March 22, 2010 - ...As fanciful as that seems, acupuncture does have real effects on the human body, which scientists are documenting using high-tech tools. Neuroimaging studies show that it seems to calm areas of the brain that register pain and activate those involved in rest and recuperation. Doppler ultrasound shows that acupuncture increases blood flow in treated areas. Thermal imaging shows that it can make inflammation subside...Studies in the early 1980s found that acupuncture works in part by stimulating the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals, much like vigorous exercise does. Now, a growing body of research suggests that it may have several mechanisms of action. Those include stimulating blood flow and tissue repair at the needle sites and sending nerve signals to the brain that regulate the perception of pain and reboot the autonomic nervous system, which governs unconscious functions such as heart beat, respiration and digestion, according to Alejandro Elorriaga, director of the medical acupuncture program at McMaster University in Ontario, which teaches a contemporary version to physicians...Read the rest at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704841304575137872667749264.html#dumm
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The following is a snippet from a great article about acupuncture. We've noted the source below if you would like to read the entire article.
June 28, 2014 - " Researchers have discovered that acupuncture causes a special biochemical reaction that reduces inflammation and muscle pain. The study, published in Molecular Neurobiology, investigated the effects of needling one acupuncture point on the leg. The research team measured a remarkable effect. Manual acupuncture stimulation downregulated M1 macrophages (pro-inflammatory cells) and upregulated M2 macrophages (anti-inflammatory cells). As a result, acupuncture reduced pain and swelling. This neurobiological acupuncture continuing education study solves a great mystery, how does acupuncture work? The secret is in the biochemistry...This study measured responses in muscle tissues and confirmed that M1 to M2 macrophage phenotype switching is triggered by acupuncture stimulation. Acupuncture literally flips a switch wherein initial inflammatory responses are reduced and the secondary healing responses are promoted." Source : http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1336-acupuncture-pain-killing-mystery-revealed References: da Silva, Morgana D., Franciane Bobinski, Karina L. Sato, Sandra J. Kolker, Kathleen A. Sluka, and Adair RS Santos. "IL-10 Cytokine Released from M2 Macrophages Is Crucial for Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Acupuncture in a Model of Inflammatory Muscle Pain." Molecular Neurobiology (2014): 1-13. Rafael Torres-Rosas, Ghassan Yehia, Geber Peña, Priya Mishra, Maria del Rocio Thompson-Bonilla, Mario Adán Moreno-Eutimio, Lourdes Andrea Arriaga-Pizano, Armando Isibasi, Luis Ulloa. Dopamine mediates vagal modulation of the immune system by electroacupuncture. Nature Medicine, 2014; DOI: 10.1038/nm.3479. Wang, Ying, Rebekka Gehringer, Shaaban A. Mousa, Dagmar Hackel, Alexander Brack, and Heike L. Rittner. "CXCL10 Controls Inflammatory Pain via Opioid Peptide-Containing Macrophages in Electroacupuncture." PloS one 9, no. 4 (2014): e94696. We have provided a copy of the following article on acupuncture and infertility from WEBMD. This article is for informational purposes only.
Disclaimer: The information provided is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Acupuncture performed by a doctor of chiropractic (D.C.) in Texas is limited to scope of practice, which includes the adjunctive treatment of the subluxation complex or the biomechanics of the spine and musculoskeletal system. Acupuncture, and the related practices of acupressure and meridian therapy, includes methods for diagnosing and treating a patient by stimulating specific points on or within the musculoskeletal system by various means which include short-needle insertion for the purpose of obtaining a biopositive reflex response by nerve stimulation. The Ancient Art of Infertility Treatment When it comes to getting pregnant, old world techniques may be just what today's high-tech doctors will order. By Colette Bouchez WebMD Feature Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD If headlines are any indication of what's hot and what's not, it's easy to believe that infertility treatment is strictly a modern day science, made possible solely through the courtesy of high-tech medicine. But as good as modern science is, many couples trying to get pregnant find themselves turning to an age-old treatment for help -- one so steeped in tradition it's about as far from life in the 21st century as one can get. That treatment is acupuncture, and today, even high-tech reproductive specialists are looking to the somewhat mysterious world of Chinese medicine to help those fertility patients for whom western science alone is not quite enough. "Most of our patients are referred to us by reproductive medicine specialists -- they are usually women who have failed one or usually more than one attempt at IVF (in vitro fertilization), and their doctor is looking for something to help implement the success of their treatment, over and above what the protocols alone can accomplish," says Raymond Chang, MD, the medical director of Meridian Medical and a classically trained acupuncturist as well as western-trained medical doctor. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medicine treatment that relies on the painless but strategic placement of tiny needles into a "grid-like" pattern that spans the body, from head to toe. The needles are used to stimulate certain key "energy points" believed to regulate spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical balance. And, for many women, it's often just what the doctor ordered. "It can allow you to cross the line from infertile to fertile by helping your body function more efficiently, which in turn allows other, more modern reproductive treatments, like IVF, to also work more efficiently," says James Dillard, MD, assistant clinical professor, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and clinical adviser to Columbia's Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Indeed, in a study of 160 women, published April 2002 in the reproductive journal Fertility and Sterility, a group of German researchers found that adding acupuncture to the traditional IVF treatment protocols substantially increased pregnancy success. In this study one group of 80 patients received two, 25-minute acupuncture treatments -- one prior to having fertilized embryos transferred into their uterus, and one directly afterwards. The second group of 80, who also underwent embryo transfer, received no acupuncture treatments. The result: While women in both groups got pregnant, the rate was significantly higher in the acupuncture group -- 34 pregnancies, compared with 21 in the women who received IVF alone. But increasing the odds of IVF is not the only way acupuncture can help. Chang says it can also work to stimulate egg production in women who can't -- or don't want to -- use fertility medications to help them get pregnant. "When you compare the pregnancy rates for an egg producing drug such as Clomid to acupuncture alone, the rates are equal -- a 50% chance of pregnancy in three months for general patients -- to those not undergoing IVF," says Chang. Unfortunately, however, Chang says that because acupuncture generally stimulates the growth and release of just one egg, it can't be substituted for fertility drugs used in IVF, since they work to produce the multiple eggs necessary to achieve success with this treatment. How Acupuncture Works Although acupuncture is fast becoming an accepted fertility protocol, not everyone agrees on how -- or why -- it works. According to the traditional Chinese medicine explanation, acupuncture stimulates and moves Qi (pronounced "Chee") a form of life energy that ancient wisdom says must flow through the body unhampered from head to toe, 24/7. When it doesn't, illness or malfunctions such as infertility arise. "Acupuncture works to restore the flow of Qi -- your essence, your body energy -- so with regards to infertility, treatment has a calming, restorative effect that increases a sense of well- being and ultimately helps the body to accept the creation of life," says acupuncturist Ifeoma Okoronkwo, MD, a professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine. By placing the needles at key energy meridians linked to the reproductive organs, Okoronkwo tells WebMD acupuncture increases, and more importantly, moves the flow of Qi from areas where it may be too abundant, to areas that are deficient, all in a direction that encourages fertility. How Acupuncture Works continued...To get your fertility Qi up to snuff, most experts say you will need about two, 30 minute treatments a week, sometimes for several months, before the effects can be seen. However, a slightly more Western way of looking at the effects points less to the mystical Qi and more towards the solid science of brain chemistry. In studies published in the journal Fertility and Sterility in 2002, Chang, along with noted Cornell University reproductive endocrinologist Zev Rosenwaks, MD, found a clear link between treatment and the brain hormones involved in conception. More specifically their research noted that acupuncture increases production of endorphins, the body's natural "feel good" brain chemical that also plays a role in regulating the menstrual cycle. Chang says acupuncture also appears to have a neuroendocrine effect, impacting a three-way axis between the two areas of the brain involved with hormone production (the hypothalamus and the pituitary glands) and the ovaries, a constellation that ultimately impacts egg production and possibly ovulation. In still another research paper published in the journal Medical Acupuncture in 2000, Sandra Emmons, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health Sciences University, reports that acupuncture may directly impact the number of egg follicles available for fertilization in women undergoing IVF. "My guess is that acupuncture is changing the blood supply to the ovaries, possibly dilating the arteries and increasing blood flow, so that ultimately, the ovaries are receiving greater amounts of hormonal stimulation," says Emmons, who also uses acupuncture in her traditional medical practice. Chang says acupuncture may also help when the lining of the uterus is too weak to sustain a pregnancy -- a problem that is also known to increase the risk of chronic miscarriage. By increasing blood flow to this area, the lining may be better able to absorb the nutrients and hormones necessary to help it grow strong enough to hold onto an implanted embryo, says Chang. Can Acupuncture Help You? As good as it sounds, acupuncture is clearly not the panacea for all fertility problems. As Dillard tells WebMD, in instances where a structural defect exists -- such as a blocked fallopian tube or a fibroid tumor -- acupuncture won't help you get pregnant. Can Acupuncture Help You? How to Tell continued...Likewise, once past a certain age, no amount of tickling your Qi is going to increase necessary hormones that have long gone out of production. For this reason, many doctors recommend that you have at least a basic fertility workup before attempting acupuncture treatment, particularly if you are approaching, or you are over, the age of 40. "If it turns out you have structural problem that requires a traditional medical 'fix', then the sooner you find that out and get the proper treatment, the more likely it will be that you can get pregnant," says Dillard. At the same time Chang tells WebMD that younger women -- those in their early to mid-30s -- might want to consider acupuncture first, before investing in expensive and invasive fertility treatments. "Sometimes a few months of acupuncture will be enough to help you get pregnant on your own," he says. If, in fact, you do seek acupuncture treatment be aware that not all protocols are equal. "There is tremendous variability within the field -- with many different techniques and a great deal of the success dependant upon how much the acupuncturist knows about the treatment of infertility," says Okoronkwo. Read the original article here: Souce:http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/features/ancient-art-of-infertility-treatment Disclaimer: The information provided is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Acupuncture performed by a doctor of chiropractic (D.C.) in Texas is limited to scope of practice, which includes the adjunctive treatment of the subluxation complex or the biomechanics of the spine and musculoskeletal system. Acupuncture, and the related practices of acupressure and meridian therapy, includes methods for diagnosing and treating a patient by stimulating specific points on or within the musculoskeletal system by various means which include short-needle insertion for the purpose of obtaining a biopositive reflex response by nerve stimulation. Article copied from LIVESTRONG.COM; written by Meg Kramer
Acupuncture is an ancient form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been used in Asia for millennia. According to TCM practitioners, ailments like dizziness result from imbalances within the body, and they use acupuncture to restore the balance and alleviate symptoms. Consult your doctor before using acupuncture in order to ensure safe care. Dizziness, Balance and Vertigo In medical terminology the word “dizziness” can describe a range of sensations, according to MayoClinic.com. These can include faintness, loss of balance and the feeling of motion known as “vertigo.” In most cases, vertigo occurs when the the inner ear and its nerves -- which aren’t functioning properly -- disrupt the brain’s ability to accurately perceive motion. Severe vertigo can be debilitating, in some cases causing vomiting and imbalance. Causes of Dizziness and Balance Disorders Dizziness can occur for a variety of reasons, including anxiety disorders. People who have panic attacks or agoraphobia may experience dizziness among their symptoms. While dizziness can be a symptom of either physical or mental ailments, vertigo’s causes are typically physical. Psychological issues can still play a role in vertigo, however, according to MayoClinic.com. Although the initial symptoms result from a physical disorder, anxiety may prolong the perception of dizziness or vertigo. Dizziness in TCM Dizziness and vertigo can occur as the result of a number of different imbalances, according to TCM practitioners. For example, blood stagnation or an excess of phlegm can cause these symptoms, according to Yin Yang House, an acupuncture center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. To treat these symptoms, acupuncturists use very thin, solid metallic needles, which are inserted into the patient’s skin at specific points. These acupuncture points lie along lines called “meridians” that spread throughout the body, interacting with the body’s systems. Common Acupuncture Points for Dizziness and Balance The acupuncture points used to treat dizziness differ from patient to patient, depending on the practitioner’s assessment of the underlying causes of the symptoms. Two common points that are used to treat dizziness and imbalance are “LV 3” and “ST 9.” "LV 3," known as the Great Surge, or Tai Chong in Chinese, is located on the top of the foot. It is a calming point, according to Yin Yang House, and is used to treat a range of symptoms including anxiety, headaches and chest pain. "ST 9" is also known as “Man’s Prognosis” or “Ren Ying.” Found near the Adam’s apple, it is also used to treat headaches, asthma and hiccups. Want to know more about how Acupuncture aids in pain relief? Just click the tab titled "In the Media". We've collected articles which provide a wealth of information.
The following excerpt explains how Acupuncture can help with weight loss:
"The rationale for using acupuncture for weight control is based in the premise that weight gain could be the result of disturbed energy flow to and from the regulating center of the brain, called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is responsible for maintaining "homeostasis" or functional balance that allows the body to run like a finely tuned instrument. It is the body's dispatch center that regulates hormones and neurochemicals, and helps to control body temperature, circadian rhythm, thirst and hunger. Of particular interest is the ability of acupuncture to influence obesity hormones. Research measuring the effectiveness of acupuncture for weight loss found treatments increased ghrelin, a hormone that controls meal initiation and decreased leptin, the hormone that regulates fat storage and metabolism. The guiding principal is that acupuncture can power up any other weight control strategy by curbing appetite, quelling cravings, boosting metabolism, improving digestion, regulating obesity-related hormones and enhancing the way nutrients are used. It also strengthens the function of the liver, the organ that produces many chemicals critical for digestion, processing nutrients and breaking down of fats. Acupuncture may also increase tone in the smooth muscle of the stomach to help people know that they are full." Source: http://www.doctoroz.com/article/acupuncture-and-weight-loss |
Dr. Joe Glenn, DC, MSProviding Quality Chiropractic Care to the greater Tyler Area Archives
February 2019
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