Acupuncture

Increasingly, people are looking for more natural approaches to help relieve painful conditions instead of relying on medications. Acupuncture has no side effects and can be helpful for all types of pain, regardless of what is causing the pain or where the pain is located. Some studies have shown the pain relief it provides can last for months. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain before and after acupuncture treatment for pain shows dramatic decreases in brain activity--up to 70 percent. This decrease in activity in certain areas of the brain is thought to be the reason why acupuncture treatments reduce pain. In addition to reducing pain, acupuncture also hastens the healing process by increasing circulation and attracting white blood cells to an injured area. The basis of acupuncture is expressed in this famous Chinese saying: "Bu tong ze tong, tong ze bu tong," which means "free flow: no pain, no free flow: pain." In other words, any kind of pain or illness represents an obstruction in the normal flow of Qi, or…

A pilot study found in the medical publication International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases 2010, demonstrated the safety and efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study criteria focused on the disease activity, pain scores, functional ability and quality of life issues for the study participants. To evaluate disease activity, researchers used the DAS28 test. This test measures and records the levels of tenderness and inflammation of 28 separate joints in the body. The study, conducted at Kwong Wah Hospital in Hong Kong, provided an average of 14 acupuncture sessions for each patient. At the end, researchers determined that improvements in the physical, emotional and social well-being of some of the participants improved. The improvement was significant enough to conclude that acupuncture is a viable treatment method to reduce pain and other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Source: Lao WN et al. Effects of Acupuncture on Rheumatoid Arthritis. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases. Conference: 14th Congress of Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology, APLAR 2010 Hong Kong Hong Kong. Conference…

Psoriatic arthritis is a joint disease that affects people who suffer from psoriasis. A chronic and recurrent condition, psoriatic arthritis can have periods of remission with little to no symptoms present. No matter what state the disease is in, acupuncture can provide relief. During times of remission, acupuncture can help strengthen the immune system and reduce the duration and severity of the next episode. The most common symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include joint pain, stiffness, swelling and redness. Any of the joints in the body can be affected. This includes the toes, fingers, neck and spine. When the spinal column is affected, a condition called spondylitis may ensue, making movement difficult and painful. When the hands or feet are affected, they may become moderately to severely physically deformed. There's no reason to be tentative or fearful of utilizing acupuncture during a symptom outbreak. There are many acupuncture point combinations available, so avoiding areas of inflammation is not a problem. A psoriatic arthritis patient may be diagnosed as having Bi-syndrome. This is a class…

Study Shows Reduced Seasonal Allergy Symptoms A study "The Effects of Acupuncture on Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis," published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in February of 2013, brings encouraging news for sufferers of seasonal allergies. Researchers set out to determine if acupuncture treatments plus the use of antihistamine drugs could significantly reduce symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis. 46 physicians from 6 hospitals and 32 outpatient medical clinics contributed to the large-scale trial. All of the study participants tested positive for allergies to birch and grass pollen. Their symptoms included nasal blockages and runny noses. An evaluation occurred at 8 weeks, after the patients underwent 12 sessions of treatment each. Patients who received real acupuncture treatments experienced a statistically important reduction in their symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis when compared to the sham acupuncture and histamine-only groups. Additionally, the real acupuncture group also witnessed a reduction in the need for antihistamines to manage their symptoms. Source: M. Ortiz, C.M. Witt, S. Roll, K. Linde, F. Pfab, B. Niggemann, J. Hummelsberger, A. Treszl, J. Ring, T. Zuberbier, K.…

Asthma is a chronic disease that causes inflammation in the lungs and, consequently, a narrowing of the bronchial tubes--also known as the air passages. This makes breathing difficult as airflow is restricted. Tell-tale signs of asthma include wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, and a feeling of tightness in the chest. Some substances and conditions may cause or worsen the symptoms of asthma including physical activity, cold air, smoke, emotional distress or airborne allergens. Conventional medical treatment offers a variety of pharmaceutical drugs, which are specific to the patient's triggers and symptoms of asthma. If you suffer from asthma, additional treatment from your acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioner in addition to conventional medical treatment may prove to be a winning combination. A study called "Immunomodulatory Effects of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Allergic Asthma: A Randomized Controlled Study", published in 2007 in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine , demonstrates the role acupuncture and Oriental medicine can have in the treatment of asthma symptoms. At the end of the study, it was shown that 79…

Allergic Rhinitis? Try Acupuncture for Relief! For many sufferers of allergic rhinitis, there's no need to hear a news report detailing the pollen count outside, as their runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes will let them know. Often these symptoms strike in the summer and spring, but some patients also have symptoms due to an allergy to dust, mites or dander, to name a few. This condition is more commonly referred to as hay fever, seasonal allergies, or just plain allergies. Symptoms typically include sneezing, runny nose, postnasal drip, and irritated eyes, ears, nose and throat. Normally, when a healthy body comes into contact with foreign particles in the air (allergens), the immune system initiates a response to neatly and harmlessly dispose of the allergens—not so for sufferers of hay fever. In their case, the immune system becomes hyperactive and destructive to the body, causing the symptoms of allergic rhinitis.Acupuncture and Oriental medicine recognizes allergic rhinitis as a condition that is provoked by external factors, although it generally occurs because the body already…