Pin down your sports injury pain with acupuncture.
Grin and Bear it’ Brits need to pin point their pain. Got a sports injury? What are you going to do about it? British Acupuncture Council’s sports injury survey: We’re famously a nation that doesn’t like to make a fuss but new statistics from the British Acupuncture Council reveal that when it comes to pain…
3 easy steps to understanding acupuncture research
There seems to be a long standing myth that there isn’t any research showing that acupuncture is effective and that we don’t have a clue how it works. I try to disabuse folks of this by blogging about great research as it comes out. Today I am posting a fantastic video, “Acupuncture Research Explained’, by…
Acupuncture may provide help for cancer sufferers.
Acupuncture may provide help for cancer sufferers. American researchers carried out an open clinical trial showing that acupuncture appears to be effective for reducing pain and other symptoms in cancer patients. 57 cancer patients received acupuncture to target pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue and nausea. A total of 25 of these patients were considered to have…
‘Kung Fu Panda’ has acupuncture
I recently had a new patient in who said the only time she had seen acupuncture was in the Kung Fu Panda movie. I’m surprised it didn’t put her off from coming! I’ve uploaded a few funny acupuncture videos to the website so I thought it would be fun to include this one too: If…
Acupuncture improves brain connections in migraine patients.
Acupuncture treatment modulates the resting-state functional connectivity of brain regions in migraine patients without aura. New research in China shows that acupuncture treatment can increase functional connectivity in brain regions that show decreased connectivity in migraine without aura (MWoA) patients. Migraine patients often experience warning signs, known as aura, such as flashing lights. However, some…
Moxa for breech babies saves the NHS money.
Some great new research by Spanish researchers shows that acupuncture could be saving the NHS money if it were to be routinely offered to mother’s with babies in breech presentation. A baby should ideally present in a head down position for a healthy labor. If the baby is in a different position, especially with feet…
Acupuncture recommended for allergic rhinitis
The American Academy of Otolaryngology’s new Clinical Practice Guideline recommends acupuncture for patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) who are interested in non-pharmacological therapy (treatment without drugs). A Guideline Development Group (20 experts in otolaryngology, allergy, immunology, nursing, CAM and consumer advocacy) developed the recommendations based on supporting evidence (randomised controlled trials with limitations, observational studies…
Heal your headaches in 3 simple steps.
A simple solution to your headaches and migraines. According to American neurologist David Buchholz there is a simple 3 step solution to relieving chronic headaches and migraines. Over the last few months I have had several patients follow the approach outlined in his book, Heal Your Headache, with great results. You can listen to David…
Acupuncture increases Heart Rate Variability
Heart Rate Variability Higher levels of Heart Rate Variability are associated with better health, most likely as it seems to reflect a healthy balance between the two sides of the autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system readies us for fight or flight whereas the parasympathetic calms us down. When we are stressed we can…
The low FODMAP diet for IBS.
4 out of 5 people recover from IBS when they follow a low FODMAP diet. Fodmaps are short chain sugars which are: Osmotic – they pull water into the intestines Are poorly digested Are fermented by the gut bacteria. A diet high in FODMAP foods, if you are sensitive, can cause gas, bloating, cramps, constipation…
The deceptive ‘clean label’
The deceptive clean label: how safe is your food? Over the last decade or so manufacturers have appeared to be ‘tidying up’ foods in the UK with less E-numbers and healthier ingredients. I like to cook all my food from scratch but I work 6 days a week, often till quite late, and so at…
Understand persistent pain in less than five minutes.
This great video from Australia explains in under five minutes the latest understanding of what persistent pain is and how best to deal with it. Acute vs Persistent Pain Acute pain results from tissue injury and is mostly self-limiting in under 3 months. Pain lasting longer than 3 months comes from the brain and is…