The Future of Acupuncture News

The likelihood of my posting an article from the Las Vegas Review Journal is rather minute, but just in case, Acupuncture News will continue the tradition of writing comments about news and supplying a portion of the article with a link to the original report.

Why this announcement? Wired online reports that Steve Gibson, CEO of Righthaven, has begun acquiring copywrite rights to several publication for the main intention of to suing bloggers for re-posting articles. Not the friendliest solution to save the ever-diminishing cash flow of the newspaper industry, but since it is cheaper to settle than to battle, the strategy may work out.

In the meantime, more research and programs are opening up around the country using auricular acupuncture to treat out veterans suffering with PTSD. Check these out:

Research Call: Treating PTSD-related insomnia with auricular acupuncture

Bay Area Veterans' Acupuncture Clinic

Happy Mommies, Happy Babies

Given the length of time it takes most anti-depressants to work and the growing body of research that indicates their use yields little effect in mild to moderate depression, it is great to see more investigation into non-pharmaceutical management of prenatal and antenatal depression. Acupuncture has helped a number of my clients taper off their medication while trying to conceive and assist them in managing symptoms of depression during the three stages of pregnancy. Many have been able to get through the postpartum period without having to resume their medication either! With hope, there will be more comparative studies that demonstrate the efficacy of TCM and other CAM therapies in the next few years.

Acupuncture Benefit Seen in Pregnancy

By Shirley Wang

Acupuncture designed to treat depression appears to improve symptoms in pregnant women, suggesting it as an alternative to antidepressant medication during pregnancy, a study found.

The study, published Monday in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, is the largest to date examining the effectiveness of acupuncture to treat depression in pregnant women. It was funded by a grant from the government's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. "Acupuncture that we have tested works for pregnant, depressed women," said Rachel Manber, a study author and professor at Stanford University. However, "no single study is enough to make policy recommendations," she said.

Depression in pregnancy is a risk factor for postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is associated in some studies with poorer cognitive and emotional development in children. Some have linked depression in pregnancy and low birth weight.

As many as 14% of pregnant women are thought to develop a significant depression at some point during their pregnancy, according to the study authors, comparable to numbers who suffer from postpartum depression. Antidepressants are generally considered safe for use in pregnancy, but research has been limited and concerns continue to grow, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. One study showed that the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension, a potentially serious lung condition, is significantly greater in newborns whose mother took antidepressants later in pregnancy. The Food and Drug Administration recommends that patients and physicians "carefully consider and discuss together" the benefits and risks taking antidepressants during pregnancy."Antidepressants are not an attractive option for many women," said Dr. Manber. "Many women are concerned about using antidepressant medication during pregnancy."

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Happy 4th of July!

For those planning to celebrate this Independence Day with traditional grill outs, booze, and intense audi-visual stimuli, we will be here to help! Check out the new research showing how acupuncture helps increase exercise tolerance in heart disease.

Acupuncture ups exercise tolerance in heart patients

ANI, Jul 2, 2010, 10.00am IST

A new study indicates that acupuncture can improve exercise tolerance in patients suffering from chronic heart failure.

Dr. Johannes Backs, physician and study director at the Department of Internal Medicine III (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology - Medical Director: Professor Dr. Hugo Katus) of Heidelberg University Hospital conducted the clinical pilot study.

Patients with this disease suffer from shortness of breath and fatigue brought on by physical exercise.

The needles do not increase the heart’s pump function, but they seem to have an influence on skeletal muscle strength and thus can increase the walk distance that heart patients can cover.

In a study where patients were given ten sessions of acupuncture on points that boost general strength according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the results showed that these patients could walk longer distances, recovered more quickly and tended to feel subjectively less exhausted.

The scientists now plan to study whether relatively low-cost acupuncture can improve the prognosis for cardiac patients over the long term.

The findings have been published in the medical journal Heart .

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