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Research Archive

Welcome to our Chinese medicine and acupuncture research news pages. We add to the content of these pages continuously as more research news comes in. Browse through the complete archive below or use the category links on the right.

Please note that the most twenty recent research archive items are free to view but access to the thousands of items in the archive require a journal subscription.

Acupuncture helps with prostatitis pain

Categories: Male disorders, Pelvic

A pilot study in Turkey has found that acupuncture can improve symptoms and quality of life for men diagnosed with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). A cohort of 97 patients received six weekly sessions of acupuncture at bilateral Zhongliao BL-33. The results showed that there was a statistically significant decrease in all prostatitis symptom scores (pain, urinary functio ...

Acupuncture reduces lure of smoking images

Categories: Substance abuse

Korean researchers have found that acupuncture treatment can reduce the amount of attention that smokers pay to smoking-related visual cues, and that this is associated with improvement in cigarette withdrawal symptoms. Previous research into substance abuse has shown that addictive behaviours are characterised by increased selective attention (attentional bias) towards substance-related stimuli. ...

Acupuncture effective alternative for pregnancy depression

Categories: Psychological / emotional, Pregnancy & labour

Acupuncture is an effective treatment for depression during pregnancy, according to a new American study. A hundred and fifty pregnant women with a diagnosis of major depression were randomised to receive 12 sessions of acupuncture consisting of a standardised point prescription specific for depression, or one of two active controls - control acupuncture or massage - over eight weeks. Women who re ...

Qigong & drug addiction

Categories: Qigong

A study carried out at the Changzhou Drug Treatment Centre in China by Prof. Kevin Chen (of the University of Medicine & Dentistry, Newark, New Jersey) and two Chinese colleagues, has examined the potential benefit of qigong in heroin addiction. 86 heroin addicts between the ages of 18 and 52 years who had been using heroin for an average of 5.5 years, were divided into 3 groups. The qigong gr ...

Qigong, tai chi and diabetes

Categories: Qigong

A pilot study funded by the Diabetes Australia Research Trust and carried out by a team from the University of Queensland has indicated that qigong and tai chi exercises can significantly improve several markers of metabolic syndrome. At the end of the three month study, the 11 participants demonstrated significant improvement in several indicators of metabolic syndrome including HbA1c, blood pres ...

Qigong training reduces computer operator's stress

Categories: Qigong

A study has investigated the effects of qigong on stress among computer operators. Ten women were included in a qigong exercise group and an equal number in a control group. Heart rate, blood pressure and finger temperature were measured at the beginning and end of the working day over a period of five weeks. Twenty-four hour urine samples were collected in the first and last weeks to measure cate ...

Qigong training improves exercise capacity

Categories: Qigong

Qigong training can increase the exercise capacity of patients with cardiac impairment. A controlled trial enlisted thirty men and thirteen women, average age 68, suffering from chronic atrial fibrillation. They were randomised to either a 16-week medically assisted qigong training program or to a waiting-list control group. Functional capacity variation was evaluated by measuring how far patients ...

Qigong and exercise therapy both reduce chronic neck pain

Categories: Neck, Qigong

Qigong and exercise therapy are both effective at reducing chronic neck pain. 122 patients, mean age 44, with long-term, nonspecific neck pain were randomised to either group qigong lessons, or individualised exercise therapy. Patients received a maximum of 12 treatments over three months. Improvement was significant in both groups immediately after treatment for most outcome measures, and this wa ...

Qiqong enhances flu shot

Categories: Immunity, Qigong

Researchers in the USA have found that a combination of tai chi and qigong (TQ) can enhance older adults' immune responses to the flu vaccine. A group of 50 adults in their 70s, were randomised TQ or no exercise. The TQ group attended three one-hour classes per week, consisting of tai chi and qigong movements along with standing and seated meditation. All participants received a flu vaccination at ...

Pain, the brain & qigong

Categories: Qigong

Functional changes relating to pain processing occur in the brain during the practice of qigong. Chinese researchers used fMRI to observe the brains of four male qigong masters (each with more than 30 years experience) while they practicsed qigong after receiving a painful stimulus. After 15 minutes qigong practice, many previously activated areas of the brain showed decreased activity, with the e ...

How does qigong improve balance?

Categories: Qigong

The mechanisms by which tai chi can improve balance were investigated in a randomised controlled trial of 49 healthy older adults. The investigators found that that a widening of stance and improved use of vestibular input (sensory information from the inner ear which informs us how the body is moving in relationship to space and gravity) are two mechanisms by which tai chi may improve balance. (E ...

Qigong for metabolic syndrome

Categories: Qigong

A 12-week programme of tai chi and qigong prompted a significant fall in blood glucose levels and significant improvements in other indicators of metabolic syndrome in 11 middle-aged to older adults. At the end of 12 weeks, they had lost an average of 3kg in weight and their waist size had dropped by an average of 3cm. Their blood pressure and insulin resistance also improved significantly. Partic ...

Qigong improves chronic fatigue symptoms/2

Categories: Fatigue, Qigong

A British pilot study suggests that qigong can be used to manage the symptoms of chronic fatigue. Eighteen female participants were recruited, taught a qigong routine during weekly classes over six months, and asked to practise it daily for 15 minutes. Participants completed a questionnaire measuring health-related quality of life and a sleep diary during a two-week baseline control period, and at ...

THIRTY MINUTES OF QIGONG IS ENOUGH TO IMPROVE MOOD

Categories: Qigong

Forty-one regular qigong practitioners engaged in either 30 or 60 minutes of qigong exercise within a randomised cross-over design. Measures of mood, anxiety, activation, and hedonic tone were obtained pre- and post-exercise. Results showed benefits of the same magnitude in the two groups: more positive mood states, reduced state anxiety, and enhanced perceived pleasure. Thirty minutes of qigong e ...

MORE MOTIVATION MEANS MORE QIGONG AND BETTER CONCENTRATION

Categories: Qigong

A study from Sweden has investigated whether self-determined motivation and perceived stress are related to concentration during qigong exercise, and to the amount of exercise carried out. Qigong exercisers were assessed using the Sport Motivation Scale, Stress and Energy Scale, and by self-rated concentration. Number of exercise sessions per week, session time, ability to set a time for exercise, ...

QIGONG FOR STRESS

Categories: Qigong

A small American study has investigated the effectiveness of a qigong training program in reducing stress in hospital staff. Thirty-seven subjects were randomly assigned to a six-week intervention of either qigong practice or a waiting list. The qigong group demonstrated a statistically significant reduction of perceived stress compared to the control group and also experienced a significant reduc ...

Tai chi and qigong for metabolic syndrome

Categories: Qigong

An Australian pilot study (11 people) suggests that a twelve week tai chi and qigong training programme results in significant improvements in four of the seven indicators of metabolic syndrome, including BMI and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as in glycosylated haemoglobin levels, insulin resistance, stress, depressive symptoms, general health, mental health and vitality. (A preli ...

Psychophysiological outcomes of qigong

Categories: Psychological / emotional, Qigong

In Hong Kong, investigators have attempted to unravel the clinical benefits and underlying psychophysiological mechanisms of qigong based on information from published RCTs. Their meta-analysis of 26 RCTs showed that qigong had positive effects on blood parameters (increasing the numbers of lymphocytes, lowering total cholesterol), cardiac function (increasing stroke volume, peak early transmitral ...

EFFECT OF QIGONG ON SALIVA

Categories: Qigong

An Iranian team has analysed the effects of a qigong program on various saliva parameters, including volume, pH and secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) levels. Twenty-three healthy volunteers aged 22-24 performed special qigong exercises and self-acupressure (of points to increase Water energy) twice a day for six months. Salivary parameters were recorded at baseline before the individuals began qi ...

Qigong enhances sleep and psychological wellbeing

Categories: Psychological / emotional, Qigong

Spanish scientists have assessed the effects of qigong practice on serum cytokines, mood and subjective sleep quality. Experimental participants underwent a qigong training program for one month. Blood samples for the quantification of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, and several instruments to assess anxiety and depression symptoms, were obtained before and after the program. The findings revealed that w ...