Living Healthy Naturally

Acupuncture for Pain

2007-02-18T00:28:00.000-08:00

Some of the tons of research and articles on acupuncture to treat pain:

ARTHRITIS
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/95/103359.htm
Traditional Chinese acupuncture is "effective" at reducing knee osteoarthritis pain and improving function in people with knee osteoarthritis, say the researchers, who presented their findings in San Antonio at the American College of Rheumatology's annual scientific meeting.

Arthritis Responds to Weather, Acupuncture United Press International - Oct. 19Washington Post - Oct. 19
Researchers told attendees at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting that they have compiled valid data indicating changes in temperature or atmospheric pressure can cause increases in joint pain. Marc Hochberg, MD, MPH, a professor in the School of Medicine, says the studies " . . . allow us to conclude that traditional Chinese acupuncture is an effective intervention for the relief of pain and improvement of function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee."

http://www.acupuncture.com/research/kneeosteo.htm
Acupuncture can ease the discomfort while waiting for an operation and perhaps even serve as an alternative to surgery. Seven patients have responded so well that at present they do not want an operation. (USD 9000 saved per operation).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?md=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1288925&dopt=Abstract
Acupuncture to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

ZHEREBKIN, Eastern Europe, conducted a randomised controlled clinical trial to study the efficacy of the multi-modality treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involving acupuncture (A) treatment.Methods: Measures assessed included the number of the inflamed joints, the joint index, duration of morning rigidity and a visual scale of pain.Results: Combining treatment of RA with Acupuncture was found to more effectively lower the values for the joint index and the visual scale of pain.Conclusions: The results of this trial indicated that acupuncture may improve the results of drug treatment.Zherebkin VV.

The use of acupuncture reflexotherapy in treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Lik Sprava 6: 175-7. Nov-Dec 1997. Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study With Long-Term Follow-Up. Articles Clinical Journal of Pain. 17(4):296-305, December 2001.Carlsson, Christer P. O. M.D., Ph.D.; Sjolund, Bengt H. M.D., Ph.D. Abstract: Objective: The authors sought to determine whether a series of needle acupuncture treatments produced long-term relief of chronic low back pain. Design: A blinded placebo-controlled study with an independent observer. The patients were randomized to receive manual acupuncture, electroacupuncture, or active placebo (mock transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). Subjects were examined and monitored by an investigator who was blinded to the treatment given. Setting: A tertiary-level pain clinic at a Swedish university hospital. Patients: Fifty consecutive patients (33 women, 17 men; mean age, 49.8 years) with chronic low back pain (mean pain duration, 9.5 years) and without rhizopathy or history of acupuncture treatment were included in the study. Interventions: Treatments were given once per week for 8 weeks. Two further treatments were given during the follow-up assessment period of 6 months or longer. Outcome Measures: The independent observer made a global assessment of the patients 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. The patients kept pain diaries to score pain intensity twice daily, analgesic intake, and quality of sleep daily, and activity level weekly. Results: At the 1-month independent assessment, 16 of 34 patients in the acupuncture groups and 2 of 16 patients in the placebo group showed improvement (p <0.05).The authors found a long-term pain-relieving effect of needle acupuncture compared with true placebo in some patients with chronic nociceptive low back pain. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

BACK PAIN
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5345774.stm
Back-pain acupuncture 'effective'

CAR ACCIDENT

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6138957&dopt=Abstract
Acupuncture proved an effective form of therapy for treatment of accident patients with whiplash injuries, representing a valuable supplement to the field of rehabilitation.

http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/37/10/1118
Both physiotherapy and acupuncture treatment groups improved in reduced pain, improved range of motion, and better overall health following treatment for chronic neck pain. Acupuncture was slightly more effective in patients who had higher baseline pain scores.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15732514&dopt=Citation
The high percentage of positive results in whiplash injury patients leads us to advocate acupuncture for balance disorders due to cervical pathology.

HEADACHES & MIGRAINES
http://www.healthy.net/scr/news.asp?Id=7667
Acupuncture as Effective as Drug Therapy for Migraines & Headaches

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050731232901.htm
Acupuncture Cuts Tension Headache Rates By Almost Half

NEUROPATHIC PAIN
ABUAISHA and colleagues, Department of Medicine, Manchester Royal Infirmary, University of Manchester, UK studied the use of acupuncture to determine its efficacy for pain relief for peripheral diabetic neuropathy.Methods: 46 diabetic patients suffering chronic painful peripheral neuropathy participated in the study. 29 (63%) patients were already receiving standard medical treatment. Patients initially received up to 6 courses of classical acupuncture analgesia over a period of 10 weeks, using traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture points.Results: 46 patients completed the study. 34 (77%) showed significant improvement in primary and/or secondary symptoms (P <0.01).

SOFT TISSUE INJURY
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2761282&dopt=Abstract
Acupuncture treatment on soft tissue disease based on TCM syndrome differentiation theory is thus shown to be effective.

Acupuncture Research

2007-02-17T23:38:00.000-08:00

"So, does acupuncture actually work?", they ask me. Even if they don't ask, many people think it. Until you experience the benefits of acupuncture, it's really a fair question to ask. After all, sticking hair-thin needles into various points on the body to heal it doesn't fall within the contexts of our western minds. With that in mind, I thought I'd publish this blog to start adding research links and article links.

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/333/7569/626?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&amp;amp;amp;fulltext=acupuncture&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT
Objective To evaluate the cost effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of persistent non-specific low back pain.

http://cmbi.bjmu.edu.cn/news/0505/1.htm
Acupuncture has a measurable, if mysterious, effect on the brain, UK scientists have found. The study adds to evidence that patients benefit from acupuncture not simply because of their expectations.

http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2005/12/22/hscout529848.html
How does acupuncture work? "People are still trying to figure that out," Lao said, but there are a few key theories.

http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/99/105311.htm
An overview on acupuncture

http://www.acupuncture.com/newsletters/m_feb07/res.htm
Acupuncture enhances generation of nitric oxide and increases local circulation. This may be a possible mechanism of action for how acupuncture treats pain. Another study here shows that acupuncture stimulates specific brain activity during treatment of chronic neuropathic pain. And the last study here shows that Chinese herbs can be used to reduce chemotherapy-induced toxicity.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070128/news_1s28bears.html
What links the Superbowl champions of 1985 and acupuncture? An injured quarterback who was persistent about his treatment of choice.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/01/07/2003343717
Here's a strange one!!! Acupuncture treats plants!

An Inconvenient Truth

2006-08-31T08:04:00.001-07:00

This movie is appropriately titled. To see it forces you to think about your actions and inactions. How can we close our eyes to something that will have such a big impact on our lives? To something that is already having huge consequences on our environment?

The hottest 10 years on record have all been recorded in the last 14 years! People joke that that just provides an opportunity for more beach days, but people are dying as a consequence of global warming.

Does it not seem as if there are more and more hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters lately? That's because there are. The number of category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years. Glaciers are disappearing. Malaria is spreading. Droughts, floods, and wildfires are increasing. Animals are at risk of disappearing: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/NatureChallenge/newsletters/Species_Aug2006/default.asp

The impact of global warming is even being felt by Vancouver Island businesses this summer with the closing of tourist-related businesses this long weekend due to a water shortage.

One could read these facts and feel dispair. But, as is said in the movie, there is a step between denial and dispair. That step is action. We took action when the ozone layer was severely damaged and we forced our governments to make the necessary changes. Now the ozone layer is no longer a concern. For what you can do see: http://climatecrisis.org/ and click on "take action", http://www.davidsuzuki.org/WOL/Challenge/

Why do I post something about the environment on my site that is about health? Well, because your environment does affect your health. As much as we have technology to heat or cool our indoor spaces, we don't live in our own personal bubbles. Peoples joints really do ache when the weather turns damp. People do get headaches with weather changes. Environmental allergies are huge! In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we do see the relationship between wind, cold, heat, damp, and dry with health conditions ranging from the common cold, to strokes, to cancers.

Have you seen the movie? What do you think? What have you done?

Stomach Stapling for Kids?

2006-08-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

Apparently more and more hospitals in the U.S. (not sure if it's happening in Canada) are now offering stomach stapling procedures for children. Why is it that when we have to face something that requires long-term healthy lifestyle changes, we feel it will be better to choose the risky quick fix? What are we teaching our kids when we suggest just cutting out parts of our bodies that cause us problems rather than addressing the true causes--unhealthy lifestyles, poor eating habits, and lack of exercise?

Doctors supporting the surgery say that it will help to prevent future diseases associated with obesity, such as heart disease and diabetes. Does it really? Just because a person has a tiny stomach, doesn't mean that they will be healthier!

Is this what we're now calling "Preventative Medicine"? I think that it's time that we started taking responsibility for ourselves and make the right choices. Yes, that can be challenging at first. But once a person gets over the hump of initial changes, it really is not that hard to do!

But that's just my opinion. If you have (or if you don't, imagine) an obese child, would you get the stomach stapling procedure done for him/her?

Oh, and one more thing. I came across this webpage and....this can't be true: "Do-It-Yourself Stomach Stapling Kits!"??? I'm sure it isn't, but take a read anyway: http://weeklyworldnews.com/features/technology/60807?printer=1

Opinions...

2006-08-13T01:42:00.000-07:00

This blog is not just for me to blab on about what I think. It is for others to express their opinions about various health topics. That said, here are some links to interesting polls I thought were thought-provoking:

To what degree do you think clinicians' prescribing practices are or are not influenced by pharmaceutical company advertising?
http://www.medscape.com/px/instantpollservlet/result?PollID=1782&BackURL=/px/instantpollservlet/result?PollID=1782

In May, the top 3 soft-drink companies agreed to a ban on sweetened drinks like Coke, Pepsi, and iced teas in all school cafeterias and vending machines nationwide in response to the threat of lawsuits and state legislation. Sales are not expected to be affected; the sweetened drinks will be replaced by others. Do you favor or oppose this ban?
http://www.medscape.com/px/instantpollservlet/result?PollID=1860&BackURL=/px/instantpollservlet/result?PollID=1782

Recent reports of sleep-driving and behavioral changes (aggressiveness, obliviousness) after taking the sleep aid Ambien have prompted calls for increased FDA warnings on the drug. Do you think Ambien needs more warnings added to its label or are current warnings not to drive or drink alcohol after taking the drug adequate?
http://www.medscape.com/px/instantpollservlet/result?PollID=1723&BackURL=/px/instantpollservlet/result?PollID=1782

What are your opinions?

Welcome!

2006-08-12T23:48:00.000-07:00

This being my first posting, I want to introduce my idea for this blog. I have often thought to myself as I have come across some interesting piece of health information, "I should do something with this info so others can read, hear about, or look at it." I often don't want to publish these tidbits and ideas on my website as the topics can vary quite widely and the amount of information can become unwieldy. Aside from that, I really want to receive comments and I'd like to offer a way for my patients and others interested in their health to communicate with each other. Finally, I am forever a student, always wanting to learn more, and I often find that my patients and the people I meet are a wonderful source of information and inspiration.

This will also be a great opportunity for me to learn what topics "inquiring minds want to know" so I can do a larger focus for magazine articles and e-newsletters I write.

Let's start this off with something inspiring...one of those things you get via email that at first seems like a waste of time (or perhaps a good way to procrastinate from work you should be doing), that you read while hovering the cursor over the "delete" button, and that you then smile at when you finish and send it off because you think it might make someone else smile too.

We can all learn a lesson from this great old girl! The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coiffed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.
"I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
"Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room .... just wait."
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied."Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged...it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ...just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account ...you withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing. Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less."
Have a happy day!

Let's not wait until we are 92 to learn this great wisdom!