Review question Cochrane authors reviewed the evidence on the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture or acupressure in women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Background We wanted to know whether using acupuncture or acupressure therapy was better than receiving sham acupuncture, no treatment or currently recommended pharmaceutical medications for PMS such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs – a type of anti-depressant). Study characteristics We found five randomised controlled trials including 277 women that examined the effect of acupuncture or acupressure in women with PMS. The evidence is current to September 2017. We also ran a smaller search in November 2017 to see...Weiterlesen

Abstract BACKGROUND: Bortezomib-induced peripheral neuropathy (BIPN) is a common and debilitating side effect. Our pilot study demonstrated that acupuncture is safe and can decrease total neuropathic symptoms. However, there is lack of knowledge in which individual BIPN symptoms benefited from acupuncture. PURPOSE: To characterize individual symptoms reduced by acupuncture in patients with BIPN. METHODS: Patients with multiple myelomatreated with bortezomib who developed BIPN grade 2 or above, based on National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE), were enrolled and received 10 acupuncture treatments over 10 weeks. Self-reported BIPN-associated symptoms assessments were collected weekly at baseline, during,...Weiterlesen

Abstract Objective: Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDN) is one of the most common complications of diabetes. In patients with PDN, greater pain intensity leads to poorer quality of life, sleep, function, and work productivity (1–3). According to the clinical practice guideline, electrical stimulation is probably effective and should be considered for the treatment of PDN (evidence level B) (4). The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) for the management of PDN in patients with type 2 diabetes Methods: This multicenter, randomized, assessorblinded, controlled trial was conducted between June 2014 and March 2016...Weiterlesen

Abstract Objective: The Department of Veterans Affairs trained primary-care providers to deliver Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA), a subset of auricular acupuncture, to patients. However, little is known about BFA effectiveness in group or individual sessions or repeated administrations versus singular use. The aim of this study was to examine the use and effectiveness of BFA for back pain and four pain-comorbid conditions in group and individual sessions at a large Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the West Haven VA Medical Center, in West Haven CT. Between October 2016 and December 2017, 284...Weiterlesen

Abstract Auriculotherapy has been extensively used for chronic spontaneous urticaria in China. However, the evidence of its effectiveness and safety for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria is insufficient. Hence, we conducted this study to compare auriculotherapy or auriculotherapy joint treatment with western medicine for the cure of chronic spontaneous urticaria. This meta-analysis of seven RCTs showed that auriculotherapy or auriculotherapy joint treatment was significantly superior to western medicine in curing clinical signs and symptoms of chronic spontaneous urticaria (OR 2.61; 95% CI 1.54 to 4.43; p=0.0004), and also better in total effect rate (OR 3.81; 95% CI 2.07 to 7.01; p＜0.0001)....Weiterlesen

Abstract Objective: Nail biting leads to a variety of health issues. Habit reversal treatment is a major approach to cease nail biting, but is often ineffective since patients continue to suffer from anxiety, a major trigger. This study investigated whether the potential anxiety relief provided by auricular acupressure could improve the efficacy of habit reversal treatment, as evidenced by improved stomatological and other outcomes. Methods: In a pragmatic, randomized, crossover, pilot clinical trial, 83 nail biters (8–12 years old) received habit reversal treatment in combination with either auricular acupressure intended to reduce anxiety (Method A) or placebo auricular acupressure (Method...Weiterlesen

Key Points Question Does acupuncture reduce joint pain related to aromatase inhibitors among postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer? Findings In this multicenter randomized clinical trial of 226 women with early-stage breast cancer, patients in the acupuncture group, compared with those in the sham acupuncture group or the waitlist control group, had significant reductions in changes in joint pain scores from baseline to 6 weeks (between-group difference vs sham acupuncture, 0.92 points and 0.96 points vs the waitlist control group [0- to 10-point scale]). Meaning Acupuncture was associated with statistically significant reductions in aromatase inhibitor–related joint pain at 6 weeks,...Weiterlesen

ABSTRACT Objectives: to evaluate the efficacy of a laser acupuncture protocol developed and applied by nurses in arterial hypertension patients. Method: randomized, multicenter, triple-blind and two-armed clinical trial. The sample consisted of 102 participants, 51 per arm, both sexes, aged between 30 and 75 years, undergoing drug therapy for a year or more, with difficulty to control blood pressure, maintaining regular measures >140×90 mmHg. Participants underwent six standard or simulated laser-acupuncture sessions, for 24 minutes, within a period of six weeks. Descriptive analyzes expressed as frequencies of occurrences, means and medians were used, and analysis of the association between variables...Weiterlesen

Quote J. McDonald: „A recently published review on treatment guidelines and clinical practice guidelines has identified a significant surge in the number of new positive recommendations for acupuncture from a total of over 870 in 2015 to 2,189 in August 2017. These recommendations come from around the world but particularly from North America, Europe and Australasia“ Abstract INTRODUCTION: As positive evidence emerges for the use of an intervention to treat a health problem, the intervention gradually becomes incorporated into treatment guidelines (TGs) or clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) that are related to that health problem. To assess whether this general hypothesis...Weiterlesen

Objectives To assess the effects of non‐pharmacological therapies for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Patients and Methods We performed a comprehensive search using multiple databases, trial registries, grey literature and conference proceedings with no restrictions on the language of publication or publication status. The date of the latest search of all databases was August 2017. We included randomised controlled trials. Inclusion criteria were men with a diagnosis of CP/CPPS. We included all available non‐pharmacological interventions. Two review authors independently classified studies and abstracted data from the included studies, performed statistical analyses and rated quality of evidence (QoE) according to...Weiterlesen