Essence Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Clinic in Costa Mesa

11.10.2011

New Research – IVF Fertility Success with Electro-Acupuncture

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New Research – IVF Fertility Success with Electro-Acupuncture
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Resource: HealthCMI

A randomized placebo-controlled study of 309 women concludes that electro-acupuncture “significantly improved the clinical outcome of ET (embryo transfer).”1 IVF (in vitro fertilization) live birth rates jumped from 21.2 percent for women who did not use acupuncture to a 42 percent success rate for women who received acupuncture twice. The women received acupuncture 24 hours before the IVF procedure and 30 minutes after IVF. In another control group, women who only received acupuncture once, 30 minutes after IVF, had an increased success rate of 37.3 percent.

IVF is a treatment for infertility. This involves controlling a woman’s ovulatory process with medications, removing the ova (eggs) from the body, fertilizing the ova with sperm outside of the human body and then implanting the fertilized ova (zygote) into the uterus. Acupuncture for the treatment of infertility has received a great deal of press because singers Mariah Carey and Celine Dion used acupuncture with success. Mariah Carey used acupuncture to balance her body after a miscarriage in 2008. Carey said she did not use IVF but used acupuncture for stress relief and hormone therapy to boost her fertility. Celine Dion used acupuncture to achieve success with her 6th attempt at IVF. Both singers gave birth to healthy twins.


References:
Fertility and Sterility. Volume 96, Issue 4, October 2011, Pages 912-916. Increase of success rate for women undergoing embryo transfer by transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation: a prospective randomized placebo-controlled study. Rong Zhang Ph.D., Xiao-Jun Feng B.S., Qun Guan B.S., Wei Cui M.S., Ying Zheng M.S., Wei Sun B.S., Ji-Sheng Han M.D.
Research Centers:
Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Reproductive medical center, The second hospital affiliated to Shandong University of traditional Chinese medicine, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Posted by Polly Huang at 清晨5:44 0 comments

11.03.2011

Acupressure Beads for Arthritis

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Aug 8, 2011 | By Christy Callahan
Acupressure Beads for Arthritis
Photo Credit Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images

Acupressure is similar to acupuncture; however, acupressure uses pressure from fingers or other instruments to stimulate energy points without breaking the skin. Acupressure beads are often used on the ear, which has a microsystem of points that practitioners say correspond to every part of your body. Some scientific evidence justifies the use of auricular or ear acupuncture-acupressure in managing medical conditions. However, results are not guaranteed. Talk to your doctor before trying auricular acupuncture or acupressure.

Auricular Acupuncture

Not an original component of traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, auricular acupuncture was introduced in the 1950s by a French physician and was soon adopted into traditional training by the Chinese. Often used as an adjunct treatment, auricular acupuncture is performed with needles, beads or seeds as well as gentle, electrical stimulation. Beads and seeds are non-invasive, and are made from a variety of substances. They can be magnetic, made from steel, gold, silver or an actual plant seed. Often coming with a self-adhesive, a practitioner applies beads directly to the ear. In a few days, they will naturally fall off or can be removed.

Auricular Acupuncture Research

Ear acupuncture and acupressure are popular for pain management and other medical conditions. Smoking cessation programs that utilize auricular acupuncture alone or combined with other support methods see positive results. Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, New York, uses ear beads in drug and alcohol addiction programs, and in 1997 successfully added it to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder programs. Auricular acupuncture can also help with rheumatoid arthritis and other painful conditions. An August 2008 study published in "Forschende Komplementmedizin" found auricular electroacupuncture to provide both short and long-term pain relief.

Pain and Arthritis

The points your practitioner selects depend on the area of your pain and other conditions you may have. Pain, according to TCM, is constricted energy, or chi. Chi flows through your body along channels called meridians that correspond to body organs. Stagnating or "stuck" energy results in pain and illness. Arthritis is called "Bi syndrome" in TCM, and is believed to be influenced by climatological factors of wind, cold, heat or dampness. Ear points your practitioner chooses will depend on your symptoms and where the pain is located.

Ear Points for Arthritis

A variety of ear points can be chosen. However, Shenmen, a point located in the triangle formed by the Y-shaped structure in your ear, is the most widely recognized point and is used in most auricular treatments. Skye Abbate's textbook, "Chinese Auricular Acupuncture," also suggests a few more points for pain. The sympathetic point may stimulate dilation of the blood vessels, potentially reducing swelling and pain. The diaphragm, brain and adrenal points may also aid in reducing pain symptoms. In addition, your joints also have specific points; thus, if arthritis affects your knees or ankle, the practitioner can stimulate the corresponding point for greater benefit.

References

Article reviewed by GlennK Last updated on: Aug 8, 2011
Posted by Polly Huang at 晚上11:40 0 comments
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