture as a last resort become believers when they see results.

Ready to get stuck? First check your insurance. Some plans cover it; some don't. (We wish more did.) Then find a certified practitioner. Acupuncture is one of the most regulated alternative healing techniques in the U.S. and Canada, although requirements vary by state and province. More than 16,000 licensed acupuncturists and thousands of trained physicians practice this healing art. Find a health-care practitioner trained in acupuncture through the Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute (http://www.afcinstitute.com).

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