Acupuncture helps relieve pain in people with endometriosis

Endometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-dependent disorder characterised by growth of endometrial tissue in sites other than the uterus, most commonly in the pelvic cavity, but also in other parts of the body. The cause of endometriosis is not known, but many factors are thought to be involved in its development. These include retrograde menstruation; an abnormal quantity or quality of endometrial cells; embryonic cells giving rise to deposits in distant sites around the body; and the production of antibodies against endometrial cells.

This ectopic endometrial tissue responds to the hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle, with subsequent bleeding, inflammation, and pain. If the ovaries are affected, endometriotic ovarian cysts may develop. Common symptoms include dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia, non-cyclical pelvic and abdominal pain, and subfertility. The prevalence is estimated to vary from 2-22% of women and, in women with dysmenorrhoea, the incidence of endometriosis is 40-60%.

Recently some review articles showed that acupuncture is specifically of benefit in people with endometriosis. Acupuncture provides effective pain relief, by stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues, leading to release of endorphins and other neurohumoral factors, and changing the processing of pain in the brain and spinal cord. Acupuncture reduces inflammation by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors. Acupuncture exerts regulating levels of prostaglandins.

The authors of articles suggest that acupuncture can be used as an independent or complement therapy for the treatment of endometriosis.

Reference:

Lund I, Lundeberg T. Is acupuncture effective in the treatment of pain in endometriosis? J Pain Res. 2016 Mar 24;9:157-65. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27069371

Kong S et al., The Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Endometriosis: A Review of Utilization and Mechanism. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Volume 2014 (2014), Article ID 146383, 16 pages.  http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2014/146383/

Acupuncture helped relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis

Acupuncture as a part of holistic approach significantly alleviated many symptoms and enhanced the quality of life of women with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a report published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing.

Recently Dr. H Becker and colleagues in the USA conducted a study to assess whether integrated acupuncture treatment with wellness class for women with MS. Fourteen women with MS were assigned into the study. Acupuncture treatment with needles inserted into 11 body sites, 2 head sites and 3 auricular sites were applied following wellness class. The assessment consists of 1). Self efficacy: the 28-item Self-Rated Abilities for Health Practices Scale, used to assess participants’ beliefs about their ability to perform health promoting behaviours. 2). Stress Perception includes the10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). 3). Patient report outcome, 4). Quality of life report.

It was found that after 8-weekly acupuncture session following wellness class, all patients reported a significant reduction in self-reported fatigue, stress, pain, depression, anxiety, and sleep interference. They also reported an overall significantly increase in health-promoting behaviors, self-efficacy for health promotion, social functioning, and the quality of life.

The study suggested that combination of acupuncture with wellness class provided an effective alternative approach to the treatment management of daily life of patients with MS.

Reference

Becker H et al., Integrating Acupuncture Within a Wellness Intervention for Women With Multiple Sclerosis: A Feasibility Study. J Holist Nurs. 2016 May 9. pii: 0898010116644833.     http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27161425

How does acupuncture help improve polycystic ovary syndrome?

Although acupuncture has been used to effectively relieve many symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), its mechanisms of action is poorly understood. Recently studies on PCOS models reported that acupuncture stimulation rebalanced pituitary-ovary axis function and normalized altered expression of genes and proteins related to reproductive and endocrine function.

PCOS is a common condition affecting endocrine and reproductive systems in women, resulting abnormal follicular development and ovulation dysfunction due to imbalance of steroid hormone releasing. Main features of PCOS include irregular periods, high levels of male hormones in the body and polycystic ovaries.  It has been suggested that hormone imbalance, insulin resistance, environmental and genetic factors are associated with the occurrence of PCOS. Many women with PCOS suffer from infertility. Although some medications help many women with PCOS get pregnant, the side effects of medication often cause serious concern.

Professor E Stener-Victorin and colleagues in Sweden conducted a serious study to investigate the mechanisms of acupuncture action on PCOS models. They found that either manual or electro acupuncture (2 Hz) stimulation at ST27, ST28, ST29, SP6 and SP9 acupoints for 45 min, just one session, improved insulin sensitivity, stimulated glucose uptake and the effect maintained nearly one hour after stimulation.

In another study, electroacupuncture stimulation for 15 or 25 min, from Monday to Friday for 5-6 weeks on PCOS models significantly improved pituitary-ovary axis by normalizing luteinizing hormone secretion, increasing ovarian expression of genes and proteins related to endocrine function and reproductive function. The results of acupuncture were as effective as those of the drug control groups.

Those studies showed that acupuncture stimulation could exert multiple modulations on endocrine system and metabolic system on PCOS models. Further clinical studies should be carried out to confirm the experimental data.

Reference

Maliqueo M et al., Circulating gonadotropins and ovarian adiponectin system are modulated by acupuncture independently of sex steroid or β-adrenergic action in a female hyperandrogenic rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2015 Sep 5;412:159-69.   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25963796

Benrick A et al., Enhanced insulin sensitivity and acute regulation of metabolic genes and signaling pathways after a single electrical or manual acupuncture session in female insulin-resistant rats. Acta Diabetol. 2014 Dec;51(6):963-72.   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25218925 

Acupuncture exerted a specific long-term therapeutic effect on irritable bowel syndrome

A 24-month follow up study of acupuncture treatment to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) suggests that significant beneficial effects of acupuncture observed between 3 and 9 months after treatment on IBS are unlikely to be due to the non-specific effect, rather likely is associated with the underlying physiological mechanisms of action. The study was recently published in journal Acupuncture in Medicine.

Dr. H MacPherson and colleagues conducted a 24-month follow up study having published their 12-month study in journal of BMC Gastroenterology (MacPherson et al. BMC Gastroenterology 2012, 12:150). In their 12-month study they found that acupuncture treatment significantly reduced IBS Symptom Severity Scores at the end of 3-month treatment (acupuncture weekly to 10 sessions) compared with the usual care control group. The benefits largely persisted 3, 6 and 9 months after treatment.

In their 24-month follow up study, no statistical significant difference of IBS Symptom Severity Scores was found between acupuncture group and usual care group at 24-month. They suggested that this may be, at least in part, linked with the progressive improvement reported within the usual care group.

The follow up study also found a statistically significant difference favouring acupuncture at 12-month, which was only shown a statistical tendency in the previous report. Further, authors suggested that sustainable therapeutic effects between the end of treatment at 3 months through 24 month indicated that obvious benefits of acupuncture represented more than a simple placebo response.

Reference

MacPherson H  et al., Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: 2-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial. Acupunct Med. 2016 Mar 15. pii: acupmed-2015-010854. doi: 10.1136/acupmed-2015-010854.   http://aim.bmj.com/content/early/2016/03/15/acupmed-2015-010854.abstract