Acupuncture Continuing Education News

Electroacupuncture improves sleep for post-stroke patients. First Hospital Affiliated to Heilongjiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers conducted a clinical trial comparing the effects of manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture. Results show that applying electrical stimulation to Shenmen (HT7) and Neiguan (PC6) more effectively improves sleep quality than manual stimulation for post-stroke patients. [1]

Acupuncture reduces cancer-related fatigue and improves quality of life for cancer patients. An investigation conducted by the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University reveals that acupuncture can improve the related symptoms of headaches, weakness, and depression in patients with cancer-related fatigue (CRF). The research team concludes that “Acupuncture is effective in treating CRF and should be considered as a widely accepted treatment option in

Acupuncture plus herbal medicine are found effective for the treatment of insufficient lactation. No. 3201 Hospital of Shanxi Province researchers determined that acupuncture plus herbal medicine has a 91.30% total effective rate when combined with routine breastfeeding care. This was an improvement over patients receiving only routine care.

Acupuncture plus herbs benefit elderly patients with functional constipation. Researchers from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial and confirmed that the combined protocol of acupuncture plus herbal medicine produces superior outcomes to using Duphalac monotherapy (i.e. lactulose, a synthetic sugar used to treat chronic constipation) to control functional constipation in elderly patients. [1]

Acupuncture reduces numbness, local pain, and radiating pain emanating from the neck. Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers tested the efficacy of electroacupuncture and cervical vertebra traction therapy. Both therapies produced significant results and electroacupuncture outperformed traction across several parameters. [1]

Acupuncture and herbs are effective for the treatment of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (Wangjing Hospital) researchers determined that acupuncture combined with herbs restores hearing capabilities. In a two-arm investigation, acupuncture plus herbs outperformed alprostadil combined with mecobalamin for the treatment of SSHL. [1]

Acupuncture improves ischemic stroke patient outcomes. Investigators from Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and its affiliated hospital conducted a clinical trial comparing regular scalp acupuncture with warm scalp acupuncture. The results show that the warm scalp acupuncture group produced superior patient outcomes. [1]

Acupuncture plus drug therapy outperforms drug monotherapy for the treatment of nodular goiter. In research conducted at the Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture plus levothyroxine produced a 91.4% total effective rate; using only levothyroxine produced a 68.6% total effective rate. The addition of acupuncture to the drug treatment protocol increased the total effective rate by 22.8%. [1]

Acupuncture combined with moxa is effective for the treatment of shoulder periarthritis. Suyang City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers conducted a clinical trial comparing distal warm needle acupuncture with local non-moxa acupuncture treatments. The results show that patients receiving distal warm needle acupuncture have better recovery rates but lower total effective rates. [1] A third arm to the study would have helped clarify