Acupuncture plus herbal medicine outperforms omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid) for the treatment of acid reflux. Often referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD, or reflux esophagitis, acid reflux occurs when stomach acid reverses direction and enters the esophagus, causing inflammation, heartburn (burning pain), regurgitation of acid into the throat or mouth, nausea, or bloating. Acupuncture plus herbs was more effective than drug therapy in both the...Weiterlesen

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are found effective for the alleviation of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Two independent investigations confirm that acupuncture, as a standalone therapy, or acupuncture combined with the herbal formula Si Shen Wan (Four Miracle Pill) is safe and effective. Additionally, investigators confirm that acupuncture is more effective than loperamide, a synthetic opiate used to control diarrhea by inhibiting peristalsis (wavelike intestinal...Weiterlesen

Brain connectivity, which is altered in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD), appears to become more like that of healthy controls following acupuncture treatment. Chinese researchers compared data from eight FD patients with ten healthy controls. Two main acupoints, Zusanli ST-36 and Taixi KID-3, were used, with additional acupoints including Zulinqi GB-41, Neiguan P-6 and Shenmen HE-7 employed based on symptom pattern. Treatment was implemented once...Weiterlesen

Acupuncture reduces cholesterol. Researchers measured the effects of needling acupuncture point ST40 (Fenglong) on plasma cholesterol levels. In a laboratory experiment, electroacupuncture successfully downregulated LDL cholesterol. Simultaneously, electroacupuncture downregulated several proinflammatory macrophages linked to dyslipidemia: MCP-1, ICAM-1, IL-1gamma. The researchers conclude that electroacupuncture at ST40 downregulates plasma total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and proinflammatory macrophages in cases of hyperlipidemia. A related laboratory experiment reveals similar findings....Weiterlesen

Preliminary Chinese research suggests that combining acupuncture with metformin treatment may be more effective than metformin alone for improving weight loss and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Thirty-nine diabetic participants received metformin alone or metformin plus electro-acupuncture (EA) and auricular acupuncture (AA). Ten body acupoints were needled (Zhongwan REN-12, Tianshu ST-25, Zusanli ST-36, Sanyinjiao SP-6, Shuifen REN-9, Hegu L.I.-4, Daheng SP-15,...Weiterlesen

A Brazilian pilot study suggests that acupuncture can improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with faecal incontinence. Eighteen adults reporting more than six months of daily faecal incontinence symptoms underwent 10 weekly sessions of acupuncture. Twenty-two needles were applied at each treatment to the same preselected points, chosen according to TCM theory (Quchi L.I.-1, Neiguan P-6, Shangiuxu ST-37, Yinlingquan SP-9, Weizhong BL-54, Fuliu...Weiterlesen

Clinicians in Hong Kong have found that electro-acupuncture (EA) treatment reduces both the duration of post-operative ileus (POI – hypomotility of the gastrointestinal tract following surgery) and length of hospital stay following laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer. In a prospective study, 165 cancer patients undergoing laparoscopy were assigned randomly to three groups, who received EA or sham acupuncture once daily from postoperative days one to...Weiterlesen

Acupuncture and moxibustion successfully alleviate Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disease. Research published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology finds acupuncture combined with moxibustion effective in the treatment of Crohn’s disease. Subjective and objective findings confirm the results; both laboratory results and patient symptoms demonstrate significant improvements. Crohn’s disease, also known as regional enteritis, is an inflammatory disease of the intestines affecting the gastrointestinal tract from the...Weiterlesen

Researchers find acupuncture effective for the treatment of obesity. Results were obtained by implementing a protocolized body acupuncture point prescription without a diet or exercise program. [1] In a five week clinical trial, patients receiving acupuncture achieved a 2.9 kg mean weight loss and the decrease in mean BMI (body mass index) was 1.43. The laboratory findings, including serum levels of insulin, leptin, ghrelin, and...Weiterlesen

Investigators find acupuncture effective for the treatment of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). In a controlled study, Yiwu Central Hospital researchers conclude that acupuncture has a 90.7% total effective rate for IBS-D patients. Perhaps more importantly, acupuncture produces a 34.9% complete recovery rate. The total recovery rate accounts for all patients showing significant improvements and the complete recovery rate is a quantitative measure of all patients...Weiterlesen