Acupuncture News and Research
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Acupuncture reduces cancer-related fatigue and improves quality of life for cancer patients. An investigation conducted by the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University reveals that acupuncture can improve the related symptoms of headaches, weakness, and depression in patients with cancer-related fatigue (CRF). The research team concludes that “Acupuncture is effective in treating CRF and should be considered as a widely accepted treatment option in clinical practice for cancer care.” [1] This research was published in Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion.
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Acupuncture plus herbal medicine are found effective for the treatment of insufficient lactation. No. 3201 Hospital of Shanxi Province researchers determined that acupuncture plus herbal medicine has a 91.30% total effective rate when combined with routine breastfeeding care. This was an improvement over patients receiving only routine care.
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Acupuncture plus herbs benefit elderly patients with functional constipation. Researchers from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial and confirmed that the combined protocol of acupuncture plus herbal medicine produces superior outcomes to using Duphalac monotherapy (i.e. lactulose, a synthetic sugar used to treat chronic constipation) to control functional constipation in elderly patients. [1]
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Acupuncture reduces numbness, local pain, and radiating pain emanating from the neck. Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers tested the efficacy of electroacupuncture and cervical vertebra traction therapy. Both therapies produced significant results and electroacupuncture outperformed traction across several parameters. [1]
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Acupuncture and herbs are effective for the treatment of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (Wangjing Hospital) researchers determined that acupuncture combined with herbs restores hearing capabilities. In a two-arm investigation, acupuncture plus herbs outperformed alprostadil combined with mecobalamin for the treatment of SSHL. [1]
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Researchers confirm that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of Bell’s palsy. In one investigation, acupuncture plus standard drug therapy outperformed drug monotherapy. In another independent investigation, researchers found that applying low frequency electroacupuncture produces significant positive outcomes for acute Bell’s palsy patients. Let’s take a look at both investigations.
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Acupuncture improves ischemic stroke patient outcomes. Investigators from Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and its affiliated hospital conducted a clinical trial comparing regular scalp acupuncture with warm scalp acupuncture. The results show that the warm scalp acupuncture group produced superior patient outcomes. [1]
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Acupuncture plus drug therapy outperforms drug monotherapy for the treatment of nodular goiter. In research conducted at the Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture plus levothyroxine produced a 91.4% total effective rate; using only levothyroxine produced a 68.6% total effective rate. The addition of acupuncture to the drug treatment protocol increased the total effective rate by 22.8%. [1]
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Acupuncture combined with moxa is effective for the treatment of shoulder periarthritis. Suyang City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers conducted a clinical trial comparing distal warm needle acupuncture with local non-moxa acupuncture treatments. The results show that patients receiving distal warm needle acupuncture have better recovery rates but lower total effective rates. [1] A third arm to the study would have helped clarify whether or not additive or synergistic effects are produced by combining local and distal approaches to patient care.
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Acupuncture demonstrates acupoint specificity in stimulating the immune system to effectively respond to bacterial endotoxins. Harvard Medical School researchers in combination with researchers from Fudan University and China Academy of Medical Sciences have made an important discovery. The research team has identified the exact neurons that only specific acupuncture points stimulate to produce powerful anti-inflammatory effects.
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Acupuncture reduces pain and inflammation for patients with lumbar disc herniations. Kaifeng People's Hospital researchers compared warm needle acupuncture with standard acupuncture. Warm needle acupuncture reduced serum levels of proinflammatory biochemicals more effectively than standard acupuncture. In addition, warm needle acupuncture was more effective at reducing overall pain levels and restoring daily function. [1]
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Acupuncture is an effective postoperative analgesic treatment modality. First Hospital of Haerbin Medical University researchers compared drug analgesia with electroacupuncture for postoperative total knee arthroplasty patients. Electroacupuncture produced better outcomes regarding downregulation of serum prostaglandin E2 levels and upregulation of β-endorphin levels. The researchers commented that low-frequency pulsed current (LFPC) transferred to the body via electroacupuncture was instrumental in producing the beneficial effects. [1] The researchers conclude that electroacupuncture improves postoperative analgesia by lowering serum PGE2 and up-regulating β-endorphin. In addition, electroacupuncture promotes rapid postoperative recovery of knee range of motion and has demonstrated a high safety rate.
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Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of depression. Guangzhou First People’s Hospital (affiliated with Guangzhou Medical University) researchers compared SSRI (serotonin reuptake inhibitor) monotherapy with SSRI plus electroacupuncture therapy. The data driven results determined that the combined therapy increases the rate of positive patient outcomes.
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Acupuncture improves stroke patient outcomes. Suining County People’s Hospital researchers determined that acupuncture combined with thrombolytic therapy is more effective than thrombolytic monotherapy for acute cerebral infarction patients. [1] This type of stroke is often referred to as an ischemic stroke. It is due to blood vessel disorders that result in disruption of brain blood flow and result in deprivation of oxygen and nutrients.
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Acupuncture restores symmetry to patients with Bell’s palsy, a type of peripheral facial paralysis. Luoyang Dongfang Hospital researchers conducted a clinical trial comparing electroacupuncture monotherapy with a combined protocol of warm needle acupuncture plus electroacupuncture. The electroacupuncture monotherapy group had a 75.67% total effective rate, with 28 out of 37 patients obtaining significant clinical results. The combined protocol significantly outperformed the monotherapy approach to patient care. Combining electroacupuncture with warm needle acupuncture produced a 94.59% total effective rate (35 out of 37 patients had significant clinical results). [1]
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Acupuncture provides support for Alzheimer's disease patients. Hebi People’s Hospital (Heilongjiang Province) researchers compared acupuncture plus exercise with exercise monotherapy. Adding acupuncture to the therapeutic regimen improved patient outcomes.
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Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of Meniere's disease. Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers determined that acupuncture alleviates dizziness, tinnitus, and hearing loss for Meniere's disease patients. The research team documents the acupuncture methods used to achieve clinical results and the parameters used to gauge the measurements of clinical outcomes.
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Acupuncture alleviates pain and restores mobility for patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD), a temporomandibular joint disturbance syndrome involving the jaw joint and muscles. Second Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers examined two acupuncture protocols in a clinical trial. They determined that warm needle acupuncture produced a 93.3% total effective rate and standard manual acupuncture produced an 86.7% total effective rate. [1] The efficacy criteria included 4 levels:
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Acupuncture is an effective treatment modality for the alleviation of gout. Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers combined auricular acupuncture with warm needle acupuncture and determined that the combined approach significantly enhances the efficacy of drug therapy. Drug monotherapy produced an 81.67% total effictive rate. Adding acupuncture into the therapeutic regimen of care increased the total effective to 95%. Equally as important, the fully recovered rate was significantly higher in patients that received acupuncture.
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Acupuncture alleviates prostatitis and reduces relapse rates. Jiujiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers compared usual pharmaceutical treatment with acupuncture. The results show that acupuncture promotes local blood circulation, improves urethra and bladder function, and alleviates overall symptoms correlated with prostatitis.
