Acupuncture, Reiki and Music Programs for a Relaxing New Year!

The new year brings with it new opportunities to make lifestyle adjustments. While many individuals pursue physical fitness, some turn to alternative healing methods to keep a healthy mind and spirit.

ACUPUNCTURE

While needles usually aren’t associated with relaxation, acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice used to revitalize the body’s qi, or its energy field.

“Qi is what makes you different from a piece of furniture,” said Dr. Fiona Kelley, owner of Las Vegas Acupuncture, “much like a living tree is different from a table or chair.”

The practice uses needles in specific patterns to affect the body’s energy, alleviating pain and treating physical, mental and emotional conditions.

“We have three levels of medicine,” Kelley said. “The simplest level helps physical conditions, like shoulder pain. The second level deals with emotional and mental issues, such as depression and anxiety. The final level addresses spiritual disorders, feeling like something is not right.”

Acupuncture generally doesn’t hurt because the needles are the equivalent of a strand of hair, according to Kelley.

“Some people are surprised to find how incredibly relaxing it is,” Kelley said. “Acupuncture has been done for thousands of years, so it gives me assurance because all the testing has already been done.”

REIKI

The human body endures physical, mental and emotional stress daily caused by internal and external factors.

To help reboot the body’s system, Centennial Hills business owner Amy Barilla uses reiki to channel energy into a client by means of a “therapeutic touch.”

“It’s an opportunity to gain some perspective and clarity, so you don’t feel so foggy and bogged down,” Barilla said. “Sometimes, when you feel that way for a long time, it can almost be paralyzing, and you feel stuck.”

Barilla was introduced to reiki in 2007 after her father was diagnosed with cancer. Soon after, she worked to become a practitioner.

“When my dad got sick, that was kind of the turning point,” she said. “I figured that if I couldn’t be home in New York taking care of him, then I was going to be here in Las Vegas helping others going through the same thing.”

While Barilla focuses mainly on women and children, she also has a number of male clients.

“This type of treatment requires accountability, commitment and investment, not only in a monetary value but also in time,” Barilla said. “The problem you have was built up over time. It’s unrealistic to think that reiki will knock it out of the park with one visit. Healing is a journey.”

MUSIC

It’s common for individuals to use music to relax, but Spring Valley business owner Judith Pinkerton has created a health club and training center based around music therapy.

“We focus on mental fitness programs that build up a person’s capacity to deal with stress,” Pinkerton said. “We focus on people who are underemployed or overemployed and teach them topics that help them be happier and to destress.”

Wellness classes use tools and techniques to help individuals obtain and maintain a positive mind-set. Music medicine services include a boot camp to create an ideal playlist, CDs and a vibroacoustic bed. Drum circles are used to relax participants and make them feel part of a community with one voice.

In addition to the public programs, Pinkerton also provides music therapy to court-ordered programs, addiction agencies and private clients as a licensed therapist.

“Music therapy applies to people cradle to grave,” Pinkerton said. “Music 4 Life is a community of people that want to think differently and be surrounded with like-minded people.”

By CAITLYN BELCHER
View Staff Writer

Studies Show Acupuncture is Effective for Aches and Pains!

Acupuncture is a practice used in traditional Chinese medicine that involves stimulating specific points o the body, most often by inserting needles through the skin.

A number of studies in the late 2000s have found acupuncture's effectiveness in healing certain conditions such as low-back pain, neck pain, and headache, as listed below by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

For Low-Back Pain

- A 2012 analysis of data on participants in acupuncture studies looked at back and neck pain together and found that actual acupuncture was more helpful than either no acupuncture or simulated acupuncture.

- A 2010 review by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that acupuncture relieved low-back pain immediately after treatment but not over longer periods of time.

- A 2008 systematic review of studies on acupuncture for low-back pain found strong evidence that combining acupuncture with usual care helps more than usual care alone. The same review also found strong evidence that there is no difference between the effects of actual and simulated acupuncture in people with low-back pain.

For Neck Pain

- A 2014 Australian clinical study involving 282 men and women showed that needle and laser acupuncture were modestly better at relieving knee pain from osteoarthritis than no treatment, but not better than simulated (sham) laser acupuncture. Participants received 8 to 12 actual and simulated acupuncture treatments over 12 weeks. These results are generally consistent with previous studies, which showed that acupuncture is consistently better than no treatment but not necessarily better than simulated acupuncture at relieving osteoarthritis pain.

- A 2009 analysis found that actual acupuncture was more helpful for neck pain than simulated acupuncture, but the analysis was based on a small amount of evidence (only three studies with small study populations).

- A large German study with more than 14,000 participants evaluated adding acupuncture to usual care for neck pain. The researchers found that participants reported greater pain relief than those who didn't receive it; the researchers didn't test actual acupuncture against simulated acupuncture.
For Headache

- A 2012 analysis of data on individual participants in acupuncture studies looked at migraine and tension headaches. The analysis showed that actual acupuncture was more effective than either no acupuncture or simulated acupuncture in reducing headache frequency or severity.

- A 2009 systematic review of studies concluded that actual acupuncture, compared with simulated acupuncture or pain-relieving drugs, helped people with tension-type headaches. A 2008 systematic review of studies suggested that actual acupuncture has a very slight advantage over simulated acupuncture in reducing tension-type headache intensity and the number of headache days per month.

From NCCAM.NIH.gov

Texas College Student Amazed by the Benefits of Acupuncture

By ELLYSA GONZALEZ

A-J MEDIA

Blake Gafford was a college student at Texas Tech when his stress began becoming unbearable.

“Somebody said ‘have you ever tried acupuncture?’ And I never had,” Gafford said.

“I always thought acupuncture was for people who wanted to — you know, weight loss, it was for pain, something like that. I didn’t really have any pain in my body. I just thought it was for limited things.

“Anyway, I went and got some acupuncture. I was blown away by how much it relieved my stress. I started getting regular acupuncture treatments,” he said.

Gafford said he began to feel different. His reactions to stress began changing and he began carrying himself in a different way, he said.

Various body functions began improving, he said. He was sleeping better, his digestion improved and a curiosity about Chinese medicine was awakened.

The turning point in his college career was when he developed a sinus infection and found a treatment through acupuncture, he said.

“I have a deviated septum,” Gafford said. “I had taken everything possible to try to drain my sinuses — everything. Nothing worked. I had gotten some diagnostic imaging that showed they’re pretty impacted. My septum was pretty small.”

Gafford was going to need surgery, which would require surgeons to go through his nose and widen his septum, he said.

“It’s pretty hideous,” he said of the surgery. “They go in up your nose and make the section larger. It’s a lot of pain. My acupuncturist said, ‘Well, why don’t you try some of these herbs first? And I said, ‘OK. I’ve tried everything. I’ve tried all kinds of over-the-counter stuff, everything I could think of. … I’ve gone to the health food store. I’ve tried herbs for my sinuses. I’ve tried everything.’ He said, ‘Oh yeah? You haven’t tried these.’ ”

The acupuncturist provided Gafford with an herb formula, Gafford said. He was surprised at how quickly it affected him.

“It was remarkable how much it changed,” Gafford said. “Immediately it started draining and I felt some things open up. He said, ‘yeah, you don’t have to do that (surgery). Just because your septum is big doesn’t mean it’s clogged for good and there’s no way to get everything out.’ I went back to my ear, nose and throat specialist and I said, ‘I think I’m OK.’ He looked up my nose and he was like, ‘Wow. You don’t have any mucus.’ He couldn’t see anything wrong. I didn’t have to get that surgery. That kind of changed me. I went, ‘Wow. This is a whole medicinal system that they have that’s great for all kinds of stuff.’ I started learning more about it.”

Yan Zhang is an professor in the Family and Community Medicine division of Health Services Research for the TTU Health Sciences Center School of Medicine and licensed acupuncture therapist.

She’s practiced acupuncture in Lubbock since 2008.

Acupuncture is a traditional form of Chinese medicine and is a completely different approach to health care than western medicine, Zhang said.

Therapy is very individualized according to the patient’s symptoms, she said.

Acupuncture treatment is a form of stimulation to help the body’s qi (pronounced chi) flow — the body’s circulation functions, such as blood flow, back to balance, Zhang said.

A traditional acupuncture therapy involves thin needles — smaller than the kind used to administer medication — poked about one-fourth of an inch into strategically decided points on the body, she said.

The average session lasts about 40 minutes to an hour by the time all the needles are placed, the points are stimulated and the needles are removed, Zhang said.

“It’s more suitable for adults,” she said.

It’s grown in popularity in the United States since its introduction about 50 years ago, Zhang said. The demand in Lubbock is increasing, too.

Gafford said Chinese medicine is an art and he hopes to provide his clients with an alternative approach to traditional western medicine and raise awareness about acupuncture therapy in Lubbock.

ellysa.gonzalez@lubbockonline.com

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PTSD & Acupuncture

Acupuncture effectively treats posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers conducting a randomized controlled study of active duty US military service personnel concludes that acupuncture significantly improves patient outcomes for PTSD patients. Acupuncture also induced secondary improvements: reduced depression and pain, improved mental and physical health functioning.

The researchers note that there is underutilization of mental healthcare for PTSD patients. The research team notes that US military personnel have a 17% PTSD rate after combat deployment. However, research confirms that war veterans are reticent towards receiving medical care for PTSD.

The researchers note several examples of underutilization. An examination of Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans with PTSD, anxiety disorder or clinical depression finds that 81% acknowledge that they have mental health disorders. However, only 41% “reported interest in receiving help.” Only 30% sought professional help and 14% saw a mental health specialist. In addition, 25% of service members felt that mental healthcare does not work, 28% felt mental healthcare providers were untrustworthy and 41% felt that mental health treatment “would be embarrassing.”

A study of the general population reveals that only 7% of individuals with PTSD had initial contact with primary care treatment within the first year of illness. A national study reports that 59% of men and 26% of women “believed that PTSD treatment would not help.” The researchers note that acupuncture is “a safe, potentially nonstigmatizing treatment that reduces symptoms of anxiety, depression, and chronic pain….” They add that the underutilization of mental healthcare workers “suggests(s) that a novel and effective treatment option may help increase the proportion of those with PTSD who seek early treatment.” They note, “Acupuncture is a novel and therapeutic option that may help to improve population reach of PTSD treatment.”

The study concludes, “Acupuncture was effective for reducing PTSD symptoms.” The researchers determined that a brief course of acupuncture care “is an effective treatment adjunct for PTSD….” Patients using acupuncture combined with usual care “showed significantly greater improvements” over patients receiving usual care only. The researchers document, “The benefits associated with acupuncture were wide ranging and robust, yielding improvements in PTSD, depression, and pain severity of sufficient magnitude to benefit global mental and physical health functioning.”

The main goal of the study was to evaluate a short course of acupuncture care for military related PTSD. Patients in the study were active duty military members that were primarily recruited from clinics at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Other active duty patients included those from referrals. The study design was 8 acupuncture treatments over a 4 week period. Acupuncture in combination with usual care was compared with patients receiving usual care only without acupuncture. A 12 week follow-up documented significantly greater clinical improvements in the patients receiving the acupuncture combination therapy.

References:
Engel, Charles C., Elizabeth H. Cordova, David M. Benedek, Xian Liu, Kristie L. Gore, Christine Goertz, Michael C. Freed, Cindy Crawford, Wayne B. Jonas, and Robert J. Ursano. "Randomized Effectiveness Trial of a Brief Course of Acupuncture for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder." Medical care 52 (2014): S57-S64.
Author Affiliations:
Deployment Health Clinical Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS).
Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland.
Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, Davenport, Iowa.
Samueli Institute, Alexandria, Virginia.

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative MedicineVolume 2012 (2012), Article ID 431279, 7 pages. doi:10.1155/2012/431279. Clinical Studies on Treatment of Earthquake-Caused Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Using Electroacupuncture. Yu Wang, You-ping Hu, Wen-chun Wang, Ri-zhao Pang, and An-ren Zhang.
Author Affiliations:
Department of Rehabilitation, Chengdu Military General Hospital, No.270, Road Rongdu, Jinniu District, Chengdu, China.
Acupuncture and Tuina College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.

Ancient Benefits from Acupuncture

December 17, 2014 4:02 pm  •  Julie Kessler

The word “acupuncture” makes some people wince, imagining it just has to be painful. That’s before a there’s a clear understanding of how and why acupuncture works.

Two experienced acupuncturists explain why the procedure isn’t the pain some imagine.

“The biggest misconception about acupuncture is that it is very painful — and it’s not,” says Dr. Faleh Atassi, who is affiliated with Porter Regional Hospital and incorporates acupuncture into his family practice at Valparaiso Family Health Center. “The needles are very thin, very sharp, and they’re disposable. I put the pressure with my finger first so that the patient very rarely feels pain.” Atassi says there are very few areas of the body where it can cause some pain.

“Acupuncture needles are very thin and solid, made from stainless steel. Most people feel very minimal pain at insertion. Some feel no pain once the needles are in place,” says Dr. Kalpana Doshi, a board certified acupuncturist in Valparaiso, Ind., at St. Mary Medical Center, part of the Community Healthcare System.

On to the use of acupuncture, then: What exactly is it? “Acupuncture is a method of encouraging the body to promote healing and to improve functioning. Medical acupuncture is the term to describe acupuncture performed by a doctor trained and licensed in Western medicine, who has had thorough training in acupuncture as a specialty practice,” says Doshi.

Acupuncture is performed for a long list of ailments — so long we won’t name them all here, but here are some supplied by Doshi:

— neurological and muscular disorders, such as headache, neck pain, tennis elbow, low back pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis, tendonitis.

—digestive disorders like gastritis, constipation, diarrhea

—respiratory disorders such as sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis

—urinary, menstrual and reproductive problems

—stress and emotional issues.

In addition, it’s used for promotion of health and well-being.

An impressive list, to be sure. How can this be? Atassi explains, “In acupuncture treatment we address the person as a whole entity. When you come to my office with chronic lower back pain, fibromyalgia, and other painful conditions, we understand there may be a disturbance in the Qi (pronounced chee), which circulates throughout the whole body, every hour of every day.”

According to ancient Chinese medicine still practiced today, Qi is present in all living things, as an energy that can become unbalanced or misdirected, resulting in pain and illness. “Since this Qi is present throughout the body, applying acupuncture to areas of the body that will release the Qi in the right direction allows acupuncture to be helpful for many different conditions,” says Atassi.

Doshi offers another way of describing how it works: “Needling the acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the spinal cord, brain and muscles. These chemicals either change the experience of pain or trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones that influence the body's own internal regulating system.”

Since Qi circulates throughout the whole body, the best points for the specific condition are chosen—in fact, says Atassi, there are “superstar” points that are particularly effective, though that doesn’t apply to all medical conditions.

The method involves inserting tiny needles and applying heat or electric stimulation at very precise acupuncture points, explains Doshi.

Atassi emphasizes the importance of approaching a medical condition in a holistic way, taking into account the condition of the entire body—including the areas governing mood.

“Acupuncture has been shown to be helpful for people with depression and anxiety,” says Atassi. Acupuncture releases endorphins, those feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain that contribute to a sense of well-being and help to relieve pain. “So in treating the whole person, we may treat chronic lower back pain with acupuncture in specific areas, in conjunction with the Qi that circulates in the whole body and can help depression (and other mood disorders).

If the concept of Qi seems foreign, Doshi points out that acupuncture is a very old medical art, and the World Health Organization recognizes the use of acupuncture in the treatment of wide range of medical problems. Atassi states, “It does work, as evidenced by 3,000 years in the market.”

“Acupuncture “is not a quick fix, in general,” says Doshi. The individual’s condition and response to treatment will determine the number of treatments required.

In general, says Atassi, several sessions are needed, since most patients have a chronic illness, such as fibromyalgia or back pain. But for the patient seeking relief for an acute condition such as a migraine headache, one session can often be enough. Doshi says for complex or chronic conditions, one or two treatments a week for few weeks may be recommended.

Cost varies with practitioners, usually ranging from $50 to 100 per session. At present, says Doshi, very few insurance companies or health plans fully reimburse patients for acupuncture treatments. So far, that may be a sticking point for some patients.

Copyright 2014 nwitimes.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Treating Parkinson’s With Acupuncture

Acupuncture treats physical symptoms by treating imbalances in energetic systems. (BananaStock/BananaStock/Thinkstock)

NEW YORK—A friend of mine has suffered from Parkinson’s disease for over 20 years, and Western medicine proved ineffective. When he came to see me earlier this year, he could no longer feed himself or move his neck. He was incontinent, had hand tremors and uncontrollable drooling, and felt very tired.

In Chinese medicine, Parkinson’s is a difficult illness to treat, but I was aware of an acupuncture method developed by a distinguished Chinese medicine doctor, professor Zhiyun Bo, who had successfully tackled some chronic and complex illnesses.

Bo’s technique, called Bo’s Method of Abdominal Acupuncture (BMAA), places acupuncture needles more shallowly than is conventional, in the patient’s abdomen. It has been used with some success to treat irregularities in the nervous system related to anxiety, depression, headaches, and dizziness, and I thought I could adapt the technique to help my friend.

There are specific points in the abdomen that correspond to neurological issues, and when acupuncture is correctly applied on these points, treatments can gradually reach the root of the illness and can cure some patients.

But although I understand the theory that the brain has corresponding acupuncture points in the abdomen, no two people are alike. Also, in Chinese medicine, there is a principle that the same treatment can heal different diseases, but the same disease in different patients may need different treatments. Treatments are given depending on an individual’s personal characteristics.

So I let my intuition and the knowledge from 30 years’ experience guide me when I inserted the acupuncture needles into my friend’s abdomen.

After six treatments, my friend’s wife said he could eat breakfast without assistance, and his incontinence had disappeared. I noticed his hand tremors had stopped, and his stiff neck could turn slightly. After nine treatments, he no longer slobbered as much and felt much more energetic.

With this improvement in his condition, after so many years of illness, my friend decided to focus on practicing the Chinese meditation discipline Falun Dafa. He has continued to improve and feels he has no more need for acupuncture treatments.

Theory Behind the Treatment

Chinese medicine sees that all physical systems of the body also relate to energetic systems. In the same way as veins and arteries transport blood throughout the body, Chinese medicine understands that our vital energy—Qi—is transported via energetic pathways called meridians.

Meridian channels connect different energetic and physical systems in the body. Acupuncture points all fall on one of the meridian channels, so applying needles to the acupuncture points on the surface of the body can thus effectively treat illness in other parts of the body and treat the organs at deeper levels.

Bo believes that the umbilical cord is the first meridian channel that develops and that it continues to act as a sort of control system even after the baby is born and its nutrition channels change.

Thus, even after the umbilical cord is discarded, this prenatal meridian system still exists in the abdominal area, and BMAA therapy selects those points that have very clear correspondence with the ill part of the body.

Dr. Li, O.M.D, started studying Chinese healing arts in China at age 14. A member of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental medicine, she has been practicing acupuncture and herbology in New York City since 1990. 718-458-3596

Acupuncture Helps Smokers Snuff the Habit

Growing interest in alternative therapies reaping success

By Erinn Hutkin, Special to U-T San Diego6 P.M.DEC. 9, 2014

The American Lung Association has reported that cigarette smoking is responsible for one in five deaths in the U.S. And while some estimates indicate that 70 percent of smokers want to kick the habit and 34 percent try to stop each year, just 2.5 percent succeed in quitting smoking.

Although new products have emerged over the years to help smokers quit— think nicotine patches, gum and some antidepressants — limited success rates have led to a growing interest in using alternative therapies such as acupuncture to help with smoking cessation.

Studies performed in recent years have offered mixed results as to the effectiveness of acupuncture in smoking cessation. For instance, Canadian researchers, whose findings appeared in the American Journal of Medicine in 2012, looked at 14 international studies that used drug-free methods to help quit smoking.

While the findings questioned the effectiveness of alternative therapies, they also showed that treatments such as acupuncture should serve as options for smokers who first try standard methods such as nicotine-replacement, medications and behavioral counseling.

Some studies showed that smokers who used acupuncture to quit were more than three times as likely to be tobacco-free six months to a year down the road.

Nicole Murray, owner of Beach Community Acupuncture, a San Diego clinic that offers more than 10,000 treatments per year, said her staff has had success with acupuncture for smoking cessation.

She said her community acupuncture clinic uses the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association protocol, which was not developed for smoking. Rather, it was found effective for treating narcotic drug dependency and has since been found helpful for quitting smoking as well as alcohol dependency, weight loss, insomnia and anxiety.

The NADA protocol consists of five acupuncture points in each ear that reduce anxiety, release endorphins and calm the nervous system, she said. The recommendation for quitting smoking is receiving acupuncture daily for 10 days.

“Patients frequently report that cigarettes taste bad when they try to smoke after acupuncture,” she said. “People come to acupuncture until they feel their cravings reduce to the point that they no longer need treatment. We have had patients quit after two treatments, and others take 10 or even more.”

Over time, nicotine has become known as an addiction that’s hard to quit. It raises the levels of a neurotransmitter called dopamine in parts of the brain that produce feelings of pleasure and reward, Murray said, and it’s the same neurotransmitter involved in addictions to drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

She said the NADA protocol can be effective for smokers because it counteracts the drop in dopamine levels when smokers begin to detoxify. She said this helps reduce anxiety and boosts the mood. She also said that acupuncture lacks side-effects that can come with antidepressants, nicotine patches and gum.

Following acupuncture treatment for smoking cessation, exercise is encouraged, Murray said, while acid-forming foods such as sugar and coffee should be avoided. Anything that helps reduce acid in the body is helpful and encouraged such as green juices, lemon water, carrots and celery. Staying hydrated also helps.

Murray added that the frequency of treatment is key to the success of acupuncture for quitting smoking.

She said her clinic is a community clinic that charges $20 fees for treatments, making it more possible for people to come as frequently if needed. She said a list of affordable community clinics throughout the country can be found online at pocacoop.com.

Beauty benefits of sticking needles in your skin!

 By: Allie Flinn

 I’ll admit it: I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to things like acupuncture. I’d rather deal with headaches and stress by popping a couple of Aleve or working my way through a heart-pounding Crossfit workout than “focusing on my breathing” or trying “healing yoga.” But, could taking a more rounded and holistic approach be the way to go? 

I talked to Dr. John J. Kim, L.Ac., O.M.D., founder of ReNuMi Wellness Center and Mila Alexandra Mintsis, licensed acupuncturist at Shift Integrative Medicine on all things acupuncture. It turns out, those little needles can solve a lot more of life’s little dilemmas than ibuprofen can, like acne and wrinkles. Consider this your non-new age-y guide to the beauty benefits of sticking needles in your skin.

Needles For: Getting Stress Under Control

"Acupuncture helps energy flow through our body through a network of meridians," says Kim. Think of meridians like blood vessels that connect acupuncture points to each other. Only instead of carrying blood, these channels carry qi (energy). When we’re stressed, these pathways become blocked; acupuncture needles stimulate points along the meridian, and help open them up. 

To zap stress, needles are most commonly placed in the hands and feet. For me, it was the needle placed between my thumb and forefinger that had an immediate, just-drank-a-glass-of-warm-milk effect. 

To ease stress long-term, Kim recommends a course of acupuncture twice a week for six to eight weeks. This gives the treatment time to help regulate body temperature, improve blood circulation and help you sleep better (all things that lead to reduced stress). Though it may seem counterintuitive if you’re needle-phobic, even the treatment itself is relaxing (just close your eyes). Kim says that a lot of times, people will fall asleep while they’re on the table.

Needles For: Banishing Pesky Pimples

Clearly, acupuncture isn’t our go-to method for clearing up acne (hello, face full of benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid). But Mintsis argues that topical remedies treat only the outward appearance instead of what’s going on internally. “Acne is usually an outward manifestation of an internal imbalance,” she says. When you fix that, you also quash future breakouts. 

Because acupuncture addresses the root of one’s acne problem, such as digestive imbalances or a slow-moving lymphatic system, treatment varies from person to person. Mintis says that the tongue and pulse are used to determine a course of treatment and the placement of the needles. “Dietary changes, herbs and essential oils would be an additional important component of treatment,” she adds. She recommends 12 sessions for those looking to clear up their acne.

Needles For: Glowy Skin and Fewer Wrinkles

"Acupuncture has been used to improve physical appearance for thousands of years," says Mintsis. It works by creating a positive microtrauma in the skin (similar to the tears that happen to your muscles during exercise), which Mintsis says is thought to "stimulate fibroblasts and increase collagen production," meaning, you can see improved skin tone, diminished wrinkles and fine lines, a decrease in sagging skin and a youthful glow.

Mintsis says that acupuncture is unique in that it also addresses imbalances in the body that results in puffiness or chronically dry skin, which is essential for long-lasting results.

Acupuncture facial rejuvenation, as the process is called, involves placing small, hair-thin needles along certain points on the body, head and face.

Unlike Botox or invasive procedures, cosmetic acupuncture has no side effects. This treatment plan involves ten sessions over five weeks, followed by a monthly treatment to maintain the results.

Kim also developed a treatment system called ART that works by balancing hormones and regulating the digestive and lymphatic systems. “A healthy organ system is reflected as a healthy glow to the face,” he says. “ART treatment cleans body fluids by regulating water metabolism. It refreshes blood and detoxifies the whole body.” Basically, it acts like a detox and increases blood circulation to the skin — this releases muscle tightness and results in fewer wrinkles. Unlike other acupuncture treatments, the needles are removed immediately to improve collagen and muscle tone. One treatment program has four sessions.  

Needles For: Helping With Weight Loss

"A series of acupuncture can regulate water metabolism for the whole body to help suppress the appetite," Kim says. Mintsis says that two points on the ear (the "hunger point" and the "stomach point"), can be stimulated, AKA needled (my words), to help get cravings and feelings of hunger under control. Certain points on your body — just above the ankle bone on the inside of your leg, for one — can also be stimulated to help improve metabolism. 

Don’t expect it to be magic, however — Mintsis notes that this isn’t any substitute for exercising and maintaining a healthy diet (so don’t toss that kale and gym membership just yet), but it is an effective tool to have in your arsenal to help you reach your goals. Twelve sessions seems to be the magic number; that’s how many are recommended to assist with a weight-loss plan.

Needles For: Calming a Tension Headache

If you’re chronically stressed (see above), you’re probably pretty familiar with tension headaches. While headache pains occur in the head, Mintsis says the culprit is usually somewhere else. “Poor posture, heavy bags and long hours at work in front of a computer create a lot of tension in our neck and upper back muscles,” she says. “In addition, a lot of people carry their stress in their neck and upper back, and feel increased pain and tension every time they are exposed to a stressful situation.” (Which is most of the time, for many of us). 

To relieve this, Mintsis explains that, in Chinese medicine, you place the needle where the tension is to balance the qi and increase blood flow to the area. “That is the ‘calming point,’ and if you place needles at many of these, then you open the channels of chi, to ease pain in the body,” she explains. 

Acupuncture Helps Sick Owls in Spain

A "Little owl", or Athene Noctua receives acupuncture treatment at Brinzal, an owl-rescue charity based in a park in the west of Madrid, on November 25, 2014 (AFP Photo/Gerard Julien)

Madrid (AFP) - The patient opens his yellow eyes wide but makes no sound as acupuncturist Edurne Cornejo pricks four fine needles into his legs.

It is hard to tell whether he is surprised, as his eyes are wide at the best of times. He is an owl -- and no newcomer to acupuncture therapy.

Two months ago this 25-centimetre (10-inch) "little owl", or Athene Noctua, hurt his back when he flew by mistake into a stovepipe at a factory in eastern Madrid. The city lies on a mountainous plateau teeming with such birds.

He was sent to Brinzal, an owl-rescue charity based in a park in the west of the city.

Now he lies, his speckled brown and white breast puffing in and out, as the acupuncture needles stimulate key points in his nervous system.

"When he first came, he couldn't stand up. Then he started taking little steps. Now he is flying again," says Cornejo.

She has given the unnamed owl 10 weekly acupuncture sessions so far.

"It stimulates self-curing mechanisms in the organism. It does not cause side-effects" as some medicines do, she says.

The use of the ancient Chinese technique in animals is growing worldwide, according to the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, a US-based body formed in 1974.

Acupuncturist vets recommend it in animals for muscle and joint problems -- such as the owl's bad back -- as well as for nerve, skin, breathing and gut complaints.

A family vet specialising in acupuncture for dogs and cats, Cornejo visits Brinzal as a volunteer to treat some of the hundreds of ailing night birds brought there each year by the public.

About 1,200 birds are brought to the centre each year, of which about 70 percent recover and can be returned to the wild (AFP Photo/Gerard Julien)

Elsewhere in the Brinzal centre, about 80 eagle owls, tawny owls, little owls and other species at various stages of recovery relax or practise flying again in covered enclosures.

Trays of dead chicks with fluffy yellow feathers are laid out for the predators to feed on. Inside one shed, live mice wriggle in the hands of staff preparing them for the owls' lunch.

About 1,200 birds are brought to the centre each year, of which about 70 percent recover and can be returned to the wild, says Brinzal's co-ordinator, Patricia Orejas.

Brinzal's centre opened in 1989 and has been providing acupuncture for its owls for six years. Cornejo estimates that acupuncture has been used on animals in Spain at least since the 1980s.

"We provide physical and psychological rehabilitation. But some sadly cannot recover," Orejas says.

Some owls get too used to human company and cannot re-adapt to the predator's life in the wild.

Among these is Eire, a plump seven-year-old tawny owl who sits on a branch in a spacious enclosure, blinking at visitors with big dark eyes.

She was caught and kept as a pet when she was a baby and later brought to the centre. Domestic life had already made her permanently unfit for the wild.

If all goes well, within months the rehabilitated night birds could be back in the countryside, helping the ecosystem by eating mice and other pests.

For other owls, Orejas and her team have training methods to revive their wild defences, teaching them which beasts are their predators, above them in the food chain.

They show them live rats, or models of falcons, and play recordings of the warning screech made by the owls themselves in the wild, to teach them that those animals pose a threat.

If all goes well, within months the rehabilitated night birds could be back in the countryside, helping the ecosystem by eating mice and other pests.

"The more mice-eaters we have in the countryside, the fewer problems we will have, because we will not have to use pesticides that can harm humans," Orejas says.

"By receiving animals with problems here, we learn what problems there are in the countryside," as the ailing birds give a clue to environmental threats in the areas where they breed, she adds. "That way we can design conservation projects."

Orejas opens a large enclosure where a gang of square-browed eagle owls watch suspiciously from the far end.

One of them spreads its wings -- spanning 1.8 metres (six feet) -- and flies towards the entrance, before turning its back and fluttering back again to a safe distance.

"That is how they should be," Orejas says. "Flying away from us."

Alzheimer's and Acupuncture

Acupuncture can be used to rejuvenate Alzheimer's patients

Acupuncture benefits Alzheimer’s disease patients. Clinical research published in the Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science finds acupuncture plus moxibustion effective in improving cognitive function and improving the general quality of life for Alzheimer’s disease patients. The research, supported by the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, measured an 83.3% total effective rate of acupuncture combined with moxibustion. Scalp points for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease are in the study.

The acupuncture points used were GV20 (Baihui) and Sishencong (Ex-Hn-1). Filiform acupuncture needles (0.30 mm x 40-50 mm) were inserted at a 30 degree angle to the area just below the galea aponeurotica. Twirling method was applied without lifting and thrusting at a rate of 200 times per minute for 2-3 minutes followed by a needle retention time of 5 minutes prior to repeating the process. Engagement by family members involved instruction to verbally communicate and help the patient move their limbs during the needling regime.

Moxibustion was applied on top of an herbal cake comprised Fu Zi (Radix Aconiti Laterails Preparata), Ma Huang (Fructus Aristolochiae), Rou Gui (Cortex Cinnamoni), Gan Jiang (Rhizma Zingiberis), and other related herbs. The cakes were placed at GV14 (Dazhui) and BL23 (Shenshu). Moxa cones were placed on top of the cakes. The acupuncture and moxibustion treatments were applied once per day for 10 days. A three day rest period followed the treatment and this process was repeated two more times prior to clinical evaluations. The researchers concluded that acupuncture and moxibustion are “safe and effective” and are “beneficial to the general improvement of the quality of life of AD (Alzheimer’s disease) patients….”

These findings involving human clinical trials are confirmed by electron microscopy laboratory research demonstrating that acupuncture protects the brain cells of Alzheimer’s disease patients. Published in Neural Regeneration Research, investigators identified major brain structures that are preserved by using electroacupuncture and moxibustion. The research team documented a powerful neuroprotective effect induced by electroacupuncture including specific beneficial changes in brain chemistry.

Acupuncture was applied to acupuncture points GV20 (Baihui) and BL23 (Shenshu) on laboratory rats with induced Alzheimer’s disease pathology. The brains were examined with electron microscopy which revealed that rats treated with electroacupuncture preserves the hippocampus structure of the brain. The researchers discovered that “neuronal cell injury was markedly reduced” as a result of acupuncture. On the other hand, the control group that received no acupuncture or moxibustion showed enormous damage to the hippocampus.

Additional benefits were discovered. Transmission electron microscope findings revealed that electroacupuncture and moxibustion successfully downregulated axin protein expression and upregulated β-catenin protein expression. This was true for all three treatment groups: electroacupuncture only, moxibustion only and a third electroacupuncture combined with moxibustion group.

The research team reports, “The present study demonstrates that electroacupuncture pretreatment has a neuroprotective function in the hippocampus, suggesting that this technique could be used to protect learning and memory functions, and prevent senile dementia.” They added that in the hippocampus “neuronal cell injury was markedly reduced in all three pretreatment groups; organelles were visible in the cytoplasm, and chromatin appeared normal.” The researchers add that optimal results identified in the study were achieved by combining electroacupuncture with moxibustion. The investigators concluded, “The combination of moxibustion and electroacupuncture obtained a better neuroprotective effect than either technique alone….”

Electroacupuncture and moxibustion regulate axin and β-catenin in the brain. The proteins interact with each other and are part of Wnt signaling pathways, a group of signal transduction pathways composed of proteins that signal from outside a cell to its interior. The researchers note, “We therefore propose that the mechanisms of action underlying the potential benefits of acupuncture and moxibustion in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease involve the regulation of Wnt signaling via alterations in axin and β-catenin expression.”

MRI imaging confirms that acupuncture benefits brain activity in Alzheimer’s disease patients. Researchers investigated the effects of two acupuncture points on the brains of human Alzheimer disease patients using fMRI imaging with a SIEMENS verio 3-Tesla scanner. They found that acupuncture “can enhance the hippocampal connectivity in AD (Alzheimer’s disease) patients.” The MRI scans demonstrate that acupuncture “increased connectivity” in the hippocampus in patients with AD. Alzheimer’s disease damages the hippocampus resulting in memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, dementia and disorientation.

The controlled clinical investigation of human subjects measured multiple regions of disrupted connectivity in AD patients. After acupuncture, MRI imaging revealed that AD patients had significant improvements in connectivity for both frontal and lateral temporal regions of the hippocampus. The researchers note, “Due to the cognitive impairment associated with AD, acupuncture on specific acupoints can modulate the cerebral blood flow and strengthen the hippocampal connectivity in AD patients.”

The fMRI imaging measured the effects of acupuncture points LV3 (Taichong) and LI4 (Hegu) on the brain. The researchers added that acupuncture has long-lasting and beneficial effects on the human brain. They note, “Our study provides new evidence that acupuncture has a striking, sustained effect on AD patients.”

Related research reveals that acupuncture prevents brain cell loss in memory related areas of the brain and improves cognition. The laboratory findings show that acupuncture prevents neuron loss in the hippocampus. Using a water maze test, mice who received acupuncture showed significantly less cognitive deficits. The combination of improved maze test results combined with greater preservation of brain neurons prompted the researchers to suggest that acupuncture may help human subjects suffering from cognitive disorders. The researchers note, “These results suggest that reducing neuron loss in the hippocampus by acupuncture is a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment diseases.”

Another investigation concludes “that EA (electroacupuncture) may be a promising treatment for AD (Alzheimer’s disease)” and “may improve cognitive function.” Brain changes in Alzheimer’s disease patients involve excess “deposition of amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and selective neuronal loss in the frontal and temporal cortices, as well as in the hippocampus of the brain.” The research team demonstrated that electroacupuncture induces brain cell repair in the affected regions and can prevent the excess buildup of plaques.

Electroacupuncture reduces brain plaque proliferation associated with Alzheimer’s disease and associated dementia. The researchers identified the actions by which electroacupuncture exerts this therapeutic effect. Electroacupuncture decreases the formation of Aβ-42 deposits. These plaque deposits lead to neuron loss, memory impairment and dementia. Aβ1-42 deposits are cytotoxic and are a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers discovered that electroacupuncture “was a feasible and effective way for lowering Aβ1-42 deposits….” This is important because Aβ antagonists help to restore memory lost due to Aβ deposits in the brain. Several filiform needles of stainless steel variety.

Neurogenesis, the creation of neurons, is the process by which neurons are generated from neural stem cells and progenitor cells. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a significant reduction in brain neurogenesis, especially in the hippocampus. The researchers discovered that repeated electroacupuncture treatments significantly increases neurogenesis in the hippocampus and cortex.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) assists in the growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses. It is active in the hippocampus, cortex and other areas of the brain. BDNF is important in the retention of long-term memories and neurogenesis. AD patient’s have decreased levels of BDNF in the brain, especially in the hippocampus. The researchers conclude, “Our results showed that EA (electroacupuncture) treatment significantly increased the expression of BDNF in both the hippocampus and cortex; this suggests that the increase in BDNF may be involved in the therapeutic effect of EA for AD.” The researchers added, “Our result might suggest that electroacupuncture could induce the protective effect for the central nervous system of aging and Alzheimer’s disease.”

The researchers made additional observations, “In the present study, we observed that EA stimulation significantly improved the neurological behavior performance of AD mice, and reduced the deposition of Aβ in the hippocampus and cortex. At the same time, a noticeable increase in neurogenesis and BDNF expression in the hippocampus and cortex was also detected. Thus, our preliminary presumption was that EA stimulation improved neurobehavioral performance through promoting neurogenesis and BDNF expression in the brain.” They added, “In summary, the present study demonstrated that EA stimulation in Baihui (GV 20) acupoint ameliorated learning and memory deficits and reduced Aβ42 deposit in APP/PS1 mice. We propose that the underlying mechanism of EA may be related to the promotion of neurogenesis and the up-regulation of BDNF expression in the hippocampus and cortex.”

In the study, the researchers applied dense-sparse wave electroacupuncture to acupuncture point GV20 (Baihui) at 1 mA at 2-15 Hz for 4 weeks. Treatment was applied over a period of 20 days at 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week. The point selection and stimulation methods were based on prior experiments demonstrating that GV20 “protects the brain from ischemic injury.”

Given the body of new research on the effects of acupuncture on patient’s with Alzheimer’s disease, it is reasonable to promote it as a means to prevent neurodegenerative related dysfunction. There are several barriers to care. Medicare does not cover payment for acupuncture treatments despite the need for elderly patients to receive treatment for AD. Access to acupuncture is limited due to the small amount of licensed acupuncturists in the USA and abroad. Access is also limited due to the lack of integration of acupuncture into many hospitals and biomedical clinics. Finally, there is no standard recommended protocol for MDs to refer Alzheimer’s disease patients to licensed acupuncturists.

The goal of the medical system is to provide quality and appropriate healthcare that is supported by science. Modern investigations point to the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The connection is clear. Increasing acupuncture availability for Alzheimer’s disease patients will improve patient outcomes.


References:

Cui, Li. "Clinical observation of acupuncture-moxibustion for Alzheimer’s disease." Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science 12, no. 6 (2014): 354-357.

Wei QX, Zhang XM, Yan XY, Yan YJ, Chen SL. Clinical observation of Butylphthalide plus acupuncture- moxibustion for Alzheimer’s disease. Xiandai Zhongxiyi Jiehe Zazhi, 2011, 20(3): 291-292. 


Cheng HY, Yu JC, Peng YM, Chen FY, fang TG, Han JX. Progress in clinical and experimental researches of Alzheimer’s disease treated by acupuncture. Liaoning Zhongyi Zazhi, 2008, 35(4): 630-633. 


Zhou, H., G. Sun, L. Kong, Y. Du, F. Shen, S. Wang, B. Chen, and X. Zeng. "Acupuncture and moxibustion reduces neuronal edema in Alzheimer's disease rats." Neural Regeneration Research 9, no. 9 (2014): 968.

Burchett SA (2000) Regulators of G Protein Signaling. J Neurochem 75:1335-1351.

Luo L, Sun GJ, Du YJ (2013) Effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on energy metabolism-related protein of hippocampai neuron mitochondria in Alzheimer’s disease rats. Zhongguo Zhenjiu 33:913-918.

Cui L, Sun G, Zhou H, Du Y (2009) Influence of pre-stimulation with acupuncture and moxibustion on learning and memory ability and the activity of SOD, NOS in hippocampal area of Alzheimer disease model rats. Hubei Zhongyi Xueyuan Xuebao 3:6-8.

Wang, Zhiqun, Peipeng Liang, Zhilian Zhao, Ying Han, Haiqing Song, Jianyang Xu, Jie Lu, and Kuncheng Li. "Acupuncture Modulates Resting State Hippocampal Functional Connectivity in Alzheimer Disease." PloS one 9, no. 3 (2014): e91160.

Li, Xuying, Fan Guo, Qiaomei Zhang, Tingting Huo, Lixin Liu, Haidong Wei, Lize Xiong, and Qiang Wang. "Electroacupuncture decreases cognitive impairment and promotes neurogenesis in the APP/PS1 transgenic mice." BMC complementary and alternative medicine 14, no. 1 (2014): 37.

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