Category: Acupuncture Research & Miscellaneous Conditions

Researchers have found that acupuncture can be used as an adjunctive therapy to reduce breathlessness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A total of 72 patients with COPD, mean age 67, were randomised to receive either real or sham control acupuncture in thirty minute sessions three times per week for eight weeks. Acupuncture was given in addition to patients’ usual daily medication.

At the end of the trial, six-minute walking distance and health-related quality of life measures had all improved significantly more in the acupuncture group compared with the sham group.

(Acupuncture for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled trial. Medicine (Baltimore), October 2016.)

A study by hospital and university researchers in Londrina, Brazil has shown scalp electro-acupuncture can reduce tinnitus intensity by half, and improve quality of life for affected individuals. Fifty subjects, aged 50 to 85, were randomised to receive either acupuncture or no treatment. Those in the treatment group received electro-acupuncture on the vestibulocochlear scalp line, two times a week for five weeks. The results showed a reduction in tinnitus intensity of 50% in the treatment group, and no change in the control group. Acupuncture was also associated with a decrease in the influence of tinnitus on quality of life, from a classification of “severe interference” to “mild interference”. Again there was no change in the control group.

The team concludes that the significant levels of improvement justify the use of acupuncture. Their study shows that the technique is safe and does not cause any side effects for patients. However, more studies are required to establish other possible effects of Chinese scalp acupuncture on the auditory system.

(Effectiveness of acupuncture therapy as treatment for tinnitus: a randomized controlled trial. Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology, July-August 2016.)

Researchers funded by the US Government’s Gulf War Illness Research Program, have concluded that individualized acupuncture treatment can offer significant relief to veterans with Gulf War Illness (GWI). GWI is a complex and poorly understood condition, characterised by multiple symptoms including fatigue, musculoskeletal pain and sleep and mood disturbances.

A total of 104 veterans diagnosed with the illness were randomised to receive either biweekly acupuncture for 6 months, or 2 months on a waiting list followed by weekly acupuncture for 4 months. Treatment was provided by experienced practitioners close to where the veterans worked and lived, and it was individualised to the patient, with the inclusion as required of standard additional techniques such as Chinese massage.

By month 6, greater clinically significant improvements in physical symptoms and pain scores, were seen in the biweekly acupuncture group. The researchers say that their study supports the use of individualized acupuncture treatments for the management of GWI symptoms, and that acupuncture treatment may be an effective, safe, low-cost treatment option for returning military as well as civilian populations impacted by chronic multi-symptom illness. Participants reported high usability of acupuncture, with 96% of them reporting confidence in recommending acupuncture to a friend or family member.

(The Effectiveness of Individualized Acupuncture Protocols in the Treatment of Gulf War Illness: A Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial. PLoS One 31 March 2016.)

Researchers in Taiwan have found that acupuncture may be effective in reducing stroke recurrence rates. In a retrospective study of over 30000 newly-diagnosed cases of ischaemic stroke (due to a blood clot as opposed to bleeding), acupuncture treatment was associated with reduced stroke recurrence rates, irrespective of whether the patient had been put on medication for this purpose. Patients were followed up for between 5 and 9 years. The impact of acupuncture however, was found to decrease with age.

(A Retrospective Cohort Study Comparing Stroke Recurrence Rate in Ischemic Stroke Patients With and Without Acupuncture Treatment. Medicine (Baltimore), September 2015.)

Researchers have shown that adding acupuncture to routine care, can benefit patients with vascular dementia. A total of 68 patients received either usual care, or usual care plus acupuncture. Up to 21 acupuncture sessions were given over a 6 week period. Patients were included in the study provided dementia had been diagnosed before they were 80 years old, and provided they had no other neurodegenerative conditions. Usual care comprised prescribed medication plus a weekly telephone call to enquire about their health.

At the end of the 6 week treatment period, and again at follow-up after a further 4 weeks, patients who had received acupuncture performed better than the control group on tests of cognitive function. They also reported less interference from dementia with their daily activities. The authors point out that recent international policy guidelines aim to promote independence in dementia patients, and there exists a rising interest in nonpharmacological interventions.

(Acupuncture for Vascular Dementia: A Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial. The Scientific World Journal, 2015.)