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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 FOR CHRONIC PROSTATITIS

Categories: Male disorders

A pilot study has assessed the use of body and auricular acupuncture in men suffering from chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Ten men who were refractory to conventional therapies were given 30 minutes of body and auricular acupuncture twice weekly for six weeks. A standardised set of acupuncture points, based on traditional Chinese medicine principles, was used. The body ...

ACUPUNCTURE BENEFITS PROSTATE PAIN

Categories: Male disorders

Acupuncture treatment is more than twice as likely as sham treatment to improve men's symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Malaysian researchers randomised 89 patients to ten weeks of twice-weekly 30-minute true or sham acupuncture sessions. The patients were scored on the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI). Response to treatment was defined as a minimum six- ...

ACUPUNCTURE FOR PROSTATE CANCER HOT FLUSHES

Categories: Cancer, Male disorders

Both electroacupuncture (EA) and traditional acupuncture (TA) can reduce the impact of hot flushes on men who have had castrational treatment for prostate cancer. Swedish researchers randomised 31 men with hot flushes due to prostate cancer treatment to EA (12 points, with four electro-stimulated) or TA (12 points) weekly for 12 weeks. Hot flushes per 24 hours decreased significantly, from a media ...

AURICULAR ACUPUNCTURE FOR VASOMOTOR SYMPTOMS IN PROSTATE CANCER

Categories: Cancer, Male disorders

The role of auricular acupuncture (AA) in men receiving luteinising-hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) analogues for cancer of the prostate has been investigated by a research group in the UK. Vasomotor symptoms similar to those observed in postmenopausal women can affect the quality of life in such men. Sixty patients (median age 74 years) received weekly AA for 10 weeks. Ninety-five percent of pat ...

ACUPUNCTURE RELIEVES PROSTATE PAIN

Categories: Male disorders

Electroacupuncture (EA) can relieve symptoms in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and is particularly effective for pain relief. In the first randomised controlled trial of EA for this condition, Korean researchers randomised 39 men into three treatment groups: advice and exercise plus 12 sessions of EA (EA); advice and exercise plus 12 sessions of sham EA (SEA); and advice ...

ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVES SPERM MOTILITY

Categories: Infertility, Male disorders

The first prospective, randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effect of acupuncture in infertile men with severe oligoasthenozoospermia has shown that acupuncture can improve sperm motility. The German study, involving 29 men compared TCM acupuncture with placebo acupuncture. A significantly higher percentage of motile sperm was found after real acupuncture. No effect of acupunc ...

CHINESE HERBS AND STEROID-DEPENDENT NEPHROTIC SYNDROME

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders

37 children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS) were treated with Chai-Ling-Tang (Sairei-to). After treatment, relapse was markedly improved, time for negative conversion of proteinuria shortened, prednisone dosage significantly reduced, and side effects eased. It is considered that Chai-Ling-Tang may be a useful substitute for patients with SDNS who fail to respond to or manifest sev ...

Acupuncture and the overactive bladder

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders

Eleven patients (9 males and 2 females) with overactive bladders were treated by acupuncture. The age range was from 51 to 82 years (mean 71 years). Nine patients complained of urge incontinence and 2 patients of urgency. Uninhibited contraction was observed in all patients before the acupuncture. Acupuncture was given at bilateral Zhongliao BL-33 and the needles rotated for 10 minutes manually. A ...

CHINESE MEDICINE REDUCES DIALYSIS FREQUENCY

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders

A Chinese study has demonstrated that when Chinese medicine is combined with peritoneal dialysis, it is possible to reduce the frequency of the dialysis whilst maintaining renal function (Chung-Kuo Chung Hsi i Chieh Ho Tsa Chih. 1996 ;16(2):67-9).

ACUPUNCTURE AND URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders

A study carried out in Bergen, Norway has demonstrated the value of acupuncture in preventing urinary tract infections in women who are especially prone to repeated recurrences. 67 such women (3 or more attacks in the past 12 months) were randomly divided into an acupuncture group, a sham acupuncture group and a control (no treatment). Acupuncture was given twice a week for 4 weeks mainly at Zhong ...

Urinary incontinence and acupuncture

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders, Spinal cord

A study carried out at the Department of Physiology at Meiji University of Oriental Medicine in Japan has confirmed the value of acupuncture in treating urinary incontinence in patients with chronic spinal cord injuries. Eight male patients, four with cervical lesions and four with thoracic lesions, were treated with acupuncture at Zhongliao BL-33. Four once-weekly treatments were given with needl ...

Acupuncture & neurogenic bladder

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders, Spinal cord

One group of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and neurogenic bladder received electro-acupuncture at points Zhongji REN-3, Guanyuan REN-4 and Ciliao BL-32 in addition to conventional intermittent catheterisation program (ICP). Compared to a control group who underwent conventional bladder training program with ICP only, the acupuncture patients achieved balanced bladder voiding in a signific ...

ACUPUNCTURE & CHILDHOOD ENURESIS

Categories: Babies & children / paediatrics, Kidney / Urinary disorders

A study carried out in a Romanian hospital for severely handicapped children aged between 3 and 18 years showed significant benefit in treating nocturnal enuresis in 29% of patients. The most responsive group was the 10-14 year olds (50%). Children with the most severe mental retardation and those with daytime fecal and urinary incontinence responded least. Points selected were Guanyuan REN-4, San ...

Acupuncture and urinary incontinence

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders, Spinal cord

A study carried out at the Department of Urology of Kyoto University, Japan, has demonstrated the effiacy of acupuncture in treating urinary incontinence in patients with spinal cord injuries. 13 patients suffering incontinence due to detrusor hyperreflexia were needled at Zhongliao BL-33. Urodynamic studies were performed before acupuncture, immediately after the first treatment ...

ACUPUNCTURE & VULVAR VESTIBULITIS

Categories: Gynaecology, Kidney / Urinary disorders

Vulvar vestibulitis is a disease of unknown aetiology involving inflammation of the skin and the mucous secreting glands found in the skin of the vulvar vestibule. It can occur in women of all ages, whether sexually active or not, can persist for years, and gives rise to symptoms such as severe pain on pressure (for example cycling, exercise or tight fitting clothes), intercourse or insertion of t ...

ACUPUNCTURE & ENURESIS

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders

A small Japanese study has added to the research showing nocturnal enuresis can be effectively treated with acupuncture. 15 patients with nocturnal enuresis were treated by acupuncture using a disposable stainless steel needle (0.3 mm in diameter, 60 mm in length) inserted into bilateral Zhongliao BL-33 and rotated manually for 10 minutes. Bladder capacities and number of wet nights per week ...

ACUPUNCTURE & URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders

Researchers from the University of Bergen in Norway have investigated the benefits of acupuncture in a group of 94 women, all of whom had experienced at least 3 urinary tract infections during the previous 12 months. Sixty-seven of the women received acupuncture 2 times per week for 4 weeks. 73% of the women who received acupuncture remained infection-free during the 6 months after treatment, rela ...

ACUPRESSURE FOR DIALYSIS PATIENTS

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders

A Taiwanese study set out to determine whether acupressure was effective in treating fatigue and depression in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receiving haemodialysis treatment. The study applied an experimental pre-test and post-test design. Sixty-two patients were randomly assigned to an acupressure group or a control group. Patients in the acupressure group received point massage f ...

ACUPUNCTURE EFFECTIVE FOR DIALYSIS PRURITIS

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders

In a Taiwanese study, 40 patients with refractory uraemic pruritus were randomised into two groups. In one group Quchi L.I.-11 was needled three times a week for one month (true acupuncture group), and in the second group a non-point (2cm lateral to Quchi L.I.-11) was needled with the same frequency (sham acupuncture group). Pruritis scores were recorded before and after treatment and at a 3-month ...

Acupuncture helps overactive bladder

Categories: Kidney / Urinary disorders

A study of 74 women who suffered from an overactive bladder (frequent urination, urinary incontinence, and reduced bladder capacity and urinary volume) randomly assigned the women to either an acupuncture protocol directed at the urinary symptoms, or an acupuncture protocol designed simply to promote urination (in this study referred to as a placebo group). Women in both groups had a significant d ...