Acupuncture out-performs artificial tears in the treatment of dry eye syndrome, according to South Korean researchers. The team enrolled 150 patients with moderate to severe dry eye in a multi-centre randomised controlled trial. Participants were randomly allocated to receive either acupuncture treatment (at Zanzhu BL-2, Yangbai GB-14, Sizhukong SJ-23, Chengqi ST-1, Fengchi GB-20, Hegu L.I.-4, Quchi L.I.-11, Yintang N-HN-3 and Shangxing DU-23), or to an active control group that received treatment with artificial tears (sodium carboxymethylcellulose), for four weeks. At the end of the treatment period both groups showed similar improvement in subjective dry eye symptom scores and quality of...Weiterlesen

Acupuncture may be effective at reducing symptom intensity in people suffering from burning mouth syndrome (BMS). In a preliminary single-arm trial carried out in Brazil, eight patients received 11 weekly treatments with acupuncture. Body acupoints were chosen for their effect on TCM patterns related to BMS (tonifying Kidney, clearing heat from the Blood, regulating qi and Blood, eliminating Liver fire and regulating the Spleen and Stomach), and on reducing facial pain and muscle tension. Other points were added according to individual patient presentation. These were combined with auricular points, also chosen according to TCM principles (Shenmen, Heart, Kidney, Stomach, Spleen,...Weiterlesen

Intraoperative acupuncture results in reduced pain and earlier return to eating for children undergoing tonsillectomy, according to American researchers. Fifty-nine children were randomised to receive verum or sham acupuncture during anesthesia for tonsillectomy. Home surveys of patients revealed significant improvements in pain control in the acupuncture treatment-group post-operatively and oral intake of food also occurred significantly earlier in the acupuncture treatment group. Intraoperative acupuncture for posttonsillectomy pain: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Laryngoscope. 2015 Apr 7. doi: 10.1002/lary.25252. An Israeli team has also concluded that acupuncture, as an adjunct to analgesic treatment, is an effective treatment for post-tonsillectomy pain in...Weiterlesen

Acupuncture appears to benefit glaucoma patients by decreasing intraocular pressure (IOP) and improving blood circulation behind the eye. In the first study of its type, Japanese researchers enrolled eleven patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and measured eye haemodynamics before, during and after either acupuncture or rest. Acupuncture was performed once, for 15 minutes, without needle manipulation, at bilateral Zanzhu BL-2, Taiyang M-HN-9, Sibai ST-2, Zusanli ST-36, Sanyinjiao SP-6, Taixi KID-3, Taichong LIV-3, Fengchi GB-20, Ganshu BL-18 and Shenshu BL-23. All patients continued to take their medication. The researchers found that IOP decreased significantly after acupuncture. Acupuncture also resulted in decreased...Weiterlesen

A pilot study carried out in Italy suggests that acupuncture may reduce the pain of burning mouth syndrome (BMS). BMS, for which no medical or dental cause can be found, most commonly affects older women. It is considered to be a form of neuropathic pain and no satisfactory treatment is currently available for it. Ten BMS patients received 20 sessions of acupuncture over eight weeks. Local acupoints on the face and neck were individually selected for each patient based on TCM principles, and combined with standard distal points (Hegu L.I.-4, Sanyinjiao SP-6, Baihui GV-20, Luozhen M-UE-24 and auricular Shenmen). Patients reported...Weiterlesen

The results of a pilot study carried out in the USA suggest that acupuncture may have significant, measurable benefits on residual visual function in patients with the degenerative eye disease retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Twelve adult patients with RP were treated with a standardised protocol that combined electro-acupuncture (EA) at points on the forehead and below the eyes with manual acupuncture on body points, during 10 half-hour sessions over two weeks. Six of the 12 subjects showed significant improvements in visual function after treatment. (A pilot study of an acupuncture protocol to improve visual function in retinitis pigmentosa. Clin Exp Optom....Weiterlesen

ABSTRACT Background and Aims: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease associated with aging that gradually destroys sharp, central vision. Treatment options for AMD are limited and often vision loss can not be prevented. The present study was performed to evaluate the effects of acupuncture treatment on vision in AMD patients. Methods: A total of 328 patients with a clinical diagnosis of AMD were treated over a period of 2 weeks (Monday to Friday) with acupuncture given two times per day with a minimum time of 60 minutes between treatments. Vision was evaluated at baseline, after one and after two...Weiterlesen

A systematic review of acupuncture studies for treatment of Ménière’s syndrome suggests that it may be beneficial. UK researchers searched for randomised, non-randomised and observational studies in English and Chinese across six databases. Twenty-seven studies of varying quality were included in the review (nine in English and 18 in Chinese languages), all but one of which was conducted in China. The weight of evidence across all study types was suggestive of a beneficial effect from acupuncture, both for those in the acute phase as well as those suffering from Ménière’s syndrome for a number of years. (Exploring the Evidence Base...Weiterlesen

Chinese researchers have found that acupuncture can result in objectively measurable improvements of tear film quantity in patients with certain types of dry eye. A total of 108 dry eye patients were randomised to receive treatment with either acupuncture or artificial tears. Each group was divided into three subgroups based on subtype of dry eye; lipid tear deficiency (LTD), Sjögren syndrome dry eye (SSDE) and non-Sjögren syndrome dry eye (Non-SSDE). The acupoints used included Jingming BL-1, Zanzhu BL-2, Yangbai GB-14, Sizhukong SJ-23, Taiyang M-HN-9, Sibai ST-2, Hegu L.I.-4, Taichong LIV-3, Guangming GB-37, Sanyinjiao SP-6 and Fengchi GB-20. After four-weeks of...Weiterlesen

UK has concluded that acupuncture can provide significant symptom relief for cancer patients with radiation-induced xerostomia. A total of 145 patients with chronic xerostomia following radiation treatment for head and neck cancer were studied in a randomised crossover design, with participants receiving two group sessions of oral care education and eight sessions of acupuncture. Compared with oral care acupuncture produced significant reductions in patients‘ experience of severe dry mouth, sticky saliva, needing to sip fluids to swallow food and waking up at night to drink, although there were no significant changes in either stimulated or unstimulated saliva measurements. (ARIX: A...Weiterlesen