Abstract Objectives Acupuncture needle manipulation causes mechanical deformation of connective tissue, which in turn results in mechanical stimulation of fibroblasts, with active changes in cell shape and autocrine purinergic signaling. We have previously shown using ultrasound elastography in humans that acupuncture needle manipulation causes measurable movement of tissue up to several centimeters away from the needle. The goal of this study was to quantify the...Weiterlesen

Abstract Background Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common disease. No evidence is available for the clinical application of acupuncture and moxibustion for the management of AR symptoms in Hong Kong. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture with or without herbal moxibustion on relieving AR symptoms in the Hong Kong population. Methods A single-centre, randomized, assessor-blinded, controlled trial with three parallel arms...Weiterlesen

Abstract Acupuncture needle manipulation has been previously shown to result in measurable changes in connective tissue architecture in animal experiments. In this study, we used a novel in vivo ultrasound (US)-based technique to quantify tissue displacement during acupuncture manipulation in humans. B-scan ultrasonic imaging was performed on the thighs of 12 human subjects at different stages of needle motion, including varying amounts of rotation, downward...Weiterlesen

Abstract Acupuncture meridians traditionally are believed to constitute channels connecting the surface of the body to internal organs. We hypothesize that the network of acupuncture points and meridians can be viewed as a representation of the network formed by interstitial connective tissue. This hypothesis is supported by ultrasound images showing connective tissue cleavage planes at acupuncture points in normal human subjects. To test this hypothesis,...Weiterlesen

Abstract Acupuncture needle manipulation gives rise to ‘needle grasp’, a biomechanical phenomenon characterized by an increase in the force necessary to pull the needle out of the tissue (pullout force). This study investigates the hypothesis that winding of connective tissue rather than contraction of muscle is the mechanism responsible for needle grasp. Authors: HELENE M. LANGEVIN, DAVID L. CHURCHILL, JUNRU WU, GARY J. BADGER, JASON A....Weiterlesen

Abstract Acupuncture and related therapies such as moxibustion and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation are often used to manage cancer-related symptoms, but their effectiveness and safety are controversial. We conducted this overview to summarise the evidence on acupuncture for palliative care of cancer. Our systematic review synthesised the results from clinical trials of patients with any type of cancer. The methodological quality of the 23 systematic...Weiterlesen

Abstract INTRODUCTION Ear acupuncture carried out in primary care by trained midwives, with no specialist training in acupuncture, may be effective in alleviating pregnancy-related lower back and/or posterior pelvic girdle pain (LBPGP). The objective of this study was to assess the effect of ear acupuncture associated with standard obstetric care, in the primary-care setting, on LBPGP experienced by pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHODS This four-group,...Weiterlesen

Abstract Objective The purpose of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of using Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) as maintenance therapy considering the survival of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)patients after first-line conventional platinum-based chemotherapy. Design An open-label, randomized, controlled trial. Setting: Four hospitals in China.  Interventions and main outcome measures: A total of 106 patients were eligible and randomly divided into two...Weiterlesen

Abstract Background Propranolol is recommended as first-line treatment for preventing migraine attacks; acupuncture has not been compared with propranolol in a head-to-head trial. Objective To compare acupuncture with propranolol using indirect treatment comparison meta-analysis. Method We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Randomized controlled trials comparing acupuncture or propranolol with sham acupuncture, placebo, waiting-list control or usual care were included. We...Weiterlesen

Abstract BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most debilitating long-term side effects in breast cancer survivors. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot trial to assess the feasibility, safety, and effects of an acupuncture intervention on CIPN in this population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women with stage I-III breast cancer with grade 1 or higher CIPN after taxane-containing adjuvant chemotherapy were randomized 1:1 to...Weiterlesen