This blog is to share the latest research and development of acupuncture and raise the awareness of alternative treatments for your conditions, and is for information only.

Sunday, 22 May 2016

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

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