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NEWS from The Journal of Chinese Medicine summarises recent research in acupuncture, Chinese medicine and lifestyle.

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Below are a few of our recent news items and titles of all items in the current news

Latest News

ACUPUNCTURE EFFECTIVE FOR HEADACHE
A large German study has found that if patients with chronic headaches receive acupuncture in addition to their standard medical care, they have a greatly reduced frequency of headaches and that the effect lasts for at least thee months after the end of treatment.
Details:
A large German study has compared the effectiveness of acupuncture in addition to routine care in patients with primary headache, to routine care alone. In a randomised controlled trial plus non-randomised cohort study, patients with headache were allocated to receive up to 15 acupuncture sessions over three months or to a control group receiving no acupuncture during the first three months. Patients who did not consent to randomisation received acupuncture treatment immediately. All subjects were allowed to continue usual medical care. Of 15,056 headache patients (mean age 44, 77% female), 1613 were randomised to acupuncture and 1569 to control, while 11,874 were included in the non-randomised acupuncture group. At three months, the number of days with headache decreased from 8.4 to 4.7 in the acupuncture group and from 8.1 to 7.5 in the control group. Intensity of pain and quality of life improvements were also more pronounced in the acupuncture vs. control groups. Treatment success was maintained at six months and the outcome changes in non-randomised patients were similar to those in randomised patients. The authors conclude that acupuncture plus routine care in patients with headache is associated with marked clinical improvements compared with routine care alone. (Acupuncture in patients with headache. Cephalalgia. 2008 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print]).

ACUPUNCTURE EFFECTIVE FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE
A review, carried out by American researchers, of ten randomised, controlled trials (1456 participants) of acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee have concluded that it is an effective treatment for the pain and physical dysfunction caused by the condition. (Acupuncture and osteoarthritis of the knee: a review of randomized, controlled trials. Fam Community Health. 2008 Jul-Sep;31(3):247-54).

ACUPUNCTURE EFFECTIVE FOR PERIOD PAIN
A study has found that acupuncture can significantly help women who suffer period pain that does not respond to conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Details:
Italian scientists have evaluated the effect of acupuncture on dysmenorrhoea that is resistant to treatment by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Fifteen patients received eight weekly acupuncture treatments (at Taixi KID-3, Taichong LIV-3, Gongsun SP-4, Zusanli ST-36, Tianshu ST-25, Guilai ST-29, Qichong ST-30, Guanyuan REN-4, Qihai REN-6, Shenmai BL-62, Shenmen HT-7, Hegu LI-4, Neiguan PC-6 and Zigong (M-CA-18). Patients were allowed to continue using painkillers as necessary. Pain was measured on a visual analogue scale at baseline (T1) and four time points: mid-treatment (T2), end of treatment (T3) and three (T4) and six months (T5) after the end of treatment. A substantial reduction in pain and NSAID use was observed in 87% of patients. Pain intensity was significantly reduced with respect to baseline by 64, 72, 60 and 53% at T2, T3, T4 and T5. Average pain duration at baseline (2.6 days) was significantly reduced by 62, 69, 54 and 54% at T2, T3, T4 and T5. Average NSAID use was significantly reduced by 63, 74, 58 and 58% at T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively, and ceased totally in seven patients, who were still asymptomatic six months after treatment. (Acupuncture Treatment of Dysmenorrhea Resistant to Conventional Medical Treatment. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2008 Jun;5(2):227-230.)

ACUPUNCTURE EFFECTIVE FOR BREECH PRESENTATION
A simple single-point acupuncture treatment has long been used for turning babies in breech presentation in the later stages of pregnancy. If the outcome is successful it may help avoid a difficult, prolonged or paunful labour labour which might give rise to complications and/or neccesitate a caesarean section. Now a review of nine studies into this treat5ment has concluded that acupuncture treatment is twice as successful in turning babies as standard treatment.
Details:
A systematic review from Holland has concluded that acupuncture-type interventions (moxibustion, acupuncture, or electro-acupuncture) on Zhiyin BL 67 are effective in correcting breech presentation, compared with expectant management. Of 65 citations retrieved from various databases, six RCTs and three cohort studies fulfilled the reviewers’ inclusion criteria. In the RCTs the pooled proportion of breech presentations was 34% following treatment versus 66% in the control group. The pooled proportion in the cohort studies was 15% versus 36%. Including all studies, the proportion of breech presentations was 28% following treatment versus 56% for the control group. (Effectiveness of acupuncture-type interventions versus expectant management to correct breech presentation: a systematic review. Complement Ther Med. 2008 Apr;16(2):92-100).


Plus ...

ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVES SHOULDER PAIN CARE
ACUPUNCTURE FOR INSOMNIA   
ACUPUNCTURE FOR PROSTATE CANCER HOT FLUSHES
ELECTROACUPUNCTURE REDUCES BREAST CANCER HOT FLUSHES
ACUPUNCTURE BETTER THAN USUAL CARE FOR MENOPAUSAL HOT FLUSHES
ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVES SYMPTOMS OF KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS
LOW FREQUENCY ELECTROACUPUNCTURE BETTER FOR STROKE RECOVERY
ACUPUNCTURE EFFECTIVE FOR DEPRESSION
ACUPUNCTURE HELPS POSTOPERATIVE PAIN
ACUPUNCTURE AFTER BREAST CANCER SURGERY
ACUPUNCTURE HELPS WITH DRY MOUTH
ACUPUNCTURE DOES NOT IMPROVE PREGNANCY RATE AFTER IVF
ACUPUNCTURE NO BETTER THAN SHAM FOR TENSION-TYPE HEADACHE
ACUPUNCTURE NO BETTER THAN PLACEBO FOR STROKE RECOVERY
ACUPRESSURE INCREASES WEIGHT GAIN IN PREMATURE INFANTS
EAR ACUPRESSURE IMPROVES ANTIOXIDANT STATUS IN DIABETICS
COMPONENTS OF THE PLACEBO EFFECT
ACUPRESSURE AT YINTANG REDUCES NEEDLE PAIN
ACUPUNCTURE CHANGES RESTING BRAIN ACTIVITY
YOUR BRAIN ON ACUPUNCTURE
VISUALISATION OF ACUPUNCTURE CHANNELS
NEW NEEDLE SENSATION QUESTIONNAIRE
RED YEAST RICE GOOD FOR HEART
ALTERNATIVE APPROACH BETTER THAN STATINS
CLUB MOSS EXTRACT FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
TCM BETTER THAN USUAL CARE FOR TEMPOROMANDIBULAR PAIN
ANTI-CANCER FUNGUS
HERBAL FLU-FIGHTERS
CANNABIS FOR NEUROPATHIC PAIN
SOYA BAD FOR SPERM
FLAVONOIDS PROTECT SMOKERS AGAINST CANCER
PLANT FOODS PRESERVE MUSCLE MASS
DASH FOR HEART HEALTH
ALMONDS PROMOTE GROWTH OF GOOD BACTERIA
DAIRY BUILDS BETTER BONES
A GLASS OF WINE FOR YOUR LIVER’S SAKE
MEDITERRANEAN DIET PREVENTS DIABETES
VITAMIN C LOWERS DIABETES RISK
VEGAN DIET PROTECTS RA PATIENTS FROM CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
COFFEE AND TEA PROTECT AGAINST STROKE
COFFEE MAY BE GOOD
GREEN TEA LOWERS CHOLESTEROL
GREEN TEA EXPANDS BLOOD VESSELS
TEA IS GOOD FOR THE BRAIN
BREASTFEEDING MEANS BRIGHTER KIDS
BREASTFEEDING REDUCES MOTHERS’ RISK OF RA
A TROUBLED CHILDHOOD LEADS TO AN UNHEALTHY ADULT
ACTIVE WOMEN PROTECTED AGAINST BREAST CANCER
EXERCISE REDUCES CANCER DEATHS IN MEN
TWENTY MINUTES HOUSEWORK ENOUGH TO BOOST MENTAL HEALTH
GRIEF CAN BE ADDICTIVE
A HAPPY MARRIAGE IS A HEALTHY MARRIAGE
CHLORINATED WATER ASSOCIATED WITH BIRTH DEFECTS
NUTS DURING PREGNANCY INCREASE ASTHMA RISK
DOPE REALLY DOES ROT THE BRAIN
CANNABIS IMPAIRS LUNG FUNCTION
THE DRUGS DON’T WORK
TAI CHI HELPS SENIORS SLEEP
TAI CHI REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE
TAI CHI REDUCES FALLS
TAI CHI IMPROVES SENSE OF TOUCH
THIRTY MINUTES OF QIGONG IS ENOUGH TO IMPROVE MOOD
QIGONG IMPROVES CHRONIC FATIGUE SYMPTOMS
MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION HAS MULTIPLE BENEFITS
YOGA BENEFICIAL FOR HEART FAILURE
YOGA GOOD FOR MENOPAUSE
ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE LESSONS
HE WITH THE LOWEST HANDICAP LIVES LONGEST
IS THERE AN ACUPUNCTURIST ON BOARD?
ACUPUNCTURE – IT’S A BIT FISHY
ACUPUNCTURIST FACES CHARGES FOR QUACKERY
SHAOLIN TO THE RESCUE

THE FOLLOWING NEWS WAS NOT PRINTED IN JCM 88 BUT IS INCLUDED IN THIS ONLINE VERSION ONLY

ACUPUNCTURE AND THE BRAIN
EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE OF ALZHEIMER’S BRAINS
ACUPUNCTURE CAUSES PUPILLARY CONSTRICTION
ACUPUNCTURE AND ELECTRODERMAL ACTIVITY
TRIGGER POINTS = ACUPUNCTURE POINTS
IT’S A WIND-UP
INFRARED RADIATION SPECTRUM OF ACUPOINTS
DEFINING ACUPUNCTURE DOSE
SELF-HELP ADVICE IS INTEGRAL TO ACUPUNCTURE CARE
TRADITIONAL ACUPUNCTURE THEORIES DON’T CREATE DISTINCT EXPOSURES
DESIGNING A 'NHS FRIENDLY' COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY SERVICE
SETTING UP A HOSPITAL CLINIC FOR LOW-INCOME MINORITY PATIENTS
ANTI-ARTHRITIS ANT EXTRACT
HERB EXTRACTS INCREASE EFFECT OF CHEMOTHERAPY DRUGS
PINE BARK FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS
CHOCOLATE BAR LOWERS CHOLESTEROL
FOOTBALL IS BAD FOR THE HEART
ACUPUNCTURE FOR A CITY
MUD PACKS FOR KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS
WHY DID I DO IT? MUST HAVE BEEN THE BOOZE…