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

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To assess the effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of functional constipation (FC). METHODS The literature was searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing acupuncture with medical treatment; no medical treatment, placeboacupuncture, and sham acupuncture in patients with FC were searched. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers using standard data extraction forms. Risk of bias for each RCT was assessed using a...Weiterlesen

A Hong Kong study has found that electroacupuncture can reduce the discomfort of rectal distension, suggesting that it may be useful during colonoscopy procedures. Forty subjects scheduled for a colonoscopy were randomised to receive 45 minutes of either electroacupuncture (EA) or sham electroacupuncture (SA) (using a short stud instead of a needle) at Hegu L.I.-4, Neiguan P-6 and Zusanli ST-36. A balloon catheter attached to...Weiterlesen

Researchers conclude that acupuncture increases the clinical effective rate of the drug cefodizime for the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder). Xining Haihu Hospital researchers combined acupuncture with standard drug therapy. Patients receiving both drug therapy and acupuncture in a combined treatment protocol had superior patient outcomes compared with patients using only drug therapy. The drug control group achieved a...Weiterlesen

Hunan University of Chinese Medicine researchers find acupuncture effective for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (indigestion). Results from the investigation demonstrate that acupuncture is effective for alleviating upper abdominal pain and burning, nausea, and belching. In a semi-protocolized clinical trial, two primary acupuncture points were proven effective for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (abdominal discomfort or pain with no known organic cause identifiable with endoscopy)....Weiterlesen