Acupuncture and Spinal Nerve Cell Recovery

More research is coming out demonstrating acupuncture is an effective modality to help prevent further death and destruction of nerve cells in patient's with spinal cord injuries. I tried to locate the original research report, but my online sources were not forthcoming. It looks like Kyung Hee University is doing some pretty interesting digging into the effects of specific points like H7 demonstrating decrease in anxiety related to nicotine withdrawal (St36 failed to produce results), GB34 for Parkinson's Disease, and GB34 and GB39 stimulation after perfusion following an ischemic attack.

Acupuncture could help spinal recovery: study

By QMI AGENCY

A 2003 study showed acupuncture - a traditional Chinese medicine that treats pain by inserting and manipulating long, thin needles into various points of the body - can improve the sensory and motor functions of people with spinal cord injuries.

More recently, researchers at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea, tried to find out why. The study's results were published in the most recent edition of Neurobiology of Disease.

The researchers damaged the spines of 75 rats. One third were treated with acupuncture.

After 35 days, the rats that received the needle treatment stood and walked better than those that did not.

What's more, the acupuncture-treated rats had less nerve cell death and lower levels of the protein that causes inflammation.

The researchers hypothesize that the needles cause a stress response in the body that lessens inflammation. The inflammation that occurs after spinal cord injuries causes nerve cell death and lessens the chance of recovery.

Source: Toronto Sun

Legislative Update

Well, the bill to change our title to "Licensed Acupuncturist" did not pass, and that is a shame. However, we are still certified to practice, so at least we did not loose anything.

I am actually really surprised we did not get this through. The Kentucky Medical Association was so busy kicking up such a histrionic fuss over the proposed changes to the ARNP scope of practice legislation (sadly, also did not pass), that they they actually supported the LAc bill. But, as is the case with so much of politics, the backer of our bill irritated some fellow state senators and as a result, they opposed anything he brought to the floor. Lovely.

Isn't pride one of the 7 deadly sins?

But, in better news, check out this story from a soldier who underwent an extensive rehab program, including acupuncture, at the Warrior Combat Stress Reset Center at Fort Hood. I only wish they would hire trained acupuncturists instead of MDs who went to a seminar. Someday . . .

A US medic's tale of traumatic war stress treatment