Auricular acupuncture treatment reduce craving and anxiety in substance use disorder

Auricular acupuncture treatment significantly reduces craving and anxiety among military veterans in recovery from substance use disorder.

Substance use disorder is a complex brain condition and includes such problems as alcoholism and drug addiction. It occurs when a person has a dependence on alcohol and or drugs that is accompanied by intense or sometimes uncontrollable craving and compulsive behaviour to obtain the substance. Persistence use of substance has dangerous and negative consequence on personal relationship, employment and public safety.

Drs. BH Chang and E Sommers in the United States conducted a randomized controlled clinical study to assess the effect of auricular acupuncture on craving and anxiety of veterans in recovery from substance use disorder. Twenty-three subjects were treated with auricular acupuncture at acupoints Shen Men, Sympathetic, Kidney, Lung and Liver for 30 min, twice a week for 10 weeks. The control group (n=21) were given usual care. Degree of craving for substance on a scale of 1-10 and anxiety level on a scale of 1-4 were rated by each participant before and after acupuncture session.

It was found that auricular acupuncture produced a significantly immediate reduction in craving and anxiety after one acupuncture session compared with baseline, and continued treatment induced a markedly cumulative reduction in craving and anxiety compared with control group. Relaxation-response therapy also reduced craving and anxiety.

The study provided scientific evidence of auricular acupuncture, a non-pharmaceutical approach for treatment of substance use disorder.

Reference:

Chang BH & Sommers E, Acupuncture and relaxation response for craving and anxiety reduction among military veterans in recovery from substance use disorder. Am J Addict. 2014 Mar;23(2):129-36.    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25187049

Scalp acupuncture is effective in improving vascular dementia

Scalp acupuncture plus auricular point sticking are found to have a superior total efficacy to body acupuncture and conventional medicine in treating of vascular dementia, according to a report published in journal Zhongguo Zhen Jiu (Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease in old people. Any conditions that affect blood supply to the brain, such as stroke can potential cause vascular dementia. Symptoms of vascular dementia include cognitive impairment and depend on which area of the brain has been damaged. Acupuncture has been used to treat vascular dementia in China.

Researchers in China conducted a clinical study to compare the efficacy of scalp plus auricular acupuncture with body acupuncture and conventional therapy in vascular dementia. Thirty one patients were treated with scalp plus auricular acupunctures, 29 patients were given body acupuncture and 30 patients were treated with conventional medication. Acupuncture was given once a day, 14-day as a course for 3 courses. Evaluation in cognitive behaviour ability, mini-mental state examination (MIMSE) and activities of daily living (ADL), were assessed before and after the treatment.

It was found that at the end of treatment all groups showed the improvement compared with baseline. Group comparison analysis revealed that scalp plus auricular acupuncture is superior to other two treatments and body acupuncture is much better than conventional medication in improving cognitive function.

Reference:

Li SK, [Effects of scalp acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking on cognitive behavior ability in patients with vascular dementia]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2014 May;34(5):417-20.   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25022106

Auricular acupuncture is effective in shedding pounds

Auricular acupuncture can help shed pounds, indicates in the first prospective, randomized, double-blinded study published recently in journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine.

Auricular acupuncture is based on the understanding that entire body is represented on the outer portion of the ear. It was first developed in 1957 by French neurologist Paul Nogier who noticed that a patient’s back pain was cured after being sustained a burn on the ear. Although ear map was later developed according to the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Paul Nogier is still regarded as “Father of Auricular acupuncture” in China.

Austrian researchers investigated whether auricular acupuncture combined with moderate diet recommendations based on TCM can produce body weight reduction in female patients compared with placebo treatment. It is the first study using P-Stim® auricular electroacupuncture device in obese study. Three auricular acupoints (hunger 18, stomach 87 and colon 91) were selected. The treatment was performed once a week for 6 weeks. Body Mass Index (BMI) and body fat were measured at the beginning and at the end of the treatment. The results showed that auricular acupuncture produced significant reduction in body weight in treatment group (n=28, -3.73%) compared with placebo group (n=28, -0.70%). A significant reduction in BMI was observed in auricular acupuncture group (-3.62%) compared to placebo group (-0.82%). No adverse effect was reported. A follow-up 4 weeks after treatment showed a sustained reduction in all parameters.  The authors conclude that auricular acupuncture is a safe, effective therapy in obesity.

Reference:

Schukro RP et al., The effects of auricular electroacupuncture on obesity in female patients--a prospective randomized placebo-controlled pilot study. Complement Ther Med. 2014 Feb;22(1):21-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2013.   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24559812

Auricular acupuncture relieves withdrawal symptoms of addiction

Acupuncture treatment of drug addiction was accidentally discovered by Dr. H.L. Wen, a Hong Kong neurosurgeon in 1972. He was treating a patient for a concussion. The patient was also known as an opium addict and Dr. Wen proposed a cingulutomy as treatment for the addiction. A cingulutomy is a prefrontal lobotomy that severs certain functions between the two frontal hemispheres. The patient was anaesthetised using acupuncture. Even before the operation began, the withdrawal symptoms were decreased and even disappeared altogether. The operation was cancelled. Every time the withdrawal symptoms reoccurred, the patient was treated with acupuncture until they stopped occurring at all. In 1985, Dr. Smith, in New York, finalized a protocol, using only ear points without electrical stimulation for the treatment of cocaine dependence. Recently, Professor Han from Beijing University, China, characterized a protocol, using electrical stimulation of identified frequencies on body points to ameliorate heroin withdrawal signs and reduce relapse of heroin use.

Auricular acupuncture for addictions is effective in relieving the symptoms of withdrawal, including decreasing the severity of cravings, body aches, headaches, nausea, sweating and muscle cramping. People also report that they sleep better, feel less depressed and more relaxed. During an auricular acupuncture session participants often have small sterile needles inserted into five points on the outer ear. Some needles are used to relax and calm the person, while the others are used to help detoxify different areas of the body (liver, kidneys and lungs etc).

Auricular Acupuncture is helpful in treating a range of addictions including alcohol, nicotine, other drugs and addictive behaviours like gambling, even internet addiction disorder.

References:

Lua PL., Altern Ther Health Med. 2013 Jul-Aug;19(4):28-42.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23981370