Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to help with gynecological issues because it is a powerful treatment modality with often beneficial ‘side-effects’.    A recent randomized control trial compared the effectiveness of acupuncture combined with customary care compared to only customary care for menopausal hot flashes.   They found a significant improvement in hot flashes in the acupuncture group as compared to the control group.   However not only did the acupuncture group have fewer hot flashes, but they also reported fewer urogenital problems, somatic problems, and psychological problems.   These are clear reasons why acupuncture has stood the test of time as an effective treatment for menopausal issues.

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In a 3 month study of 50 female breast cancer patients comparing acupuncture to the drug Venlafaxine (Effexor) acupuncture proved to be as good if not better in all categories of measured outcomes.   Both groups had significant improvements in “hot flashes, depressive symptoms, and other quality-of-life symptoms, including significant improvements in mental health”.     Two weeks post treatment the acupuncture group still had minimal hot flashes whereas the Effexor group had an increase in hot flashes.   Also there were no adverse effects (“side effects”) in the acupuncture group, whereas the Effexor group had 18 adverse reactions.    The acupuncture group also increased the sex drive of women whereas the Effexor group had no effect. Read the rest of this entry

“Clinical and endocrinological changes after electro-acupuncture treatment in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee” Sadia Ahsinab et al, Pain, Sept 2009
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In a study with 80 subjects diagnosed with major depression the use of acupuncture reduced the amount of fluoxetine required as well as reducing the duration of administration.   The authors concluded: “…acupuncture to low-dose fluoxetine for depression is as effective as a recommended dose of fluoxetine treatment. Depressive patients with severe anxious symptoms and/or intolerable side-effects of antidepressants can benefit from it.”

Read the study here. (journal subscription required)

From Science Daily

Acupuncture has been used for over two millennia in East-Asian medicine to treat pain. Using brain imaging, researchers have provided novel evidence that traditional Chinese acupuncture affects the brain’s long-term ability to regulate pain. Their findings show acupuncture acts as more than a placebo, and can activate receptors in the brain that process and dampen pain signals.

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In a sham-controlled study involving 60 adult subjects reporting insomnia for 3 or more nights per week for a period of at least 3 months, treatment with acupuncture (electroacupuncture), 3 times per week for a period of 3 weeks, was found to improve sleep. Subjects were divided into 2 groups. One group received real acupuncture (electroacupuncture at points: Yin Tang, DU-20, bilateral ear Shen Men, Sishencong, Anmian), while the other group received a sham treatment (“placebo acupuncture” at the same acupuncture points with Streitberger needles that do not pierce through the skin). As compared to pre-treatment, subjects in both groups reported significant improvements in sleep. Improvements were measured according to sleep diaries, 3-day actigraphy, self-reported questionnaires, and scores on the Insomnia Severity Index. Subjects who received real acupuncture were found to have significantly greater improvement, assessed via sleep diary and actigraphy. Moreover, a significantly greater percentage of subjects in the real acupuncture group were found to have sleep efficiency of 85% or greater, and a significantly greater percentage were found to have less than 30 minutes of wake after onset of sleep. These results suggest that acupuncture may be a safe and effective treatment for patients with primary insomnia – a debilitating disorder that has wide-ranging adverse implications. The authors conclude, “Because of some limitations of the current study, further studies are necessary to verify the effectiveness of acupuncture for insomnia
Source: VitaSearch http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/38490

Migraine headaches have many causes as well as many effective treatments.   Often migraines can be triggered by the foods we eat.   The Mediator Release Blood testing I perform helps identify trigger foods that are then removed from the diet and In the vast majority of the cases the migraine headaches are relieved.

However I also use acupuncture to treat migraines and have found that it is very effective at eliminating the severity, duration, and frequency of migraines.   In a recent randomized controlled trial out of China with  253 migraine sufferers received treatment with acupuncture focusing on the Liver and GallBladder Read the rest of this entry

In a randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled trial involving 49 patients with chronic neck pain, electrical stimulation of acupuncture points on the wrist was found to help reduce neck pain above standard care. Subjects received treatments 2 times/week for 4 weeks and significant improvements were found in those that received acupuncture. The conclusion is that “…Electrical acustimulation of the wrist administered as two, 30 minutes sessions /wk added value to standardized neck exercise for chronic neck pain. A 4-week course of treatment produced effects lasting 1-month posttreatment….”.
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Here is a research article from several years ago showing that acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine is effective for seasonal rhinitis. (Of course it came out of Germany as they lead the world in non-invasive medical care). I certainly have many patients that call right before the springtime allergy season for their tuneups. It really helps either eliminate or cut down on their medications. Read the rest of this entry

A recent review study showed that acupuncture in conjuction with in-vitro fertilization improved the chances of a rates of pregnancy and live births.   (This really shouldn’t come as a surprise since there have been many studies showing that acupuncture helps couples conceive.)   This study was a review of 7 trials and over 1300 women undergoing IVF, so it wasn’t just a small pilot study, it did have some significance. The It was a 1.65 odds ratio which suggests that acupuncture increased the odds of clinical pregnancy by 65% compared with the control groups. However the authors correctly state that this is an overestimation and what it actually means is that for every 10 women that get treated there will be one more live birth.  Consider the exorbernant cost of IVF acupuncture is very cost effective.   Still this is significant, especially if you are one of those 10.

I’m always amazed at how incredible acupuncture is for regulating female hormones.   So it isn’t a surprise that acupuncture helps with pregnancy. The authors concluded: “Current preliminary evidence suggests that acupuncture given with embryo transfer improves rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation.”

In Health,
George Mandler
Licensed Acupuncturist
Licensed Dietitian / Nutritionist

Maynard, MA & Cambridge, MA