One research showed acupuncture can improve pregnancy rate after ART.
The research is to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in assisted reproduction therapy (ART) by comparing a group of patients receiving acupuncture treatment shortly before and after embryo transfer with a control group receiving no acupuncture.
After giving informed consent, 160 patients who were undergoing ART and who had good quality embryos were divided into the following two groups through random selection: embryo transfer with acupuncture (n = 80) and embryo transfer without acupuncture (n = 80).
Acupuncture was performed in 80 patients 25 minutes before and after embryo transfer. In the control group, embryos were transferred without any supportive therapy.
The result showed that, the clinical pregnancies rate of each group are:
in the acupuncture group: 42.5%
in the control group: 26.3%
The research showed that acupuncture is a useful tool for improving pregnancy rate after ART.
References
Paulus WE, Zhang M, Strehler E, El-Danasouri I, Sterzik K. Fertil Steril. 2002 Apr;77(4):721-4
To evaluate the effect of acupuncture on reproductive outcome in patients treated with IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). One group of patients received acupuncture on the day of ET, another group on ET day and again 2 days later (i.e., closer to implantation day), and both groups were compared with a control group that did not receive acupuncture.
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DESIGN
Prospective, randomised trial. SETTING: Private fertility center. PATIENT(S): During the study period all patients receiving IVF or ICSI treatment were offered participation in the study. On the day of oocyte retrieval, patients were randomly allocated (with sealed envelopes) to receive acupuncture on the day of ET (ACU 1 group, n = 95), on that day and again 2 days later (ACU 2 group, n = 91), or no acupuncture (control group, n = 87).
INTERVENTION(S)
Acupuncture was performed immediately before and after ET (ACU 1 and 2 groups), with each session lasting 25 minutes; and one 25-minute session was performed 2 days later in the ACU 2 group.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)
Clinical pregnancy and ongoing pregnancy rates in the three groups.
RESULT(S)
Clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates were significantly higher in the ACU 1 group as compared with controls (37 of 95 [39%] vs. 21 of 87 [26%] and 34 of 95 [36%] vs. 19 of 87 [22%]). The clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates in the ACU 2 group (36% and 26%) were higher than in controls, but the difference did not reach statistical difference.
CONCLUSION(S)
Acupuncture on the day of ET significantly improves the reproductive outcome of IVF/ICSI, compared with no acupuncture. Repeating acupuncture on ET day +2 provided no additional beneficial effect.
References
Westergaard LG1, Mao Q, Krogslund M, Sandrini S, Lenz S, Grinsted J.
A modern twist on traditional acupuncture may bring some pain relief to people with knee arthritis, at least in the short term, a small study suggests.
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electro-acupuncture for knee arthritis
The study, published in the journal Pain, looked at the effects of electro-acupuncture among 40 adults with knee osteoarthritis — the common “wear-and-tear” form of arthritis in which the cartilage cushioning the joints breaks down.Electro-acupuncture is similar to traditional acupuncture, where fine needles are inserted into specific points in the skin. What’s different is that the practitioner fits the needles with clips that are attached to a small device that delivers a continuous electrical impulse to stimulate the acupuncture point.
Among the patients in the current study, those who had a daily electro-acupuncture session for 10 consecutive days reported greater improvement in their pain compared with patients who received a “sham” version of the therapy.
Patients in that latter group received acupuncture, but the needles were inserted at random points on the skin rather than traditional acupuncture sites. And while the needles were attached to the electrical device, it was not actually turned on.
The findings suggest that true electro-acupuncture may offer at least short-term pain relief to knee arthritis sufferers, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Sadia Ahsin of the Army Medical College Rawalpindi in Pakistan.
What does acupuncture do
Acupuncture has been used for more than 2,000 years in Chinese medicine to treat a wide variety of ailments. According to traditional medicine, specific acupuncture points on the skin are connected to internal pathways that conduct energy, or qi (“chee”), and stimulating these points with a fine needle promotes the healthy flow of qi.
Modern research has suggested that acupuncture may help ease pain by altering signals among nerve cells or affecting the release of various chemicals of the central nervous system, such as pain-killing endorphins.
In their study, Ahsin and colleagues found that electro-acupuncture appeared to raise patients’ blood levels of endorphins and lower their levels of the hormone cortisol, which tends to rise during physical or mental stress. So it’s possible that these changes explain the greater pain relief, according to the researchers.
Larger, longer-term studies are still needed to see whether electro-acupuncture can have lasting benefits — and to find out how often patients would need treatment to gain those benefits.
For now, Ahsin’s team writes, the current findings suggest that, for people who are interested in trying it, electro-acupuncture can be added to conventional treatment for knee arthritis.
Is it safe?
Acupuncture and electro-acupuncture are generally regarded as low-risk therapies. Among patients in this study, there were no major side effects apart from bruising at the needle site in three patients, the researchers note.
The season of change is finally here and heaven knows no one appreciates like Melbournians, I think it’s actually the reason we stay so cheery during the winter now, there a couple of things that we get as a bonus to the feeling of sun on our face and If I warn you about it now, maybe you can enjoy the change!
With the sun we also get…
Wind, not so affectionately referred to in Chinese Medicine as the “bearer of a hundred diseases…” demands particular respect in early spring because our protective energy, like the rest of us, is usually a little weak after winter. So,
• leave your winter clothes on until well past the start of the warmer weather because the sun is out well before our environment is warm,
• carry a scarf or wear a collar so you can cover your neck on windy days, it’s the area most susceptible to “wind invasion”,
• if you have a history of health problems in Spring it is much easier for us to treat them before the symptoms come,
And yes, I’m talking about hay fever, and asthma, and eczema or any other skin problems because it’s the skin and the Lungs that often show the first signs of an “external wind invasion”.
“Stirring internal wind” is another risk of windy weather; ask the school teachers what happens to the children on windy days! Now adults are also affected, so symptoms related to the Liver function in Chinese Medicine may arise for example, insomnia, trembling hands, vertigo, migraines, some arthritic conditions and mood swings to name a few.
We can give you herbal medicine; there are many pre-made formulas at the clinic to relieve pain from the sinus to the knees! And for you really tough cases out there, and this hay fever season is going to provide us with many, we can make you a custom formula specific to your individual requirements to give you the best possible chance of enjoying the weather?
Some more about Hay fever; it’s a hypersensitivity reaction of our immune system to air-borne substances like pollen, dust, moulds, plants and chemicals. It is medically known as allergic rhinitis and consists primarily of runny nose, and blocked at the same time (about annoying a symptom as possible), sneezing and itchy red eyes.
Many of these allergens may also be triggers for asthmatics and these symptoms can quickly develop into an infection of the respiratory tract.
Allergies can run in families so if you suffer your children may also. The above air-borne substances are allergens that can cause the body to produce antibodies that release histamine. Histamines can cause the allergic reaction.
Avoiding allergens can keep the symptoms at bay. (But who wants to stay inside when the sun is finally here?) Conventional therapies call for antihistamines, decongestants, oral steroids, corticosteroid sprays & bronchodilator inhaler (for asthma), and allergy injections. But using Chinese medicine may be all you need to relieve the symptoms and if you start treatment in the off season, can treat the underlying imbalances that cause the allergies in the first place!
So use preventative medicine in spring and get in before the symptoms come!
A German research found that acupuncture treatment for lower back pain is more effective.
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German doctors found that acupuncture treatment for lower back pain is more effective (almost twice) than the conventional therapy, a combination of drugs, physiotherapy and exercises.
Dr. Michael Haake from the University of Regensburg, who presided over the clinic trial, said: “Acupuncture provide a effective way to treat lower back pain, and has less effects.”
Acupuncture is effective
In the clinical trials, Dr. Haake and his colleagues recruited 1162 patients with chronic low back pain. These patient in average have 8 years of lower back pain. These 1162 patients were divided into three groups and received 30 minutes treatment twice per week for a total five weeks. One group received acupuncture treatment; the second group received “Sham acupuncture” treatment; The last group received conventional routine treatment, a combination of drugs, physiotherapy and exercises.
6 months after treatment, a questionnaire has sent to patient who received the treatment. Of which nearly half of the patient who received acupuncture treatment (47.6%) claimed the treatment is effective, compare to the conventional therapy group, only 27.4% found the treatment helpful.
The result showed that lower back pain improved after acupuncture treatment for at least 6 months. effectiveness of acupuncture was almost twice that of conventional therapy.
Researchers believe acupuncture may change the mechanism of brain receiving pain signals, or acupuncture may stimulate brain to release a natural analgesic substances leading to pain relief.
Acupuncture has been employed as a health care modality for over 3,000 years.
Practitioners of this ancient medical practice have experienced clinical success with a variety of health issues. Today, acupuncture is receiving wide acceptance as a respected, valid and effective form of health care.
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When most people think about acupuncture, they are familiar with its use for pain control. But acupuncture has a proven track record of treating and addressing a variety of endocrine, circulatory and systemic conditions.
Acupuncture and modern medicine, when used together, have the potential to support, strengthen and nurture the body towards health and well-being.
What is known about the physiological effects of acupuncture
Over the last few decades, research has been conducted seeking to explain how acupuncture works and what it can and cannot treat.
The 1997 National Institute of Health (NIH) Consensus on Acupuncture reports that “studies have demonstrated that acupuncture can cause multiple biological response, mediated mainly by sensory neurons, to many structures within the central nervous systems. This can lead to activation of pathways, affecting various physiological systems in the brain, as well as in the periphery.”
The NIH Consensus also suggests that acupuncture “may activate the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, resulting in a broad spectrum of systemic effects. Alteration in the secretion of neurotransmitters and neurohomones, and changes in the regulation of blood flow, both centrally and peripherally, have been documented. There is also evidence of alterations in immune functions produced by acupuncture.
Below are current theories on the mechanism of acupuncture:
1. Neurotransmitter Theory – Acupuncture affects higher brain areas, stimulating the secretion of betaendorphines and enkephalins in the brain and spinal cord. The release of neurotransmitters influences the immune system and the antinociceptive system.
2. Autonomic Nervous System Theory – Acupuncture stimulates the release of norepinephine, acetylcholine and several types of oplaids, affecting changes in their turnover rate, nomalizing the autonomic nervous system, and reducing pain.
3. Gate Control Theory – Acupuncture activates nonnociceptive receptors that inhiit the transmission of nociceptive signals in the dorsal horn, “gating out” painful stimuli.
4. Vascular-intersititial Theory – Acupuncture manipulates the electrical system of the body by creating or enhancing closed-circuit transport in tissues. This facilitates healing by allowing the transfer of material and electrical energy between normal and injured tissues.
5. Blood Chemistry Theory – Acupuncture affects the blood concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol, and phospholipids, suggesting that acupuncture can both raise and diminish peripheral blood components, thereby regulating the body toward homeostasis.
According to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, 51% of medical doctors understand the efficacy and value of acupuncture, and medical doctors refer patients to acupuncturists more than any other alternative care provider.
The NIH Consensus on Acupuncture further states that clinical experience, supported by research data, suggests acupuncture may be a reasonable option for a number of clinical conditions.
Evidence – research into acupuncture as a medical treatment
Research into acupuncture as a medical treatment has grown exponentially in the past 20 years, increasing at twice the rate of research into conventional biomedicine. Over this period, there have been over 13,000 studies conducted in 60 countries, including hundreds of meta-analyses summarising the results of thousands of human and animal studies.1 A wide-variety of clinical areas have been studied, including pain, cancer, pregnancy, stroke, mood disorders, sleep disorders and inflammation, to name a few.
A German research found acupuncture for low back pain are more effective.
German doctors found that acupuncture treatment for low back pain is more effective (almost twice) than the conventional therapy, a combination of drugs, physiotherapy and exercises.
Dr. Michael Haake from the University of Regensburg, who presided over the clinic trial, said: “Acupuncture provide a effective way to treat low back pain, and has less effects.”
Acupuncture is more effective than Physical therapy
In the clinical trials, Dr. Haake and his colleagues recruited 1162 patients with chronic low back pain. These patient in average have 8 years of low back pain. These 1162 patients were divided into three groups and received 30 minutes treatment twice per week for a total five weeks. One group received acupuncture treatment; the second group received “Sham acupuncture” treatment; The last group received conventional routine treatment, a combination of drugs, physiotherapy and exercises.
6 months after treatment, a questionnaire has sent to patient who received the treatment. Of which nearly half of the patient who received acupuncture treatment (47.6%) claimed the treatment is effective, compare to the conventional therapy group, only 27.4% found the treatment helpful.
The result showed that low back pain improved after acupuncture treatment for at least 6 months. effectiveness of acupuncture was almost twice that of conventional therapy.
Researchers believe acupuncture may change the mechanism of brain receiving pain signals, or acupuncture may stimulate brain to release a natural analgesic substances leading to pain relief.
The theory of Five Elements, also known as Wu Xing （五行） in Chinese medicine, is a fundamental concept that seeks to understand the dynamic interplay and relationships between various aspects of the natural world. It suggests that wood, fire, earth, metal, and water are not just physical substances, but also represent energetic qualities and principles that shape the material world.
Wood (木 Mu)
Wood represents the energy of growth, expansion, and vitality. It is associated with the season of spring, the colour green, and the direction of east. Wood is also linked to the liver and gallbladder organs in the body.
Fire (火 Huo)
Fire represents the energy of warmth, transformation, and enthusiasm. It is associated with the season of summer, the colour red, and the direction of south. Fire is linked to the heart, small intestine, pericardium, and triple burner organs.
Earth (土 Tu)
Earth represents the energy of stability, nourishment, and grounding. It is associated with the season of late summer or transition periods, the colour yellow, and the central direction. Earth is linked to the spleen and stomach organs.
Metal (金 Jin)
Metal represents the energy of clarity, precision, and contraction. It is associated with the season of autumn, the colour white, and the direction of west. Metal is linked to the lungs and large intestine organs.
Water (水 Shui)
Water represents the energy of fluidity, adaptability, and conservation. It is associated with the season of winter, the colour blue or black, and the direction of north. Water is linked to the kidneys and urinary bladder organs.
In the theory of Five Elements, these elements are not viewed as static entities, but rather as dynamic forces that interact with and influence each other. The relationships between the elements are categorised into two main cycles: the generating cycle and the restraining cycle.
Generating Cycle
Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, and Water generates Wood. This cycle describes how each element supports and nourishes the next in a continuous flow of energy.
Restraining Cycle
Wood restrains Earth, Earth restrains Water, Water restrains Fire, Fire restrains Metal, and Metal restrains Wood. This cycle illustrates how each element has the ability to control or restrain another element to maintain balance and prevent excessive energy.
The theory of Five Elements is utilised in traditional Chinese medicine for diagnosis, treatment, and understanding the interconnections between various aspects of health and well-being. It provides a framework to analyse and address imbalances in the body’s energy system and guide the use of acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary adjustments, and lifestyle recommendations to restore harmony and promote optimal health.
