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Can Acupuncture Alleviate Lower Back and Pelvic Pain in Pregnant Women?

AHA Publisher — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 08:00:24 +0000

Dr. Priyom Bose, Ph.D. via News-Medical – Globally, a significant fraction of pregnant women experiences low back and/or pelvic pain (LBPP). LBPP limits the endurance capacity of women while standing, walking, or sitting for a prolonged period. This affects their quality of life and puts restrictions on activities related to weight-bearing. Scientists have recently reviewed available evidence on the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in treating LBPP during pregnancy. This review is available in BMJ Open. This meta-analysis utilized electronic databases, such as PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, to obtain relevant data. What Is LBPP? Clinically, LBPP has been defined as pain in the distal and posterior pelvic regions lateral to the lumbar-sacral junction and between the 12th rib and the gluteal fold. These two types of pains are hard to distinguish. Additionally, women with LBPP often experience depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Mechanistically, the level of relaxin increases significantly during pregnancy, which is produced by the corpus luteum and the uterine decidua. The increased relaxin level enhances motion in the pelvic joints causing LBPP. Although massage therapy, special pillows, and physical therapy are commonly used to alleviate LBPP, these are not clinically recommended as the results of clinical trials on their effectiveness is unclear. Hence, there is a need for effective therapies for LBPP treatment during pregnancy. Effectiveness Acupuncture originated in China, and is associated with inserting solid and thin metallic needles into acupoints along the meridians (ancient physiological system). The meridian theory entails that the body’s vital energy flows through the meridians, i.e., internal organs. It was believed that an unrest condition of the internal organs is reflected at specific points, known as acupoints. At present, acupuncture therapy is practiced in many countries to remediate headaches, dental pains, myofascial pain, and many other pains. Although the underlying analgesic mechanism of acupuncture is not clear, several studies have indicated its association with the neurohumoral mechanism, where an increase in the cerebrospinal fluid endorphins and spinal dynorphins was observed after acupuncture. In contrast to the adverse effects of pain-relieving drugs on pregnant women, acupuncture is considered to be safe and has been used increasingly to relieve the discomforts of pregnancy. Nevertheless, there is scarce clinical data on the effectiveness of acupuncture among pregnant women with LBPP. An increased rate of withdrawal of participants was observed in a clinical study related to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture in women prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy. This is because the participants were concerned about harming their unborn children. After all, the clinical trial was designed to use “forbidden points” for acupuncture. Based on the findings of 10 studies that included a total of 1040 women with LBPP during pregnancy, the current study revealed that acupuncture significantly alleviated LBPP and improved their quality of life during the pregnancy period. Importantly, no adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm labor were found in patients under acupuncture treatment. Out of the total of seven studies that used “forbidden points’’ for acupuncture treatment, two studies reported preterm birth. However, all newborns were healthy at birth despite preterm contractions. This meta-analysis indicated that acupuncture was a relatively safe and effective intervention in treating women with LBPP during pregnancy. The observation of this review is in line with a previous systemic review that revealed acupuncture for LBPP during pregnancy was a safe and effective procedure. According to a recent meta-analysis, acupuncture treatment relieved the pain for both pregnant and postpartum women. Nevertheless, this meta-analysis only considered a small number of studies and failed to assess the safety profile of maternal acupuncture and its effect on the newborn. Study Limitations The current study included patients whose average age was less than 35 years of age, thus reducing the generalization of the findings. Another limitation of this meta-analysis is the assessment of a small number of studies. The authors did not evaluate the quality of the studies considered in the meta-analysis. Since none of the studies reported the cost of acupuncture treatment, the cost-effectiveness of this therapy was not determined. Conclusions During pregnancy, women are subjected to minimal pharmaceutical interventions, unless absolutely necessary. Non-pharmacological therapies, such as yoga, acupuncture, physical therapy, and exercise are the most attractive options to reduce pain and control comorbidities. Interestingly, several studies have indicated that acupuncture can effectively reduce pain as well as alleviate severe depression in pregnant women with LBPP. In the future, large, multicentre RCTs must be conducted by surveying physiotherapists, midwives, and pregnant women. More clinical trials must be conducted with a robust methodology to minimize biased results. Considering the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy, it is imperative to optimize the intervention protocol, i.e., acupoints, frequency, and duration. Journal reference: Yang, J. et al. (2022) Acupuncture for low back and/or pelvic pain during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ Open. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056878 https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e056878 To read the original article click here.

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Discover 7 Benefits of Acupuncture

AHA Publisher — Wed, 18 May 2022 07:00:13 +0000

Wendy Miller via NaturalHealth365 – Acupuncture is a centuries-old remedy that was first used in China. As a staple of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it can be used in many ways. Because it improves and enhances energy flow throughout the body, its health-promoting benefits are numerous. Studies suggest acupuncture treatments may help relieve pain, enable the body to heal itself, and break bad habits that hinder the body’s energy from flowing. In addition, acupuncture has few side effects and can be used whenever needed to improve health and general well-being. Top Reasons to Try This Time-Tested Intervention Insomnia Insomnia is becoming a growing problem worldwide with devastating consequences on human health. Sleep troubles can lead to various health concerns ranging from depression to heart conditions and possibly a stroke. Studies suggest that although acupuncture may not do the trick right away, its regular use can gradually improve sleep patterns. Fatty Liver Fat around the liver may be caused by excessive alcohol consumption. However, alcohol is not the only cause. An unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle have also been linked to its development. Eating fatty foods with very little exercise can lead to conditions like fatty liver and insulin resistance. Acupuncture is effective at helping to regulate the metabolism of lipids and allows the body use insulin more efficiently. Addiction Although there is limited scientific evidence available to support the use of acupuncture to help with addiction, an animal study found the technique to be a practical therapeutic alternative for treating morphine addiction. With the increase in internet use and other compulsive or addictive behaviors, researchers are hopeful that the use of acupuncture may be able to combat the many different types of addiction that are controlling our lives. Stroke Post-stroke recovery can be a long and difficult process. Healing can take weeks, months, or even years. Thankfully, studies suggest that acupuncture can help improve post-stroke cognitive impairment and restore nervous functions. By stimulating nerves at various points along the meridians, this intervention can spark healing and increase energy flow throughout these areas. Tinnitus Tinnitus is frustrating for those who experience it. A constant ringing or buzzing in the ears can be challenging since there is rarely an underlying cause. Studies have shown that acupuncture can effectively treat tinnitus. Regular maintenance acupuncture therapy sessions can effectively control the symptoms. Obesity Acupuncture has been shown to be effective at supporting healthy weight management in much the same way that it helps to minimize addiction. With regular use, acupuncture helps to reduce cravings and improves overall body mass index. When used with regular exercise and a proper diet, acupuncture may just be the tool you need to achieve your ideal weight. Depression Depression has reached epidemic levels, especially during the COVID era. Yet, tragically, the warning signs are easy to miss unless you notice the subtle changes in a person’s mood and general outlook on life. Acupuncture offers a drug-free alternative to pharmaceutical options with little to no negative side effects. In one study, the technique improved depression among people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). What’s the bottom line? Although the benefits of acupuncture may not always be immediately apparent, clinical trials show promising results with regular use. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that the technique is quite effective at relieving various painful conditions. Contrary to pharmaceuticals, acupuncture has few unwanted side effects, making it a particularly attractive method to stimulate the body’s self-healing mechanisms. Why not give it a try? Sources for this article include: GreenMedinfo.com NIH.gov

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Acupuncture Reduces Pain and Opioid Use for Total Knee Replacement Surgery Patients

AHA Publisher — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 07:00:31 +0000

American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) via Newswise – SAN DIEGO – Patients who have acupuncture during total knee replacement surgery report less pain and need far fewer opioids to manage their discomfort, according to a study being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2021 annual meeting. Results of the study showed that 65% of patients who received acupuncture during surgery achieved a low-dose or opioid-free postoperative experience, compared to 9% of patients outside of the study. “Total knee replacements are one of the most common operative procedures in the United States and often very painful, so there’s a great need to explore non-opioid pain relief techniques for this type of surgery,” said Stephanie Cheng, M.D., DABMA, lead author of the study and assistant attending anesthesiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery and assistant professor of clinical anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine, both located in New York City. “Acupuncture is extremely safe and can help reduce pain with few unwanted side effects, but it has not been well researched as part of surgical anesthesia.”The study included 41 patients undergoing primary total knee replacement at the Hospital for Special Surgery. All patients received the institution’s standard opioid-sparing multimodal analgesic protocol, with the addition of electroacupuncture — a modified form of traditional acupuncture that applies a small electric current to thin needles that are inserted at known acupuncture points on the body. The acupuncture was administered during surgery by Dr. Cheng, who is board-certified in medical acupuncture, to eight specific points in the ear to provide targeted pain relief in the knee. With the addition of acupuncture, the majority of patients had a significant reduction in postoperative opioid use, compared to historical controls. Sixty-five percent of patients maintained a low-dose opioid regimen of 15 oxycodone pills or less (57.5%) or remained completely opioid-free (7.5%) from induction of anesthesia to 30 days after surgery. Historically, only 9% of patients outside of the study maintained a low-dose or opioid-free regimen post-surgery. All patients studied discontinued opioid use after 30 days following surgery. “Our study shows that if a trained medical acupuncturist is available to perform acupuncture in the operating room, it can help patients with postoperative pain recovery,” said Dr. Cheng. “Most studies fail to incorporate nontraditional techniques, such as acupuncture, to help decrease the dependance on opioid medications for postoperative pain control.” In the context of the opioid epidemic, achieving low-dose perioperative opioid consumption is critical to reducing the risk of long-term opioid use in patients. With acupuncture being commonly used outside of the hospital as an effective therapy for pain management and treatment for a range of health issues and symptoms, it’s time to consider its benefits inside the hospital as well, Dr. Cheng said. “Additional research is needed to further define acupuncture’s effects and encourage its use in all aspects of disease treatment.” To read the original article click here.

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6 Ways to Naturally Eliminate Migraines

AHA Publisher — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 07:00:45 +0000

Dr. Matthew Roe via NaturalHealth365 – Migraine headaches are the second most common type of primary headache after tension headaches. And, just to be clear, a “primary” headache is a headache that is not caused by another disease or condition. Along with debilitating pain, migraines can generate blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound. Often without much warning, migraines can happen once a year, monthly, or several times a week. And, unfortunately, migraines can either occur with an aura – which is known as the classic migraine – or without an aura, which is called a common migraine. What can trigger a migraine? The possible migraine triggers not only vary from one individual to another, but encompass a whole range of common substances. This can include hormonal imbalances, synthetic fragrances, processed cereals (or other junk foods) and skipping meals. A simple drop in blood sugar can cause all kinds of health issues including head pain. The list of possible triggers is so long – it often appears impossible to eliminate the so-called causes. In the food category alone the list is extensive and includes ripened and aged cheese, poor-quality chocolate, citrus fruits, conventionally-raised (processed) meat with nitrites such as hot dogs, MSG, caffeinated beverages and alcohol. Food additive such as nitrites, sulfites, and aspartame can be the culprit behind a migraine. In fact, studies show a large percentage of migraine sufferers point to specific foods as the trigger. Non-food triggers include changes in the atmosphere such as drops in barometric pressure, high temperatures and bright, fluorescent lights. Many women get migraines monthly due to hormone fluctuations or the use of birth control pills. However, one of the most common migraine triggers seems to be chronic stress. It is a known fact that anxiety, worry, depression and moods changes can all release specific brain chemicals – which can trigger a migraine. Sadly, Western medicine promotes the use of analgesic migraine medications – including both prescription pain relievers and over-the-counter drugs – which produce “rebound” headaches. The point here is simple: no pill will ever solve the (underlying) problem associated with chronic head pain. A better way to achieve freedom from chronic headache pain Even with many drugs, lifestyle techniques, and surgical options available to treat and prevent the onset of a migraine – finding the right combination of therapies to manage migraines can be difficult. Fortunately, there is growing scientific evidence to suggest that natural means are just as effective as prescription medication and, many times, even more effective. #1 – Biofeedback: Most studies on biofeedback show that it can reduce the frequency and duration of headaches. The effects of biofeedback appear to be comparable to many drugs used for chronic headaches, and can be recommended as early treatment for recurrent migraines. #2 – Acupuncture: Albrecht Molsberger, MD, a medical acupuncture said it is at least as effective as blood pressure medication such as, beta-blockers – most often used for migraine prevention. The American Headache Society has recommended acupuncture for migraines. Acupuncture helps the natural energy flow and is thought to correct an energy disruption which leads to a migraine. #3 – Melatonin: Two-thirds of study participants who took melatonin before going to bed every night for 3 months said the number of migraines they experienced dropped by 50%. #4 – Magnesium: Studies have shown that migraine sufferers have low brain magnesium during migraine attacks and may also suffer from a magnesium deficiency. It is thought magnesium deficiency may play a particularly important role in menstrual migraine. #5 – Diet: It pays to avoid headache-inducing substances, including nitrites in processed meats, sugar, processed foods, chocolate, nuts aged cheese, aspartame and monosodium glutamate (MSG) used in foods as a flavor enhancer. It’s also worth mentioning that dehydration is a major cause of headaches. Even though food may not be the underlying cause of a migraine, a poor diet does contribute to the problem by depleting vitamins and minerals – which are meant to help ward off an attack. #6 – Upper cervical chiropractic treatment: The most recent research is showing that the most plausible cause of migraine headaches resides in the autonomic nervous system. The swelling of the blood vessels in the brain and the drop in neurotransmitters are secondary and mainly occur in response to the changes in the autonomic nervous system. Emotional stress is a well known trigger for migraine. Japanese researchers have found that people living in fast-paced business centers in Tokyo tend to have an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system – specifically, an inhibition of the parasympathetic system that is active during relaxation, and an excitation of the sympathetic nervous system, which governs our response to stress. The major finding of a recent study is that migraine is a disorder of chronic sympathetic dysfunction. Many times the top vertebra in the spine known as the atlas can be jarred from its normal position. The atlas is the only vertebra in the entire spine not connected by discs to the vertebra below it and the atlas is the only vertebra that can induce increased pressure on the spinal cord. Right above the atlas sits the brain stem and a misalignment in the upper cervical spine can affect the functionality of the brain stem, which in turn can cause migraine headaches. The goal of the upper cervical treatment is to correct the misalignment consequently addressing the real cause of the migraine instead of just the symptoms. There are many case studies, which show a positive response using upper cervical chiropractic adjustments to treat migraines. About the author: Dr. Matthew Roe is a practicing upper cervical chiropractor and has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Science. He has a Doctor of Chiropractic degree graduating Cum Laude from Life University College of Chiropractic. Having studied with the best Upper Cervical specific doctors in the world he understands true healing. His practice focus is to help people fine true health naturally. For more information about Dr. Roe – visit: WinterGardenChiropractors.com Sources for this article include: Healthline.com, Medscape.com, Holistichelp.net, Health.com To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

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Quieting the Storm: Acupuncture Activates Inflammation-Regulating Pathways, Tames Cytokine Storm

AHA Publisher — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 07:00:14 +0000

Harvard Medical School via Newswise – A team of researchers led by neuroscientists at Harvard Medical School has successfully used acupuncture to tame cytokine storm in mice with systemic inflammation. In the study, published Aug. 12 in Neuron, acupuncture activated different signaling pathways that triggered either a pro-inflammatory or an anti-inflammatory response in animals with bacterially induced systemic inflammation. Further, the team found that three factors determined how acupuncture affected response: site, intensity and timing of treatment. Where in the body the stimulation occurred, how strong it was and when the stimulation was administered yielded dramatically different effects on inflammatory markers and survival. The team’s experiments represent a critical step toward defining the neuroanatomical mechanisms underlying acupuncture and offer a roadmap for harnessing the approach for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The scientists caution, however, that before any therapeutic use, the observations must be confirmed in further research—in animals as well as in humans—and the optimal parameters for acupuncture stimulation must be carefully defined. “Our findings represent an important step in ongoing efforts not only to understand the neuroanatomy of acupuncture but to identify ways to incorporate it into the treatment arsenal of inflammatory diseases, including sepsis,” said study principal investigator Qiufu Ma, professor of neurobiology in the Blavatnik (Institute at Harvard Medical School and a researcher at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute). In the study, acupuncture stimulation influenced how animals coped with cytokine storm—the rapid release of large amounts of cytokines, inflammation-fueling molecules. The phenomenon has gained mainstream attention as a complication of severe COVID-19, but this aberrant immune reaction can occur in the setting of any infection and has been long known to physicians as a hallmark of sepsis, an organ-damaging, often-fatal inflammatory response to infection. Sepsis is estimated to affect 1.7 million people in the United States and 30 million people worldwide each year. Acupuncture, rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, has recently grown more integrated into Western medicine, particularly for the treatment of chronic pain and gastrointestinal disorders. The approach involves mechanical stimulation of certain points on the body’s surface—known as acupoints. The stimulation purportedly triggers nerve signaling and remotely affects the function of internal organs corresponding to specific acupoints. Yet, the basic mechanisms underlying acupuncture’s action and effect have not been fully elucidated. The new study is an important step in mapping the neuroanatomy of acupuncture, the research team said. As a neurobiologist who studies the fundamental mechanisms of pain, Ma has been curious about the biology of acupuncture for years. He was intrigued by a 2014 paper which showed that using acupuncture in mice could alleviate systemic inflammation by stimulating the vagal-adrenal axis—a signaling pathway in which the vagus nerve carries signals to the adrenal glands—to trigger the glands to release dopamine. Ma’s curiosity was further intensified by work published in 2016 showing that vagus-nerve stimulation tamed the activity of inflammatory molecules and lessened symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. In the current study, researchers used electroacupuncture—a modern version of the traditional manual approach that involves the insertion of ultra-thin needles just under the skin in various areas of the body. Instead of needles, electroacupuncture uses very thin electrodes inserted into the skin and into the connective tissue, offering better control of stimulation intensities. Building on previous research pointing to neurotransmitters’ role in inflammation regulation, the researchers focused on two specific cell types known to secrete them—chromaffin cells that reside in the adrenal glands and noradrenergic neurons that are located in the peripheral nerve system and directly connected to the spleen through an abundance of nerve fibers. Chromaffin cells are the body’s main producers of the stress hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline and of dopamine, while noradrenergic neurons release noradrenaline. In addition to their well-established functions, adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine, the researchers said, appear to play a role in inflammation response—an observation that’s been borne out in previous research and is now reaffirmed in the experiments of the current study. The team wanted to determine the precise role these nerve cells play in the inflammatory response. To do so, they used a novel genetic tool to ablate chromaffin cells or noradrenergic neurons. This allowed them to compare the response to inflammation in mice with and without these cells to determine just whether and how they were involved in modulating inflammation. The markedly different response in mice with and without such cells conclusively pinpointed these nerve cells as key regulators of inflammation. In one set of experiments, researchers applied low-intensity electroacupuncture (0.5 milliamperes) to a specific point on the hind legs of mice with cytokine storm caused by a bacterial toxin. This stimulation activated the vagus-adrenal axis, inducing secretion of dopamine from the chromaffin cells of the adrenal glands. Animals treated this way had lower levels of three key types of inflammation-inducing cytokines and had greater survival than control mice—60 percent of acupuncture-treated animals survived, compared with 20 percent of untreated animals. Intriguingly, the researchers observed, the vagus-adrenal axis could be activated through hindlimb electroacupuncture but not from abdominal acupoints—a finding that shows the importance of acupoint selectivity in driving specific anti-inflammatory pathways. In another experiment, the team delivered high-intensity electroacupuncture (3 milliamperes) to the same hindleg acupoint as well as to an acupoint on the abdomen of mice with sepsis. That stimulation activated noradrenergic nerve fibers in the spleen. The timing of treatment was critical, the researchers observed. High-intensity stimulation of the abdomen produced markedly different outcomes depending on when treatment occurred. Animals treated with acupuncture immediately before they developed cytokine storm, experienced lower levels of inflammation during subsequent disease and fared better. This preventive measure of high-intensity stimulation increased survival from 20 to 80 percent. By contrast, animals that received acupuncture after disease onset and during the peak of cytokine storm experienced worse inflammation and more severe disease. The findings demonstrate how the same stimulus could produce dramatically different results depending on location, timing and intensity. “This observation underscores the idea that if practiced inappropriately, acupuncture could have detrimental results, which I don’t think is something people necessarily appreciate,” Ma said. If borne out in further work, Ma added, the findings suggest the possibility that electroacupuncture could one day be used as a versatile treatment modality—from adjunct therapy for sepsis in the intensive care unit to more targeted treatment of site-specific inflammation, such as in inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Another possible use, Ma said, would be to help modulate inflammation resulting from cancer immune therapy, which while lifesaving can sometimes trigger cytokine storm due to overstimulation of the immune system. Acupuncture is already used as part of integrative cancer treatment to help patients cope with side effects of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. To read the original article click here.

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