Welcome to the Jing practice blog! Providing self-care tips, news, information, and commentary about the acupuncture profession and integrative health.
Monday, July 26, 2010
The Future of Acupuncture News
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Happy Mommies, Happy Babies
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."
Friday, July 02, 2010
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 ISTDr. 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 .