Acupuncture Cures Chronic Sinus Congestion – New Research

Acupuncture Cures Chronic Sinus Congestion – New Research

A new clinical study examined acupuncture for treatment of chronic rhinitis. Rhinitis is nasal congestion usually accompanied with post-nasal drip. There is irritation and inflammation of nasal tissue. In western medicine, this is ascribed to a viral or bacterial infection (or other antigen such as pollen) that stimulates mucus production. The study examined a test group of 85 patients and notes that chronic rhinitis is due to wind-cold or wind-heat obstructing lung Qi. These perspectives, both from Chinese medicine and allopathic medicine, are reconcilable in that wind-cold and wind-heat typically involve either a microbial infection or another antigen-antibody response.

If untreated, chronic rhinitis can last many years. Rhinitis can involve many complicated patterns such as epistaxis (nose bleeding), thick yellow or profuse white phlegm in the sinus and throat, coughing, insomnia, unclear thinking, difficulties with olfaction, dyspnea, asthma, and many other clinical complications.

Acupuncture Effective Rate
This recent clinical study had an effective rate of 96.5 percent with 61 persons obtaining total recovery, 21 with marked improvement, and 3 with no effect. To achieve the standard of total recovery, the resolution of all of the patient’s symptoms required resolution. Rhinoscopy and absence of symptomology was used to confirm the results. A two year follow-up confirmed total recovery. At a rate of one treatment per day, fifteen acupuncture sessions consisted of one course of treatment. The 96.5 percent effective rate was achieved after two courses of treatment (30 acupuncture appointments) unless total recovery was achieved prior to completion of the second course of acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture Treatment Protocol
The needles were 0.35 mm (28 guage) in diameter and 40-50 mm in length. The acupuncture points chosen were: GB20 (Fengchi), LI4 (Hegu), and St36 (Zusanli). Supplementary acupuncture points were UB12 (Fengmen), UB13 (Feishu), Yintang (Ex-HN 3), and Du14 (Dazhui). Supplementary acupuncture points were chosen dependent upon differential diagnostics. In many cases, 20 minutes of manual needle manipulation were applied at each acupuncture visit. Tonification and reduction acupuncture needle techniques and moxa were chosen dependent upon excess, deficient, heat, and cold diagnostics.

Etiology and Analysis of the Study
In one analysis, the initial response to the pathogenic attack begins to linger as a residual pathogenic influence that never fully clears from the bodily system. In western medicine, a pathogen lodges in the body and stimulates the inflammatory chemicals of the complement cascade. In Chinese medicine, chronic rhinitis usually begins as a Wei or Qi level attack (Wen Bing, 4 levels) or a Tai Yang Shan Han, Tai Yang Zhong Feng, Tai Yang Su Xue, or Tai Yang Su Shui attack (six stages of cold induced illness). The lung Qi becomes compromised and the bodily system may develop a complex of excess and deficient patterns lodging in the Taiyin and Yangming acupuncture channels.

There is no inconsistency with the modern medicine view that a microbial pathogen or other antigen is the cause of the chronic rhinitis. An antigen is sufficient to cause chronic rhinitis, however, other factors may initiate the inflammatory response absent invasive antigens. Therefore, antigens are not necessary to initiate rhinitis. In that sense, allopathic medicine measures some, but not all, of the etiological factors contributing to chronic rhinitis. In Chinese medicine, the overall physiological strength of the lungs and the pathways leading to the nasal system are equally as important as the immunological responses to antigens. Further, environmental conditions such as dryness, heat, dampness, coldness, etc… are important factors. Moreover, dietary and emotional factors play important roles in balancing the respiratory pathways.

Reference: An Hua, Qinhuangdao Port Hospital, Hebei, China. "Treatment of 85 Cases with Chronic Rhinitis by Acupuncture." J. Acupunct. Tuina. Sci. 2010, 8 (5): 318.

http://www.healthcmi.com/index.php/acupuncturist-news-online/347-acupuncturecureschronicsinuscongestion1811

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National Cancer Institute Favorable on Acupuncture

National Cancer Institute Favorable on Acupuncture

Questions and Answers About Acupuncture

1. What is acupuncture?

   Acupuncture applies needles, heat, pressure, and other treatments to certain places on the skin to cause a change in the physical functions of the body. The use of acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM is a medical system that has been used for thousands of years to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease.

   Acupuncture is based on the belief that qi (vital energy) flows through the body along a network of paths, called meridians. Qi is said to affect a person’s spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical condition. According to TCM, qi has two forces, yin and yang. Yin and yang are opposite forces that work together to form a whole. The forces of yin and yang depend on each other and are made from each other in an unending cycle, such as hot and cold, day and night, and health and disease. Nothing is ever all yin or all yang, both exist in all things, including people. Many of the major organs of the body are believed to be yin-yang pairs that must be in balance to be healthy. When a person's yin and yang are not in balance, qi can become blocked. Blocked qi causes pain, illness, or other health problems. TCM uses acupuncture, diet, herbal therapy, meditation, physical exercise, and massage to restore health by unblocking qi and correcting the balance of yin and yang within the person.

   Most acupuncturists in the United States practice acupuncture according to the traditions of Chinese medicine. However, there are other types of acupuncture, including some used for medical treatment, that have different theories about meridians and acupoint locations.

2. What is the history of the discovery and use of acupuncture as a complementary and alternative treatment for cancer?

   The oldest medical book known, written in China 4000 years ago, describes the use of acupuncture to treat medical problems. The use of the treatment spread to other Asian countries and to other regions of the world, including to Europe by the 1700s. In the United States, acupuncture has been used for about 200 years.

   Research on acupuncture began in the United States in 1976. Twenty years later, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the acupuncture needle as a medical device. Many illnesses are treated with acupuncture, but it is used mainly to control pain, including pain incancer patients and to help control nausea and vomiting. Its primary use in cancer patients has been as an addition to conventional (standard) therapy.

3. What is the theory behind the claim that acupuncture is useful in treating cancer?

   According to TCM, qi can be unblocked by using acupuncture at certain places on the skin, calledacupoints. Acupoints are places where the meridians come to the surface of the body. There are more than 2,000 acupoints on the human body, with specific acupoints for each condition being treated.

4. What physical effects may acupuncture have when used in cancer patients?

   Acupuncture may cause physical responses in nerve cells, the pituitary gland, and parts of the brain. These responses can cause the body to release proteins, hormones, and brain chemicals that control a number of body functions. It is proposed that, in this way, acupuncture affects blood pressure and body temperature, boosts immune system activity, and causes the body's natural painkillers, such as endorphins, to be released.

5. How is acupuncture administered?

   The acupuncture method most well-known uses needles. Disposable, stainless steel needles that are slightly thicker than a human hair are inserted into the skin at acupoints. The acupuncturepractitioner determines the correct acupoints to use for the problem being treated. The inserted needles may be twirled, moved up and down at different speeds and depths, heated, or charged with a weak electric current. There are other acupuncture methods that do not use needles.

   Some acupuncture techniques include the following:

   • Electroacupuncture: A procedure in which pulses of weak electrical current are sent through acupuncture needles into acupoints in the skin.
   • Trigger point acupuncture: The placing of acupuncture needles in a place on the skin that is away from the painful part of the body. Trigger points have to do with referred pain, pain that is not felt at the site of injury, but is sent along nerves and felt elsewhere in the body.
   • Laser acupuncture: The use of a weak laser beam instead of an acupuncture needle to stimulate an acupoint.
   • Acupuncture point injection: The use of a syringe and needle to inject drugs, vitamins, herbalextracts, or other fluids into the body at an acupoint.
   • Microwave acupuncture: The use of a microwave device attached to an acupuncture needle to deliver microwave radiation to an acupoint.
   • Acupressure: A type of massage therapy in which the fingers are used to press on an acupoint. In cancer patients, acupressure has been used to control symptoms such as pain ornausea and vomiting.
   • Moxibustion: A type of heat therapy in which an herb is burned above the body to warm a meridian at an acupoint and increase the flow of blood and qi. The herb may be placed directly on the skin, held close to the skin for several minutes, or placed on the tip of an acupuncture needle.
   • Cupping: A procedure in which a rounded glass cup is warmed and placed upside down over an area of the body, making a vacuum that holds the cup to the skin. Cupping is used to increase the flow of blood and qi. It is believed to open up the skin’s pores and allow toxins to leave the body.

6. Have any preclinical (laboratory or animal) studies been conducted using acupuncture?

   Scientific studies on the use of acupuncture to treat cancer and side effects of cancer began only recently. Laboratory and animal studies suggest that acupuncture can reduce vomiting caused bychemotherapy and may help the immune system be stronger during chemotherapy. Animal studies support the use of electroacupuncture to relieve cancer pain. Laboratory and animal studies have also looked at how acupuncture works for cancer treatment, such as the role of acupuncture in stimulating immune functions, including increasing blood cell count and enhancing lymphocyte and natural killer cell activity.

7. Have any clinical trials (research studies with people) of acupuncture been conducted?

   Most studies of the use of acupuncture in cancer patients have been done in China. In 1997, theNational Institutes of Health (NIH) began evaluating the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture as a complementary and alternative therapy.

   • Studies of the effect of acupuncture on the immune system

     Human studies on the effect of acupuncture have shown that it changes immune system response.

   • Studies of the effect of acupuncture on pain

     In clinical studies, acupuncture reduced the amount of pain in some cancer patients. In one study, most of the patients treated with acupuncture were able to stop taking drugs for pain relief or to take smaller doses. The findings from these studies are not considered strong, however, because of weaknesses in study design and size. Studies using strict scientificmethods are needed to prove how acupuncture affects pain.

   • Studies of the effect of acupuncture on muscle and joint pain from aromatase inhibitors

     Aromatase inhibitors, a type of hormone therapy for postmenopausal women who have hormone-dependent breast cancer, may cause muscle and joint pain. A randomized studyfound that true acupuncture was much more effective in relieving joint pain and stiffness thansham (inactive) acupuncture in patients taking aromatase inhibitors.

   • Studies of the effect of acupuncture on nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy

     The strongest evidence of the effect of acupuncture has come from clinical trials on the use of acupuncture to relieve nausea and vomiting. Several types of clinical trials using different acupuncture methods showed acupuncture reduced nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, surgery, and morning sickness. It appears to be more effective in preventing vomiting than in reducing nausea.

     A study of acupuncture, vitamin B6 injections, or both for nausea and vomiting in patients treated with chemotherapy for ovarian cancer found that acupuncture and vitamin B6 together gave more relief from vomiting than acupuncture or vitamin B6 alone.

   • Studies of the effect of acupuncture on hot flashes in patients treated for cancer

     Hormone therapy may cause hot flashes in women with breast cancer and men with prostate cancer. Some studies have shown that acupuncture may be effective in relieving hot flashes in these patients.

   • Study of the effect of acupuncture on fatigue in patients treated for cancer

     A randomized study of patients with cancer-related fatigue found that those who had a series of acupuncture treatments had less fatigue compared to those who had acupressure or sham acupressure treatments.

   • Studies of the effect of acupuncture on cancer symptoms (other than nausea) and side effects of cancer treatment

     The aim of most acupuncture clinical observation and clinical trials in cancer patients has been to study the effects of acupuncture on cancer symptoms and side effects caused by cancer treatment, including weight loss, cough, coughing up blood, anxiety, depression, dry mouth, proctitis, speech problems, blocked esophagus, hiccups, and fluid in the arms or legs. Studies have shown that, for many patients, treatment with acupuncture either relieves symptoms or keeps them from getting worse.

8. Have any side effects or risks been reported from acupuncture?

   There have been few complications reported. Problems are caused by using needles that are notsterile (free of germs) and from placing the needle in the wrong place, movement of the patient, or a defect in the needle. Problems include soreness and pain during treatment; feeling tired, lightheaded, or sleepy; and infections. Because chemotherapy and radiation therapy weaken the body's immune system, a strict clean needle method must be used when acupuncture treatment is given to cancer patients. It is important to seek treatment from a qualified acupuncture practitioner who uses a new set of disposable (single-use) needles for each patient.

9. Is acupuncture approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a cancer treatment in the United States?

   The FDA approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners in 1996. The FDA requires that sterile, nontoxic needles be used and that they be labeled for single use by qualified practitioners only.

   More than 40 states and the District of Columbia have laws regulating acupuncture practice (seewww.acufinder.com for an online database of licensed acupuncture providers). The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (www.nccaom.org) certifies practitioners of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Most states require this certification.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/acupuncture/Patient/page2
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To The Point: Acupuncture: Its Growth In the United States & How It Works

To The Point: Acupuncture: Its Growth In the United States & How It Works

by John D. Convey, L.Ac.

Over the past year I’ve observed the growth of Acupuncture and Asian Medicine and have witnessed it’s upswing in popularity not only in my practice but also within the community of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). In turn, this surge in popularity has spread amongst patients in the United States who in the past relied mostly on Western Medicine but now actively seek answers within the field of Acupuncture and Asian Medicine for means and methods to achieve health, well-being and overall care.

One of my objectives is to provide a better understanding about the use of Acupuncture and Asian Medicine within our society. Being part of a larger movement and having my own practice, I think it beneficial to share my knowledge and to increase public awareness of the progress, promise, and benefits that both alternatives provide and come under the umbrella of a specific community and definition known as CAM.

Defining CAM – Complementary And Alternative Medicine. Because the field of alternative medicine is constantly evolving we’ll apply a basic definition to the concept and understanding of what CAM is. CAM is a group of diverse health and medical care systems, practices and products that are not generally considered to be part of conventional medicine. Conventional Medicine also known as Western Medicine is associated with and practiced by holders of M.D. and D.O. degrees and by associated health professionals, such as psychologists, registered nurses and physical therapists.

It is important to note that the boundaries between CAM and conventional medicine are not absolute. And should not be seen as a divide. As the practices of Complementary and Alternative Medicine continues to become more widely accepted and relied upon in the respective fields of medicine, the definition grows and the two systems continue to merge. So in brief, Complementary Medicine refers to the use of CAM together with conventional medicine.

As a health care professional, I must stress how important it is that this merger continues to grow and increase so patients can receive optimal care, relief and overall treatment for an existing or new condition.

An estimated 36% of U.S. adults use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), according to a survey by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a component of the National Institutes of Health. When megavitamin therapy and prayer, specifically for health reasons is included in the definition of CAM, the number of U.S. adults using some form of CAM in the past year rises to 62%. Among the common CAM practices identified by the survey were acupuncture, acupressure, herbal medicine, tai chi and Qi gong.

As these methods of practice continue to sync we, as healers are seeing a trend that supports the idea that the use of conventional medicine along side and stride with alternative medicine is helping an increasing number of patients deal with illness and injury. In some instances many of these illnesses and injuries have been hard to diagnose or may still be without specific conclusion consequently patients who would have gone without treatment have now found a path through CAM to seek care and relief.

Acupuncture and Asian Medicine is a bridge between that which is known conclusively through medical or conventional practice and that, which is not known but is acknowledged by the body and mind’s own intuitive nature. Making alternative practices not only important but also necessary.

A survey by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine found that approximately one in ten adults had received acupuncture at least one time and 60% said they would readily consider acupuncture as a potential treatment option. Nearly half (48%) of the individuals surveyed who had received acupuncture reported that they were extremely satisfied or very satisfied with their treatment. In addition, one in five (21%) of the total NCCAOM survey respondents reported that they had utilized some other form of Oriental medicine besides acupuncture, such as herbs or bodywork (e.g., shiatsu).

These studies and others like them clearly demonstrate that CAM therapies such as acupuncture and Oriental medicine are common practice in today’s health care system. They also support the need for consumers to be provided accurate and reliable information regarding their treatment options. It is again important to stress that as alternative practices grow the benefits of receiving such forms of treatment are providing patients with restored health.

My personal goal in writing this goes beyond providing a basic understanding of Alternative practices but to zero in on my specific specialty. Which is acupuncture and I believe acupuncture truly works. My passion is to ensure I provide Americans with and understanding that ultimately helps each individual understand how to access this practice and to receive the benefits that come from its use.

The human body is made up of over 300 billion cells. Every one of those cells is encoded with DNA that serves cells much like blueprints help orchestrate the building of a structure. Each cell has a unique “calling” or “function” to perform; some cells become smooth muscle tissue, while others become part of the nervous system, and so on. The process of the cell developing and operating as precise types allows all the cells to collectively work as one unit, in this case the all important human body. And more specifically – your body.

Let me use the model of modern technology as analogy to the human organism. Imagine that each of those 300 billion cells that make up the human anatomy are like the inner workings of tiny wireless lap top computers and smart phones. Communication with these devices is initiated through an energy that has been termed Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi has the ability to send and receive pieces of information, images, emails, etc. through thin air with not so much as a trace for the human senses to recognize. The cells that make up you have the same complex and compressive modality to transfer and receive bits of information called “Qi” (Chi) – it is the bodies Wi-Fi.

The Qi transmits information to and from the cell to acupuncture points throughout the body. Acupuncture points are like routers for your home or office that connect an entire system to one unit. Cellular antennas if you will, are hardwired into the circulatory and nervous systems much as our computer devices are plugged into the wall or travel via cable to and from the main server. Information is received and collected at these points and is then sent up to the server, in this case, the brain.

As a Doctor of acupuncture, I listen to the signals if you well – or the body’s communication and transmissions much like a technician reads the make-up of an electronic unit, to develop and devise a routine for repairing and healing the internal system.

This wireless communication is at the root of cellular organization, development, and growth. Its ability to thrive as a single unit collectively creates the network that completes the human body. It is through the body’s Wi-Fi system that acupuncture communicates then triggers, and stimulates a specific area in need of healing. Understanding the concept of wireless communication, or using technology as analogy, helps to explain how the human organism, like a computer in sync with its software, enjoys cooperation and communication among its specific parts and areas. Specific to the human body, each cell makes up the organization of the entire organism, which consequently makes communication and healing possible.

It is a magnificent system that should not be underestimated or ignored because of this very unique ability to communicate the needs of the human infrastructure, exterior structure and the complete body. Along with Complementary and Alternative medicine and well versed practitioners, you are your own best friend when it comes to the cycle of health.

Your body is there to tell you everything there is to know. And I will be here to help translate, communicate understanding and heal the body’s instant message.

http://www.outimpact.com/features/health-spirituality-wellness/point-well-taken/point-acupuncture-growth-united-states-works/

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Injured Roman Pavlyuchenko tries acupuncture in bid to relieve Tottenham striker crisis

By ASHLEY GRAY
Last updated at 11:57 AM on 11th November 2010

Roman Pavlyuchenko is having intensive acupuncture in a bid to solve Tottenham’s striker crisis before the weekend.

White Hart Lane boss Harry Redknapp fears that Peter Crouch will be his only fully fit striker for Saturday’s visit of Blackburn.

But Pavlyuchenko, who was forced off at half time with back pain during Spurs 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Tuesday night, said he had only suffered a spasm which was responding to treatment.

I'll be back: Inured Pavlyuchenko is having acupuncture treatment to help ease Tottenham's striker crisis

‘I felt the pain around the 25th minute after clashing with an opponent,’ said the 28-year-old Russia international. ‘My back cramped up and I was in a lot of pain.

‘In the dressing room I told the doctor and had a massage, but it didn’t help.

‘But on Wednesday I had a check-up which, thank God, revealed only a muscle spasm.

Up for it: The Russia international hopes to return to action for this weekend's visit of Blackburn

‘I’m walking gingerly, but I’m being intensively treated with acupuncture and massages.

‘I hope that after a couple of days everything will return to normal - then nothing will stop me from coming to the national team for the game against Belgium (next week).

‘But I can only say that with confidence closer to the weekend.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1328687/Roman-Pavlyuchenko-acupuncture-help-ease-Tottenham-striker-crisis.html#ixzz14zufxEZr

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Acupuncture in the treatment of mental illness and drug addiction

Protecting the 'least among us'

By Brian Lindstrom I was recently in Germany and Denmark documenting innovative uses of acupuncture in the treatment of mental illness and drug addiction. What I encountered brought into sharp focus what would be available to us if we as a society prioritized the well-being of children and people suffering from mental illness and addiction.

About an hour outside of Hamburg, a man by the name of Wolfgang gave me a tour of the residential drug treatment center he runs. It resembles a quaint boarding school, possessing none of the institutional drabness I've come to expect after filming clinics in Oregon, Washington, Kentucky, Texas, Florida and Ohio. Wolfgang's clinic uses only acupuncture – no medications – in treating drug withdrawal. Through an interpreter, a 35-year-old female crack addict told me this approach "calms and focuses me, greatly reduces my symptoms and cravings, and makes me think that the answer to healing my addiction is within me, and is accessed through acupuncture."
I asked Wolfgang how long addicts typically had to wait for admission to his clinic. He didn't understand my question, so I asked again. As I was about to ask a third time, it dawned on me the confusion wasn't due to language, but to Wolfgang's inability as a physician to comprehend why any patient should have to wait for treatment. I explained to him that in Portland people sleep outside every night of the year in hopes of being admitted to Hooper Detox the following morning. Because of space limitations, many are turned away. It's common for an addict to try five or six times before getting admitted. Wolfgang looked at me in stunned silence, then sadly shook his head. In Copenhagen, I filmed Mette, a psychiatric nurse and acupuncturist, as she visited "social psychiatric" organizations -- neighborhood homes turned into drop-in centers -- using acupuncture to treat mental illness. The acupuncture, often done in small groups, and the homey atmosphere help create a sense of warmth and community. At one of the homes, a woman was in the kitchen making a cake to celebrate her first bridge crossing in four years -- an important victory over one of her phobias. Later, she shared the cake with another woman who, after giving birth to her third child, suffered such severe post-partem depression that she couldn't adequately care for her newborn. Now, after the benefits of social psychiatry, she is able to mother her baby. The next morning, Mette and I drove her 13-year-old son, Jakob, to school. The school day started like any other, with all the students (ranging in age from 5 to 15) and the teachers in the gym for morning assembly. "Smoking is Crap," a song written by one of the classes, was sung by the entire assembly. Next the principal, a vibrant woman in her 60s, called a 13-year-old boy to the front of the gym. She warmly put her arm around him and extolled a detailed list of his virtues and accomplishments. Then everyone sang him "Happy Birthday" He smiled deeply, hugged the principal and sat down. Next, a 5-year-old girl stood up and explained that she had lost a ninja turtle toy and would like it returned in case anyone found it. You could tell it was hers, she explained, because she wrote her name on the toy turtle's foot. I was struck by the focus and calm of the assembled students, who numbered about 75. There was no name-calling, no texting or disciplinary problems, and the maturity of the older students was demonstrated by the 5-year-old girl's complete confidence that her missing toy alert would be taken seriously. And it was. The classes at this school have no more than 20 students, and music, art and P.E. are required daily. In the summer, there is a six-week vacation. I asked Mette what it costs to send Jakob to the school, bracing myself for Catlin Gabel-like numbers. "Two hundred dollars per month," she answered. I resisted the urge to inquire about Denmark's immigration policy. My wife and I are self-employed. We paid more than $14,000 last year in health insurance and medical bills. One of our two children sees an occupational therapist for one hour a week. Our insurance company just informed us that it will no longer cover any such visits for the rest of this year. Paying out of pocket, our bill will be $425 a week, but the visits have helped our child make great strides in both fine and gross motor skills. The relevant question here isn't: "What should my wife and I do?" or "What would you do?" The question that must be asked is why are any of us content with health care and educational systems that make a mockery of what seems to me to be the purpose of any worthwhile government or society: to protect the "least among us," in this case our children and people suffering from mental illness and addiction. I'm reminded of the old Talmudic saying: "If I am not for me, who will be for myself? If I am for myself only, what am I? If not now, when?" Brian Lindstrom is a Portland filmmaker.

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/11/protecting_the_least_among_us.html

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