Tag Archive | pain relief

Acupuncture Helps Relieve Menstrual Cramps

Jan20

According to a recent article, new evidence finds that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine is very effective in the treatment of menstrual pain.

Ze XieOne study reveals a popular herbal medicine for the relief of cramping and pain. Another study found acupuncture as effective as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for menstrual related pain. The first and most recent study on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for the treatment of menstrual discomfort was conducted in Taiwan.

Acupuncture Relieves Menstrual CrampsThis new study finds Dan Gui Shao Yao San the primary herbal formula consumed in Taiwan for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. This type of dysmenorrhea is characterized by lower abdominal cramping and pain prior or during menstruation and is not due to endometriosis. Approximately 53% of Taiwanese women with primary dysmenorrhea use Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and over 90% of this group sought the relief of menstruation related pain. The study notes that Dan Gui Shao Yao San is the most commonly prescribed herbal formula for this condition and it contains both “sedative and anti-inflammatory agents.” Continue reading →

Acupuncture for Breast Cancer Side Effects

Dec30

A new study finds acupuncture effective for the treatment of breast cancer drug treatment side effects.

Acupuncture Breast CancerThe study focuses on acupuncture for the relief of symptoms due to aromatase inhibitor treatment intake. The researchers noted two interesting findings. First, acupuncture is statistically more effective than clonidine for the treatment of hot flashes due to breast cancer treatment. Secondly, statistical differences between sham acupuncture and real acupuncture did not exist in some quality of life measures determined by questionnaires to participants. Oddly, the publication makes no mention of acupuncture needle techniques, types, brands, lengths, gauges, insertion angles and insertion depths.

Real acupuncture produced a mean reduction of 37% for hot flashes. The researchers note that this is superior to the 20% reduction achieved by the pharmaceutical drug clonidine but less than that achieved by paroxetine (45.6%). The researchers note that acupuncture, unlike the medications reviewed, “was not associated with any significant side effects, whereas clonidine and antidepressants were associated with multiple side effects….” Continue reading →

Acupuncture Relieves Fertility Procedure Pain

Sep18

New research finds acupuncture effective for relieving pain associated with transvaginal oocyte retrieval (TVOR), an egg collection procedure used in fertility treatments.

Acupuncture FertilityTVOR enables fertilization outside of the human body. In this study, application of acupuncture point LI4 (Hegu) was compared with a control group and a placebo group to determine the efficacy of using acupuncture as an anesthetic. The control group and the placebo group showed no significant post-operative benefits, however, the acupuncture group showed a significant reduction of post-operative pain.

A sample size of 90 participants were randomized into three groups. Group A received acupuncture at LI4 bilaterally, group B received placebo needles and group C received only routine oocyte retrieval. Pain intensity levels immediately after the operation and one hour later were significantly lower in the acupuncture group. Continue reading →

Acupuncture For Back Pain Relief

Dec15

Acupuncture for back pain reliefAcupuncture has increasingly gained popularity with people looking for alternate methods to eradicate pain without the use of medicine.

Acupuncture can work for many injuries and is highly recommended by many people who have used it for pain like pain in the neck, back, arthritis and the lower back . Most people assume that alternate methods of therapy that don’t involve taking medicine or having surgery is relatively safer and its potential to do harm would be more negligible than regular medical treatments. It is also seen as a less expensive alternative to modern medicine and treatments. Continue reading →