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…
Acupuncture for Low Back Pain & the NICE Guidelines
New NICE guidelines for low back pain and sciatica. NICE have updated their guidelines for low back pain and sciatica and, contrary to the evidence, are no longer recommending acupuncture to be provided for these conditions on the NHS. The following video sums up the situation well: An article published on the Journal…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Moxibustion boosts immune function
Less well known than acupuncture moxibustion is at least as old. Moxibustion refers to the burning of the herb Artemesia directly on acupuncture points or on the ends of acupuncture needles. According to Skya Abbate writing in the Journal of Chinese Medicine: Like yin and yang, the Chinese characters for acupuncture and moxibustion are inextricably…
Acupuncture halts cluster headaches
A small Italian is the first to suggest that acupuncture can interrupt cluster headaches. Cluster headaches are excruciating attacks of pain in one side of the head, often felt behind the eye. Sufferers often call them ‘suicidal headaches’ because they’re so severe. Study design and protocol. Four patients with cluster headaches were treated with acupuncture…