Acupuncture improved gait impairment of patients with multiple sclerosis

Acupuncture treatment significantly improved gait impairment of patients with multiple sclerosis compared. It was reported in the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine.

Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating neurological disorder, caused by the inflammatory reaction to dysfunction of immune system.  Multiple sclerosis affects the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including sensation, balance, vision and movement such as gait impairment. Acupuncture has been reported to effectively improve many symptoms of multiple sclerosis including fatigue, pain, depression and sleep interference.

Recently Dr. MB Criado and colleagues conducted a clinical study to investigate the effect of acupuncture on gait impairment of patients with multiple sclerosis. Twenty patients were recruited for the study and blindly and randomly allocated into true acupuncture and sham acupuncture treatment groups. In true acupuncture group acupoints ST34, BL40 and BL57 were selected and in sham acupuncture group points located 2 cun laterally to true acupoints. Leopard spot technique was applied in both true and sham groups. One month after first treatment, patients in both groups were swapped for the crossover study. Gait impairment was evaluated in all patients by the 25-foot walk test (T25WF) before and after the treatments.

The results found that there was no statistically significant difference with the 25-foot walk test at the base line between two groups. However, true acupuncture treatment significantly improved gait impairment judged by T25WF test compared with its baseline. Similarly, true acupuncture statistically and significantly improved gait compared with sham acupuncture which was not different from the baseline assessment. Patients in true acupuncture groups felt much better balanced movements.

The study showed acupuncture treatment can markedly improve gait impairment, in addition to other symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Reference

Criado MB et al., Effects of Acupuncture on Gait of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. J Altern Complement Med. 2017 Nov;23(11):852-857.   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28410453

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 improve symptoms of multiple sclerosis?

Acupuncture has been shown to improve symptoms of multiple sclerosis or even helped a patient remission for over 2 years in a case study reported here before. However the mechanism of acupuncture’s effect is not clear. Recently it was reported that anti-inflammatory effect of acupuncture was associated with the release of β-endorphin that balances immune cell response in a multiple sclerosis model.

Multiple sclerosis is caused by the dysfunction of immune system that attacks the myelin sheath of nerve fibre in the nervous systems leading to the symptoms occurring in multi body systems. It is believed that acupuncture therapy is able to modulate immune responses to relieve the symptoms. However the mechanism of its action is not clear.

Researchers in China conducted a basic research to explore the possible mechanism of acupuncture on a model of multiple sclerosis. They found that β-endorphin, a neuropeptide with immune modulatory and analgesic properties, was significantly reduced in the multiple sclerosis models. Acupuncture stimulation in the model once a day for 21 days attenuated the symptom-like severity and reversed the decreased β-endorphin levels and increased the levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone in the brain. Further studies found that β-endorphin modulated the abnormal ratios of immune T subtype cells back to normal levels in the lymphocytes.

Authors suggest that acupuncture stimulation in the multiple sclerosis model increased β-endorphin expression and adrenocorticotropic hormone level leading to rebalance immune T cells response and attenuated the symptoms.

Reference:

Liu Y et al., The mechanism of effective electroacupuncture on T cell response in rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e51573.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23382807 

Acupuncture helps improve fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis resistant to amantadine

Acupuncture treatment improved fatigue symptom in multiple sclerosis patients who are resistant to drug amantadine, according to a report published in journal Acupunct Medicine.

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of multiple sclerosis that has significant negative impact on the quality of life of patients with the condition. After long term medication such as amantadine which is the main drug used in fatigue treatment in multiple sclerosis, many patients developed resistant to the drug. So alternative therapy is urgently needed for them to keep the symptoms under control.

Doctors in Iran conducted a clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture on fatigue of patients with multiple sclerosis resistant to amantadine. Twenty patients who were resistant to amantadine were given acupuncture treatment 30 mins a day, on every other day, in total 12 sessions within 4 weeks. Changes in fatigue were assessed by Fatigue Severity Scale before and after treatment. At the end of acupuncture treatment 5 of 20 patients who were resistant to amantadine responded to acupuncture plus amantadine treatment. The scores of Fatigue Severity Scale were significantly reduced within patients resistant to amantadine.

Authors suggest that acupuncture is effective in treating fatigue in proportion of patients with fatigue resistant to amantadine treatment.

Reference:

Foroughipour M et al., Amantadine and the place of acupuncture in the treatment of fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis: an observational study. Acupunct Med2013;31:27–30.    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23151355

Scalp acupuncture is very effective in halting progress of multiple sclerosis

Scalp acupuncture is very effective in relieving symptoms of multiple sclerosis and halting its progression. A case study is reported in journal Global Advances in Health and Medicine.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease affecting nerve fibres in the brain and spine cord. In normal condition, nerve fibres are wrapped with a sheet called myelin which insulates the fibres from disruption and ensures the signal transduction. When something goes wrong with body’s immune system it attacks the healthy tissue, in this case, the myelin being worn down or destroyed. As a result, the exposed nerve fibres are less able to transmit signals between different parts of brain and spine cord. Subsequently symptoms occur in any part of the body, including blurring of vision, difficulty with mobility and balance, fatigue, muscle weakness and tightness, trouble with controlling urine and problems of cognitive and mood. Although the exact cause of MS is unclear many factors are believed to be involved in the development of MS, such as genetic factor, environmental effect, vitamin D deficit, viral infection. MS has basically two forms: relapsing form (occurring in isolated attacks) and progressive forms (building up over time). During course of disease, symptoms may go away completely, but permanent neurological conditions often occur, especially as the disease progresses. There is currently no cure for MS. The medications are effective in either alleviating certain symptoms or slow the progression of the disease. Approximately 50% of patients with MS use alternative medicines such as acupuncture to alleviate their conditions.

Dr. Jason Jishun Hao in the United States and colleagues reported a case study showing the beneficial effects of scalp acupuncture on a MS patient who had had MS for 20 years. The report said “The patient received scalp acupuncture once a week for 10 weeks, then once a month for six sessions. After the 16 treatments, the patient showed remarkable improvements. He was able to stand and walk without any problems. The numbness and tingling in his limbs did not bother him anymore. He had more energy and had not experienced incontinence of urine or dizziness after the first treatment. He was able to return to work full time. At this writing, the patient has been in remission for 26 months”.

This case study showed that scalp acupuncture is very effective in alleviating MS symptoms, halting the disease progression. This should encourage more studies with large sample size to explore full beneficial effects on patients with MS. 

Reference:

Hao JJ et al., Glob Adv Health Med. 2013, 2(1):8-13.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24278838