Game changing research into acupuncture supported IVF & ICSI
Game changing research into acupuncture supported IVF & ICSI – a review of the evidence base by Lianne Aquilina and Mark Bovey, British Acupuncture Council, 2019 (with minor editing by myself) If you don’t want to read the full article here is my take home message: The latest research finds more evidence for acupuncture improving…
Personalised acupuncture has long term benefits for fibromyalgia
Spanish researchers have found that personalised acupuncture has long term benefits for fibromyalgia, providing pain relief and improved quality of life. What is Fibromyalgia? According to NHS Choices: Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body. As well as widespread pain, people with fibromyalgia may also…
Acupuncture increases ovulation frequency in PCOS.
Acupuncture has been demonstrated to improve menstrual frequency and to decrease circulating testosterone in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Now new research shows that acupuncture increases ovulation frequency in PCOS. Researchers from the university of Goteborg, Gothenburg, Sweden chose to investigate whether acupuncture affects ovulation frequency and to understand the underlying mechanisms of any…
Acupuncture improves pregnancy rates after IVF failure
Acupuncture improves pregnancy rates after IVF failure. Brazilian researchers have found that acupuncture improves pregnancy rates after IVF failure. They claim that this is the first study of the use of acupuncture specifically when embryo implantation has failed. The research. Brazilian researchers carried out a prospective randomised controlled trial with 84 patients who had experienced…
Does evolution explain the placebo effect?
Placebo The placebo effect is the observation in scientific clinical studies that in any given trial a proportion of subjects will show health improvements when they are given a dummy drug – such as a sugar pill. Does evolution explain the placebo effect? Up until now, the placebo effect has seemed to make no sense…if…
Acupuncture helps knees.
Acupuncture helps knees – research shows acupuncture is a cost-effective treatment for osteo-arthritis of the knee. Two new studies suggest acupuncture may be an effective aid to osteo-arthritis of the knee and a credible alternative to knee replacement. Acupuncture has benefits for knee osteoarthritis. A three-armed randomised controlled trial carried out by Greek investigators has…
New review supports acupuncture for migraine prevention.
New review supports acupuncture for migraine prevention. Earlier in the year I was looking at the evidence base for the use of acupuncture for migraine prevention. At that time the Cochrane review of acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis, rather disappointingly, concluded that, ” evidence in support of acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis was considered promising but insufficient”. …
Does Acupuncture Work?
Does Acupuncture Work? Watch this short Australian documentary and find out for yourself: An Australian doctor finds acupuncture works for his sprained knee. He talks to scientists investigating the study of acupuncture using functional MRI where the effect of acupuncture on the brain is used using state of the art technology. A young mother…
Acupuncture trials changes treatment.
Taking part in acupuncture trials changes the treatment. In an earlier post I wrote about how the placebo effect of acupuncture can be improved by the behaviour of the acupuncturist(s). I have now come across a study which shows that taking part in an acupuncture trial changes the expectations and behaviour of participants and influences…
Acupuncture benefits mystery illnesses?
Acupuncture benefits mystery illnesses. One in five patients has symptoms which are undiagnosed by medicine. The cost of treating them is twice that of a diagnosed patient. A new study has been carried out to asses if acupuncture benefits this group of patients. Researchers from the Institute of Health Services Research, Peninsula Medical School, University…
Acupuncture Placebo
Acupuncture placebo – does acupuncture work? As an acupuncturist I dread talking about it socially, at least with the uninitiated. I get asked Does it hurt and, does it work. The answers to both are more complex than they might appear but my pat answer is that most people find it surprisingly comfortable…