Acupuncture ranks as one of the best non-pharmacological treatments for functional chronic constipation (CFC), according to a network meta-analysis carried out by Chinese authors. They included 33 randomised trials with 4324 participants, which compared eight non-pharmacological treatments with placebo, sham interventions, or conventional treatment. Compared with placebo interventions, TENS, probiotics and acupuncture had a significantly larger effect on stool frequency. Patients treated with acupuncture also showed significantly higher rates of response to treatment, while moxibustion had a significantly larger effect on Bristol stool scores. Compared with laxatives, acupuncture had a significantly larger effect on stool frequency, with a lower rate...Weiterlesen

Chinese investigators have concluded that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for obesity, based on a systematic review of 21 studies with 1389 participants. When compared with sham acupuncture, significant reductions in BMI, weight, body fat mass and total cholesterol were found. When compared with no treatment, they found significant reductions of BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, total cholesterol and triglycerides were found. When compared with diet and exercise, significant reduction in BMI and weight were found. The authors suggest that neuroendocrine regulation might be involved in acupuncture’s mechanism of action on obesity. Acupuncture on Obesity: Clinical Evidence and Possible Neuroendocrine Mechanisms....Weiterlesen

Moxibustion may be an effective treatment for overactive bladder, according to Korean researchers. In a pilot randomised cross-over study, 28 participants were randomly allotted to either moxibustion (8-12 sessions of indirect moxibustion at Qihai REN-6, Taichong LIV-3 and Sanyinjiao SP-6) plus behavioural training, or behavioral training only, over four weeks. Group allocation was reversed over the following four weeks. Significant and clinically meaningful changes in symptom scores, which changed from moderate to mild, were noted with moxibustion, but not with behavioral training alone. Effectiveness and safety of moxibustion for alleviating symptoms of overactive bladder: A prospective, randomized controlled, crossover-design, pilot...Weiterlesen

The Italian authors of a Cochrane Database systematic review have found that acupuncture is the most effective non-pharmacological treatment for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). They examined 38 studies of 3290 men with CP/CPPS, which made 23 comparisons between different treatments involving use of devices, lifestyle changes, or some form of physical therapy. Based on three studies with 204 participants, acupuncture was observed to cause a clinically meaningful reduction in prostatitis symptoms, compared with sham procedures, however it did not reduce sexual dysfunction compared with sham. Acupuncture was also found to significantly decrease prostatitis symptoms when compared with standard...Weiterlesen

Abstract Objective To investigate the efficacy of a standardised brief acupuncture approach for women with moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms. Design Randomised and controlled, with 1:1 allocation to the intervention group or the control group. The assessor and the statistician were blinded. Setting Nine Danish primary care practices. Participants 70 women with moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms and nine general practitioners with accredited education in acupuncture. Intervention The acupuncture style was western medical with a standardised approach in the predefined acupuncture points CV-3, CV-4, LR-8, SP-6 and SP-9. The intervention group received one treatment for five consecutive weeks. The control group was offered treatment...Weiterlesen

Eine Kurzakupunktur hat in einer pragmatischen randomisierten klimakterische Beschwerden gelindert. Die meisten Frauen Anfang 50 leiden über mehrere Jahre unter Wechseljahres­beschwerden, die die Lebensqualität beeinträchtigen können. Seit bekannt ist, dass die Hormontherapie – über viele Jahre die bevorzugte Behandlung – das Risiko auf Brustkrebs und Thromboembolien erhöht, suchen viele Betroffene nach Alternativen. Dazu gehört auch die chinesische Heilmethode der Akupunktur, die mittlerweile in europäischen Varianten und als Kurztherapie angeboten wird, die sich mit dem Alltag von Menschen aus westlichen Kulturen vereinbaren lassen. Die Wirksamkeit der Akupunktur wurde in den letzten Jahren in mehreren Studien untersucht, die jedoch unter methodischen Schwächen...Weiterlesen

Abstract Introduction Low back pain (LBP) is a globally prevalent disorder with high social significance. Invasive surgical procedures are increasingly being used to treat LBP despite a lack of solid evidence supporting their long-term benefits. This nationwide retrospective cohort study investigated the association between acupuncture treatment and lumbar surgery rate in patients with LBP. Methods Using the National Health Insurance Service Sample Cohort Database for 2002–2013, we identified newly diagnosed LBP patients in Korea between 2004 and 2010 and divided them into an acupuncture group and control group according to whether or not they received acupuncture. Propensity scores based on...Weiterlesen

February 2019 Here are some interesting statistics on the growth of acupuncture research over the past decade. The number of acupuncture trials included in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials has grown from 2,015 in February 2009 to 11,923 on 1st February 2019. In the past year from February 2018 to today, 1,884 new studies have been added.Weiterlesen

KEY MESSAGE Acupuncture may be effective when compared to no adjunctive treatment with increasing clinical pregnancies and live births, but is not an efficacious treatment when compared with sham controls. ABSTRACT This was a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of acupuncture as an adjunct to embryo transfer compared with controls to improve reproductive outcomes. The primary outcome was clinical pregnancy. Twenty trials and 5130 women were included in the review. The meta-analysis found increased pregnancies (risk ratio [RR] 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07–1.62, 12 trials, 2230 women), live births (RR 1.30, 95% CI...Weiterlesen

Acupuncture applied at term may be effective in reducing the rate of labour induction performed for post-dates pregnancy, according to Italian researchers. Three-hundred and seventy five women at 40 weeks gestation received either acupuncture or routine care. Acupuncture (Hegu L.I.-4, Sanyinjiao SP-6, Zusanli ST-36, Taichong LIV-3, Zhiyin BL-67, Jianjing GB-21, Fengshi GB-31) was applied every other day from 40 weeks plus two days up to 41 weeks plus four days. Results:Women who underwent acupuncture experienced a higher rate of spontaneous delivery (75 per cent versus 52.8 per cent) and delivered earlier than controls (289 days versus 291 days). The rate...Weiterlesen