Acupuncture for Menstrual Pain

The British Journal of Obstetrics reported on a meta-analysis of 27 studies which concluded that there was substantial evidence for the utility of acupuncture with pain associated with a woman's period.

The AARP Reports on the Use of Acupuncture for Cancer Care

The American Association of Retired People (AARP) describes how acupuncture can be useful in managing side effects of cancer therapy with acupuncture.  The article details three particular problems, generated by chemo- or radiation therapy: nausea, peripheral neuropathy and xerostomia (a problem wherein the salivary glands are no longer producing adequate fluid). The overall tone of the article is extremely postive.

Battling Cancer With Acupuncture

By: Peter Jaret | Source: From the AARP Bulletin print edition | April 1, 2010

When prescription medications aren’t enough to ease nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy drugs, specialists at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston now turn to an unconventional treatment: acupuncture.

Growing evidence suggests this centuries-old technique, which involves the insertion of small needles just below the surface of the skin, can help treat nausea and other common side effects of cancer drugs. In a 2008 study by researchers at Germany’s Saarland University, for example, 23 children undergoing chemotherapy who received acupuncture were significantly less likely to need anti-nausea medications.

First studied in the West for its ability to relieve acute and chronic pain, acupuncture is also being used to ease a condition called peripheral neuropathy, which results when nerves are damaged by toxic cancer drugs. Acupuncture also may help alleviate hot flashes, a common side effect of treatment for breast cancer. 

But the most surprising benefit from acupuncture is relief from xerostomia, a condition that occurs when radiation damages or destroys salivary glands, causing extreme dryness of the mouth. A common side effect of treatment for head and neck cancer, xerostomia can make it difficult for patients to swallow or eat. Acupuncture can help.

“Although we don’t yet know exactly how it works, acupuncture appears to be able to restore salivary function in some patients, offering really significant relief,” says Barrie Cassileth, M.D., who directs the integrative cancer program at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

In a 2009 study at M.D. Anderson, 19 patients suffering from this common side effect who received acupuncture for four weeks reported significant relief from dry mouth and an overall improvement in physical well-being. A similar study conducted at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil also recorded significant increases in saliva production among cancer patients given acupuncture treatments.

Not everyone responds to acupuncture, admits M. Kay Garcia, an acupuncturist who conducts research into the therapy at M.D. Anderson. “But what we find is that many of those who do benefit see a lot of improvement.” Garcia is convinced from her clinical experiences that acupuncture boosts the cancer-fighting potency of chemotherapy and radiation, even if there is limited evidence as yet.

Fortunately, acupuncture has few risks, except for occasional bruising where the needles are inserted and bleeding in patients prone to bleeding. Still, experts say it’s important to find a trained and experienced practitioner. A good place to start is the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, which maintains a list of board-certified acupuncturists on its website at www.nccaom.org.

(Photos by Darryl Estrine)

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Peter Jaret is a freelance writer in Petaluma, Calif.

Study Shows Acupuncture is Effective for Crohn's Disease

Both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis respond very well to Chinese medicine – acupuncture and herbal therapy. Crohn's disease is an autoimmune disease which involves chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The main symptoms of Crohn's disease are abdominal pain, fever, fatigue and persistent, watery diarrhea. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and can come and go with periods of flare-ups.

Articles and Research

• In a study published in the journal, Digestion, acupuncture was found effective for treating Crohn's disease.

In this German study, 51 patients with mild to moderately active Crohn's disease had a decrease in disease activity after receiving 10 sessions of acupuncture. Study members also showed an improvement in general well-being and reported an improvement in quality of life.

Source: Joos S, Brinkhaus B, Maluche C, Maupai N, Kohnen R, Kraehmer N, Hahn EG, Schuppan D. Acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of active Crohn's disease: a randomized controlled study. Digestion. 2004;69(3):131-9.

Reprinted from Gather.com

• A Chinese herbal formula containing Ku Shen (Radix Sophorae flavescentis) has been shown to be as effective as the anti-inflammatory drug mesalamine for treating ulcerative colitis (UC). The study, published in a Chinese medical journal (readable here). This herb is often included in formula for both UC and Crohn's, though we individualize herbal therapy and acupuncture for the patient.

Acupuncture May Help Restore Lost Sense of Smell

Reprinted from Yahoo News:

Acupuncture may help people who lose their sense of smell after a viral infection, researchers say.

In a new study, 15 patients with post-viral olfactory dysfunction (PVOD) had 10 weekly, 30-minute sessions of traditional Chinese acupuncture. These patients were compared with PVOD patients treated with vitamin B complex.

Smell function improved in eight patients in the acupuncture group and in two patients in the vitamin B group. The findings suggest that acupuncture may be a new treatment option for patients with PVOD, the researchers reported in the April issue of the journal Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders has more about smell disorders.

CBS covers the use of acupuncture during cancer care.

A CBS news report on the satisfying use of acupuncture by women going through cancer treatment.