Zak Acupuncture Case Studies In London 07967525168

Professor Edzard Ernst's blog "Problems with Chinese acupuncture trials" mentioned:

Most of the studies were in Chinese, and I therefore have to trust the review-authors’ data extraction. They tell us that most trials were of very poor quality.

Not reporting adverse effects in clinical trials is a serious violation of research ethics, particularly as severe adverse effects and even deaths after acupuncture are well-documented.

Unlike Western medicine that typically treats symptoms through medication or surgery with applied knowledge of science and technology, TCM is not evidence-based, but rooted in traditions of more than 2,000 years. There is also a strong cultural component, including many ideas about the universe and human body that Chinese people take for granted, such as the five elements (water, earth, wood, fire, metal). It is difficult to explain these metaphysical ideas in the wider international community that relies heavily on Western medicine and the scientific method.

Is Chinese acupuncture research really poor quality? What's real picture about Chinese acupuncture research?

Modern and scientific TCM evaluation system is still imperfect. In the current quality control assurance system established with medicinal materials as the core, the lack of TCM resources, limit of raw material prices and other factors lead to the mismatches between the TCM clinical needs and industrial products.Meanwhile, the lack of information sharing platforms among the central and municipal scientific research institutes has restricted the conversion of scientific and technological achievements. These factors have directly influenced the output value, revenue and profit growth of the TCM industry in Beijing.

Recently, the volume of applied research in Chinese medicine is growing rapidly and the quality is improving.There is good evidence supporting the use of some Chinese patent medicine treatments.Researchers are starting to emphasize the importance of clinical trials. Many experts including clinicians, pharmacologists, statisticians and epidemiologists are discussing and formulating clinical trial protocols for TCM.And quality control is being emphasized for the process of trials more than before.

Chinese medicine is indeed different from western medicine, while TCM is an individual therapeutic method for diseases or conditions. There should be a balance between what is ideal and what is feasible.Sham acupuncture as a control method is still immature, which is not appropriate to be taken as a standard model for acupuncture research. If the research method which takes modern medicine as the control method in Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion can be promoted, and the most effective and the most advanced methods and results which are general accepted can be taken as the control, the differences and the advantages of acupuncture-moxibustion can be discovered directly with greater value.

Anxiety is a serious issue that interferes with your ability to find happiness in your daily life. It's not simply a matter of the physical or emotional effects of anxiety; anxiety also has a tendency to alter behaviors. When you're anxious, you are far more likely to avoid activities that cause anxiety even without realizing it, and that can stop you from enjoying things that you would otherwise enrich your life.Not all anxiety is bad, however, he said. Low-level anxiety may help you maintain the kind of focus that gets things done. Suppressing or putting a lid on your emotions also can be a good strategy in a short-term situation, such as when your boss yells at you, Dolcos said. Similarly, an always-positive attitude can be dangerous, causing a person to ignore health problems, for example, or to engage in risky behavior.

The study found that people frayed by even slight distress, meaning they sometimes stayed awake at night worrying or had trouble concentrating on tasks, for example, were about 20% more likely to die over a 10-year period compared to people who reported no such symptoms.
That was true even after researchers adjusted their results to account for unhealthy behaviors that often accompany anxiety and depression, like smoking and excessive drinking. They also accounted for things like exercise, weight, and diabetes.

That's why treating anxiety is so important. The problem is that pharmaceutical treatments are a poor choice.

The Problem With Western Medicine for Anxiety

There's often a natural vs. pharmaceutical debate when it comes to treating health issues, where one side believes that natural medicine is as effective without any manmade chemicals and the other side argues that their manmade chemicals have been lab tested for effectiveness. Many people find themselves on one side of the debate or the other.

But this isn't as simple as a natural vs. pharmaceutical debate. When it comes to anxiety, pharmaceutical medicine simply isn't a good option. There are two reasons for this:

• Pharmaceutical medicine doesn't treat the underlying problems. Rather, it simply changes your personality so that you don't find anxiety as much of an issue. Few people want a new personality. Most simply want their anxiety to go away. This is in addition to the host of other problems, such as dependency and withdrawal that are often caused by these conditions.
• Because of this issue, you cannot take anxiety medicine forever. But once you wean off of the drugs, you actually put yourself into a slightly worse position than before. Your body won't be used to the experience of anxiety again, nor will you have developed any coping strategies to help you deal with your anxiety issues. Many people experience a rush of anxiety beyond what they experienced before when they stop taking the medications.
Clearly this isn't an ideal option. No one wants personality changes, and no one wants to deal with a backlash of anxiety after they get off of the drugs. That means that there needs to be a healthier option for dealing with anxiety.

People suffering from a common form of psychological stress known as phobic anxiety may also experience premature aging, new research suggests.

Acupuncture And Anxiety

One beneficial solution is acupuncture. Unlike western medicine, acupuncture is safe and non-addictive. You will not experience any personality changes, nor will you experience withdrawal symptoms that will increase your anxiety once you leave the table.

Acupuncture is also designed to be a solution to anxiety, rather than a way to mask the symptoms. While there are several areas that relate to anxiety, the He5, P6, and other points are powerful ways to essentially provide you with a natural coping mechanism for your anxiety symptoms and causes, thereby relieving much of your anxiety and helping you deal with future anxiety issues more easily.

While acupuncture is not the only method that people use to treat their anxiety symptoms, it's effective as a standalone method and can be combined with natural anxiety treatments. You may find that acupuncture is a great tool in combination with herbal teas and relaxation exercises as a way of joining forces against your anxiety stresses.

But what's clear is that acupuncture is simply a better choice than western medicines. This isn't an issue of the natural vs. pharmaceutical debate – when it comes to moderate anxiety, pharmaceutical medicine is simply not the right choice, with a host of side effects and personality change without benefitting the underlying cause of your anxiety. Acupuncture does, and should be strongly considered as part of any natural and healthy treatment option for your anxiety.

About the Author: Ryan Rivera utilized acupuncture often as a safe method of coping with his anxiety and panic attack symptoms and causes. He provides more information on anxiety and related mental health conditions at www.calmclinic.com.
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If you tend to worry more and feel like you're enjoying life less, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America offers these suggestions:

Stop what you're doing and relax. Listen to music, meditate or get a massage.
Don't skip any meals, and stick to a healthy, balanced diet. Reduce caffeine and alcohol consumption.
Get plenty of sleep and regular exercise.
Give up on the idea that you have to control everything. Focus on doing your best, and don't forget to laugh.
Volunteer in your community.
Seek emotional support from friends and family. Source medicinenet

Classification of atrial fibrillation (AF) begins with distinguishing a first detectable episode, irrespective of whether it is symptomatic or self-limited. Published guidelines from an American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA)/European Society of Cardiology (ESC) committee of experts on the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation recommend classification of AF into the following Paroxysmal AF – Episodes of AF that terminate spontaneously within 7 days (most episodes last less than 24 hours)Persistent AF - Episodes of AF that last more than 7 days and may require either pharmacologic or electrical intervention to terminate.When compared to elderly men with atrial fibrillation, elderly women with AF have a significantly elevated risk for stroke. This increased risk occurs regardless of warfarin use, according to a new study published in JAMA.

Can acupuncture help with?

To evaluated whether acupuncture might exert an antiarrhythmic effect on patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Two sets of data are reviewed by university of MIlan.shenmen and Xinshu spots. In patients with persistent AF,

Finally, Italian scientist's conclusion: acupuncture of the Neiguan spot was associated with an antiarrhythmic effect, which was evident in patients with both persistent and paroxysmal AF. These preliminary data, observed in 2 small groups of AF patients, need to be validated in a larger population but strongly suggest that acupuncture may be an effective non-invasive and safe antiarrhythmic tool in the management of these patients.
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Reference: Lombardi F et al.World J Cardiol. 2012 Mar 26;4(3):60-5.

Compared to patients with normal thyroid function, the risk of atrial fibrillation increased with decreasing levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone. For example, patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism had a 30% increased risk of atrial fibrillation, while patients with high-normal thyroid function had a 12% increased risk. In contrast, hypothyroidism was associated with a lower risk of atrial fibrillation.

Treatment for hand arthritis is usually accomplished with simple treatments including oral medications, splints, and ice packs.  These treatments are done to support the joint at the base of the thumb, and relieve inflammation caused by the joint irritation.

However, in some people, these treatments are not sufficient to control the arthritis, and more treatment is needed.  There are acupuncture and TCM treatments for arthritis of the hand but there is little agreement about which one is best.

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine have been found to be extremely effective at treating the pain and inflammation associated with all types of arthritis. The acupuncture points and herbs that are used depend on if the blockage of Qi (arthritis) is caused by the pathogen wind, cold, damp or damp-heat.

The good news for patients, is that a recent Several studies have shown that acupuncture can help people with arthritis and related auto-immune diseases.

For patients this means that you should worry less about acupuncture is being done, and discuss with your acupuncturist if acupuncture is an appropriate treatment for your hand arthritis.

While the title of world's heaviest drinkers goes to the European Union as whole, where consumption is almost double the world average, there are also wide variations in drinking levels between sub-regions, as well as big differences in how frequently, where and when people drink.

In UK,THE death toll from alcohol-related diseases could be as high as 14,000 in Wales over the next 20 years, leading doctors warn today.

More than half of girls aged 15 and 16 years old admit drinking to excess at least once a month, according to research.

Unusually, young British women were found to binge drink more than teenage boys; the opposite pattern to most European countries.

Alcohol can cause blood sugar levels to drop dangerously low for people on blood sugar-lowering medications for as long as 12 hours after their last drink, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Doctors have long recognized a link between alcoholism and anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Those who drink heavily are at increased risk for traumatic events like car accidents and domestic violence, but that only partially explains the connection. New research using mice reveals heavy alcohol use actually rewires brain circuitry, making it harder for alcoholics to recover psychologically following a traumatic experience.

Individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) vary widely in their age of onset of use, patterns of drinking, and symptom profiles. AUDs are often 'divided' into two categories: alcohol abuse (AA) and alcohol dependence (AD), with AA perceived as a milder syndrome that might develop into AD over time. A recent study of the clinical features of AUDs, with a focus on family liability, has found that -- contrary to expectations -- AA symptoms better reflect familial risk for AUDs than AD symptoms.Results will be published in the December 2012 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.

Can acupuncture help?

Hospital of Korean Medicine did a research about acupuncture and alcohol dependence.

Their results of the included studies were equivocal, and the poor methodological quality and the limited number of the trials do not allow any conclusion about the efficacy of acupuncture for treatment of alcohol dependence. More research and well-designed, rigorous, and large clinical trials are necessary to address these issues.

This analgesic effect of acupuncture is very suitable for each drug detoxification program, because it helpsCushion withdrawal symptoms of drug addiction. In cases of cocaine addiction is well known that acupuncture can be helpful. In fact, studies have found that the analgesic effect of acupuncture effective for up to 85 percent to bring significant relief, compared with 70 percent of the effectiveness of morphine.

An extended form the application of acupuncture is to connect the electrodes to the needles and the operation of a mild electrical current. This method increases the analgesic effectconsiderably more powerful support in cases of addiction to drug discontinuation. Acupuncture is the preferred method of treatment in a hospital, treated in the United States, up to 250 drug addicts every single day.

Alcohol and drug addiction pose serious medical, social, and economic problems in the United States. However, finding effective treatments for addiction is challenging. Many people relapse due to intense cravings and/or painful withdrawal symptoms. Electroacupuncture (acupuncture combined with electrical stimulation) is currently being studied as a possible treatment option, and preliminary evidence suggests that electroacupuncture can counteract addiction by affecting related chemicals (opiates) in the brain.

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Reference:Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2009 Apr 30

More than one million women in the UK suffer from painful urinary tract infections every year. Now scientists think they may be caused by an unusual culprit - chickens.

A team from McGill University in Montreal compared the genetic fingerprints of E.coli from urinary infections to 320 samples of E.coli from chicken, pork and beef. They found chicken was a surprisingly close match.

Urinary tract infection: Infection of the kidney, ureter, bladder, or urethra. Not everyone with a UTI has symptoms. Common symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate and a painful, burning when urinating. More females than males have UTIs. Underlying conditions that impair the normal urinary flow can lead to complicated UTIs.Urinary tract infections describe a health problem that results from a bacterial infection along the urinary tract. The urinary tract consists of two kidneys that remove liquid waste from the blood in the form of urine. Two narrow tubes called ureters carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. The urine is stored in the bladder (a triangle-shaped, hollow organ). When the bladder is emptied, the urine travels through a tube called the urethra and passes outside the body.Bladder problems seen more often among smokers than nonsmokers may be further motivation for women to quit smoking, a new study suggests.

To evaluate the effect of acupuncture in the prevention of recurrent lower urinary tract infection (UTI) in adult women,Norway scientist did research about it,their conclusion is Acupuncture seems a worthwhile alternative in the prevention of recurring lower UTI in women.

How to treat it?

1. Body acupuncture
Prescription: Zhongji (CV 3), Yinlingquan (SP 9 ), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Shenshn (BL 23) and Pangguangshu (BL 28).
Modification: For severe fever, Hegu (LI 4) and Qu-chi (LI 11) are added; for asthenia of kidney yin, Taixi (KI 3), Yinxi (HT 6) and Fuliu (KI 7) are added; for as-thenia of spleen and kidney yang, Pishu (BL 20) and Zu-sanli (ST 36) are added; for hematuria, Xuehai (SP 10) and Diji (SP 8) are added; for frequent urination in the night, Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zusanli (ST 36) are added.
2. Ear acupuncture
Prescription: Kidney (CO10), Bladder (CO9), Ure-thra (HX3), Ureter (CO9,10i), Spleen (CO13), Triple Energizer (CO17), Sympathetic Nerve (AH6a) and Ear Shenmen (TF4).
Performance. Each time 3 - 5 acupoints are selected and needled with routine procedure. The needles are re-tained for 30 minutes. The needling is done once a day and the two ears are needled in alternation. source: TCMdiscovery
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Reference: Scand J Prim Health Care. 1998 Mar;16(1):37-9

Research leader Silje Marie Haga, from the University of Oslo, in Norway, said: 'There are some indications that older, first-time mothers are vulnerable to postpartum depression, perhaps because they are used to being in control of their own lives: they have completed a long education and established a career before they have children.

One in 10 women experience depression during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth. Although the problem has received increased attention in recent years, little is known about the causes or early-warning signs of pregnancy-related depression. In a study published in the June 2011 issue of Journal of Women's Health, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine offer new clues to help doctors identify at-risk patients and refer them to treatment early on.Almost a third of 2,000 mothers surveyed by the charity, for Children, did not realise they were suffering from depression and more than half did not think the symptoms were serious enough to warrant treatment.

Many clinical studies have shown that acupuncture is significantly effective in treating postpartum depression,Postpartum depression treatment would use acupuncture points to help restore your yin and blood as well as help balance the flow of your Qi. This can help balance your mood, improve your sleep, and increase your appetite. Additionally, there are Chinese herbal formulas as well as nutritional suggestions that can help improve your condition as well.Expect to have several sessions before feeling your symptoms of postpartum depression lift. Some women feel a drastic change in their moods after just one acupuncture session, but this is rare. The majority of people feel better after a series of appointments, while others find that this treatment method does not affect them at all.

Women who take anti-depressants during pregnancy could be contributing to a dramatic rise in autism spectrum disorders in children, say scientists from the University of Mississippi.
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Reference: Manber R, Schnyer RN, Allen JJ, Rush AJ, Blasey CM.Acupuncture: a promising treatment for depression during pregnancy,J Affect Disord. 2004 Nov 15;83(1):89-95.

Linked research

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The number of pregnant women diagnosed with cancer has increased over the past couple of decades, a new study from Australia suggests.In 2007, the most recent year studied, researchers found 192 out of every 100,000 pregnant and postpartum women received a cancer diagnosis - up from 112 per 100,000 women in 1994.Researchers couldn't determine what was behind that increase in risk, but said it could be due in part to the older average age of expectant moms combined with better cancer detection.

Pregnancy and hormonal changes that continue 12 weeks after giving birth increase a woman's risk of heart attack, researchers said--According to a study presented at the annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology meeting in Chicago this week.

The more common reason pregnant women had a heart attack was a condition called coronary dissection, a separation of the layers of the artery wall that blocks blood flow. They said this condition is very rare among non-pregnant patients.

New research from the International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience shows that acupuncture controls the heart rate and increases the strength of cardiac autonomic function. This new research indicates that the use of specific acupuncture points may help to prevent heart attacks (myocardial infarctions) and arrhythmias. This new research shows that the application of acupuncture to CV17 increases the power of the high-frequency component of HRV and simultaneously is able to lower the heart rate. Since acupuncture at CV17 increases the cardiac vagal component of HRV (heart rate variability), it may be an important acupuncture point for patients recovering from MI.

Researchers found that most pregnant women did not have traditional cardiovascular risk factors, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. Yet their heart attacks were more severe and the death rate was 2 to 3 times higher than what is expected of non-pregnant women the same age.

So what was the acupuncture actually doing to improve heart failure symptoms? The research team, headed by cardiologist Dr. Johannes Backs of Heidelberg University Hospital, pointed out in a press statement that previous studies have shown that the ability of heart failure patients to tolerate exercise is independent of the pumping function of the heart and appears to stem primarily from the muscles. Inflammation chemical messengers in the blood are increased in chronic heart failure and that's what makes muscles tire easily, causing extreme fatigue.

"The blood level of a certain messenger, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) actually drops after the real acupuncture treatment. Since TNF alpha leads to a reduction of muscle mass and muscle strength among other things, this would explain the positive effect (of acupuncture) on skeletal muscle function," Dr. Arnt Kristen, one of the authors of the study, said in a statement to the newspaper .

Repeat abortions linked to premature birth,” BBC News has reported, with the Daily Mail website adding that multiple abortions could cause “life-threatening problems in later pregnancy”.

Take care.

According to globaltoronto.com

Police say Jin Wen Zhou,（周金文） 41, also known as Raymond Chow, appeared in court today charged with sexual assault.

Police say a 28-year-old woman went to Suiki Health Beauty Acupuncture Centre at 428 Dundas Street West on Feb. 19 for treatment.

Who is JinWen Zhou? Look this:http://www.iask.ca/news/canada/2012/0323/125499m.html

According to Archives of Otolaryngology.The authors say that their study is the first to explore the potential of combining Western medicine with Eastern therapies among these patients, who experience swollen and inflamed sinuses, facial pain, headaches and impaired breathing.

........patients were offered eight weekly 20-minute sessions of therapeutic acupuncture and acupressure massage, performed by licensed therapists. Counseling was also offered to teach patients how to self-administer acupressure at home.
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The result: The team found that when applied alongside modern medicine, the use of such so-called "staples of Eastern medicine" appeared to be both safe and effective.
After two months, all the patients showed a statistically significant gain in terms of quality of life, with a drop in feelings of frustration and restlessness and a boost in their ability to concentrate.

Acupuncture operates under the theory that all of our life energy, known in the acupuncture community as qi, must at all times flow uninterrupted through our bodies. Qi, body fluids and blood regulate our functions and make up the body. The circulation and health of body fluids and blood depend on the proper flow of life energy. When the natural flow is interrupted or blocked, certain ailments can occur. Acupuncture operates under the belief that inserting needles into certain points along the meridians will stimulate the body and cause it to heal itself.

There is much anecdotal evidence from both acupuncture patients and practitioners that suggests that acupuncture can significantly reduce or cure sinus problems. A September 2004 study published in Allergy magazine found that a combination of weekly acupuncture sessions and Chinese herbs showed major promise in relieving the symptoms of seasonal allergies. The study recommended that further research be performed to fully gauge the effectiveness of acupuncture as an allergy treatment.

The steroid prednisolone is no better at reducing the symptoms of a sinus infection than a placebo, according to a new study.

In haemophilia, the blood's ability to clot is severely reduced because an essential clotting factor - a chemical within the blood - is partly or completely missing. This means that people bleed for longer than normal.Persons with haemophilia experience persistent pain resulting in chronic arthritic symptoms. The older person with haemophilia who did not benefit from primary prophylaxis are particularly at risk for persistent pain in multiple target joints as a result of repeated joint bleeding with delayed treatment received.

Indian's study suggests that persons are continually seeking additional resources to relieve pain. This study seeks to identify: (i) effects of acupuncture use for persons with haemophilia who experience persistent joint pain as a result of repeated haemarthrosis and (ii) document no reported increased bleeding risk as a result of acupuncture use.

Their study suggests that acupuncture therapy can be a safe additional modality for pain management therapies in persons with haemophilia, although larger randomized studies are needed for further validation.
© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
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Reference:Lambing A, Kohn-Converse B, Hanagavadi S, Varma V.Haemophilia. 2012 Mar 8.

This is the first randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded prospective study of acupuncture for carpal tunnel syndrome.

To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS),University of California has done this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded prospective study of acupuncture for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Their subjects were randomly assigned to either (1) acupuncture (n = 21) or (2) placebo acupuncture (n = 20) with use of Streitberger placebo acupuncture needles. Both groups received weekly sessions of acupuncture for 6 weeks. Wrist braces were provided to both groups to wear at night, and compliance was monitored.

They have found that both the treatment and placebo groups demonstrated improvements from baseline. Acupuncture was not shown to be superior to placebo acupuncture when used in conjunction with bracing for patients with mild to moderate CTS.
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Reference:Yao E, Gerritz PK, Henricson E, Abresch T, Kim J, Han J, Wang K, Zhao H.PM R. 2012 Mar 7
Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Can acupuncture help with Dysphagia following chemoradiation therapy in head and neck cancer patients? We still don't know yet.

Dysphagia is the term used to describe difficulty in swallowing food and/or drinks. Swallowing difficulties can affect different people of all ages and may arise as a side effect of many conditions. The causes can be numerous and can include; stroke, Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, learning disability, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, head and neck injury or cancer.While acupuncture has been reported to positively impact swallowing function and quality of life (QOL) in patients with dysphagia, current evidence is inconclusive.

The Boston Dana-Farber Cancer Institute study addresses unique challenges related to study design in nonpharmacological, sham-controlled acupuncture trials including development of evidence-based credible verum and sham treatment protocols, blinding, and assuring fidelity of treatment. Results of this study will inform the feasibility of conducting a large scale trial and will provide preliminary evidence regarding the value of acupuncture for dysphagia in HNC patients.

We are looking forward to hear their conclusion in future.
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Reference:Contemp Clin Trials. 2012 Mar 2
Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc

Tinnitus is the medical name for the perception of noise in one ear, both ears or in the head. The noise comes from inside the body rather than an outside source. People with tinnitus can experience different types of sounds. Most people describe it as a ringing sound, but other sounds may includeuzzing,humming,whistling, or music.

Reports of tinnitus are rising because of widespread use of personal entertainment and communication devices, particularly in children, according to researchers at the University of California at Irvine’s Hearing Research Center, where Serenade was first developed. In a paper published online in April by the Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, the researchers, who describe tinnitus as a “brain disorder,” said their device was most effective when the volume was set at a level just softer than the sounds produced by tinnitus .Tinnitus is also the most common disability among Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Trials of the new therapy, called called Acoustic Coordinated Reset (ACR), have shown that it reduces the loudness and annoyance caused by tinnitus in seven out of 10 patients.The treatment is now being made availabe to British patients at a Harley Street clinic and it comes with a £4,500 price tag.The British Tinnitus Association said the results were "encouraging" but said a larger, independent trial was needed.

In Chinese medicine, there are a number of patterns of disharmony that can result in tinnitus. The most common is a deficiency of your Kidney system. This does not mean you have Kidney disease—your Chinese Kidney is a little bit like the foundation to your health. Your Kidney is the source of your vital substances, including the nourishing coolant of Yin and the pilot light of Yang, as well as Essence. Kidney Essence is a little like your genetics, body constitution, and mojo, all rolled into one. When your Kidney gets depleted, a common symptom is ringing in your ears.While most Chinese medical practitioners think of Kidney depletion first, tinnitus can be caused by other patterns. If the noise in your ears sounds like loud claps or ocean waves, gets worse when you're angry or frustrated, and you're having signs of heat (feeling hot, thirsty, restless, irritability, constipation, insomnia, dry mouth), then your tinnitus might be from heat in the Liver and Gall Bladder organ systems.Another pattern that might produce tinnitus is a combination of phlegm and heat. This is associated with signs of heat (see above) plus an overabundance of phlegm in your sinuses or chest, dizzy spells, and a feeling of heaviness, especially in your head. Similarly, a common cold, called Wind Heat in Chinese medicine, can cause tinnitus if your ears become congested.The condition of tinnitus is believed to stem from an imbalance in the two energy systems of the body. Called the yin and the yang energy systems. For some sufferers the therapy could consist of the use of acupuncture and nourishing herbs to help heal the body. For others whose tinnitus has manifested from drug side effects or loud noise exposure the treatment may be different. Tinnitus acupuncture treatment can consist of not only acupuncture but dietary modifications, herbal concoctions and lifestyle changes. Because of the roots of acupuncture in TCM the goal is to not only provide relief from the symptoms but also fix the root cause of the energy imbalance. This is sometimes referred to as a health care approach.

What's your opinion?

For people with tinnitus, which features chronic ringing, buzzing, hissing or clicking in the head and ears, poor sleep makes it even more difficult to cope with the condition, researchers have found.

Professor Ernst, a former homeopath who now researches complementary medicine at Exeter University, said the Homeopathic treatments could be dangerous if people chose them over conventional medicines with proven benefits,according to Dailymail

Professor Ernst said if a homeopath doesn't tell a patient that the treatment is worthless, he is not telling the truth. Modern medical ethics state that patients must be fully informed and telling lies to patients is not acceptable.
‘It follows that the Government's decision to continue offering homeopathy on the NHS is not ethical.'

Edzard Ernst is a prize-winning physician and the founder of two medical journals. He was the first chair in complementary medicine at the University of Exeter and is co-author of Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial.

Professor Ernst said :Medical ethics is anything but boring. The level of misinformation about alternative medicine has now reached the point where it has become dangerous and unethical. So far, alternative medicine has remained an ethics-free zone. It is time to change this.

Homeopathy. Chiropractic, Acupuncture,Chinese medicine.......many,many.

According to experts from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI),Letting pollen drift in through open windows and using the wrong air filter can contribute to allergy flare-ups in spring.Allergists recommend allergy-sufferers keep their house and car windows closed so pollen can't drift in from outdoors. They also recommend making sure to use the right air filter. Inexpensive central-furnace or air-conditioning filters and ionic electrostatic room cleaners aren't helpful.

How about acupuncture for this?

Acupuncture is excellent at treating symptoms of allergies. Many allergy symptoms are located above the neck, that is, in the head (stuffiness, headache, itchy eyes, etc.) This means the energy is not flowing smoothly from the head into the rest of the body, and vice versa. All the yang meridians flow from the hands up to the head, or from the head down to the feet. We need to open the channels in the neck and shoulders and allow the energy to flow.In the case of hay fever, it is often aggravated by a pathogen, which causes problems in the respiratory system, and acupuncture uses needles to restore the normal functioning of this system.Because of the way acupuncture can calm a hyper-sensitive immune system, the time to go for a treatment is two to three months before the start of the hay fever season, thus reducing, and eventually completely alleviating allergic reaction in the future. This is particularly important for those teenagers and students who have major exams looming.

Treatment:
1,Cold acupuncture: Dashu, Gaohuang, Fengmen,Pishu,Feishu,Shenshu.
2,General acupuncture: Common use:Yintang,Bitong
Support point:Baihui, Yingxiang,Hegu,Fengchi

People with the painful skin condition psoriasis may be at increased risk for health problems that affect the heart,according to Yahoo Health.

Excessive inflammation is a major feature of psoriasis. Chronic inflammation is also a characteristic of insulin resistance, obesity, abnormal cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease, said Dr. Joel Gelfand, an assistant professor of dermatology and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

The chronic skin disorder psoriasis may raise the risk of diabetes, a large study shows.The risk is highest -- about two-fold higher -- in patients with the most severe psoriasis, says researcher Ole Ahlehoff, MD, PhD, a post-doctoral fellow in cardiology at Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, in Denmark.

Can acupuncture help?

Psoriasis can be a debilitating disease physically and emotionally because of the unsightly blemishes. Therefore, complementary therapies such as acupuncture, meditation and yoga may be helpful. An elimination diet may cut to the root of the problem, since there appears to be anecdotal evidence that diet and nutrition are causal factors for psoriasis flare-ups.

Chinese medicine's view of psoriasis as a systemic inflammatory disease is seen in the main traditional patterns attributed to it, mainly fire toxins and heat in the blood with stasis. It has always held that psoriasis is a disease of the blood, hence any part of the body influenced by the blood can be affected, particularly the heart.

Body acupuncture
Points
The main point : the two groups. 1, Dazhui, Feishu, Geshu; 2, Qvchi, Zusanli, Xuehai.
Points allocation : Fengchi head lesions increases; Facial increase Yingxiang, Suniu; Upper limb increase Zhigou, Hegu; Plus Sanyinjiao lower extremities, Yanglingquan.

T'ai chi ch'uan , often shortened to T'ai chi or Tai chi in the West, is a type of internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. It is also typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: its hard and soft martial art technique, demonstration competitions, and longevity. As a consequence, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims. Some of t'ai chi ch'uan's training forms are especially known for being practiced at what most people categorize as slow movement.From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine you can say there are two levels of healing injury, illness and diseases. The first involves hands-on energetic healing work, which can get rather complex with the thousands of meridian lines on the human body. The second involves specific qigong or tai chi exercises that can be taught and learned which often are sufficient to heal a health issue.

"As a symbol of Chinese culture, Taijiquan is a combination of martial art, medicine, philosophy and art," said Si Fuchun, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, China's top political advisory body,according to Chinadaily.

On a deeper level, the practice of T'ai Chi improves our health by encouraging the circulation of our internal energy (chi) through the body. The movement of chi nourishes the health of the internal organs. Regular practice of the form helps to send the chi through the body in the best order, in a balanced flow. So both for our ch'i (internally) and for our joints and musculature (externally) T'ai Chi is an essential practice for our health.

Taijiquan's development in modern China is facing a difficult situation, as many traditional Taijiquan skills are being lost in the country's rapid industrialization process.

Acupuncture may help take the edge off the labor pain without those risks, but it’s still unclear just how effective they are,according to Reuters Health. Scientist found some evidence that water birth, relaxation, acupuncture, massage, local anesthetics and milder painkillers might ease the pain.However, while those methods carry little risk of side effects, they have only been tested in a few, small studies.For a range of other alternative methods — including aromatherapy, hypnosis and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) — there simply wasn’t enough evidence for the Cochrane group to make a conclusion .

“Every woman deserves the right to have pain relief during labor,” scientist told Reuters Health. “A lot of times these days, less is more to women, they want to have a ‘natural plan’ here. I always explain that that’s fine, but just be open. For many women, the pain hits you like a ton of bricks.”

Common acupoint for labor pain:
Hoku
In the acupressure points chart this point is the easiest to find, as it is located between the webbing of the thumb and the index finger. The location of this point is at the juncture of the thumb and index finger bones. Start with applying gentle pressure on the point. Rubbing the said point for a few minutes will stimulate contractions. There is another benefit of rubbing the Hoku point. If it is rubbed when the woman is in labor, it will help in easing the labor pain and have an easy childbirth.

Bladder 32
This pressure point is located exactly between the buttocks and the depression in the spine in the lower back area. To be more specific the point is located about the the length of the width of the mother’s fingers, above the top of the crease of the buttocks. The point, where you can feel the depression is the Bladder 32 point. Like the Hoku point, this point should also be pressed for a couple of minutes, which will help to start labor.

BL 60
Another acupressure point to induce labor, which is easy to locate. It is is located between the Achilles tendon and the ankle bone. This point is used more often, if the baby has not dropped down into the pelvis, as it should ideally have been. Rub or press the point for a few minutes, which will help the baby to come into the pelvis and start off labor.

Spleen 6
This point is also located in the ankle region. Locate this point by placing your four fingers above the ankle bone on the inside of the ankle. Applying pressure to this point helps to ripen the cervix. If the contractions have started but are weak, using this point helps to strengthen the contractions. Source:BUZZLE.COM

The articles appeared online March 13 in The Lancet.

"These results support the inflammation hypothesis in coronary heart disease and encourage exploration of modulation of IL6R pathways as a means to prevent coronary heart disease," wrote researchers from the IL6R Genetics Consortium and Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration.

A protein involved in inflammation appears to play a role in the development of coronary heart disease, new research indicates,according to medicinenet.

From Chinese medicine, Inflammatory conditions reflect an excess of qi ; however, dull pains on the chest are indicative of a deficiency of qi . This probably mirrors the evolution of coronary heart disease from an early stage when it is highly inflammatory to a chronic, late stage where there is more dull aching. The treatment of course has to be appropriate for each stage. So the clinician must examine you to determine the stage in order to use the appropriate acupuncture points. However, coronary heart disease can be helped.

In Chinese medicine and acupuncture, when patients present with Western medical inflammatory diseases, we must still do a pattern discrimination and treat based on the pathomechanisms described by Chinese medicine. By basing treatment upon the patterns presented, we often find that the patient's inflammatory symptomology has been significantly relieved.Acupuncture at the point sanyinjiao was shown to decrease inflammation induced by carrageenan injections. inflammation is due in large part to increased blood vessel permeability. One research results showed that acupuncture at Spleen 6 resulted in a dramatic decrease in blood vessel permeability and a significant decrease in inflammation......

What's your opinion?

Here are some things you can and should do right now to protect your heart:

If you’re a smoker, stop. It’s hard to do on your own, so get some help by calling the quit line.. They can help you get nicotine replacement therapy.
If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol, take steps to control them.
If you aren’t getting any exercise, look at ways to move. Even 15 minutes a day can make a difference. Start with something easy, something you enjoy and build from there.
And if you’re overweight or obese, try to lose weight. Again, start with small changes that you can live with, so you’ll experience success. Slow and steady is the way to go. I like to recommend ditching sodas and other sweetened drinks as a great first step.

The study was led by U.S. and Danish researchers who tracked physical activity and fertility in thousands of Danish women.Exercise is a plus for women trying to become pregnant, but overdoing workouts might make it harder to conceive -- unless you're overweight.Other studies of competitive female athletes suggest that intense workouts disturb women's monthly menstrual cycles and lead to a lack of ovulation and even the absence of menstrual periods, among other problems, according to medicinenet.

Why do. Acupuncture help with infertility?

Acupuncture may improve sperm quality and counts in infertile men.
Acupuncture may improve the lining of the endometrium, including increased the blood flow to the uterus.
Acupuncture may help regulate hormone levels, specifically gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which in turn may improve ovulation rates.
Acupuncture may help women with PCOS and anovulatory cycles.
Acupuncture may help those with thyroid problems. (And problems with the thyroid can lead to problems with fertility.)
Acupuncture may increase the number of follicles produced during an IVF treatment.

So,Normal, non-obese women who want to become pregnant should stick to moderate aerobic exercise, and may go to see acupuncturist.

Margaret Chan, director general of the WHO, warned that humans have become so resistant to common antibiotics that it could bring about “the end of modern medicine as we know it.”

Antibiotic misuse, sometimes called antibiotic abuse or antibiotic overuse, refers to the misuse or overuse of antibiotics, with potentially serious effects on health. It is a contributing factor to the creation of multidrug-resistant bacteria, informally called "super bugs": relatively harmless bacteria can develop resistance to multiple antibiotics and cause life-threatening infections.

In traditional Chinese medicine, herbs and herbal formulas are also extremely effective for treatment of various infections. In fact, most modern pharmaceutical drugs were originally derived from natural sources, including penicillin (the oldest antibiotic) and gentimicin (one of the most potent). One of the main benefits of using herbs is their wide spectrum of antibiotic effect, with indications for bacterial and viral infections. Furthermore, most of these herbs are extremely safe, and do not have the same harsh side effects as drugs.

Thinking about Chinese medicine!

Thousands of people with MS could benefit from the first pill to treat the disabling disease.according to dailymail.
The NHS rationing body has approved the drug fingolimod which can halve relapses compared with standard interferon injections.Experts hoped the once-a-day pill will replace injections and hospital infusions for at least 5,000 sufferers a year.
In its initial assessment, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) said the drug was not value for money despite admitting it works.But after considering extra evidence on its effectiveness Nice decided to give the go-ahead for use on the NHS.

It's great for MS patients in UK. Of course, many research also found acupuncture may help with MS.

Many people with multiple sclerosis take fish oil pills with the hope of keeping neurological symptoms from getting worse, but a new study suggests the extra omega-3 fatty acids may not be doing them any good. Because there is no effective cure for the autoimmune disease, many patients have turned to supplements that are known to affect the immune system and inflammation

ScienceDaily (Aug. 21, 2012) — New magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research shows that changes in brain blood flow associated with vein abnormalities are not specific for multiple sclerosis (MS) and do not contribute to its severity, despite what some researchers have speculated. Results of the research are published online in the journal Radiology.

Scalp acupuncture treatment for MS has had much success in reducing numbness and pain, decreasing spasms, improving weakness and paralysis of limbs and improving balance. Many patients also have reported that their bladder and bowel control, fatigue and overall sense of well-being significantly improved after treatment. Recent studies have shown that scalp acupuncture could be a very effective modality in controlling MS. Scalp acupuncture often produces remarkable results after just a few needles are inserted. It usually relieves symptoms immediately, and sometimes only takes several minutes to achieve remarkable results.

Oregon Health and Science University in Portland Controlled Trial

85 women were randomized to receive an acupuncture treatment expected to improve their bladder symptoms, or to a placebo acupuncture treatment designed to promote relaxation. Before and after four weekly acupuncture treatments, these women underwent cystometric testing and completed a three-day voiding diary, urinary distress inventory, and incontinence impact questionnaire. Of the 85 participants, 74 completed the study. Both groups had significant decreases in number of incontinent episodes (59% for treatment, 40% for placebo) with no significant difference between groups. In the treatment group, there was a 14% decrease in urinary frequency, a 30% decrease in the proportion of voids associated with urgency, and a 13% increase in both maximum voided volume and maximum cystometric capacity. Urinary distress inventory and incontinence impact questionnaire scores improved in both groups (54% decrease with treatment, 30% decrease with placebo).

What's your opinion?

U.S. drug regulators are warning people with multiple sclerosis that an experimental treatment that props open internal veins in the neck and chest can cause death or serious injury.

A new scalp acupuncture clinical case study concludes that acupuncture benefits patients with multiple sclerosis. The study finds that acupuncture relieves the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, increases the patient’s quality of life, slows the progression of physical disability and reduces the frequency of relapses. Source:hmi
The same factor in our immune system that is instrumental in enabling us to fight off severe and dangerous inflammatory ailments is also a player in doing the opposite at a later stage, causing the suppression of our immune response.

According to the study published online March 14 in the journal Human Reproduction.Men wanting to become fathers should “put down that English breakfast” the Daily Mail has today declared,The study used surveys to examine the diets of 99 men attending a US fertility clinic, comparing how their food intake related to the quality of their sperm samples. Researchers found that men with a higher fat diet had both lower sperm counts and sperm concentrations.

The study was small, Those with the highest daily fat intake had a 43 percent lower total sperm count and 38 percent lower sperm concentration than those with the lowest fat food.

Sperm counts have been fell drastically over the past five decades in developed countries; with nearly 20% men aged 18-25 years categorized in the subfertile range,according to new study that was presented at the IPSEN meeting in Paris.The dwindling testosterone levels among men can be easily identified by the increasing number of cases related to testicular cancer and other abnormalities in men like undescended testes.

It is the sperm in the semen that are of importance, and therefore semen quality involves both sperm quantity and quality. Decreased semen quality is a major factor of male infertility.

There is some evidence to suggest that very frequent riding can impact fertility. A 2009 study on triathletes from the University of Cordoba in Spain found that those who did the most cycling had the lowest sperm quality. Those who rode more than 186 miles per week had less than 4 percent normal-looking sperm, a level associated with fertility problems

Men whose AGD is shorter than the median length -- around 2 inches (52 mm) -- have seven times the chance of being sub-fertile as those with a longer AGD, according to a study published on Friday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Men who are hoping to have children in the future would do well to get to the gym, after a study found exercise could help their sperm to swim faster.Researchers found men who worked out more had faster swimming sperm that was better formed, compared to their sedentary peers. They suggest that exercise promotes healthy hormone levels that create a better environment in the testes for sperm production.

New German study, which will be published in the near future in Fertility And Sterility. 2009. Apr 24, reports that acupuncture may be able to improve the motility of sperm. This has been the first prospective, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effect of acupuncture in infertile men with severe oligoasthenozzspermia. The study involving 29 men, compared TCM acupuncture with placebo acupuncture. A significantly higher percentage of motile sperm was found after real acupuncture.

Another recent trial published in Fertility and Sterility has shown just how effective acupuncture can be in the treatment of this condition, leading to significant increases in the number of normal sperm and equally significant reductions in structural defects.

Recentelly,Researchers discovered that acupuncture restores sperm motility. Laboratory experiments measured the effects of electroacupuncture on infertility by stimulating acupoints located on the scalp, abdomen and legs. The researchers measured “a trend of improved motility and increased number of motile epididymal spermatozoa in the H+EA (electroacupuncture) group.”
The researchers note that electroacupuncture enhances “cell proliferation through improvement of Sertoli cell functions.” Sertoli cells are activated by follicle-stimulating hormone and are located in the convoluted seminiferous tubules, the anatomical structure in the testes where spermatozoa are produced.

So,people must realize the importance of male fertility in a couple's fertility level, and try acupuncture.......

Scientists have succeeded in making early-stage sperm from human skin tissue.

The technique could potentially help thousands of infertile men, including survivors of childhood cancer, fulfil their dream of fatherhood.

Latest research: While the reports are based on proper medical research, the link between exercise and sperm count is not definitively proven.What’s more, a man’s ability to have children is not just based on his sperm count. Male infertility problems are often complex and in many cases may not be solved by simply changing lifestyle.

Case report:

My husband and I were very successful using acupuncture. I will try to make our very long story short. My husband was diagnosed with azoospermia about 4.5 years ago. He went for a biopsy which showed a zero sperm count but were still advised to proceed with the TESE procedure in hopes of finding a few sperm for IVF. We did TESE a year later and only few sperm were found. We ended up with bad quality embryos that didn't take. We were required to take two years off before we tried again because the surgery was so invasive. I took those two years to do a little research to see if there was anything my husband could do. I came across some great research on acupuncture and male infertility and decided to give it a try. While it is very expensive, we figured it was minimal compared to the cost of IVF/ICSI with the TESE procedure. We were willing to try anything. We were scheduled for IVF in June and my husband started going for acupuncture around Jan/Feb of that year. He went once a week. I began going around April once a week (I had no issues) and we both increased our sessions to two times per week in May. We went in for our scheduled IVF without having done a sperm analysis prior. I was hoping the acupuncture helped my husband have a few dozen sperm- the dr. came in that morning after doing a required sperm analysis before the surgery and my husband had 20 million sperm! He went from zero to 20 million! We couldn't believe it. We proceeded with the IVF because I was already cycling and now we have beautiful twins. I HIGHLY recommend acupuncture. It changed our life!

OAB is usually caused by the bladder muscle being overactive and contracting at random moments, rather than only when it is convenient to empty the bladder. This is called detrusor overactivity or DO. At the moment, treatment is usually started with pelvic floor muscle exercises, advice on fluid intake and one of a range of tablets. While these measures work for some people, a large number of patients gain no relief or have bad side effects.

According to ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2012) — The biggest study into the treatment of urinary incontinence with botulinum toxin (trade name Botox) has demonstrated that it is effective in treating overactive bladder OAB

While there is a range of potential treatments and ways to manage urinary incontinence (including medication, bladder training, lifestyle changes and surgery) not all people respond to them, and they can have problems. This randomised controlled trial provided good evidence that botox injections may be a useful treatment option for women with incontinence due to overactive bladder syndrome that has proven difficult to treat with other methods.

The treatment is not without complications; about 1 in 8 women had some difficulty emptying their bladder at some time in the six months after treatment (due to paralysis of the bladder muscle). This was treated by teaching the women to use disposable catheters, but the effect does wear off after about six months on average

Botulinum toxin, the anti-wrinkle treatment known as Botox, can also help women with urge incontinence reduce their leaking episodes, according to a new study.

It seems many treatments available. bu, Why are so many patients struggling?The reason is that most of them do not work or too expensive.....

Anti-cholinergic drugs strengthen the sphincter,Side-effects can include dry mouth, blurred vision and constipation — in elderly people, they can also affect cognition and memory.
Studies show only 30 per cent of patients are still taking them after a year.
BOTOX JABS--The effects start to wear off after about six months, so treatment may need repeating every six to 12 months.Around one in eight women has difficulty emptying their bladder in the eight months after treatment, and have to learn to use disposable catheters.Private treatment costs around £1,700 a shot.Surgeons are now using nerve stimulation to tackle incontinence,between 20 and 40 per cent need further surgery. At £10,000, it’s not cheap.FOOT ZAPPER--Another form of nerve stimulation, this time targeting an ankle nerve — the posterior tibial nerve — which partly controls the bladder.Patients must come for a session every week for 12 weeks. May need repeating six months later.On the NHS in a number of areas. It costs around £240 per session privately.

How is acupuncture for this condition?

Acupuncture can also help to stimulate the muscles in order to strengthen them and encourage proper functioning, thereby improving urinary incontinence. However, an acupuncturist also takes the treatment one step further, to look at the underlying health factors in the body that may be causing these muscles to function poorly or improperly. This is particularly the case with chronic conditions or internal problems that take time to develop- an internal problem over time will lead to the development of outward symptoms. Urinary incontinence typically involves the body’s energy being weak or deficient in one of the meridian systems that are responsible for the body’s proper functions.

To explore the effectiveness and significance of whether electrical acupuncture stimulation combining with pelvic floor muscle therapy (PFMT) can improve the recovery of urinary continence,Chinese Shanghai Medical College has done a new research about urinary incontinence acupuncture treatment.A total of 109 patients took part in the study of novel combination treatment for urinary continence from September 2008 to September 2009.

Chinese researchers found Electrical acupuncture stimulation therapy combining with PFMT can improve the recovery of patients' urinary continence after radical prostatectomy.
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Reference:Yang BS, Ye DW, Yao XD, Peng JY, Zhang SL, Dai B, Zhang HL, Shen YJ, Zhu Y, Zhu YP, Shi GH.Zhonghua Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2010 Sep;48(17):1325-1327

Women are nearly three times more likely to experience urinary incontinence for more than 10 years following a vaginal delivery rather than a caesarean section, finds new research at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Many women with incontinence are likely better off trying lifestyle changes first--such as cutting back on caffeinated beverages, along with bladder-training exercises--before turning to a drug, according to an analysis in the Annals of Internal Medicine released today.

Researchers found that drugs used to treat incontinence, such as fesoterodine (Toviaz), solifenacin (Vesicare), tolterodine (Detrol, Detrol LA), and trospium (Sanctura, Sanctura XR), work only slightly better than a placebo. And the side effects of these drugs are so bothersome that many women stop taking them shortly after they begin.

Women with urinary incontinence who also enjoy their regular cup of coffee or tea don't have to worry about the extra caffeine making their condition worse, suggests a new study.

TUESDAY, Aug. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Stem cells from amniotic fluid might one day help treat stress urinary incontinence, a condition caused by damaged pelvic floor muscles in which bladder leakage is brought on by exercise, coughing or simply laughing, a new study involving mice suggests.Researchers in Korea found that this new technique repaired the damaged pelvic floor muscles in the mice, and kept the condition from recurring.

How ulcerative colitis almost killed Robert Redford's son When James Redford began suffering agonising stomach pain, fevers and weight loss in his teens, he and his family just put it down to a mysterious bug or him being a "nervous child'.For two years, James put up with his symptoms and didn't visit a doctor. It was only when a TV programme described his problems exactly that he sought help.His doctor diagnosed ulcerative colitis, a debilitating lifelong disease. James, the son of... read more visit daily mail.

That's very sad story......

Ulcerative colitis: A relatively common disease that causes inflammation of the large intestine (the colon). The cause is unknown.Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease. It has some similarity to a related disorder, Crohn's disease.The end of the colon (the rectum) is always involved in ulcerative colitis. When the inflammation is limited to the rectum, it is called ulcerative proctitis.The inflammation may extend to varying degrees into the upper parts of the colon. When the entire colon is involved, the terms pancolitis or universal colitis are used.Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disorder that affects 120,000 Britons and is caused by the lining of the large intestine becoming inflamed and ulcerated. Experts believe it’s an auto-immune condition, in which the body turns against itself and starts to attack the bowel lining. Once the process of inflammation has begun, the immune system becomes even more aggressive, resulting in more irritation. The condition tends to appear between the ages of 15 and 30.

Can acupuncture really help colitis?

Colitis is the inflammation of the colon. This is a disease that significantly alters a person's life. It can make you feel uncomfortable going places, therefore, making you home-bound. There are many new alternative treatments and products that may help relieve the severity of your symptoms. Acupuncture has also been known to benefit people with colitis. This procedure involves inserting needles in your skin, which is known to stimulate the release of the body's natural painkillers.

Chinese research showed their conclusion,they randomized controlled trials or clinical controlled trials of acupuncture and moxibustion for interfere of ulcerative colitis in recent 10 years were reviewed and Meta-analysis was made for the literature results.they think that The therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on ulcerative colitis is superior to that of western medicine with safety and less adverse reactions.

The University of California, San Francisco offers these suggestions:

Eat foods that are meant to produce smaller and fewer bowel movements (a low-residue diet). Foods to avoid while symptoms flare include fresh produce, prunes and caffeinated drinks.
Cut back on foods and drinks high in concentrated sugar, including soda, candy and juice.
Limit alcohol consumption.
Eat omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines and other fatty fish, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. Take a nutritional supplement if needed.

According to the World Health Organization, global sales of organic medicines totaled $60 billion in 2010, accounting for around 30 percent of global pharmaceutical consumption. The WHO has predicted that consumption of organic treatments will see annual growth of more than 10 percent over the next decade.

The continuous growth to the increasing demand Chinese medicine in the international market as more Westerners adopt a "green and natural" lifestyle and regard TCMs as a safer and greener alternative to synthetic pharmaceuticals.

Because of their limited knowledge of TCMs, many overseas authorities apply the standards relating to synthetic medicines to TCMs.A number of Chinese government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Health and the State Food and Drug Administration, have been in negotiations with EU health authorities. They have selected 10 medicines made by three large TCM companies in an attempt to secure registration. In this way, they hope to explore a practical and efficient way for TCM products to re-enter the EU market.

China is planning to open more Confucius Institutes to teach traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) overseas in order to promote this age-old medical science, deemed the essence of Chinese culture, said Vice Minister of Health Wang Guoqiang.

"TCM is very well received abroad, regardless of nationality or ideology," Wang said. However, he added, China lacks talented practitioners who have both a good command of TCM and speak a foreign language.

To date, there are more than 350 Confucius Institutes and 500 Confucius Classrooms in 101 countries and regions. Two are TCM Confucius Institutes based respectively in Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Melbourne, Australia, and in London South Bank University (LSBU).

London South Bank University (LSBU) is proud to be the site of the world's first Confucius Institute for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Confucius Institute of the Year Award Winner 2009. This is a joint initiative with Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin Normal University and the Office of Chinese Language Council International, China

Thousands of pregnant women taking prescription drugs for asthma, epilepsy, diabetes and depression are at the centre of a major inquiry into birth defects and health problems in babies,according to Dailymail

Last night, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists urged women to keep taking their medication in spite of the investigation, and to talk to their doctor if worried.

Can acupuncture do some help?

Asthma:The most recent Cochrane Collaboration Review, examining acupuncture for chronic asthma treatment found that while some improvements in asthma were seen, the results were not consistent. The authors concluded "no recommendations" regarding acupuncture as a treatment for asthma could be made.To observe the underlying mechanism of acupuncture technique for ventilating the lung, invigorating the spleen and tonifying the kidney in the treatment of bronchial asthma,China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences did research about it,their conclusion is Acupuncture is significantly superior to medication in improving the pulmonary function of asthma patients with different state of disease, which is related to its function in regulating activities of the autonomic nervous system.

EpilepsyIn China,Acupuncture treatment of epilepsy, modern earlier reported in the early 1950s. After the clinical data is gradually increasing, science constantly strengthened, acupuncture treatment on the mechanism of epilepsy, has done some work, but completely from the greater distance to clarify, some people abroad through the site abnormal brain waves (EEG was found in advance) Acupuncture electricity will EEG was found now the abnormal wave disappeared, suggesting that acupuncture may be inhibited by epilepsy abnormal brain waves to achieve a therapeutic effect
Body acupuncture
Points
Main Points : Dazhui, Yaoqi, Shuigou, Houxi.
Points allocation : Baihui, Taodao, Jiuwei, Neiguan, Shenmen, Fenglong, Jinsuo, Taichong

DiabetesClinical and experimental studies showed that acupuncture could produce hypoglycemic effect for diabetes. However, little is known about the effectiveness of acupuncture in diabetes prevention.

Chinese Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has done a new resaerch about this,They foundthat preventive acupuncture significantly relieved hyperglycemia, insulin deficiency, weight loss, and pancreatic islet damage in rats with STZ injection; it also significantly reduced serum lipid peroxidation and enhanced superoxide dismutase in the serum and the pancreas without significantly affecting serum glutathione peroxidase and catalase. Therapeutic acupuncture exhibited a hypoglycemic effect in the late stage, but did not significantly improve other parameters. Their conclusions: These results indicate that preventive acupuncture is beneficial to the control of STZ-induced hyperglycemia in rats.

The key affects of TCM for diabetics is its ability to get the blood flowing around the body. This improved level of circulation can be crucial to freeze or at least slow down the debilitating onset of diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy can be crippling and may result in amputation at advanced stages, and at the very least causes swelling and pain. This pain could potentially be reduced by TCM. Further positive effects of TCM can include the stability of blood sugar levels for sufferers of Type 2, the key factor in diabetic health. TCM does this by stimulating order within the endocrine system.

Doctor says the study also underscores the importance of diabetes prevention, through a healthy diet and regular exercise.

DepressionOne of the major stumbling blocks to conducting a gold-standard randomised, double-blinded and placebo-controlled trial was that it was very difficult to administer a "sham" version of acupuncture,according to smh.com.au.A latest study concludes that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder. The Depression Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital located in Boston, Massachusetts demonstrated that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of clinical depression for patients who are non-responsive to conventional pharmaceutical antidepressant therapies.

Acupuncture is a generally safe treatment with few to no side effects. If you choose to try acupuncture to help with your depression, it's important to remember that it's still important to work with your doctor to ensure that you are getting the standard treatment that you will need.

With depression, an estimated 30% to 45% of patients—or even more, in some studies—will respond to a placebo, according to a review published in December in Clinical Therapeutics. An additional 5% of patients were helped by an antidepressant in cases of mild depression, and an additional 16% in cases of severe depression. (The clinically meaningful cutoff for additional benefit was 11%.)
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Reference:Jiang YL, Ning Y, Liu YY, Wang Y, Zhang Z, Yin LM, Xu YD, Wei Y, Yang YQ.
J Endocrinol Invest. 2011 Jul 12

Under NO circumstances should you act on any opinion posted in this blog. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health

Spinal Cord Injury cases do not only highlight the life-saving benefits of stem cell treatment, they also provide a boost to the struggle for the acceptance of stem cell therapy as a recognized field in the medical profession.Transplantation of bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) into the injured spinal cord is emerging as a novel method in the therapeutics of SCI; however, its application is limited by the poor survival rate of the transplanted cells and low differentiation rate into neurons.

Shandong University Qilu Hospital recently reported that electrical stimulation (ES) dramatically improves the survival rate of transplanted BMSCs and increases spinal cord functions in animals with spinal cord injury.

Their experiment showed that the approach of coupling iEA electric stimulation and BMSCs transplantation remarkably promotes functional improvements in animals with spinal cord injury and holds promising potential to treat spinal cord injury in humans.

New successes with electrochemical approaches to spinal cord recovery procedures is not isolated. Recently, researchers combined electrical stimulation to the motor area of the brain and the spinal cord below the area of the injury. In addition, drugs were infused into the region of the wounded area to promote healing. The results were dramatic. Paralyzed rats were able to walk and run after severe spinal cord injuries. This research followed last year’s revelation, reported in the Lancet, that a 23 year old paraplegic man regained the ability to stand and walk using a functional electrical stimulation (FES) device.
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Reference:Liu H, Yang K, Xin T, Wu W, Chen Y.Artif Cells Blood Substit Immobil Biotechnol. 2012 Mar 2.

Linked research:
ScienceDaily (July 17, 2012) — Georgia Tech researchers have created a wireless, musical glove that may improve sensation and motor skills for people with paralyzing spinal cord injury (SCI).The gadget was successfully used by individuals with limited feeling or movement in their hands due to tetraplegia. These individuals had sustained their injury more than a year before the study, a time frame when most rehab patients see very little improvement for the remainder of their lives. Remarkably, the device was primarily used while the participants were going about their daily routines.

Acupuncture points are locations on the body that are the focus of acupuncture, acupressure, sonopuncture and laser acupuncture treatment. Several hundred acupuncture points are considered to be located along meridians (connected points across the anatomy which affect a specific organ or other part of the body). There are also numerous "extra points" not associated with a particular meridian.Studies assessing the point-specific effect of acupuncture or the characteristics of acupuncture points (APs) tend to yield inconclusive results.

To identify a possible confounding factor, University of Munich researchers aimed to examine the variability in AP localization by means of a survey.Many acupuncture lecturers and students were asked to locate and mark the APs LI 10 and TH 5 on a research assistant's arm.

Surprising results:

The areas of the ellipses, theoretically containing 95% of AP localizations, varied between 44.49 and 5.18 cm(2). The largest distance between 2 identified points was 8.45 cm for LI 10 and 5.3 cm for TH 5. Apart from being trained at the same school, no other factor could be identified that determined the variability in AP localization.

Their results indicate that congruity of AP localization among experienced acupuncturists might be low.

The fact is a growing number of UK patients are using complementary and alternative medicine, including Acupuncture While Acupuncture as a practice began over 2,000 years ago, in recent time it has been incorporated into the so-called western medical science model. Indeed, while Acupuncturists are still struggling for full recognition by the UK government, many regulated health-care professionals such as doctors and physiotherapists have long been applying acupuncture to their patients.

As long as Acupuncture remains unregulated, individuals who are trained to deliver Acupuncture service will remain unrecognized while regulated health professionals who have not been fully trained will be allowed to provide such service. This double standard is not only unfair to the Acupuncturist it also exposes the UK public to unnecessary risks. Granting Acupuncturists — including those who may have a linguistic barrier — full and equal recognition is long overdue.

So, What those acupuncturists doing?

Today, basic education in acupuncture should focus on common international standards, including anatomical, physiological, biochemical and biophysical basis. Based on primary specialization of reflexology should be in continuous improvement of the methods of acupuncture in various fields of clinical medicine aggregate of not less than 350 hours, which is usually carried out intermittently for several years.

Do you remember this very very "good" article which was published this morning.

Oh, wait. Blackwelder [1] did advocate acupuncture. Indeed, he suggested that family docs "take a course" to learn acupuncture. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it. I can do acupuncture. No, I haven't taken a course, either. The reason I say that I can do acupuncture is that numerous studies have shown that it really doesn't matter where you place the needles. So I could place the needles anywhere I wanted to, spin some imaginative name for the "meridian" I'm putting the needles in, and--voilà!--I'm an instant acupuncturist! Heck, I'll even teach you. It's all placebo effect. In fact, it doesn't matter if the needles are even inserted if the patient thinks they've been inserted. Toothpicks will do just as well!

[1]Blackwelder, who is a professor and program director of the East Tennessee State University Family Physicians of Kingsport family medicine residency. He's also a former chair of the AAFP Commission on Continuing Professional Development.
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Reference:Bäumler PI, Simang M, Kramer S, Irnich D.Forsch Komplementmed. 2012;19(1):31-7. Epub 2012 Feb 17.

According to People's Daily Online
Beijing is suggested to build a global traditional Chinese medicine R&D center for the development and industrialization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Modern and scientific TCM evaluation system is still imperfect. In the current quality control assurance system established with medicinal materials as the core, the lack of TCM resources, limit of raw material prices and other factors lead to the mismatches between the TCM clinical needs and industrial products.

Meanwhile, the lack of information sharing platforms among the central and municipal scientific research institutes has restricted the conversion of scientific and technological achievements. These factors have directly influenced the output value, revenue and profit growth of the TCM industry in Beijing

Best wishes to China

The report was published in the March 7 online edition of the journal Injury Prevention.

As many as 40 percent of these suicides may have been linked to combat experience in Iraq, yet nearly a third of the soldiers who committed suicide saw no combat at all, said the researchers, from the U.S. Army Public Health Command.

“Recession and rising unemployment may have led to more than 1,000 suicides in England,” The Independent has reported. The story comes from a study looking at whether the English regions most affected by the UK’s economic recession period from 2008 to 2010 had seen the greatest increase in suicides in that time.

The study found that in England during this period, there were around 1,000 more suicides than normal, after taking into account previous trends in suicide rates. The gender split was:

846 more suicides in men
155 more suicides in women

Chinese medical experts say Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), especially acupuncture, can help prevent suicide on the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day, which falls on Friday.

Du Wendong, president of the Institute of Psychology of the Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, said no suicide cases had happened in his university since 1985 when the school began to use TCM in students' mental crisis intervention.According to TCM psychological theories, mental disorders can be cured through "coordination of yin and yang and treatment of both mind and body."

Although we still don't understand how sleep disturbance might increase the risk of suicide, the study demonstrated a definite link between them.Therefore, addressing sleep problem can help to reduce suicide in general population.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are certainly very effective methods to help you reduce stress, improve mood and improve sleep quality.

People with rheumatoid arthritis were 40% more likely to have atrial fibrillation than the general population and 30% more likely to suffer a stroke.according to new study, published in the journal BMJ.

The researchers conclude that rheumatoid arthritis patients should be screened for atrial fibrillation.

Acupuncture has been used by rehabilitation specialists as an adjunct therapy for the symptomatic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)In the past study, people had acupuncture with an electric current going through the needles at specific or real acupuncture spots in the knee or at fake spots in the knee. Knee pain while at rest, while moving or while standing decreased more in the people who had the real acupuncture. The improvement lasted up to 4 months after acupuncture. Unfortunately, the authors of this review believe that this trial was of low quality and may overestimate how well acupuncture works.So, What's real picture?

To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture on rheumatoid arthritis (RA),Chinese Suzhou municipal Hospital of TCM has done a research about this. In a randomized and controlled trial, sixty-three cases with RA were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture group and a simple acupuncture group.Baihui (GV 20), Fengchi (GB 20), Quchi (LI 11), Waiguan (TE 5), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zusanli (ST 36) were selected by coordination method combined whole and local acupoints.They were all treated once every other day for 20 days as one course. After 3 courses, changes of interleukins in peripheral blood and joint fluid of patients were observed.Finally, Chinese researchers found electroacupuncture can effectively decrease the proinflammatory cytokine of IL-1 and IL-6 and increase the inhibition cytokine of IL-4 and IL-10 and improve the internal environment of occurrence and progression of RA.
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Reference: Lindhardsen, J. BMJ, March 8, 2012.Jesper Lindhardsen, MD, research fellow
Ouyang BS, Che JL, Gao J, Zhang Y, Li J, Yang HZ, Hu TY, Wu YJ, Yang M.Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2010 Oct;30(10):840-4.
Linked research

A new study from MIT, Harvard Medical School and the San Camillo Hospital in Venice finds that after a stroke, these muscle synergies are activated in altered ways. Furthermore, those disruptions follow specific patterns depending on the severity of the stroke and the amount of time that has passed since the stroke.

The findings, published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could lead to improved rehabilitation for stroke patients, as well as a better understanding of how the motor cortex coordinates movements, says Emilio Bizzi, an Institute Professor at MIT and senior author of the paper.

Medical researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the Black Dog Institute have carried out the largest and most definitive study of tDCS and found up to half of depressed participants experienced substantial improvements after receiving the treatment,according to Sciencedaily

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) involves applying weak electrical currents to the head, to generate an electromagnetic field which modulates the activity of brain neurons. tDCS is known to selectively modulate neuronal excitability and can be used in conjunction with fMRI, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or centrally acting drugs. It is being investigated as a treatment for a variety of conditions such as stroke recovery, depression and migraine.

Electroacupuncture application increased or decreased the brain function- as assessed by changes to the blind spot-depending on the treatment side: Contralateral-side treatment has a better effect than ipsilateral-side treatment on brain function.

Chinese researcher found that Acupuncture can significantly increase blood flow and oxygen saturation in brain cortex, and the effect with combined therapy of scalp and body acupuncture is superior to that with body acupuncture.

Any idea about this research?

Another research:BOOSTING the effect of acupuncture needles with small electric currents may be effective in treating depression, a study in Hong Kong has found. Led by Zhang Zhang-jin at the School of Chinese Medicine, University of Hong Kong, the researchers used electroacupuncture to stimulate seven spots on the heads of 73 participants, who had suffered several bouts of depression in the last 7 years.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a physiological phenomenon where the time interval between heart beats varies. It is measured by the variation in the beat-to-beat interval.

Does Acupuncture Affect Heart Rate Variability?Ancient Chinese physicians examined the pulse of the patient's radial artery as a part of their diagnostic procedure. Through interpretation of the pulse the physician could get access to knowledge, somehow tacit, in terms understood then as the primary disharmonies in patients.

In a new study, researchers evaluated the effects of acupuncture on HRV in 40 patients with a variety of conditions, including insomnia, stomach disorders and lower back pain. Acupuncture was administered at various acupoints and HRV was measured before, during and after treatment.

The researchers found that acupuncture caused a 41 percent reduction in the standard deviation of HRV. Furthermore, acupuncture reduced variability without altering either the heart rate or the low to high frequency ratio. According to the study authors, this suggests that acupuncture may alter the functioning of the human body.
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Reference:Fasmer OB, Liao H, Huang Y, et al. A naturalistic study of the effect of acupuncture on heart-rate variability. J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2012 Feb;5(1):15-20.

New research reveals that ultra-low-level violet laser stimulation of acupuncture point Du-20 (Baihui) changes the heart rate. A 405nm wavelength laser beam at an output power of 1mW (continuous mode) was directed at Du-20 (Baihui, GV-20) on laboratory rats. There was an acute on/off effect when activating the laser beam. When on, the laser beam significantly lowered the heart rate. Results were measured by electrocardiograms using an HRV Medilog AR12 system. The acupuncture point Du-20 was located “at the continuation of the line connecting the highest points of the ear, on the median line of the head.”

Heart attacks were more common in people in their 80s following surgery, according to the first study of its kind, and those aged under 60 were no more likely to have a heart attack than those not having operations.

When a patient misses acupuncture appointment they are not receiving the acupuncture treatment recommended by their acupuncturist.

Scheduling an appointment with a acupuncturist can be daunting for the some patient, who can be forgetful, anxious about the appointment, or has transport problem.

Computer-based scheduling systems can help, along with automated reminder letters, e-mails or calls. Most acupuncturist lack systems to track referrals, which puts them at a disadvantage when compared with hospital.

Missed patient appointments can be frustrating for your acupuncture practice ,costing you time and money. Many acupuncture clinic have experienced missed appointments so frequently that they now have built-in cancellation policies and charge patients if they cancel appointments within 24 hours. But,it's very hard for acupuncturist to do so.

There are many reasons why a patient might miss an appointment.There are :

It’s a follow-up appointment, and the patient who may be feeling better, doesn’t want to take the time nor spend the money for the appointment. The patient cannot afford the out-of-pocket expenses/cost of seeing the acupuncturist
The patient forgot about the appointment.....

From my experience ,most appointments are missed because the patients think you are NOT so good. your acupuncture might not help them in future.

So,don't upset,if your patient "forget" appointment and don't blame patient. Work hard and always do miracle job. You will be best in your industry. No one can afford to miss your appointment.......

What's your experience?

According to ScienceDaily (Mar. 6, 2012) — An Oregon State University researcher has reviewed the body of evidence around weight loss supplements and has bad news for those trying to find a magic pill to lose weight and keep it off -- it doesn't exist.

The study is online in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.

How about acupuncture?

Although there is relatively little scientific support for the theory that acupuncture can promote weight loss, some studies suggest that acupuncture may be of some benefit to people looking to lose weight. In a research review published in 2009, for instance, scientists analyzed 31 studies (with a total of 3,013 participants) and found that acupuncture was associated with a significant reduction of average body weight and improvement in obesity. However, the review's authors caution that many of the reviewed studies were of poor quality.

TCM physicians say the therapy helps reduce appetite, increase metabolism and improve body-wide circulation. It can also help lower cholesterol levels and overall body weight by mobilizing the patient's "energy stores". Acupuncture can similarly help to reduce anxiety, re-energize the body and control overeating.

"Individuals who are obese or overweight are at greater risk of many health problems such as hypertension, diabetes, fatty liver, dyslipidemia and some cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, pharmacotherapy and liposuction have side effects and may be unsafe for some people. Even diet restriction and regulation of physical activity may sometimes result in unfavorable psychological changes," Wang says.

According to Tcm doctor,many acupuncturists treating obesity position needles in the patient's ear. These connect to a relaxation point, along with the lungs, kidneys, liver and nervous system.

A treatment schedule can include a weekly session and continue for 8-12 weeks until the targeted weight reduction is achieved. It contains a combination of auricular and body needle therapy, breathing exercises and abdominal massages, all combined with daily food and lifestyle recommendations. Various acupoints are selected for each method according to the patient's individual symptoms.

There is a new review about acupuncture obesity treatment.

31 studies in 3013 patients were included.
And, the results.
2 studies were dropped due to insufficient data.
20 out of 31 studies had the lowest Jadad score — widely used to assess the quality of clinical studies.
Based on what was available…
Acupuncture was better than lifestyle changes.
Acupuncture was better than placebo or sham acupuncture.
Acupuncture was better than conventional medicine.
Only 4 studies reported adverse effects of acupuncture.
The bottom line?
The authors concluded that there's a suggestion that acupuncture is effective treatment for obesity. However, "evidence is not fully convincing because of the poor methodological quality of trials reviewed.”

That is the fact of acupuncture treatment. Think again!

New idea:Going for a walk in the cold after a meal could help people lose weight as low temperatures prompt the body to burn calories, research suggests.
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Linked research
Researchers concluded that 30 minutes of daily training was as “equally effective” at shedding the pounds as 60 minutes worth of sweating.The University of Copenhagen study concluded that sweating for half the time was “enough to turn the tide” for obesity.The research, published in the American Journal of Physiology, found those who ran, rowed, or cycled for 30 minutes a day lost an average 8lb over a three month period.

Commonly called APL, a malignancy of the bone marrow in which there is a deficiency of mature blood cells in the myeloid line of cells and an excess of immature cells called promyelocytes. APL is due to a translocation (an exchange of chromosome material) between chromosomes 15 and 17 which is symbolized t(15;17). This translocation is not a mere marker of APL. It is the cause of APL.

According to WSJ, ------Treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia, a type of cancer that forms in the bone marrow, has been improved significantly using a therapy that combines arsenic trioxide, a traditional Chinese medicine, with the chemo drug ATRA (otherwise known as all-trans retinoic acid).

The Chinese researchers who pioneered the treatment, Zhen-Yi Wang and Zhu Chen, were recently awarded with the Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research.

Read more, please visit WSJ blog

A traditional Chinese herbal remedy known as kampo helped to relieve daily asthma symptoms in nearly all of more than 200 people studied, Japanese researchers report.

A study of more than 270 patients with asthma who either received a Chances mixture or standard treatment demonstrated that the herbal treatment worked better in removing symptoms compared to inhaled steroid and a bronchodilator.

After 16 days of treatment, 94 percent of those who took the herbal remedy became completely free from asthma symptoms while about three-fourths of those taking standard medications still had daily wheeze and other symptoms, says the report presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (AAAAI).

There's much room for improvement, (researcher) says it was accidentally discovered that kampo herbs could wipe out symptoms in many people while testing the ancient remedy against an allergic skin disorder known as atopic dermatitis.

This research is from WebMD

In traditional Chinese medicine theory, asthma is clearly differentiated between the actual attacks and the periods between attacks. When the attacks are happening, this is considered to be an acute, Excess condition, and the objective is to disperse the Excess and stop the attack. Wind, a non-substantial pathogenic factor, lodges in the bronchi and combines with Cold or Heat pathogenic factors to cause bronchospasms.

In mothers with untreated depression, the babies had smaller growth in both the body and head, the investigators found.Pregnant women taking certain antidepressants may be more likely to deliver infants with reduced head growth,
new study .another New research suggests pregnant mothers who take certain antipsychotic drugs may face a higher risk of gestational diabetes, which can appear during pregnancy.Gestational diabetes involves high blood sugar that starts or is first diagnosed during pregnancy. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, gestational diabetes can pose hazards for both mother and baby.

Is antidepressant a only option?

The Australian-first research, conducted at the University of NSW found that acupuncture could prompt changes in the "mood regulation" area of the brain, pointing to a possible and potent treatment for depression.

One of the major stumbling blocks to conducting a gold-standard randomised, double-blinded and placebo-controlled trial was that it was very difficult to administer a "sham" version of acupuncture,according to smh.com.au

Dørmænen A. and colleagues from University of Tromsø in Norway conducted a study suggesting that acupuncture may help menopause-induced depression in postmenopausal women with hot flashes.

Another research has shown that acupuncture treatment can help ameliorate the symptoms of depression. In general, acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. The resulting biochemical changes influence the body's homeostatic mechanisms, thus promoting physical and emotional wellbeing.Studies indicate that acupuncture can have a specific positive effect on depression by altering the brain's mood chemistry, increasing production of serotonin (Sprott et al, 1998) and endorphins (Han, 1986). Acupuncture may also benefit depression by acting through other neurochemical pathways, including those involving dopamine (Scott et al, 1997), noradrenaline (Han, 1986), cortisol (Han et al, 2004) and neuropeptide Y (Pohl & Nordin, 2002). Source:BAC

A latest study concludes that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder. The Depression Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital located in Boston, Massachusetts demonstrated that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of clinical depression for patients who are non-responsive to conventional pharmaceutical antidepressant therapies.

According to China daily

Wang Guoqiang, vice-minister of health and director of the State Administration of TCM, made remarks on the sidelines of the annual session of the 11th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, which opened Saturday.
"We should make good use of animal-based medicines on the basis of proper animal protection, which is also in line with the country's relevant laws and regulations," he told China Daily.
Care for animals is a symbol of civilization but, "the practical situation has to be considered as well", he said.
"So far we have found no substitute for bear bile, which has proven medical efficacy and is irreplaceable," he stressed.

What's your opinion?
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Background:Animal welfare groups have recently stepped up their campaign to end the practice of milking bears for their bile, still legal in China. Bear bile has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years and it is not proving easy to change habits formed over generations.

Alcoholic liver disease usually occurs after years of drinking too much. The longer the alcohol use has occurred, and the more alcohol that was consumed, the greater the likelihood of developing liver disease.Alcohol may cause swelling and inflammation (hepatitis) in the liver. Over time, this can lead to scarring and then cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis is the final phase of alcoholic liver disease.

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Taichong" (LR 3) on liver function in rats with mild alcoholic liver injury (MALI) so as to explore the feasibility of acupuncture in improving mild alcoholic liver injury, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences has done a research about this,they found EA of "Taichong"(LR 3) may reduce distillate-spirit induced mild alcoholic liver injury in rats.[1]

In some cases, acupuncture may be a useful supportive therapy for addiction. Some but not all studies of acupuncture for the treatment of alcohol abuse have shown that it can reduce cravings and symptoms of withdrawal.Hospital of Korean Medicine did a research about acupuncture and alcohol dependence.Their results of the included studies were equivocal, and the poor methodological quality and the limited number of the trials do not allow any conclusion about the efficacy of acupuncture for treatment of alcohol dependence. More research and well-designed, rigorous, and large clinical trials are necessary to address these issues.This analgesic effect of acupuncture is very suitable for each drug detoxification program, because it helpsCushion withdrawal symptoms of drug addiction. In cases of cocaine addiction is well known that acupuncture can be helpful. In fact, studies have found that the analgesic effect of acupuncture effective for up to 85 percent to bring significant relief, compared with 70 percent of the effectiveness of morphine.
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Reference:[1]Chen BJ, Zhang D, Li SY, Ma HM, Wang SY.Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2011 Dec;36(6):419-22

A study concludes that acupuncture significantly relieves hepatic fibrosis. A study of carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic fibrosis in laboratory rats measured responses to acupuncture treatment. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at LR3 (Taichong), LR14 (Qimen), UB18 (Ganshu), and ST36 (Zusanli). The Acupuncture for Liver control group received sham acupuncture, the use of non-acupuncture points. The sham acupuncture points were located 0.5cm to the left of each real point that was used in the acupuncture group. No significant changes were measured for the sham group while the true acupuncture group showed significant hepatoprotective findings.
(Reference:Acupuncture Research. Inhibitory Effect of Acupuncture on Hepatic Extracellular Matrix Production in Carbon Tetrachloride-induced Liver Fibrosis Rats. 2012-01. ZHANG Feng, LU Yin, NI Guang-xia, NI Chun-yan, ZHANG Xue-jiao,WANG Ai-yun, ZHENG Shi-zhong.)

CFS is also known as ME, which stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis. Myalgia means muscle pain and encephalomyelitis means inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Both CFS and ME are commonly used terms.Anyone can get CFS, although it is more common in women than in men.There is no cure for CFS, but treatment can ease the symptoms, which include muscle pain and headaches.Various researches conducted in China claim that acupuncture fights the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. Western studies support this claim and even said that acupuncture also treats CFS-related illnesses like as fibromyalgia, depression, headache, and irritable bowel syndrome. One of the benefits that CFS patients feel after undergoing an acupuncture treatment is an enhanced immune system that allows them to enjoy a good night’s sleep. Getting the right amount of sleep every night is a key factor for faster recovery from CFS.

To observe the therapeutic effect and safety of acupuncture of Back-shu points [Xinshu (BL 15), Pishu (BL 20), etc.] in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS),Chinese Beijing Guang'anmen Hospital has done a research about this.Their total of 120 CFS patients were equally randomized Into acupuncture and control groups. Acupuncture needles were inserted into bilateral Xinshu (BL 15), Pishu (BL 20), and Gaohuang (BL 43) points, once daily for 4 weeks except weekends......They found that acupuncture at Back-shu point has a good therapeutic effect (including immediate and midterm effect) in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome patients.
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Reference:Zhang W, Liu ZS, Xu HR, Liu YS.Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2011 Dec;36(6):437-41, 448

TV presenter Clare Nasir had had several failed attempts to conceive using IVF alone. She had one last chance, and decided to use acupuncture in conjunction with the IVF to boost her chances of success. She now has a two year old daughter - listen to her story in the video below.

The researchers found that electroacupuncture increases blood levels of HLA-G (human leukocyte antigen) “and the level of HLA-G secreted in embryos for the patients in the process of IVF-ET.” Presence of the HLA-G protein is predictive of higher pregnancy and live birth rates according to modern research conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Many people struggle with how to find a acupuncturist who will help; how does one know who to see to get help when help is needed? While many avoid the issue by seeing a managed-care in-network recommendation, that often exacerbates the problem of finding a helpful acupuncturist because their concern is cost, not quality of care.

There are more than 2000 acupuncturists in the London, and it takes some expertise to navigate the acupuncturist world. A good acupuncturist should have the knowledge and expertise to acupuncture treatment that will result in better and longer lasting relationships.

The longevity of a relationship matters because when a patient and acupuncturist team work together for a long time, they most likely develop trust in each other which can help patients more.

It is a real challenge to pick the right acupuncturist is because there are actually no big differences between acupuncturists. All acupuncturists have pretty much the same basic needling and treatment. They all claim to have proprietary training, and they may have different clinic name for what they do.

Over recent years a new group of people calling themselves acupuncturists has come to the fore in the UK. These are the self named Medical Acupuncturists who are mainly doctors and nurses who have received very short courses - often as little as two weeks' training - who then go on to practice as if they are fully qualified acupuncturists.

Many of these practitioners know little or no acupuncture theory and they have reduced the skill of acupuncture to a mere "cook book" method. Not surprisingly, this has left many patients with a completely incorrect view of acupuncture and, still worse, when such simplistic treament methods fail to deliver good results, leave them with a feeling that acupuncture is useless.

A common blunder in our reviews is to choose an acupuncturist based on its “reputation”, which can be highly subjective.

Another common mistake is to choose an acupuncturist's location, and ignore its experience.

Due to how patients choose acupuncturists has not been studied,University of Southampton School of Medicine has done a new research to investigate how patients choose acupuncturists and to identify which factors might influence this choice.

Their methods: In the qualitative study, 35 acupuncture patients (recruited through maximum variation sampling from seven clinics and the community) participated in semistructured interviews about their acupuncture experiences. In the quantitative study, 73 participants imagined wanting to consult an acupuncturist for back pain. They rated 8 fictional acupuncturists; ratings were analyzed using analysis of covariance.

They found that patients wanted qualified, personable acupuncturists and valued recommendations from trusted others. Without such recommendations, potential patients preferred female acupuncturists and those with medical qualifications.

They conclude:Acupuncturists' trustworthiness and technical competence are important to (potential) patients; practitioner gender also influenced preferences. Patients need to be informed about proposals concerning statutory regulation in CAM and its implications; conventional practitioners might be able to better support their patients wanting to consult acupuncturists.

A new study confirms that the risk of stroke is elevated in people with diabetes. It also shows that when compared to people who don't have diabetes, the risk of stroke increases significantly every year a person lives with the disease. After 10 years of diabetes, the researchers report that stroke risk triples.

The research is published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke

Another new study suggests the link may lie in the over-activation of an important heart enzyme, which leads to death of pacemaker cells, abnormal heart rhythm, and increased risk of sudden death in diabetic mice following a heart attack.

Clinical and experimental studies showed that acupuncture could produce hypoglycemic effect for diabetes. However, little is known about the effectiveness of acupuncture in diabetes prevention.

Chinese Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has done a new resaerch about this,They foundthat preventive acupuncture significantly relieved hyperglycemia, insulin deficiency, weight loss, and pancreatic islet damage in rats with STZ injection; it also significantly reduced serum lipid peroxidation and enhanced superoxide dismutase in the serum and the pancreas without significantly affecting serum glutathione peroxidase and catalase. Therapeutic acupuncture exhibited a hypoglycemic effect in the late stage, but did not significantly improve other parameters. Their conclusions: These results indicate that preventive acupuncture is beneficial to the control of STZ-induced hyperglycemia in rats.

The key affects of TCM for diabetics is its ability to get the blood flowing around the body. This improved level of circulation can be crucial to freeze or at least slow down the debilitating onset of diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy can be crippling and may result in amputation at advanced stages, and at the very least causes swelling and pain. This pain could potentially be reduced by TCM. Further positive effects of TCM can include the stability of blood sugar levels for sufferers of Type 2, the key factor in diabetic health. TCM does this by stimulating order within the endocrine system.

Doctor says the study also underscores the importance of diabetes prevention, through a healthy diet and regular exercise.
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Reference:Jiang YL, Ning Y, Liu YY, Wang Y, Zhang Z, Yin LM, Xu YD, Wei Y, Yang YQ.
J Endocrinol Invest. 2011 Jul 12

The American Diabetes Association suggests these healthier choices that can help you cut down on salt:

Choose fresh fruits and fresh vegetables over packaged offerings.
Opt for dried versions of legumes, beans and peas instead of canned varieties.
Look for whole-grain foods that aren't packed with sodium, including whole-grain barley, popcorn, brown and wild rice and quinoa.
Choose seeds and nuts that aren't salted.

The largest clinical trial ever to examine the use of nicotine patches in this setting found little evidence that the treatment helps pregnant women stop smoking.

The study appears in the March 1 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

"There is no evidence that standard-dose nicotine replacement therapy works, so I can't see much point in recommending it to women who are pregnant," researcher says.

A nicotine patch is a transdermal patch that releases nicotine into the body through the skin. It is used as an aid in nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), a process for smoking cessation.

The practice of acupuncture is known for its ability to heal and energize both the body and mind. Smokers who are aware of acupunctural benefits seek the practice in order to help break their nicotine addiction. Regional acupuncturists agree that the practice does not “cure” addiction, only curb cravings.

By placing hair-thin needles onto certain points on the body, or “meridians,” acupuncturists can mend issues patients may be having.

“In my experience, acupuncture for smoking cessation is minimally effective, unless the patient is ready to quit smoking,” said Acupuncturist Zak, who explained that his practice reduces the anxieties of nicotine withdrawal. “If you are ready to do it [quit smoking], acupuncture can help you with some of the other issues — the anxiety, the stress, the sleeplessness — the ancillary issues,” said Zak, who has been practicing for 20 years.

Another study of more than 3,400 five and six-year-olds has found no evidence that the children's behavioral problems were related to their mothers' caffeine intake during pregnancy.

Just find a article which is talking about traditional Chinese medicine ( TCM).

Behold the awesome power that signal transactions and ancient Chinese sayings hold over hopelessly gullible honkies! Makes me embarrassed to be one, sometimes. An accurate summary of the relevant material: acupuncture has no specific effect on any disease; the philosophical bases for what Marino calls TCM are not based in observable reality; the term TCM is only about 50 years old, having been invented in the People’s Republic of China as an appeal to Western audiences; it is an awkward, arbitrary cobbling of several, disparate and sometimes contradictory ideas and methods that existed at various times and places in the long, pre-scientific history of the very large region that is China; TCM can’t, by any stretch of the imagination, be construed as holistic, because it knows very little of anatomy, physiology, and pathology, and nothing whatsoever of microscopic or molecular matters; over 30 years of toxicology studies have shown that many Chinese Herbs are not safe.

I just want to ask: Do someone really know TCM?

Basically, I always respect real medical profession. Unfortunately...... Not anyone.

Chinese medical concepts and terminology are complex. The language of Chinese medicine is, in some ways, less precise and more transparent than biomedical terminology; for example, we often talk about concepts such as dampness, dryness, heat, and other metaphors that explain the body’s physiology through intuitive connections to the natural world around us. On the other hand, Chinese medicine is also highly specific in its use of certain therapeutic action terms, disease names, and treatment principles. To the average Chinese reader, an herbal medicine textbook is almost incomprehensible because it contains so many technical terms. When we render these technical terms in English, we need a cohesive system so that English readers can understand the clinical implications of the information.

Women who get frequent headaches or migraines are more likely than others to have sexual problems, a new study from Italy says.The study was published online Feb. 9 in the journal of Sexual Medicine.
Research has shown that any type of chronic pain affects desire and arousal. In addition, people with headaches often have mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, which also affect sex drive and satisfaction, and further, medications taken to treat headaches or these mood disorders can interfere with sex.

Many modern acupuncture specialists believe that the insertion of needles actually cause subtle changes in the nervous system and brain activity which can be beneficial - and place needles in other parts of the body rather than concentrating solely on traditional acupuncture points.

A lot of research thought it might be due to a "placebo effect, but,Dr Mike Cummings, medical director of the British Medical Acupuncture Society said:"I think that, quite literally, many practioners have missed the point in the past. "We certainly don't call what we do 'sham' acupuncture, as we believe there is growing evidence for a mechanism behind what we do.In a study publish .the Duke team says acupuncture is a more effective treatment for chronic headaches than medication, reducing both their severity and frequency. Some 65 million Americans suffer from some form of chronic headaches.

Solve out your sex problem? Try acupuncture!

Experts based the estimate on worldwide figures for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment cycles up to 2008. The pattern was extended to gauge how many treatments took place over the next three years. It is believed to have reached five million last year. Passing the five million milestone represented a moment of pride for fertility scientists, a British member of the team behind the first IVF baby said

A new way of processing embryos during IVF treatment can improve the chances of pregnancy by more than a quarter, it is claimed,according to telegraph.

The system developed by researchers in Newcastle allows all procedures to be conducted within an enclosed and controlled environment.A three-year study showed that it produced a minimum 27 per cent increase in clinical pregnancy rates.Patients had a 45% chance of getting pregnant, compared with a 35 per cent success rate under the old system.

Acupuncture could boost the chances of a woman becoming pregnant after IVF by more than half.It is not clear how acupuncture affects fertility. However, IVF is extremely stressful and it could be that the relaxation involved in the therapy helps, experts said.

(Reuters Health) - Women who have an electro-acupuncture session as part of their infertility treatment may have a better chance of ultimately having a baby, a new clinical trial suggests.

The findings, reported in the journal Fertility and Sterility, add to a conflicting body of evidence on whether acupuncture can boost IVF success.

Endometrial blood flow is directly related to endometrial receptivity thereby affecting in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) outcomes. In recent years a growing number of studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can play a role to improve endometrial blood flow and embryo transfer. Studies have confirmed that formulas based on reinforcing kidney and activating blood can promote the formation of uterine endometrial blood vessels by adjusting expressions of a variety of vessel growth factors, and regulating nitric oxide level for inhibition of vascular smooth muscle contraction of the uterus.

Getting ready IVF? Think about acupuncture support?

Additional information from NHS

For a woman under 40, the guidelines state that she should be offered three cycles of NHS IVF treatment if she’s been unsuccessful in trying to get pregnant through regular unprotected intercourse for two years, or after 12 cycles of artificial insemination, or if tests show early on that IVF is the only way she is likely to become pregnant.

Implementation of these guidelines is not uniform across the UK or may be subject to additional conditions, such as the smoking status of the parents. The charity Infertility Interwork has a good deal of information that you will find worth reading at infertilitynetworkuk.com.