Spinal cord injury as a complication of an acupuncture

Recently, acupuncture has been widely performed for the treatment of many different diseases. We studied a patient with migraine who had been treated by "okibari," an acupunctural procedure. About 20 needles were inserted permanently in the subcutaneous tissues of his neck and occipital scalp. About 6 months later he hit the back of his neck, and soon after this accident cervical myelopathy occurred. There have been no similar reports.     

Effects of electroacupuncture versus manual acupuncture on the human brain as measured by fMRI

The goal of this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was to compare the central effects of electroacupuncture at different frequencies with traditional Chinese manual acupuncture. Although not as time-tested as manual acupuncture, electroacupuncture does have the advantage of setting stimulation frequency and intensity objectively and quantifiably. Manual acupuncture, electroacupuncture at 2 Hz and 100 Hz, and tactile control stimulation were carried out at acupoint ST-36. Overall, electroacupuncture (particularly at low frequency) produced more widespread fMRI signal increase than manual acupuncture did, and all acupuncture stimulations produced more widespread responses than did our placebo-like tactile control stimulation. Acupuncture produced hemodynamic signal increase in the anterior insula, and decrease in limbic and paralimbic structures including the amygdala, anterior hippocampus, and the cortices of the subgenual and retrosplenial cingulate, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, frontal, and temporal poles, results not seen for tactile control stimulation. Only electroacupuncture produced significant signal increase in the anterior middle cingulate cortex, whereas 2-Hz electroacupuncture produced signal increase in the pontine raphe area. All forms of stimulation (acupuncture and control) produced signal increase in SII. These findings support a hypothesis that the limbic system is central to acupuncture effect regardless of specific acupuncture modality, although some differences do exist in the underlying neurobiologic mechanisms for these modalities, and may aid in optimizing their future usage in clinical applications.     

针灸为主综合治疗颈椎病的临床研究进展

颈椎病是临床上的常见病、多发病,老年人多见.近年来本病发病年龄趋于年轻化,该病症状复杂,缠绵难愈,严重危害人体健康.它的治疗方法很多,但目前多采用保守疗法.近年来以针灸为主综合治疗颈椎病的报道日益增多,且疗效肯定,现将近5年的部分文献资料整理如下.     

Effectiveness of acupuncture and bee venom acupuncture in idiopathic Parkinson's disease

This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of both acupuncture and bee venom acupuncture as adjuvant therapies for idiopathic Parkinson's disease.We recruited 43 adults with idiopathic Parkinson's disease who had been on a stable dose of antiparkinsonian medication for at least 1 month. They were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: acupuncture, bee venom acupuncture, or control. All participants were assessed using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Berg Balance Scale, and the time and number of steps required to walk 30 m. Treatment groups underwent stimulation of 10 acupuncture points using acupuncture or bee venom acupuncture twice a week for 8 weeks. The initial assessment was repeated at the completion of treatment. The control group did not receive any treatment.Participants in the bee venom acupuncture group showed significant improvement on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (total score, as well as parts II and III individually), the Berg Balance Scale, and the 30 m walking time. When compared to the control group, the bee venom acupuncture group experienced significantly greater improvement on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. In the acupuncture group, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (part III and total scores) and the Beck Depression Inventory showed significant improvement. The control group showed no significant changes in any outcome after 8 weeks.In this pilot study, both acupuncture and bee venom acupuncture showed promising results as adjuvant therapies for Parkinson's disease.     

Analgesic effects of balanced acupuncture versus body acupuncture in low-back and leg pain patients with lumbar disc herniation, as assessed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging

Balanced acupuncture, a single-acupoint balance therapy, regulates the balance of the cerebral center, and is characterized by exerting quick effects and a short treatment course. A total of 20 low-back and leg pain patients with lumbar disc herniation were treated with balanced acupuncture or body acupuncture. Central mechanisms of varied acupunctures were compared using resting-state functional MRI. Patients from both groups received functional MRI before and after acupuncture. Functional connectivity in brain regions that were strongly associated with the bilateral amygdala was analyzed utilizing AFNI software. Visual analogue scale scores were greater in the balanced acupuncture group compared with the body acupuncture group. Function of the endogenous pain regulation network was enhanced in patients in the balanced acupuncture group, but was not changed in the body acupuncture group. This result indicates that the analgesic effects of body acupuncture do not work through the central nervous system. These data suggest that balanced acupuncture exerts analgesic effects on low-back and leg pain patients with lumbar disc herniation by regulating the function of the endogenous pain regulation network.     

头针治疗精神分裂症

<正>精神障碍已成为21世纪影响人类健康的最主要疾病之一,具有高发病率、高资源消耗、高致残率的特点。世界卫生组织在《2001年世界卫生报告》[1]中提出,精神卫生已经成为一个突出的社会问题,全世界1/4的人会在一生中某个时段产生某种精神障碍。据我国2006年的流行病学资料显示,     

Cervical subdural empyema following acupuncture

A review of the literature reveals only a few cases of spinal subdural empyema. Etiologies of spinal subdural empyema include hematogenous spread from skin lesions, systemic sepsis, direct spread from spinal osteomyelitis and complications of discography. However, in this report, we describe a patient who developed spinal subdural empyema following several cervical acupuncture sessions. Operative treatment with adequate laminectomy, removal of abscess, and copious irrigation resulted in good recovery. Microbiologic culture study of pus obtained at surgery was positive for Staphylococcus aureus. The need for sterilization procedures for acupuncture is emphasized and a brief review of the relevant literature is presented.     

Smoking cessation after acupuncture treatment

Acupuncture is applied, especially in treatment of pain, hemiplegia, obesity, and psychological illnesses including addiction. Recently, ear and body acupuncture have been frequently used in the treatment of smoking. An increase in levels of endorphin, enkephalin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the central nervous system and plasma has been reported as the most important mechanism of acupuncture. That is, acupuncture application may increase the levels of endorphin, enkephalin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the central nervous system and plasma. The authors think that acupuncture application provides the patients with deterioration in the taste of smoking, decrease in desire of smoking, and the obstruction of psychological symptoms that appear as a result of smoking cessation. Because of these effects it is presumed that acupuncture application may be used as an important method for smoking cessation treatment.     

Randomised control trial of tongue acupuncture versus sham acupuncture in improving functional outcome in cerebral palsy

BACKGROUND: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used historically in the treatment of cerebral palsy (CP). We investigated the efficacy of acupuncture in improving the motor function of children with CP. METHODS: A randomised control trial was conducted to assess the effect of tongue acupuncture (TAC) in 33 CP children. The subjects were randomised to treatment (n = 22) with TAC or control (n = 11). Clinical outcome was evaluated using the gross motor function measure (GMFM) and the pediatric evaluation of disability inventory (PEDI). RESULTS: The increase in mean GMFM score was significantly greater in the treatment than in the control group (p = 0.042). CONCLUSION: An improvement in motor function of CP subjects is seen following a short course of acupuncture.     

Filiform needle acupuncture for poststroke depression

<正>To the editor,I read with interest the recent report on"filiform needle acupuncture for poststroke depression"(Zhang et al.,2014).Zhang et al.(2014)performed a meta-analysis and concluded that"early filiform needle acupuncture for poststroke depression can perfectly control depression."In fact,the included meta-analysis might support the clinical effectiveness     

Manipulation of neurotransmitters by acupuncture (?)

Varying reactions of the vegetative nerve system to various point combinations (for example: vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, urge to urinate, fatigue or drowsiness, headache), especially to the needling of Tai Chong (Li 3), induced us to perform biochemical studies before and after acupuncture treatment. A group of children and a group of adults were studied. The material studied was urine and blood; from the children, urine only. The following were determined in the urine: indolacetic acid, 5-hydroxy-indol-3-acetic acid, homovanillic acid, and vanillic-mandelic acid; in the blood, tyrosine and tryptophan (free and bound). Individual points with wide influence (He Gu = LI 4; Zu San Li = St 36; Tai Chong = Li 3) and their combination with generally effective points were tested. The needling of Tai Chong especially showed a clear increase in indolamine metabolism. Isolated increases in metabolites of catecholamine metabolism could be correlated with the patient's increased physical activity after acupuncture. Noteworthy is the observation that no significant chemical reactions were evident if local reactions to the needling no longer appeared at the end of a series of acupuncture treatments.     

Ear acupuncture in unilateral migraine pain

The needle contact test (NCT) is a diagnostic technique useful to identify, through the contact of the needle on the skin of the ear, the most efficacious points for reducing pain during a migraine attack. The aim of this study was to identify the most important auricular zones for pain control by applying the NCT in a group of 15 women during a unilateral attack of migraine without aura. We also assessed how effective the insertion of a semi-permanent needle in these zones was in reducing the migraine pain during the next 24 h. The most effective tender points in pain control were located on the antero-internal part of the antitragus, the anterior part of the lobe and the upper auricular concha ipsilateral to the side of pain. The insertion of a semi-permanent needle in these zones allowed stable control of the migraine pain, which occurred within 30 min and persisted at the same levels 24 h later (ANOVA for repeated measures: p < 0.01). Pain was tested by using a visual analogue scale; the values recorded were the following: 7.6 ± 1.6 at baseline and 4.3 ± 1.7; 4.1 ± 1.9; 3.9 ± 1.8; 3.4 ± 1.8; 2.3 ± 1.6 after, respectively, 15, 30, 60, 120 min and 24 h.

     

The treatment of obesity by acupuncture

The present study is an investigation of the results of the studies on the effects of acupuncture application therapy on obesity. It has been reported that acupuncture application in obesity treatment is effective in procuring weight loss. It can affect appetite, intestinal motility, and metabolism, as well as emotional factors such as stress. Increases in neural activity in the ventromedial nuclei of the hypothalamus, in tone in the smooth muscle of the stomach and in levels of enkephalin, beta endorphin, and serotonin in plasma and brain tissue have also been observed with the application of acupuncture. It has been observed that acupuncture application to obese people increases excitability of the satiety center in the ventromedial nuclei of the hypothalamus. Acupuncture stimulates the auricular branch of the vagal nerve and raises serotonin levels. Both of these activities have been shown to increase tone in the smooth muscle of the stomach, thus suppressing appetite. Among other things, serotonin enhances intestinal motility. It also controls stress and depression via endorphin and dopamine production. In addition to these effects, it is thought that the increase in plasma levels of beta endorphin after acupuncture application can contribute to the body weight loss in obese people by mobilizing the body energy depots through lipolithic effect.     

EEG, 5-HTP-metabolism and acupuncture

Summary Correlations between EEG-alterations and administration of 5-HT and 5-HTP in man are described. Age-dependence can be observed. Successful acupuncture produces EEG-alterations especially in younger patients as seen after exogene administration of 5-HT respectively 5-HTP i.v. Since biochemical indications for an increased 5-HT turnover during acupuncture of several acupuncture-points are evident further investigations should be carried out to enable reliable correlations.     

眼针疗法结合电针治疗脑卒中眼外肌麻痹临床研究

目的探讨眼针疗法结合电针治疗脑卒中眼外肌麻痹的临床效果和安全性,为其治疗提供新思路。方法选取2012-06-2014-06 92例脑卒中后并发眼外肌麻痹的患者为研究对象,将其随机分为观察组和对照组各46例,2组患者均予常规西药治疗基础上,观察组应用眼针疗法结合电针针刺治疗,针刺1次/d;对照组应用单纯针刺疗法治疗,针刺1次/d;2周为一疗程;2周后,观察2组患者眼外肌麻痹的有效率和不良反应发生率等指标。结果治疗2周后,2组患者治疗有效率分别为93.48%、82.61%,无效率分别为6.52%、17.39%,观察组临床治疗总有效高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);观察组4例出现不良反应,发生率为8.70%,对照组3例出现不良反应,发生率为6.52%,2组不良反应发生率差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论应用眼针疗法结合电针治疗脑卒中眼外肌麻痹临床效果确切,安全性好,值得临床推广应用。