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

Acupuncture benefits patients suffering from hemiplegia (unilateral paralysis) after a stroke. Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Baoji researchers compared daily exercise monotherapy with acupuncture plus daily exercises. Patient outcomes were consistently superior in the combined therapy group, demonstrating that the addition of acupuncture to the daily exercise treatment regimen improves clinical outcomes. The researchers conclude that acupuncture plus rehabilitation exercises improves motor function and cerebral blood flow, making it an effective intervention for post-stroke hemiplegia. [1] Objective and subjective data were the basis for the conclusions. Blood flow changes in the brain were measured with a transcranial Doppler device, a...Weiterlesen

Acupuncture is an effective treatment modality for the alleviation of Parkinson’s disease. Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Hangzhou, China) researchers conducted a study comparing the effects of drug therapy as a standalone procedure with acupuncture plus drug therapy in an integrated treatment protocol. Based on the data, the researchers conclude that acupuncture plus antiparkinsonian drug therapy is significantly more effective than using only antiparkinsonian drug therapy. [1] Two groups were compared. In one group, Parkinson’s disease patients received only levodopa-benserazide as a means to alleviate symptoms. In the second group, levodopa-benserazide was combined with acupuncture therapy. The acupuncture plus...Weiterlesen

Abstract Acupuncture has been used in the therapy of Alzheimer disease (AD); however, its neural mechanisms are still unclear. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of acupuncture on the functional connectivity in AD by using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Twenty-eight subjects (14 AD and 14 normal controls) participated in this study. The rs-fMRI data were acquired before and after acupuncture stimulation at the acupoints of Tai chong (Liv3) and Hegu (LI4). During the baseline resting state, by using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), we found a significantly decreased or increased ALFF in the...Weiterlesen

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To preliminarily explore the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on bladder and bowel dysfunction in patients with transverse myelitis. METHODS: Sixteen participants were treated with EA at bilateral BL32, BL33, and BL35 once a day, five times a week for the first 4 weeks, and once every other day, three times a week for the following 4 weeks. Patients were then followed up for 6 months. Bladder and bowel function, and the safety of EA, were assessed. RESULTS: After 8 weeks of treatment, five (5/16, 31%) patients resumed normal voiding, three (6/16, 38%) regained partially normal voiding, and five (5/16, 31%) had...Weiterlesen

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of acupuncture at different acupoints in yin meridians and yang meridians on lower limb muscle tension in children with spastic cerebral palsy. METHODS: Ninety children with spastic cerebral palsy aged between 2 to 6 years old were divided into a yin-meridian group, a yang-meridian group and a rehabilitation group, 30 cases in each one. The patients in the rehabilitation group were treated with routine rehabilitation treatment; the patients in the yin-meridian group were treated with routine rehabilitation treatment and acupuncture at Xuehai (SP 10), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taixi (KI 3) and...Weiterlesen

Original Titel: A standardised frankincense extract reduces disease activity in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (the SABA phase IIa trial) Weihrauch kennen die meisten als Räucherwerk aus der Kirche. In verschiedenen Religionen hat Weihrauch eine sehr lange Tradition, bereits die alten Ägypter verwendeten das getrocknete Harz des Weihrauchbaums. Weniger bekannt dürfte sein, dass Weihrauch früher auch als pflanzliches Heilmittel eingesetzt wurde. War es doch eine Zeit lang in Vergessenheit geraten, entdeckte ein Pharmakologe 1991 mögliche entzündungshemmende Eigenschaften von Weihrauch. Das passt dazu, dass es früher als entzündungshemmendes, schmerzlinderndes und antibakterielles pflanzliches Heilmittel galt. In Europa wurde es früher sogar bereits zur Behandlung...Weiterlesen

More evidence for the neural specificity of particular acupuncture points comes from a Chinese study that used fMRI to investigate the effects of acupuncture at Neiguan P-6. fMRI was performed on the brains of 36 healthy subjects while they received acupuncture at Neiguan P-6 and two control points (Daling P-7 and Guangming GB-37). Needling at Neiguan P-6 caused extensive signal decreases (deactivations) in cerebrocerebellar and subcortical areas, whereas needling at GB-37 induced widespread signal increases (activations). The deactivations persisted for a prolonged time following the end of needle stimulation. In addition, acupuncture at Neiguan P-6 (unlike stimulation at Daling P-7...Weiterlesen

von Petra Koczy Moxibustion zur Unterstützung der körperlichen Genesung nach Schlaganfall. Synergieeffekte durch Kombination von Reha-Training mit Moxa-Therapie: Die Wirksamkeit von Rehabilitationsmaßnahmen für Schlaganfallpatienten mit spastischer Hemiplegie konnte in einer chinesischen Studie durch zusätzliches Moxen gesteigert und dadurch den Patienten mehr Eigenständigkeit und Lebensqualität gegeben werden. Schlaganfall ist weltweit die dritthäufigste Todesursache. Aber selbst wenn es nicht zum Äußersten kommt, führt die zeitweilige Unterversorgung des Gehirns bei etwa 90 % der Patienten zu bleibenden Schädigungen. Diese können sich u.a. in kognitiven, psychischen oder sprachlichen Defiziten sowie Einschränkungen der motorischen Fähigkeiten äußern. Allein und in Kombination schränken sie die Lebensqualität der...Weiterlesen

Dimitrova Alexandra Medical Acupuncture. December 2017, Vol. 29, No. 6: 352-365 ABSTRACT Background: Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is defined as damage to the peripheral nervous system caused by a primary lesion or dysfunction. Multiple recent trials have suggested that acupuncture is beneficial for treating neuropathic pain. One challenge in acupuncture research is the lack of standardization of point selection, number of needles used, needle-retention time, needling depth, amount of needle manipulation, and use of moxibustion and electroacupuncture (EA). Objectives: This article presents a standardized acupuncture protocol for the treatment of PN that incorporates structural acupuncture principles based on proximity to peripheral...Weiterlesen